Lighthouse School, Inc.
May 27, 2022
"Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds."
--Alexander Graham Bell (inventor, scientist and engineer; credited with inventing the telephone)
"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and to change the world."
--Harriet Tubman (escaped enslaved woman who became a "conductor" of the underground railroad)
Wellman Avenue Facility Entrance
Announcements:
School will be closed Monday, May 30th, in observance of Memorial Day
June Massachusetts State Mandated Testing (MCAS) Dates: High School Science and Technology testing Tuesday, June 7th through Friday, June 10th
Please see tab below for revised 2021-2022 school year calendar, noting the last day of school for students is Monday, June 27th
Please see tab below for the 2022-2023 school year calendar
We have begun our Consent Process for School Year 2022-2023. Please see the article below for more information, including a link to complete the forms online
May Monthly Newsletters will be sent home on Friday, June 3rd
School will be closed Monday, June 20th in observance of Juneteenth
Consent Forms Process 2022-2023
As we approach the end of this school year, we are already looking ahead to next year and our Consent Forms Process for the upcoming school year has begun. Completing these forms annually ensures that we have the most current information for all of our families and students, as well as the necessary permissions to provide services and treatment. The deadline to submit the forms for the upcoming school year is June 30 and in order for them to be as easy as possible to complete, we have made the forms available to fill out and sign online. You should have already received an email with a link for School Year 2022-2023 Consent Forms and we are including the link below as well. Please communicate with your Family Therapist if you have any questions or need any assistance in completing these forms. As always, we appreciate your cooperation in completing this important and necessary paperwork!
Town of Chelmsford visit
On May 4, Lighthouse School was honored by the Town of Chelmsford with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially acknowledging the opening of our second facility at 285 Mill Road. We were pleased to welcome the Town Manager, Paul Cohen and Director of Business Development, Lisa Marrone, as well as several other local officials. This was a wonderful opportunity for Lighthouse staff and students to meet members of the Chelmsford community and share our pride in our program, our staff, and our students. In addition to the ribbon-cutting, Lighthouse was gifted with a certificate and a key to the town. We enjoyed seeing our students interact with our guests and we were particularly impressed when one of our students asked, unprompted, to address everyone present at the ceremony. This student shared the tremendous impact Lighthouse School has had on him, highlighting the progress he has made since being enrolled.
Light refreshments were served after the ceremony, which allowed staff to talk more informally with our guests and share with pride all that Lighthouse School does in terms of providing not only an education but a “safety net” for all students who attend our school. This collaboration between the town of Chelmsford and Lighthouse School confirmed that the long-standing commitment Lighthouse School has made to provide services for students in need will continue to grow, while maintaining the standard and quality of care that the school districts and families have come to expect.
We invite you to watch the ceremony by clicking on the link provided below:
3rd Quarter Honor Roll
Congratulations to all of our students who earned Honor Roll for 3rd Quarter! In order to earn this distinction, students must have a minimum of a B average, or a rating of Advanced or Proficient, in the core academic subjects of Math, History, English Language Arts, and Science. They must also have a grade of Advanced, Proficient or Progressing in Reading and Writing. To celebrate this accomplishment, we had a Taco Bar Activity for all of the Honor Roll students to enjoy, along with the staff who supported them in achieving this accomplishment. We are proud of all of our students for their hard work, determination and motivation that earned them their place on the Honor Roll. Please view the slideshow below for the list of honorees organized by Cluster.
End of the Year Celebrations and Activities
Although we are approaching the end of the school year, we still have a lot to look forward to. It has been a busy and exciting year and there are more celebrations and activities in store for staff and students to enjoy. Some highlights include:
Transition Ceremony-June 17. This annual event is a special way to recognize and celebrate the hard work of all our graduating students as well as students who are coming to the end of their academic experiences.
Academic Awards Ceremonies-June 1, 8, 10, and 14th. Each Cluster will host this event on their scheduled day to recognize the academic accomplishments of students nominated by their teachers. Although generally, our students' clinical needs are the primary focus of their treatment, the Academic Awards Ceremonies provide the opportunity to highlight their hard work and successes in all subject areas.
Senior Week-June 13-17. We are proud of all of our students who are graduating with their diplomas or certificates of completion, or who have reached the end of their academic careers due to their age. Senior Week is a time to reflect upon their time at Lighthouse and have fun with their classmates and staff while looking ahead to their futures after their transition.
Field Day-June 23 (Raindate June 24). We are happy to bring back this annual tradition, after not being able to hold Field Day for the past 2 years! This school-wide event will include both indoor and outdoor activities, as well as lunch and treats provided by Lighthouse, to have fun and celebrate the end of the school year together.
What and When Is Juneteenth?
June 19th was proclaimed a national holiday in 2021 in order to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth Independence Day is also known as “Freedom Day.” This year, June 19 falls on a Sunday, so the holiday will be observed on Monday, June 20th.
Click here to read about how Juneteenth became a Federal Holiday: Juneteenth Holiday
June Bioeducational Theme of the Month: Dreams
To dream is to have an aspiration, hope, or goal, which gives life purpose, direction, and meaning. Having a dream helps young people build toward the future, and offers a sense of control and optimism. Throughout the month of June, staff will be incorporating the theme of Dreams into lessons in order to help students to make the connection between their personal choices and the results of their efforts.
Research shows it's critical to encourage kids from an early age to think about what's important to them and why. Setting and striving for goals helps children to learn responsibility, practice breaking a large task into manageable steps, work appropriately with others, develop ways to manage stress, and reinforces the importance of believing in yourself and what you can accomplish with a realistic goal. We will also discuss and process the things that might prevent students from achieving their goals and how they can work to overcome or compensate for any obstacles to fulfilling their dreams.
Books Suggestions:
Dream
Big Al
The Dinosaur of Waterhouse Hawkins
Me... Jane
Touch The Sky: Alice Coachman
Oh The Places You'll Go
Leo The Late Bloomer
Movie Suggestions:
Akeela and The Bee
Rudy
The Little Mermaid
Radio
The Pursuit of Happyness (PG-13)
October Sky
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs
Father's Day - June 19th
Father’s Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors fathers and their influence in our lives. You don’t solely have to honor your biological father on this holiday though—you can celebrate grandfathers, stepfathers, adoptive fathers, and others you consider father figures. Give them a personal, handmade card or gift to show how much you appreciate them!
Click here to read about how Father's Day became a national holiday: History of Father's Day
Reader Feedback
We would love to get your input on our Newsletter!
What Our Readers Are Saying:
The feedback I have about your newsletter is that it has a lot of help and it changed my child. The letter has a lot of things positive and good.
I appreciate the effort put into writing it. It fosters a great home-school connection. So nice to get an insight into the ongoings at school.
I enjoy knowing the theme of the month & the quotes by important people.
Your newsletter is informative & gives families something to look forward to. I’m curious about your neighborhoods as we don’t see this as much where our children get together in our hometowns.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide us with feedback-it is much appreciated!
Resources
Family Support Line
As a reminder, our therapists are available to offer clinical support to families and students 24 hours a day. If you are in need of assistance, please call our support line, starting with Line 1.
Line #1: (978) 821-1351
If you are not able to connect with a therapist or do not get a response within 10 minutes, please try Line 2.
Line #2: (978) 821-0316
Cluster Notes
Click the folder below to get the
latest Cluster Notes!
