Contents: (click on the links below)

Director's Message  

Sensory-Based Activities Meet Essential Needs  

HMS Hosts Symposium on Sensory-Based Educational Approaches 

HMS Honors Nancy Harris on Retiring as Board President 

Something Magical is Coming! 

Abilities Expo 

Anne P. Wilmerding: New President of HMS Board of Trustees 

From Caterpillar to Butterfly: Students Track the Metamorphosis 

The Parents Corner  

HMS Photo Gallery 

HMS is often called a "center for excellence." I believe the term accurately describes our continual striving toward the very best for our students. With outstanding staff, an interdisciplinary team approach, emphasis on professional development and willingness to explore new practices, HMS makes excellence achievable.

Excellence differs from perfection. We will always have much to learn. But HMS is, in fact, a repository of so much valuable information about educating students with severe disabilities. And we seek to utilize that expertise not only for the benefit of our students, but also for youngsters in other settings. The upcoming conference we are hosting on sensory-based educational approaches will share our staff’s know-how with colleagues in the field. Ideally the conference will become an annual event, enhanced by published materials for others to access.

Over time, as HMS has enrolled developmentally younger and more medically complicated students, classrooms following a traditional academic curriculum have become the exception, and little formal curriculum is available as a model. We are helping developmentally younger students by integrating sensory-based activities in classrooms and therapy sessions. Two classrooms now organized around sensory experiences represent a pioneering effort, putting HMS at the forefront of special education methodology.

Occupational therapists like Trish Hamilton, certified in Sensory Integration theory, carefully track "sensory diet" approaches used in these classrooms to evaluate their impact on students’ abilities to communicate and to learn. We design interventions, examine their effects and move forward from there.

Trying to effect change and growth for our students is hardly a new phenomenon, but an integral part of the school’s heritage and culture. A history of HMS, recently put together by trustee Peter Sipple, demonstrates how often we’ve been ahead of the curve with new services and more effective techniques. We at HMS continue to embrace new challenges in reaching for excellence.

MEETING SENSORY NEEDS…Sam and Amanda experience a session in suspended harnesses, with assistance from their teacher, Steve Fiorelli. The equipment supports students’ bodies in an upright position, giving them an opportunity to move through space and to take some control by pushing off with their feet.

Sean enjoys the motion of a bolster swing together with speech therapist Laura Delaney. HMS staff adapt a variety of equipment and activities to give students the sensory stimulation that all children need as part of their development.

Each of us responds in varied ways to a barrage of environmental stimuli. We cringe at loud music or welcome the blast of a rock band, gag at perfume or enjoy an incense-scented room, search out the highest roller coaster or avoid amusement parks altogether. We learn to recognize our sensory preferences, and according to HMS occupational therapist (OT) Trish Hamilton, we change our environments to meet our needs.

Children with severe disabilities, however, often lack the capacity to control their environment and the opportunity to satisfy basic sensory needs. Ms Hamilton, trained and certified in Sensory Integration theory, says, "It’s our job to provide an environment that allows children to meet their sensory needs."

We all recognize the familiar five senses. But two other body systems also play a major role in children’s sensory development. The vestibular system of the inner ear gives balance; the proprioceptive system of the joints and muscles helps children to understand their bodies in space, apart from the environment.

Physical disabilities may interfere with crucial developmental stages and with active childhood play--running, swinging, jumping, tumbling—that fire up those systems and give youngsters a sense of themselves.

Ms. Hamilton and other staff use equipment like suspended harnesses, bolster swings and large balls to help children exercise their vestibular and proprioceptive systems and to experience independent opportunities for movement. Suspended in a sling, a student can weight-bear on his feet and initiate rotation. Placed on her belly on a bolster swing or over a ball a youngster can push off with her feet and enjoy some control in starting and stopping the activity.

Ms. Hamilton says, "Sensory therapy should always be child driven. We’re trying to interpret the child’s behavior and to respond with appropriate activities. It takes a lot of creative thinking and adaptive use of equipment."

She points out that there are many ways to observe and interpret a child’s behavior. Seeing a child who seems agitated, who is rocking her body or slapping her hands, "I see a sensory being whose needs are not being met and who is trying to cope with it the best she can," she says. "We intervene when children are expressing their need for sensory input. By giving that child appropriate sensory stimulation, we can calm her and modify her behavior."

Two HMS classrooms, with teachers Ed Contaldi and Steve Fiorelli, provide a particular focus on sensory-based activities. Ms. Hamilton and OT Lisa Wright-Drechsel work closely with these groups, preparing a "sensory diet" of activities for individual students. These activities are carefully documented, noting the child’s affect and physical behavior before and after each activity to measure its impact. Ms. Hamilton reports immediate and dramatic changes in some children; others need more repetition and time to respond.

OT assistant, Millie Connelly, leads sensory groups that emphasize tactile experiences. OTs also collaborate with physical therapists to run sensory motor groups, and they co-treat with speech therapists to provide sensory input and to prepare a child for schoolwork. "A big part of our job," she says, "is getting the kids to a ‘ready-to-work’ state--to the table where they’re ready to tackle the cognitive task that the teacher has planned."

