EPIC Newsletter Winter 2011

EPIC NEWSLETTER
December 2011
Educational Partnership for Instructing Children, 238 Farview Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652
www.epicschool.org | [email protected] | 201-576-0600
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Dear Friends and Families,
As the New Year approaches we are issuing a
newsletter. It is wonderful to have a place where we
can once again share exciting news about our school
with students, families, and those with whom we
have developed partnerships, in our efforts to
maintain a high level of excellence in programming
for our learners.
Miriam Cotto
Executive Director
I would like to thank our
families and friends for a very
successful year with regard to
fundraising. Our goal for the
2010-2011 school year was
$200,000. Our parents and
supporters raised over
$230,000! Working in
partnership with our families,
we raised over $130,000 in
corporate, government, and
foundation grants.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Message from the Executive Director
1
Message from the Clinical Director
1
Breakfast with Santa
2
Casino Night
2
Structured Learning Program
3
Graduation Story
3
EPIC Addition
4
Mary Pat Christie’s Visit
5
Upcoming Events
6
programs, Wii and Xbox systems, and iPods. We also
purchased exercise equipment and toys, replaced
book shelves and furniture, as well as provided fun
activities for students. We now have a flat screen TV
and two computers, with internet access, in every
classroom.
Please see Executive Director on page 6
With those funds we were able to purchase a number
of creative and cutting-edge tools that enable our
learners to develop a variety of different skills,
including an Apple iPad for every learner, computer
CLINICAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
The 2011-2012 school year is in full swing with
students settling into their respective routines.
Everyone has become acclimated to their new
classrooms, aides, and teachers, as well as new
programs that have been implemented.
We have seen the addition of a new student to the
preschool classroom bringing the total number of
learners attending EPIC to 29. Our current classroom
sizes include 6 preschool-age students, 11 primary-age
students, and 12 students who are of high-school-age
or older. Within our high school population, there are
5 students who will be turning 16 during this school
year, making them eligible for the Structured Learning
Experience program.
We currently have students working at the Melting Pot
and Iron Horse restaurants in Westwood and the
Ridgewood Parks and Recreation Department, and have
just reached an agreement with the Paramus Public
Library to have students work there. We are diligently
speaking with local businesses to secure more potential
worksites for all of our students and are attempting to
acquire a range of different vocational opportunities.
There is also exciting news regarding some of our
younger students. We currently have four students who
make the long trek across the parking lot to Our Lady
of the Visitation school to participate in music class,
art class, lunch, and/or recess with their grade-level
peers. We are very grateful to Our Lady of the
Visitation for allowing our students to join these
classes. Additionally, two of our students who
participate in music have been asked to take part in
the school’s Christmas concert.
Please see Clinical Director on page 8
Page 2
EPIC NEWS
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
By Janine Hegel
Madison’s 1st Annual Breakfast with Santa took place on
November 27, 2011, at La Reggia in Secaucus.
Organized by the Hegel family, the event was a terrific
success, raising over $15,000 for EPIC. It was a
wonderful day for children and families with 250
tickets selling out well in advance of the date. Along
with the breakfast buffet, children had the opportunity
to sit on Santa’s lap and meet his character friends –
Dora, Diego, Elmo, Ming Ming, Pablo, and more. Each
child was able to select a toy from Santa and received
a hard-cover Disney book.
The community and sponsors were incredibly
supportive. Toys, books, and treats for take-home bags
were donated as well as baskets and prizes that were
raffled off during the event. There was also a 50/50
raffle. Thank you to the Hegels and their families for
organizing this terrific day, and to all of the event and
character sponsors. The Hegel elves are already
planning next year’s Breakfast with Santa, so mark
your calendars!
EPIC student having fun with parent & Santa
EPIC’s CASINO NIGHT
By Jodi Wiseman
EPIC's 2nd Annual Casino Night raised over $130,000 on
November 5, 2011, with a sell-out crowd of 300
attendees. The night was a huge success thanks to all
of our sponsors, and especially those who donated
$5,000+, including Five Together Foundation, IBM,
Reznick Capital, and John and Maureen Hall.
Fun was had by all with poker players competing at
the Texas Hold 'em tournament and gamblers crowding
the blackjack tables, roulette wheel, and craps table.
A live auction hosted by NBC News NJ Correspondent
Brian Thompson was a success, with bidders actively
bidding for a once-in-a-lifetime game-day experience
with former NFL Giant Carl Banks, grandstand tickets
to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, an
autographed Wayne Gretzky jersey, and vacations
to California and Arizona. Thanks to all of the
generous donors at the event, $13,000 was raised
towards the purchase of a new van to enable the
kids to participate in more community activities
and work sites.
