I’ve written often about Pennsylvania’s budget for Approved Private Schools because it is so vital to HMS’ survival and capacity to serve our students well. Of late, we’ve had news both good and bad.

The good news: after two years of zero budget increases, we received a 3.2% increase for 2003-2004 and a 2.5% increase in the Governor’s proposed 2004-2005 budget, the same increase proposed for special education in the public schools. This increase reflects Governor Rendell’s validation of our role in the continuum of special education services statewide and a strategic effort to educate legislators in Harrisburg about our students’ needs.

Our message has made an impact and we have been heard by decision-makers at higher levels. We are being included in the conversation.

So, what’s the bad news? Because our expenses continued to rise during two years with no line-item increase, we are playing catch up without enjoying the full benefit of a larger budget.

Moreover, we continue to operate in a flawed and confusing system of funding and audits in which the Approved Private Schools are owed reimbursement for past services. For HMS, this figure totals over one million dollars for the years 2000-2002 and we expect that figure to double by the close of the current school year.

Much of our legislative lobbying is directed to this long-term conundrum—our students’ complicated needs require us to provide services at a higher cost than allotted in the budget’s line item, causing us to fall farther and farther behind. As legislators grasp the reality of our situation, they want to work with us to develop a more rational and realistic system that will not continue to deprive our schools of reimbursement for essential services.

We also continue to work in Harrisburg toward payment of monies due for past services, while acknowledging the state’s budget constraints. Please stay tuned to this important issue and continue to raise your voices on our students’ behalf.

TEAMWORK COUNTS. . .Physical therapist Mary DeLuca, left, and occupational therapist Jennifer Palko attach the sling to a battery-operated lift, a piece of equipment that they might recommend for one of their students while making a home visit to assess the family’s needs.

How many schools make home visits to support students and their families? At HMS, it’s routine. Of course, HMS is a bit out of the ordinary.

As Barri Alexander, coordinator of physical and occupational therapy puts it, "This is a unique service of HMS. It’s not mandated. We look at the total picture and teamwork is our greatest strength."

Families are an essential part of the team and HMS does whatever it takes to help parents work with their child at home. Home visits are scheduled as needed and most typically involve a physical and occupational therapy team and/or the assistive technologist.

When planning for graduation and transition from HMS to the community, the team will look at how the home’s layout supports the student’s moving around independently. Can she enter the house in her power wheelchair? Are interior doors wide enough? How will she get up the stairs? Mapping the house aides this evaluation process.

The staff’s expertise and observations are also invaluable to families planning home renovations for greater accessibility. A physical therapy (PT)/occupational therapy (OT) team can highlight practical considerations in the initial design phase, helping parents to avoid costly changes down the road.

OT Judy Lynch has attended two specialized courses about home access for individuals with disabilities and has shared her information with colleagues and students’ families. She says, "Families I serve are doing a lot of renovations. With what I’ve learned about access issues and recommendations, I can help them think ahead to future needs in their child’s teenage and adult years."

OT Jennifer Palko has developed a detailed home-visit worksheet to guide staff in evaluating every relevant space in the home, from outdoor approach and entrances to kitchen, bathroom, family room, living room, bedroom and computer areas. It notes size and accessibility of doorways and stairways and the student’s ability to negotiate these spaces and to use home equipment. The team may take photographs or make a video for future reference.

During home visits, staff offer recommendations and help parents to select appropriate equipment such as a transfer lift or toilet or shower aides and to demonstrate correct and effective use of equipment. The student may be present, depending on the visit’s purpose. Ms. Palko stresses that home visits also help to insure that "everyone is on the same page, maximizing students’ capabilities across varied environments."

Parents echo this point. Shawn’s mother Donna, says, "I feel it’s good to have the team come out because they get an idea of how the house is set up. As Shawn progresses, they know what kind of distances he’s traveling in the house."

PT Mary DeLuca likes to see a student’s environment when helping parents handle challenges like wheelchair to bed transfers so she can visualize the bedroom space and height and size of the bed. She says, "It also gives us a clearer perspective and appreciation of what families go through at home." She adds, "It’s a very personal experience and the student gets excited about my seeing his room—it adds to my rapport with him."