Ms. Hamilton believes that all HMS students—regardless of age or size--can benefit from this movement-focused approach. Despite the school’s rich program of therapies and activities, most children with multiple disabilities remain stationary much of the day.

HMS calls on the expertise of Ms. Hamilton and others around sensory-based issues to raise staff awareness of children’s sensory systems and their impact on cognitive development. She has presented in-service programs on sensory-based approaches and consults with colleagues. She points out that HMS is open to nontraditional approaches. "There’s not a lot being written that relates to our students with multiple disabilities. And there's still so much to learn."

HMS staff will share their expertise this spring during a symposium at the school on Sensory-Based Approaches to Educating Students with Multiple Disabilities. Geared to educators, therapists and other practitioners, the April 21 workshop will introduce attendees to sensory processing disorders in children with multiple disabilities, provide an overview of sensory development and its impact on learning and offer a range of practical classroom interventions and applications.

Annie Steinberg, MD, a pediatrician and child psychiatrist who is on the faculty at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, will present the keynote talk. HMS presenters include occupational therapists Trish Hamilton and Lisa Wright-Drechsel, classroom teacher Ed Contaldi, speech language pathologist Marianne Gellert-Goldman, physical therapist Mary DeLuca, recreational therapist Rich Magnuson and occupatonal therapy assistant Millie Connelly.

HMS’ planning committee has insured that the 9am-3pm workshop will provide a balance of theoretical and practical information. During the lunch break, participants will also have a chance to view exhibits and observe activities that can be used with children in a school setting.

The symposium fee is $60, including lunch. To receive a brochure and to register, please call Mindy Olimpi-Zucca at HMS School, 215.222.2566, x108.

THANKS TO A SPECIAL FRIEND…During the HMS holiday show, (from left) LSA supervisor Dee Coleman Allen, director Diane Gallagher and special education supervisor and program coordinator Christina Coia participate in an original song and dance tribute to Nancy Harris, who retired in December after eight years as president of the board of trustees. (right photo) Nancy Harris expresses delight at the performance in her honor.

Opening December’s holiday show, a chorus line of HMS coordinators and supervisors twirling fuchsia feather boas danced and sang original lyrics to thank Nancy Harris for her support and leadership. Then, one by one, students presented her with pink roses. This special tribute celebrated Ms. Harris as she stepped down after eight years as president of the school’s board of trustees.

The presentation delighted Ms. Harris, who, as a trustee, has championed HMS for 50 years. "It was thrilling. It was a great moment for me," she says.

Working energetically, her passions have extended from the students and board activities to the physical plant and landscaping projects. A hands-on leader, she has been known to arrive at HMS with her own tree trimmer to keep the shrubs in good form.

Ms. Harris loves to spend time at HMS. Strongly attached to the children, she takes great pleasure in seeing them involved in their program and making strides.

Under her leadership, the board evolved into a proactive group guiding HMS through periods of change. She oversaw a revision of the board’s by-laws to accommodate structural changes and established working committees to address specific issues and to provide greater assistance to the school’s administration.

HMS made many strides during her tenure, including facilities improvements such as the new student entrance and elevator installation on Chester Avenue, updated reception area, expansion of the assembly room, creation of two additional classrooms, opening of the Sensorium and renovated therapy wing.

Diane Gallagher, HMS director, praises Ms. Harris’ leadership style. "She has an uncommon ability to cut to the quick of an issue. She works with high energy, is generous with her time and extremely conscientious, always concerned to establish the right priorities and to move things forward," says Dr. Gallagher. "At the same time, she solicits the opinions of staff and colleagues, considering all points of view."

The HMS family deeply respects Ms. Harris as a leader and values her as a very good friend. Fortunately she will remain a frequent visitor as she continues to serve on the board. For HMS and Ms. Harris, everything’s coming up roses.

Students from HMS and Germantown Friends School

are in rehearsal for The Rainbow Sea, an original musical.

Thursday, April 28 at GFS, 12:30

Saturday, April 30 at GFS, 2:00

Tuesday, May 3 at HMS, 10:30

Mark your calendar and be there!

Visit the HMS booth at ABILITIES EXPO

Showcasing products and services that

enhance the lives of people with disabilities

Friday, April 15 -Sunday, April 17

NJ Convention & Expo Center in Edison, NJ

Exhibitor and workshop details, www.abilitiesexpo.com

For free tickets, call Suzanne at HMS, 215.222.2566, x120

LEADERSHIP WITH A SMILE…Anne P. Wilmerding is already on the move as new president of the HMS board of trustees.

HMS proudly announces Anne P. Wilmerding’s election as president of the school’s board of trustees. She assumed the role after Nancy Harris stepped down at the board’s annual meeting in December.

Ms. Wilmerding, a trustee for five years, approaches her new responsibilities with enthusiasm. "If you spend any time at HMS you become completely enthralled by the atmosphere," she says. "It’s difficult to describe to others what a joyful place this is."

