LMA April Newsletter
Supervisor's Message
Good Morning,
I hope this newsletter finds you well! The month of April has been quite interesting, as we started the month with a well-deserved Spring Break for students and staff at LMA. Allowing LMA school community members the opportunity to 'reset' and prepare for the final marking period has been evident throughout this month. Students resumed their engagement in academic classes, and continue to work on therapeutic treatment goals in both individual and group therapy sessions.
The month of April was filled with different LMA initiatives, learning experiences around arts and nature, along with recognition of Autism Awareness on a national level. I'm proud to see the students at LMA so vested in the growing LMA school community! We will start administering the NJSLA state testing the first week of May, and complete makeups throughout the month of May. As we wind down the school year entering the 4th marking period it's becoming more and more clear we are seeing how the different programs put in place in September are truly coming to fruition now for students and staff at LMA. I am thankful for the parent/guardian feedback from our NJ SCI survey results. The data you provided will help us target our areas for growth so that we can truly improve school climate, and build on our successes at LMA. The school climate is truly the foundation of LMA.
Please spend some time reviewing our monthly newsletter, and see all the events and activities completed at the Mill, along with different upcoming community events and support systems.
John Lopreiato
Upcoming LMA Events
May 2024 Important Dates
May 13 - LMA Field Trip - Mane Stream
May 17 - Union County Teen Arts Festival
May 21 - Union County Outstanding Scholar Breakfast
May 27 - School Closed - Memorial Day
Upcoming Community Events
Scotch Plains Mental Health Awareness Walk
A Women's Mental Health Event: The Power of Forgiveness.
Invitation To 4-H Teen Mental Health Fair
LMA Student of the Month - April 2024
Evette L-C
LMA is proud to announce our April Student of the Month, Evette! Evette joined the LMA school community this past September. She has worked on hard on her academics, and her therapeutic goals while consistently attending LMA. A vote from all LMA staff revealed Evette to have a majority of the votes for student of the month, and it shows with all the progress and growth she has made while attending LMA. She has been taken on leadership roles, while improving her interpersonal skills at LMA. We are happy to name Evette as the LMA student of the month for April and look forward to seeing her continued growth at LMA!
LMA Staff Spotlight
Mrs. Reardon - LMA School Secretary
Getting to know Mrs. Reardon
1. Loves to travel new places.
2. Enjoys gardening
3. Long-time New York Knicks fan.
4. Has worked with the Commission since 2010.
Enjoys all things food, watching cooking shows, finding new recipes, trying new restaurants and always willing to try something new and unusual.
LMA is proud and honored to have Mrs. Reardon as our Administrative Professional, ensuring the day to day operations are being completed with pride!
Classroom Spotlights
Mrs. Van Clief's Math classes learn about real world math!
Updates from Mr. Bell's Social Studies classes
Students have followed our path of history into a number of themes. US II students have learned about WWII - the reasons for it happening, the key players, the US involvement, and the impact it had on our country and the world. US History I students learned about the closing events of the Civil War and the changes that did and did not happen in the country including the Great Migration and Jim Crow laws. World History students have looked at the history of laws and the models used from ancient Greece and Rome.
Those students who will be eligible to vote in our next elections participated in a seminar to review the history of voting, the importance of participation,and the actual forms necessary to become a registered voter.
Mr. Acosta's Post Graduate Progress
Our post-grad students, Blake and Gabe, got to meet a chef from the Chili’s corporation based in Dallas, Texas. He was so kind and welcoming and truly made them feel like part of the team. Additionally, we recently made cake pops with some help from the seniors. The cake pops were delicious and we plan on making them again in the near future. Prior to the year ending, our post-grad students will be making sure their resumes are up to date to reflect all the new experiences from throughout the year!
Clinical Corner
Self care entails strategies that assist in improving your mental and physical health such as reducing stress and anxiety, lowering your risk of illness, and increasing your energy levels. Written below are 5 tips on practicing self care:
Getting enough sleep - Maintain a schedule, reduce caffeine intake, and limit screen time
Get regular exercise - 30 minutes of exercise can improve your mood and health. Try taking walks, running, playing sports, or swimming.
