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Students participating in the Mobility Opportunities Via Education curriculum use naturally occurring settings within the school day and special positioning equipment to practice functional mobility skills needed for adult life. Move is a top-down, activity-based curriculum designed to teacher students basic, functional motor skills needed for adult life within the home and community environments. It combines natural-body mechanics with an instructional process designed to help the students acquire increasing amounts of motoric independence necessary in sitting, standing, transfers, walking and leisure time activities.
Language Based Programming with Augmentative Communication
It is imperative that we teach every student to communicate functionally.
Communication is a fundamental need of every human and therefore a major
emphasis of our programming at Jessie B. Mason. A total communication
approach, using picture communication symbols, augmentative communication
devices with voice output, switch toys, thematic units, pictures, print,
computers, and simple sign language are used at Jessie B. Mason.
Oral Motor and Nutrition
Protocol Pilot Program
Students identified for participation in the Oral Motor/Feeding Program
to achieve maximum therapeutic gain have a formalized feeding plan and
protocol developed. Together with the guidance of the Speech and Language
Pathologist and Occupational Therapist, staff are trained in providing
a meal time program to meet student needs.
Sensory/Autism Program
Specific programming for sensory integration, behavior intervention, communication
and pre-academics/academics is provided to those students that are identified
as needing this type of educational programming.
Challenge Day-Special Olympics
The Motor Activities Training Program has been created by Special Olympics
International to address the needs of individuals with severe disabilities
who could not compete in the traditional Special Olympics. The program
emphasizes training and participation rather than competition, and is
used as a guide for our annual Challenge Day at Jessie B. Mason. The students
participate in the following venues: aquatics, mobility, throwing, dexterity
and striking. The parents, staff, community and friends celebrate each
child's accomplishments as the students demonstrate their personal best
in a specific motor activity during Challenge Day.
Inclusion/Mentoring
Program
Jessie B. Mason has a mentoring program with several schools in our community,
both public and private. Students from the area schools often come to
Jessie B. Mason for special projects. Other times, our students travel
by school bus to their schools or to educational opportunities in the
community. The mentoring program provides students with the opportunity
to gain guidance, leadership, support, and direction from adults and age-appropriate
peers. The school partnerships facilitate development by encouraging the
mentee's academic, social, emotional and personal growth.
Vocational-Career
Training Program
A major component of the school is our secondary vocational development
program, although designed for students over fourteen years of age; we
have exposed younger students to the information and environments. This
is a unified effort of the Vocational Coordinator and the School Guidance
Counselor to provide information, support, and training for the students,
their families and the community for their roles in future placements
of our students after graduation into the adult service provider programs
and possible supported employment. Meaningful job training opportunities
are provided to the students by trained Jessie B. Mason staff serving
as job coaches on community vocational sites and in the school's workshop.
Our school workshop gives the students the opportunity to develop job-related skills while performing a valuable service to local businesses and non-profit agencies. Our students perform tasks such as collating, labeling, pricing, packaging, simple assembly, and mailings. The students also make seasonal doormats and decorative wreaths that are available for purchase.
Our
school vocational program is always looking for community job opportunities
and possible workshop jobs for our students. Please call our Vocational
Coordinator, Olivia Jackson at 301-702-3810 or send an e-mail message
to discuss ways that we may assist you.