She admires the wonderful staff and administration and the rich program and activities. Trained in fine arts, Ms. Wilmerding particularly loves the student art show and performances and the passion that both children and staff bring to their participation in these and other events.

In assuming leadership, Ms. Wilmerding will carry on with the board’s present structure and priorities. She says, "Nancy Harris has everything so tightly set up and so well organized. She is a great person to follow. And she couldn’t be more helpful and supportive."

Ms. Wilmerding hopes that the board will continue to be involved in the school. She applauds the presentations that are educating trustees in all facets of the school, from institutional history to the complexity of educating and caring for students. And she is excited that the board is closely studying the adequacy of HMS’s facilities for maintaining high quality programs and care.

Ms. Wilmerding is an avid gardener, volunteering with her garden club and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society as well as with her children’s schools.

Her family shares history with HMS. As a child, husband Charlie attended events with his mother, Susie Wilmerding, who has served on the board for many years. Anne Wilmerding happily notes that her children--two daughters and a son--have reached a stage that now allows her more time at HMS. She welcomes the challenges to come and to working with—and hearing from—parents, staff and students.

BUTTERFLY MAGIC…With encouragement from recreation therapist Rich Magnuson, Leah focuses on the enlarged image of a butterfly specimen projected on a CCTV. Students have been tracking the monarch butterfly’s metamorphosis from caterpillar nibbling on milkweed plants to chrysalis to emerging insect.

The monarch butterfly will soon be on the wing at HMS. Although monarchs migrate to South America for the winter, students have watched the insect’s wondrous transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis without traveling thousands of miles. And they hope to enjoy the butterfly’s dramatic emergence this spring.

Thanks to the interest and generosity of student John’s family, the school acquired an educational kit providing caterpillars, milkweed plants—the monarch’s host plant—an illustrative poster and curriculum materials. Staff constructed a butterfly house on wheels that visits classrooms and enables students to observe the honored "guests." Recreation therapists Rich Magnuson and Karen Scheer supervise the butterfly project.

Through projection on a CCTV, students have been able to view butterfly-related images magnified to screen size. Even youngsters with vision problems can focus on the screen and observe a caterpillar moving or nibbling on a leaf. A lucky few were present when one caterpillar formed its chrysalis, a process completed in a matter of minutes.

The butterfly’s metamorphosis is understood at different levels, depending on students’ cognitive abilities. Some were saddened by the loss of several caterpillars over one weekend when, unanticipated, the leaf supply ran out.

Now everyone welcomes the emergence of adult butterflies that will feast on artificial nectar until the weather turns warm. If all goes well, plans include an outing to nearby Penn-Alexander School, where students will release the monarchs in a butterfly garden. And nature’s cycle will begin anew.

The Parents Corner by Ilene Brent
The time to plan summer activities for our children can sneak up on us. Between the last snowstorm and the one in the wings, it’s hard to focus on summer.

Ellen Scharff sent us a great list of camps to contact. I have personal experience with two of them, Easter Seals Camp Can-Do and Variety Club. Both have been great for Melea, offering her opportunities to be involved with her peers and make new friends after ESY at HMS. If you have information on any of the other camps, please let me know.

If you are looking for your first camp or a new one, the American Camping Association recommends you ask a few of these questions. Is the camp accredited? What is the camper-to-counselor ratio? This ratio is very important to our children, so make sure you are comfortable with the number of campers to counselors. How long are counselors on duty before getting a break? How are counselors trained? Are they hired for particular talents or expertise? Is the pool of counselors local, national or international? Also, ask for the number of returning campers and the names of campers and counselors you may contact.

Camp can be an exciting time for our children, but a time of anxiety for parents. I always wonder who’s going through the separation anxiety--me or Melea--especially last year when she attended her first three-week overnight camp at Variety Club.

Hopefully, after some research and thought your son or daughter will also have a wonderful camp experience. Then it’s on to finding an aide to help out after camp is over and before school starts again.

HMS Photo Gallery

GOOD BOOKS AND CONVERSATION…Two students from Curtis Institute of Music recently spent a lively hour at HMS as part of the school’s Guest Readers Program. They read Zin Zin a Violin, a book about orchestral instruments projected onto a large viewing screen, chatted with students and played selections on their own instruments—a trombone and violin. Here Shachar Israel "mimics" an illustration from Zin Zin.

PERFORMERS ALL…HMS students performed to a standing ovation during the opening reception of a Community Pediatrics Training Initiative symposium held in March at Center City’s Sofitel Hotel. Each year, medical residents from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia visit HMS as part of the nation-wide alliance that trains residents to become more effective patient advocates. (From left) Students Melea, John, Ethan and Andrew, assisted by recreation therapist Rich Magnuson and dance therapy interns Nathalie Hall and Frouke Drucke, perform "Parachute Dance," one of five works choreographed by HMS dance/movement therapist Rachel Federman-Morales.