The event could not have been such a success
without the tremendous support and participation
of the parents, teachers, and the administration at
EPIC. Very special thanks to the Casino Night
committee members, Jodi Wiseman, Nick Krieger,
Larry Toscano, Elisa Brooks, Shabree Henry, Lorrie
Lengyel, Karen McCann, Janine Hegel, and Patricia
Perez. We encourage you to provide feedback to
make the event more successful next year. Please
e-mail your suggestions and comments
to [email protected].
“The night was a huge
success thanks to all of our
sponsors!”
Guests having fun at Casino Night
Page 3
EPIC NEWS
A WORD FROM OUR GRADUATES
It was an exciting June day at EPIC when students, staff,
family, and friends filled the newly-completed multipurpose room to take part in the graduation of Lauren
and Emma Hesselson.
Recently, the girls looked back on their time at EPIC:
"At EPIC, I learned to be nice and behave well in class. I
had a little bit of a hard time at first, but it all ended
well. Now as a 4th grade student at Stillman Elementary
School, I am currently learning about The American
Revolution and am making some new friends. If it weren't
for EPIC, I'd probably still be in 2nd grade. Thank you
EPIC!" – Lauren Hesselson
"I learned how to spell, do math, write, read and be a
good student at EPIC. Thanks to EPIC, I'm one of the best
spellers in my class! Now at Stillman Elementary School, I
am learning how to write essays, do more complicated
math and learn about science. Thanks to Stillman,
science is now my favorite subject! EPIC was helpful to
me because if I never went to EPIC, I probably wouldn't
be in 4th grade yet. Thank you EPIC!
EPIC student with Clinical & Executive Director
on Graduation Day
P.S. – At EPIC I also learned how to make friends and
now I am making new friends!" – Emma Hesselson
The administration, staff, and families at EPIC are
incredibly proud of Emma and Lauren and wish them all
the best in their future endeavors.
STRUCTURED LEARNING EXPERIENCES PROGRAM
By Diana Zitelli
The adolescent learners at EPIC are eligible for a
valuable opportunity to participate in job sampling
programs, beginning at the age of 16. These Structured
Learning Experiences are designed to give our young
adults real-life experiences completing actual jobs in
local businesses, with guidance from an EPIC teacher
serving as a job coach.
Our goal is to provide a variety of volunteer, paid, and
unpaid work experiences while our learners are still in
school, so that we can help identify strengths and
preferences now in preparation for adulthood.
We currently have six local businesses and organizations
partnering with EPIC to provide volunteer and work
sites for our learners: The Melting Pot Restaurant in
Westwood, The Iron Horse Restaurant in Westwood,
Ridgewood Parks & Recreation Department, Womrath’s
Bookstore in Tenafly, Englewood Public Library, and
Alpine Learning Group. Each job site offers a unique set
of job tasks for our young adults to learn. Some of the
tasks include: setting up the dining rooms, portioning
side dishes, stocking shelves, packaging shipments,
dusting furniture, and other light cleaning. In the same
way that educational programming at EPIC is
individualized, so is programming within Structured
Learning Experiences. As a team we identify specific
learning objectives.
The clinical supervisors at EPIC are actively pursuing
additional job opportunities. We are reaching out to
local businesses and organizations in the hopes that
they will partner with us to create appropriate and
meaningful work experiences for our young adults now
and in the future.
Page 4
EPIC NEWS
A NEW ADDITION TO EPIC
By Miriam Cotto & Dr. Paul Argott
CLINICAL
Prior to December 2010, a picture of the EPIC school
would display a three-story brick building with a small
By Author
alcove of a sunroom
coveredName
in windows jutting out
from the back, like a small child hanging onto the leg
of his mother. This is not the picture of the EPIC school
today. Instead, that picture displays a large building,
standing tall. Instead of the small childlike sunroom,
there sits an addition three stories in height, but with
two floors and cathedral ceilings. The walls are
covered in windows, providing natural sunlight to a
room that serves as a gymnasium during the day and a
meeting space at night.
DIRECTO
R’S
MESSAGE
Unveiled in May 2011, the expansion encompasses 826
square feet on the first floor and 409 square feet in
the mezzanine. During the school day, it is not
uncommon to see a four-year-old student playing catch
with an instructor while an eight-year-old student rides
a scooter and a sixteen-year-old student plays arcade
basketball. At the end of the day, you can find our
students congregating in the addition, waiting to hear
their names called so they can independently walk to
their buses to go home. After school, the addition
turns into a meeting space where training is provided
to staff to ensure the best quality education is
provided by teachers and aides.
