Connecticut high school helps students with autism transition among schools

From The Stamford Advocate:

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Stamford High School and four ninth-graders shared a first Aug. 31.

Students in a distinct class for autism spectrum disorders have progressed through Westover and Roxbury elementary schools, then Cloonan Middle School. Now, four of the five students who finished eighth grade last year in Cloonan's modified home economics room are starting high school with the promise of a classroom, Room 106, outfitted to help them learn life skills, such as cooking, along with academics.

The high school isn't new to them. During the summer, they took part in an extended school-year program, which took place, in part, at Stamford High, home of the Black Knights.

"Mickey is enchanted with Stamford High School. He thinks it's a castle, because he sees all the stuff on the knights," said Heidi Teubert of her son.

A fifth student from Cloonan plans to attend Westhill High School.

Room 106, once it is complete, will be half classroom, half apartment, with a kitchen, bathroom, washer and dryer. Parents have purchased many of the appliances and amenities, like dishes, and their nonprofit organization, Stamford Education 4 Autism, bought a leather couch.

Because of the delays, the students are expected to start classes elsewhere until the room is finished sometime the same week.

"The hope is by building a classroom like this, fewer parents will fight to send them out of the district, because they will now have


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something built for what they need," Teubert said.

Out-of-district tuition is a growing expense for schools statewide, and this year the city's school system expects to spend $7 million sending approximately 171 children to other institutions that can better meet their needs. Renovation of the classroom, meanwhile, has been funded by federal stimulus money.

With the classroom in place, the special education department wants to bring out-placed seventh- and eighth-graders with similar needs back to Stamford, according to Wayne Holland, director of special education.

The four students' teacher over the summer, Sheree Cook, is staying with them through the school year to teach life skills and functional academics.

"None of the kids understand money exchange; we work on that in math. In social studies, we learn current events that pertain to their lives," she explained. "It's all things that will make them as independent as they can be as adults."

This material parallels the regular curriculum and is based on state standards, she said.

Difficulties with language and socializing characterize autism spectrum disorders, which can range from mild to severe. Not all children on the spectrum need the type of concentrated help these students receive.

Stamford High has prepared itself for these students' needs, according to Susan Chandler, department head of special education at the school. Security guards, cafeteria workers, educational assistants and teachers have received training in working with students on the autistic spectrum, she said.

In their first semester, two students will take regular education electives, while the other two will take a special education class with a vocational focus, she said.

To help with the transition, the students' middle school teacher, Barbara Remondino, sat in on high school courses to help pair her former students with electives that match their interests and abilities, Chandler said.

The week classes begin, the four students are also expected to meet their peer buddies, students trained as ambassadors to help include the special education students in social activities like dances or simply join them for lunch, she said.

Although the delay in completing the classroom was disappointing, Robin Portanova, the mother of a son in the class, said she was grateful for the work the school has done.

"There is no other placement other than Stamford High that will give him what he needs," she said.