Computer technology presents another need for home-visit consultation. Dawn Rainey, assistive technologist, helps families to select, set up and troubleshoot equipment, including alternative keyboards, switch access and mouse emulators. She often teams up with OT/PT colleagues who know how they want the child to use the equipment, but count on Ms. Rainey’s help with technical issues. She says, "Families get so much out of a home visit. We’re not just recommending something and dropping it in their laps."

Ms. Palko and Ms. DeLuca recently videotaped student Justin at home to help his family appeal their insurance company’s refusal to cover a battery-operated lift, showing the difficulty in transferring Justin from bed to chair. "They were absolutely wonderful… very professional," Mrs. Dysart says "The school always goes above and beyond to help us." Although their appeal was unfortunately denied, HMS stands ready to support any further appeals.

Home visits like these mark an extension of the school’s strong commitment to students and their families. As Ms. Alexander says, "That’s what makes us HMS."

HMS dancer Ethan, center, interacts happily with fusion2 dancers during "SUNthing to Dance About," an original work recently performed at the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia. He is also joined by guest dancers Sara (front) and, to Sarah’s left, Crystalle, daughters of HMS speech therapists Marianne Goldman and Tonja Johnson.

Five veteran HMS dancers recently graced the stage at The Painted Bride in Center City Philadelphia. For the third year, these students, ages 13 to 20, presented an original work with teenage dancers from fusion2 training company of West Philadelphia’s Dancefusion. Howard, Taylor, Ethan, Amy and Travis also performed with guest dancers Sarah and Crystalle, daughters of HMS staff.

"SUNthing to Dance About" was choreographed and directed by dance/ movement therapist Martha Hess, who left HMS in December for a move to Texas. Ms. Hess was thrilled to return for the final week of rehearsals and the performance. She said, I can’t stress enough what a magical cast this project includes. It has been a privilege to have worked with such a talented and generous group."

HMS recreation therapists Rich Magnuson and Karen Scheer assisted Ms. Hess with the challenging rehearsals and performance, moving the project forward in her absence.

"SUNthing to Dance About," a 20-minute work, traces the sun’s arc from sunrise to sunset and incorporates students’ poetry and artwork. Live music accompanies the movements as duets, trios and quartets of dancers glide, wheel, dart and swirl about the stage, some on foot, others in wheelchairs.

The dancers performed as part of C.A.P.E. (Choreography, Art, Poetry, Experience), a project developed by Dancefusion director Gwendolyn Bye. Ms. Bye is committed to raising community awareness of the creativity and beauty in children whose lives are impacted by disabilities or illness and to giving these children greater access to the arts.

HMS is grateful to the 5-County Arts Fund, a Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts Program of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and The Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation for their generous support of the "SUNthing to Dance About" work.

GOOD FRIENDS. . . (left photo) HMS art instructor Eiko Fan, center, supports Samantha as she and Alina, her Germantown Friends School partner, participate in a "Circle of Friendship" based on Native American themes. Their performance was part of the culmination to this year’s Something Magical project that brings students from HMS and GFS together over several months to share activities and friendship. (right photo) Rebekah, left operates her communication device, with encouragement from her partner, Isabella.

I’ll miss you Beka because you’re always smiling and you make me happy.—Isabella

I like putting the beads on our picture frames.—Rebekah

I like that I could communicate with you.—Will

Will, thank you for being my partner. You make me smile.—Nick

Isabella and Rebekah. Will and Nick. They worked as partners over several months. They played games, went on a scavenger hunt, created art projects and practiced for a performance. They laughed, horsed around and got to know one another—how they like a lot of the same things and how they differ. That’s what the Something Magical project is all about.

For the past two decades students from Germantown Friends School and HMS School have produced an original musical about friendship and tolerance for differences. This year, a different kind of performance emerged. One group created a Circle of Friendship based on Native American themes, with chants, drumming and movement. Another group sang their own lyrics to "Under the Sea," and a third devised a movement piece, "Traffic Jam" to a jazzy score. Everyone participated in a Sharing Circle, rhythmically chanting something each child especially likes.

After 21 years, Something Magical still flourishes. The process that helps youngsters overcome barriers that often separate individuals with disabilities from their peers still works. Something magical always happens.

HMS’ Board of Trustees, under the leadership of their president, Nancy Harris, have instituted changes that support their response to funding and other long-range challenges. Most recently, the board established several working committees.

