Good Morning! Just a reminder that today is a half day, and tomorrow is a full day! This time of year always gets a little confusing. Because the High Schools have exams and will be running on a different schedule than we do, we will not have job sites or CBI Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. The buses that we use for those sites will be busy taking the high school students home.

Next week starts the new semester and we have made a few changes. CBI groups have been changed, so that there are more students in each group. This has it’s advantages and disadvantages, but it does allow students to get out more frequently. We still have an unusual amount of time at each location, therefore, if this is not appropriate for a student (because they are not able to control behaviors, hold interest, etc.) they are on a separate list to be included when we have an activity that is appropriate.

With that said, we have a meeting with the Director of Special Education planned for April to discuss our needs for next year and hope that changes can be made. One of the changes we are looking to make will be dropping Planet Fitness for the 2020-2021 school year, and replacing it with bowling as a CBI activity. This will allow more students to be able to participate and benefit from the activity. It makes me sad, but now that we are only allowed one day of week there, the students are losing interest and have lost some of their momentum. It was without a doubt, the single most successful and beneficial activity we’ve had to date and I encourage anyone with a membership to keep going on their own! So many of our students have lost weight and kept it off – some students have lost 50 pounds or more! They are independent, have a membership of their own and are contributing to their community. It’s everything I could have ever asked for.

Also new next semester will be our “pay day” system. We’ve made some upgrades to make it easier to administer and manage. Students will get paid “Camp/Cote Cash” daily now. They will receive $1 for every day they are here, at their seat by 8:30 a.m. This gives students a 30 minute grace period to enter the room, get their belongings, and take their seat. Students are not paid if they are not here. Students are not paid if they are not here (and in their seat) by 8:30. (Strolling in the door at 8:30 does not count) At the end of the week, students will be able to use their money to purchase either physical items (snacks, pencils, erasers, etc.) or other items such as “extra trip to Kerby’s”, “eat lunch with a teacher”, etc. The Friday movie will be $3 in Camp/Cote cash. Students who are sick for an extended period of time will be considered on an individual basis, students who do not have the money will be given an alternate assignment that will take place in our old classroom. This is a little bit of “tough love” for some of our students, but we hope it will encourage regular, on-time, attendance. Effective January 27, 2020.

Finally, on Friday we wished Mohamad Ghulais farewell as he moves to Howe to continue his education! We will miss him but know he will excel over there and make us proud! Good Luck Mohamad!

Upcoming Dates:

Jan 22 – Full Day – students need a lunch

Feb 5 – Late Start

Feb 14 – Pizza Party! Free! No lunch needed! Students may pass out Valentines/Candy if they choose. Currently we have 25 students.

February 17-21 Mid-Winter Break – No School