January
2022
We are part of an inspiringly colorful mosaic of cultures and traditions. ~Benny Gantz
TRADITIONS: MAKING CONNECTIONS AND CREATING COMMUNITY
Happy New Year!
We hope all of our Transition families and friends had wonderful winter breaks and enjoyed celebrating the holiday season!
Holiday traditions provide us with many opportunities to connect with family and friends. Sharing stories of our unique traditions with each other can help us to create and feel a sense of belonging to a much larger, inclusive, and diverse community.
In this issue, our students share with us some of their favorite holiday traditions.
In the Words of our Students...
What is your favorite family holiday tradition?
~Luke: I like watching football on TV. My favorite team is the Seattle Seahawks!
~Tommy: I love putting ornaments on the Christmas tree.
~Bill: Family trips over the Holidays.
~Tyler: I love visiting Santa Claus at the mall every year.
~Alex: I enjoy celebrating my birthday at our Christmas family gathering. I get a number candle on my birthday cake, and our entire family sings the Happy Birthday song to me!
~John: Having our large family gathering (50 people) at Christmas.
~Elliana: Christmas Eve is our time for immediate family. We enjoy watching It’s A Wonderful Life while grazing on deli meats and cheese, veggies, Holiday cookies and eggnog. We read The Night Before Christmas and The Legend of the Candy Cane before lights out. Of course, we leave cookies and a Coke for Santa and carrots and water for the reindeer!
~Gillian: I love lighting a candle on the menorah each night with my family.
~Max G.: My favorite holiday tradition is probably Hanukkah.
~Quinn: My favorite holiday tradition is hanging out with my family.
~Charles: We open all the family gifts on Christmas eve and our last gift is always pajamas that are Christmas themed and we wear them to bed.
~Jack: Celebrating Christmas, and going into Canada to hang out with my family.
~Michael: My favorite tradition is the tree decorating in the family room.
~Morgan: Christmas is my favorite because I will hang out with my family members this year and have fun with my sisters and cousins.
~Max R.: My favorite Christmas tradition is going to Michigan, and spending time with my family.
JANUARY CALENDAR
Important Events for the Month of January 2022
- Monday, January 17: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
There will be no attendance for staff and students on January 17.
STAFF NEWS
We are pleased to be introducing another fantastic new Teaching Assistant!
Keegan Zack
I grew up in the area and attended high school in Grayslake. I knew from then that I wanted to be a teacher somewhere in Lake County. I attended Carthage College in Kenosha where I studied History and Secondary Education. While student teaching, I learned that I enjoyed my Special Education classes more. Wanting to pursue Special Education further, I found my way to the Lake Forest Transition Program.
We are also happy to announce a beautiful new addition to the Kelly family!
Margaret "Maggie" Cheryl Kelly
Welcome to the world, Maggie!
Our Transition Coordinator, Peter Kelly, celebrated the holidays with a new addition to the family. Maggie weighed in at 7 lbs 15 oz, 18.5 inches long, and mom and baby are doing well. Congratulations, Peter and Kari!
LAKE FOREST COLLEGE
We are very excited to announce that starting this semester we will be returning to Lake Forest College one day a week.
We are looking forward to this great opportunity and we will provide a more detailed schedule for you soon.
SPEECH TIPS WITH SAM
COOKING
Food has a great way of bringing people together and creating connections. Cooking together, eating together, and learning about food together are surefire ways to build relationships and establish positive routines and traditions.
Recipe of the Month
Our goal for cooking instruction is to make recipes which are uncomplicated, and that most anyone can complete. The Recipe of the Month for December is Dana's class's Italian Pasta Bake.
This is a great dish to make and share with family and friends!
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Students are learning independent living skills both out in the community and at West Campus.