The Development Committee, working with Suzanne Zimmerman, head of the development office, will involve trustees more actively in fund development initiatives like the Fall Golf Classic. The group will consider HMS’ long-term funding needs and explore appropriate action steps.

Larry Blickley, operations manager, now gains support of a Building and Grounds Committee to help manage the plant with greater foresight and anticipation of needs over the next five years.

Trustees serving on the Government Affairs Committee have already had an impact with a legislative education campaign for increased support in Governor Rendell’s budget and for resolution of past-due funds for services provided. Their efforts have helped to gain legislators’ attention and make a strong case for HMS and other Approved Private Schools.

HMS School addresses students’ holistic needs with programs that promote their academic, physical, social and emotional development and maximize their potential.

The school also supports their spiritual development and interests, and has long offered appropriate experiences for resident students. In the past an Episcopal priest visited HMS weekly to lead a nonsectarian chapel service. With a smaller number of students now at school on weekends, and with changes in the student body, HMS is experimenting with a different approach to "spiritual services."

Representatives of several faiths recently began to visit in the evening once or twice a month. D. L. Warmley is a lay Episcopalian who works with the University City District. Cheryl Moore, a lay Catholic, was selected by St. Francis deSales Church. And Rabbi Ephraim Levin visits from Lubavitch House on the nearby Penn campus.

If parents first are comfortable with their child’s participation, the student decides whether to attend on a given evening. Coordinated by the recreation department, the program is in its infancy, with visitors and students still getting acquainted.

The program offers youngsters an opportunity to explore ideas around spirituality and to learn more about religious customs and traditions. Students can experience the kinds of after-school spiritual programs that families might arrange if their child were at home.

Ms. Warmley, for example, has used stories, books, puppets and lively music during her bimonthly visits to address themes like friendship and the change of seasons. She shares stories about her life and her family, hoping to encourage students’ sharing about their own experiences and feelings.

For now, Bill Hunter and Karen Scheer of the recreation therapy department are helping visitors to fine-tune their presentations to match students’ ages, abilities and interests and will continue to evaluate the program as it evolves.

HMS nutrition consultant Heidi H. Kecskemethy authored three chapters on specialized diets in the second edition of the Pediatric Manual of Clinical Dietetics, published in December 2003.

Parents Corner: by Ilene Brent

If I could turn back time, I would make certain changes when purchasing equipment and remodeling our home for Melea’s access. First, I wish we had a closet big enough for Melea’s extra equipment. If your child is young, think ahead to how large the equipment will be when they are 16. Second, although we enlarged our bathroom to industry standards for wheelchair turn around, it is not large enough. This is an area where bigger is definitely better.

Third, I should have purchased a hospital bed much earlier. When Melea was very small, she slept on a mattress on the floor, so she could crawl out in the morning and play with her toys. When it became hard to lift her from floor to wheelchair, she moved into a regular bed. At this point I should have purchased a hospital bed to help with changing and dressing Melea. I can raise the bed to a comfortable height, lessening the stress on my back.

I’m very happy with several of our design inclusions, like installing pocket doors. They present a cleaner look and make it easier for the person in a wheelchair to maneuver. We also installed a very large window at a low level in Melea’s room so that she can see outside from her bed or wheelchair. She loves to sit at the window and watch what is happening in her neighborhood. A large decorative mirror in the family room allows Melea to drive up and look at her entire reflection. Now she can see how she looks in her prom gown from head to toe.

Remember to contact your MH/MR caseworker about available funds. We received funds to install a SureHands Lift and Care System but it took several months and many phone calls.

If you would like to see our home and the changes we made, I’d be happy to take you on a tour. Just give me a call at 610.584.5550.

A FRIEND AND ADVOCATE. . .Representative Lawrence Curry, right, a state legislator from Montgomery County and a staunch advocate for students with special needs, attended February’s Something Magical performance at HMS. He spoke with parents after the performance about the budget deficits threatening Approved Private Schools. Here he chats with Marilyn Long and her daughter, Amanda.

PHILLY SOUL THROWS A PASS. . .Student Skyler enjoys posing with Philly Soul team members Keita Crespina, left and Todd Hammel, who visited HMS in January as part of the school’s guest reader program. After reading, the two players, whose brand new team has expanded the Arena Football League, demonstrated some moves, chatted with students and signed autographs.