On the first floor of the room, you can find a variety of
activities that students can be taught to use as leisure
skills. Some of those activities include an arcade
basketball hoop, Razor scooters, a variety of balls,
bubbles, and a trampoline, among others. If you walk
upstairs to the loft, you find an area full of exercise
equipment such as elliptical machines, treadmills,
exercise bikes, and dumbbells. Students use these
machines to increase their physical fitness endurance
while engaging in cardiovascular exercise.
Thank you to all the parents, sponsors, and supporters
of EPIC whose fundraising dollars helped complete this
long awaited project. A special thanks to two of our
parents; Jim Freeman, who helped oversee the
project, and Matt Evans, who donated his services as
the architect for the project. All the students, staff,
and families at EPIC are happy to have the new
addition and are all looking forward to enjoying the
multi-purpose room for years to come.
NEWS RELEASE
Christie Administration teams up with NY Jets
to create a special day for students with autism
at MetLife Stadium
(East Rutherford) - Students, parents and staff from a
Paramus school that serves students with autism
received an early holiday treat to a New York Jets
football game yesterday as a part of the Christie
Administration’s Season of Service.
The event marks the second annual New York Jets
Dream Express that includes free rail transportation
courtesy of NJ TRANSIT to and from MetLife Stadium
for approximately 20 students, parents, and staff from
the EPIC school. They boarded a NJ TRANSIT train in
Secaucus Junction in the morning and were met by
representatives of the New York Jets and MetLife
Stadium who escorted the group into the stadium for
the Jets game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Tickets
and refreshments were provided by the Jets.
The Christie Administration, including NJDOT and NJ
TRANSIT, collaborated with the EPIC School, the New
York Jets and MetLife Stadium to coordinate the
special day for the students and their families.
A view from the outside of our new multipurpose room
“We’re pleased to be able to offer a break from all the
challenges that go along with autism,” said Matt
Higgins, executive vice president for business
operations for the New York Jets. “We’re grateful
Governor Christie and First Lady Mary Pat have raised
awareness of the toll autism takes on approximately
one in a hundred children who are diagnosed in New
Jersey each year. The Jets will be sure to make it a
great day on and off the field.”
Please see News Release on page 6
EPIC NEWS
Page 5
MARY PAT CHRISTIE’S VISIT
By Miriam Cotto
On April 1, 2011 we were delighted to welcome First
Lady of New Jersey, Mrs. Mary Pat Christie, to our
school. She issued a Proclamation in honor of Autism
Awareness Month and used our school as the platform
from which to make her announcement. The event
was well attended by EPIC parents and community
leaders representing the following organizations:
Quest, Inc., Autism New Jersey, The Arc of Bergen &
Passaic counties, and SPAN. Local officials
Assemblywoman Connie Wagner and Bergen County
Freeholder, John Driscoll, were also in attendance.
The event was covered by TV stations including WMBC,
WPIX Channel 11 and Channel 12. The Bergen Record
and Paramus Patch also covered this exciting event.
During the visit, Mrs. Christie toured the classrooms
and interacted with many of our students. Our
relationship with the Governors’ Office and the First
Lady continues with EPIC Elves.
EPIC ELVES
By Donna Puzella
The students at EPIC worked on a very special project
this holiday season for the first lady of New Jersey,
Mrs. Christie.
Mrs. Christie is a fan of the chocolate covered pretzels
from Sweet Nothings in Summit and thought they
would make perfect gifts for donors of the
Drumthwacket Foundation. The foundation acts as
preserver and curator of the Governor's official
residence which is a nationally recognized house
museum listed on the National Register of Historic
Places. There was a special request that came with
this order... Sweet Nothings had to find a way to
incorporate autism.
Our students decorated each and every box with
ribbons and hand-stamped labels. Tucked inside every
box was a beautiful card featuring each student's
name in his or her own handwriting. The students did
a fantastic job with these gifts- they all looked
fabulous. What's more, the students really enjoyed
participating in this activity.
We are so proud of our students and to be a part of
Mrs. Christie's holiday gift giving. This was a
wonderful opportunity to bring recognition to our
school and to autism. And, it was a fun project for
the students!
To see more pictures of the kids in action, please visit
our Facebook page.
For more information on the Drumthwacket
Foundation, please visit www.drumthwacket.org.
Page 6
EPIC NEWS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Executive Director’s message from page 1
Friends and Family Ice Skating Event
Please join us for our 9th Annual Friends and Family
Ice Skating Event to be held on February 4, 2012, at
the Ice House in Hackensack from 11:15 to 12:45 PM.
We look forward to a fun-filled activity for skaters of
all ages! For more information please contact us at
[email protected].
Bike Event
With the collaboration of four schools, the EPIC
School, Alpine Learning Group, Reed Academy, and
Garden Academy, the 3rd Annual Go the Distance for
Autism Family Bike Event will be held on May 6, 2012.