Practice healthy hygiene - Remember to always take care of yourself, such as taking showers, brushing your teeth, and cleaning your living space
Spending quality time with loved ones - Surround yourself with positive influences such as family members and friends
Practicing Coping Skills - Self soothe with some of your most calming activities
Learning Experiences at The Mill
RWJ/Trinitas Clinicians visit LMA students on social media and cyberbullying
On April 18th LMA welcomed guest speakers Nicole Macaluso and Nikki Milch from Trinitas Regional Medical Center Child and Adolescent Outpatient Unit. They provided an engaging presentation on Cyberbullying, Social Media safety and consent, and healthy relationships where the students had the opportunity to ask questions and participate in interactive discussion.
Here is what our LMA students had to say about the presentation:
I did like the presentation, it was very informative and interesting! I liked learning about the laws about sending appropriate vs inappropriate information. I found it very interesting that the age of consent in New Jersey is 16.”
I loved it! It was good to hear about others who share the same perspective as me. The most interesting thing was learning about the age of consent
I found it very interesting that a lot of people go through cyberbullying. It helped me feel not alone and feel seen. The presentation made me realize I was not alone which made me feel ecstatic/really happy"
LMA Participates in Arbor Day
3 LMA students accompanied Ms. Matusz to participate in the Union County annual Arbor Day Tree Planting program on April 10. They were shown how to plant a tree at Oak Ridge Park and received 2 Eastern Redbud trees to take back to LMA to plant. The students did great and it was a wonderful learning experience for all! A huge thank you to James Pellettiere, clerk of the Union County Board of Freeholders.
LMA Monthly SEL Theme: Self Care/Responsibility & Autism Acceptance
During the month of April the SEL theme is self care/responsibility, and Autism Acceptance month. Throughout our daily groups students discussed various ways they engage in self care, and the importance of doing so. Students participated in mindfulness activities, yoga for teens and discussed healthy sleep hygiene schedules. A large portion of the month highlighted Autism Acceptance, and on April 19th students and staff wore red and/or gold to support Autism Acceptance month. Red is used in the community as it isn't a "sad" or "gendered" color like blue, and is a bright color that can be seen. Gold is used because "au" is the symbol for gold on the periodic table and "au" are the first two letters in autism. Lastly we had a speaker from Trinitas Regional Medical Center that discussed the topic of cyberbullying and social media safety.
LMA Students Outside the Classroom
Ben Embarks on his Eagle Scout Project
Ben is currently ranked as a Life Scout in Boy Scout Troop 114 in West Milford. He was recently granted approval to start his Eagle Scout Project, which is part of earning the highest rank in Boy Scouts. This project entails building brand new overhangs for cabins at the new Weiss Center in Ringwood. He will raise seven hundred dollars in funds for materials to help with the project. Once all materials are secured, he will start construction. He will be leading, managing and organizing a group of about eleven volunteers, including both scouts and adults. Ben is using his strong problem solving skills by reading blueprints, learning carpentry skills, and scheduling his volunteers in shifts to complete the project based on the timeline he was given. We are so proud of this milestone at LMA and can’t wait to see how it turns out! Let’s go, Ben!
Community Resources
School in the Community
Post-Graduate Program is fully engaged in WBL with students going to Walgreen's and Chili's on a consistent basis, while Mr. Acosta establishes new partnership with local organizations in the community for future WBL experiences.
Monthly Community Meetings to celebrate student progress and growth.
Students have been visiting and helping out at The Westfield Food Pantry with retired LMA Teacher, Mr. Convery.
About Us
Contact Information:
Phone: (908)-233-7581
Address: 1571 Lamberts Mill Road, Westfield, NJ, 07090
Website: https://ucesc.org/schools/lamberts_mill_academy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ucesc_lma/?hl=en
Lamberts Mill Academy is a school within the Union County Educational Services Commission. We are an out of district public school for students with psychiatric disabilities. We continue to partner with RWJ Trinitas Regional Medical Center to provide clinical services for our students. Our school community prides itself on our relationships with all stakeholders: students, staff, parents, families and community partnerships. Being a public school, we adhere to all NJDOE assessment and curriculum mandates. Our professional learning community strives to increase student achievement and improve classroom instruction to provide students with the most effective educational, social and emotional learning environment possible.