Don’t forget our ancillary staff is also available to help during the school closures. Please subscribe to Ms. Alaouie’s iBlog as well as Ms. Dandron’s iBlog for updates and ideas! 

Ms. Mariam Alaouie (Social Worker) iBlog

Ms. Emily Dandron (Occupational Therapy) iBlog

Yesterday was the first official day of spring!  I hope you can take an opportunity to get outside and get some fresh air–today is going to be beautiful! I challenge your family to go on a spring scavenger hunt…how many things can you find?! Enjoy! 

Dearborn Public Schools

Physical Therapy Home Ideas

All children have varying positional and movement tolerances and capabilities. If you have questions regarding your specific child, please contact your physical therapist via email and or reference your child’s IEP.

Positional Ideas:

Multiple daily positional changes are recommended for your child especially for pressure relief and may include:

• Lying on their back with support under knees in bed or in a bean bag 
• Side lying with a pillow between knees and/or behind back
• Supervised tummy time over a pillow if tolerated
• Use of a stander once a day if available and appropriate        
• Continued use of orthotics daily        
• Changing the angle of the wheelchair by tilting the wheelchair backwards or forwards 

Movement Ideas:                

• Floor play opportunities that promote rolling, reaching or crawling utilizing favorite toys to motivate and engage your child.
• If your child is able, practice supported sitting on the floor.
• If your child is able to assist with transfers, provide supported weight bearing opportunities when moving between surfaces or at a table or counter.
• If your child is able, work on supported kneeling at a support surface like a couch or ottoman and moving from floor to stand.
• If your child is able to walk with support or an assisted device, please provide walking opportunities within your home daily.

Equipment Suggestions:

• Please take the opportunity to thoroughly clean all items that travel back and forth from school including; wheelchairs, strollers, backpacks, coats, and orthotics.
• Also, please note any repairs issues that may require vendor support and contact your vendor directly during absence from school. If you are unable to connect with your vendor, please reach out to your child’s school physical therapist to make us aware of the issue.

Thank you and stay healthy,

Dearborn School Physical Therapists:  

Khadija Dohadwala- lodhgek@dearbornschools.org

Susan Kusner- kusners@dearbornschools.org

LaSandra Schwarze- schwarl@dearbornschools.org

Letrisha Stallard- stallal@dearbornschools.org

Below is a link with resources and information regarding COVID-19 shared to us by our own, Nurse Deb!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m8N3YONRDWyLPN-MXkmPcS3nq6Gz0cLsDd54kaF5f5g/edit?usp=sharing

Please stay safe, and take care of each other!

Ms. Diana

This week Young Adult Families should be receiving a packet of familiar activities that you can work on at home. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions. I have asked that you please send me your most current email to stay connected.

My goal for all of my students is to increase independence. In the classroom, we provide opportunities for students to practice skills with support. While at home, please consider using this time to reinforce that independence. Including your Young Adult in everyday living activities will encourage independence. 

Some everyday activities that our students are familiar with include:

• Laundry- sorting clothes by color, loading the washer, measuring the soap, turning it on, changing over to the dryer, folding, matching socks, putting it away, carrying the basket, etc.
• Cooking- choosing what to eat, finding ingredients, following a recipe, using a microwave, measuring ingredients, make a simple meal (sandwich, cereal, leftovers), open packaged foods.
• Cleaning- vacuum, dust, wipe tables or counters, wash dishes or load dishwasher, take out the trash.

Any activity that you typically complete throughout the day, please consider sharing with your young adult. Because our students’ abilities range, so should our activities. For example, maybe your young adult can pull a bag of trash out from the can and take it outside. Maybe they can open the lid to the large trash can outside. Maybe they can show you where to find the trash bags. Maybe they can open a bag to put in the can. Maybe they can throw something away, or place something in recycling. Engaging with our young adults while completing our everyday tasks will encourage independence and learning. 

Below I have linked several resources/activities that we use in the classroom. Please consider spending a few minutes each day exploring the activities listed.

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/EDLALL/ GCF global provides web-based instruction on many everyday life activities including using money, cooking, time, and work skills.

https://www.cnn.com/cnn10 CNN 10 is a brief 10-minute news show geared for students. New episodes are available daily. 

https://www.storylineonline.net Storyline Online is a website where celebrities read books.

https://careerwise.minnstate.edu/jobs/practice-online-job-application.html Students can practice filling out a job application.

Youtube is also a great resource for watching cooking demonstrations, how to’s and even exercise videos. Our favorites in the classroom are MovetoLearn https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuPUdEctaIgaEexj3ZFjkiQ and Cosmic Kids Yoga https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5uIZ2KOZZeQDQo_Gsi_qbQ

Dance is a great way to exercise as well! Kidz Bop Music videos are a favorite of our classroom during movement time. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKE0Xnj818IDaHvIcRiq0Bg

Please take care, if you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out to me via email at orid@dearbornschools.org

Thank you!

Ms. Diana Ori

Dear Families,

  I hope that this letter finds you well.  I am sending a packet of familiar classroom activities that can be used throughout the school closure.  The best way to communicate with me is through email: 

 orid@dearbornschools.org

Please send me an e-mail so I can have your most current and best e-mail to contact you at.  For news and updates regarding the school closure, please see the districts website.

Kind regards,

Diana Ori

Welcome to iBlog Teacher Websites Sites. This is your brand new classroom website.  There are some things you should do to get started.  Hopefully you have been following the Getting Started Tutorials and Step Sheets.

It is important that you edit your profile so that you can choose your school and grade level as this will help parents and students find your website.  Look for the link in the upper right when you are logged in.