The event will be held at a new location, Bergen
County Community College, which will accommodate
more riders and provide a centralized space for all of
the day’s activities.
We encourage all EPIC friends and families to register
to ride and raise money for autism awareness. This
event is the perfect sponsorship opportunity for any
business that is interested in gaining the attention of
a thousand Bergen County residents/families.
We are delighted about the completion of our multipurpose room and mezzanine. We are pleased to have
an activity space for our learners and a meeting place
for staff and families. As part of our facelift we also
painted and replaced carpet throughout the school.
We have good reason to celebrate the successes of our
first two fundraisers of the year. Thank you to the
Casino Night committee for their hard work. Breakfast
with Santa was also a truly wonderful event. We look
forward to our Ice Skating event on Saturday, February
4, 2012, and to partnering with Alpine Learning Group,
REED Academy, and Garden Academy as we prepare for
our upcoming Bike Event on Sunday, May 6, 2012.
For more information about our school and programs, I
encourage you to visit our wonderful new website,
www.epicschool.org. On behalf of our Board of
Trustees, learners, staff, and families – thank you for
your support of our school. We wish you and yours the
very best in the New Year. Happy holidays!
Sincerely,
Executive Director
It is projected that the event website which will
feature the sponsors will receive more than five
thousand hits. In addition, sponsors will receive
sustained exposure on all media outlets. Businesses
will also have the opportunity to provide information
about their company to all attendees by requesting to
have a table at the Community Pavilion. For more
information, please contact Barb Strate at
[email protected].
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
FROM OUR STUDENTS
We at EPIC are asking your consideration in making a
donation to our school in the true spirit of the
holidays. Kindly log on to our website at
www.epicschool.org to complete your sponsorship.
Thank you ever so much for your generosity.
Our children will love to hear from you!
News Release from page 4
"NJ TRANSIT is delighted to participate in this team
effort to create a special day during the holiday
season for these students," said NJ TRANSIT
Executive Director Jim Weinstein. "NJ TRANSIT
worked to make it a memorable day for all."
To donate to EPIC or learn more about EPIC and
upcoming events, visit www.epicschool.org.
Page 7
EPIC NEWS
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Now in its 14th year of operation, EPIC continues to
help children with autism and their families meet
the enormous challenges that they must face each
day. EPIC receives public school district tuition to
pay for basic day-to-day educational needs, but
this funding alone does not meet the specific needs
of children with autism. EPIC families actively
fundraise through various events and programs
year-round to pay for additional technology,
support services, on-going training and classroom
materials not covered by tuition in order to
maintain a high level of excellence in our
programs.
On behalf of our Board of Trustees, families, staff
and all of our learners, we also thank the sponsors
of EPIC events, and donors listed below:
Sponsors
Simon Breedon
Mark & Jodi Delillo
Direct Market Designs
Evans Architects, Inc.
Leonard & Anita Falato
Dr. Philip & Florence Felig
Five Together Foundation
G-III Apparel Group, Ltd.
GNYHA Ventures, Inc.
Hades Advisors, LLC, Joseph DeVita, Inc.
Scott & Karen Merves
Northeast Private Group
David & Alison Oppenheim
Joseph & Mary Pane
Martin & Noreen Petraitis
Plavin Family
Reznick Capital Markets
Joe & Lisa Romano
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Jerry & Barbara Wiseman
Pauline Woei
Donors
Bridge Creek Catering, LLC
Columbia Bank
Drive For Autism
Frankie’s Friends
JP Morgan Chase
Law Offices of Stephen P. Sinisi, Esq. LLC
Macquarie Group Foundation
McGraw Hill Company
NY Center for Autism
SBF Consulting, Inc.
We thank our families for being sponsors and
generously donating private funds to our events.
Michelle McGivney and Frank Copolla look on as EPIC
students use iPads donated by Columbia Bank.
EPIC SCHOOL
238 Farview Avenue
Paramus, NJ 07652
Phone:
201-576-0600
Fax:
201-576-0699
E-Mail:
[email protected]
Clinical Director’s Message from page 1
With the holiday season here, EPIC has been asked
to provide the holiday gifts for Governor Christie’s
annual holiday celebration. This most-recent
activity continues a relationship EPIC has fostered
with the Governor’s office following Mrs. Christie’s
Autism Awareness Month Proclamation in April. We
all hope this relationship continues for many years
to come.
I would like to take this
opportunity to thank Miriam,
Bill, ShaBree, Diana, Julia,
and the rest of the staff for
their hard work and
dedication. Without your
support and diligence, the
difference we make in our
student’s lives would not be
possible.
The School that
Love Built!
We’re on the Web!
Sincerely,
Paul Argott, PhD, BCBA-D
Visit us at:
www.epicschool.org
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