The Watson - Watson Institute

The Watson
Educating Exceptional Children
and Their Educators
Issue 14 | Fall 2013
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Watson Institute
Board of Directors
William E. Wrenshall, IV
Chairman
Jeffrey S. Flick
Vice Chairman
Eric Huss
Treasurer
Charles E. Thorne, Jr.
Secretary
Raymond B. White
Chief Executive Officer
Trustees
Michael A. Angerman
Daniel A. Brailer
Jeffrey J. Bresch
William H. Brown, Jr.
J. Kaye Cupples, Ph.D.
David Freudenrich
A. Jay Gross, Ph.D.
Lynn Iezzi
Todd R. Jansma
Malcolm Nimick
J. Eric Renner
Harton S. Semple III
Robert W. Thomas
James L. Weisman
Advisory Board
Vincent J. Delie, Jr., Chairman
Manu Brahmam
Craig E. Columbus, Ph.D.
Robert F. Tousignant
R. Scott Umstead
William E. Watts
David R. Williams
Honorary Trustees
Dolores Smith Barber
Mrs. Joseph C. Bates
Fayette Brown, Jr.*
Jean George*
W. H. Krome George*
Stanley Z. Goldberg
Douglas T. Millar*
Robert D. Nix, M.D.*
David B. Oliver, II*
Darrell J. Salk, Jr.
Dorothea Simon*
Kevin T. Weir
Dell Ziegler
*deceased
Shari Bruce Editor
AlphaGraphics
in the Cultural District
Design, layout and printing
In this Issue
Watson Announces Interactive Website. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Watson Welcomes New Board Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Market Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Ed Center Receives Donation from Autism Speaks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Friendship Academy Students Display Creativity Through Murals. . . . . . . . . . . 5
LEAP Preschool Continues to Shine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
“Taste It Tuesdays” at Friendship Academy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Watson Institute/First National Bank Pro-Am Tournament
New Venue for Tri-State PGA in 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
From the CEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
Mission
The Watson Institute, through its family of schools and services, helps children
and youth with special needs to achieve their fullest potential in all aspects of
their lives. Watson strives to provide programs that serve the needs of children
with autism spectrum disorders, neurological impairments or serious emotional
challenges with diagnostic, educational and therapeutic support; support to
the families of these children through education, counseling, wraparound, out
patient services and respite programs; and training and technical support to
educators, psychologists, therapists and others working in this field.
The Watson Difference is produced twice a year for friends and supporters
of the Watson Institute and its family of schools. Comments on the publication
are encouraged and can be made by calling (412) 749-2851 or via email:
[email protected].
The Watson Institute admits students without regard to race, color, national origin
or religious creed. The Watson Institute is an equal opportunity employer.
www.thewatsoninstitute.org
Cover photo: Education Center student Brian Bothell plays with oobleck (a
cornstarch and water mixture) during sensory time. Photo by Megan Hartwig.
FEATURE
The Watson Institute Announces Interactive Website to Assist
Educators and Caregivers of Children with Special Needs
The Watson Institute has created an online web
application to complement our services to teachers,
How can I get my child
trainers and caregivers who teach and support children with
to brush her teeth?
autism and other special needs: Watson LIFE Resources
(Learning and Information for Families and Educators):
WatsonLifeResources.org. The site is populated with
questions and answers by Watson consultants who gathered
this information over the past 15 years working with special
education professionals in school districts in Pennsylvania,
Ohio, West Virginia and New Jersey. Our consultants
share strategies with teachers to help students with special
needs reach their potential. These strategies are described
in detail throughout the site. Here’s how it works:
To better understand potential users’ interest and
opinions of this resource, the website was shared
• A person types a “question” that is a concern about
with attendees at the Autism Society’s 44th National
a child and receives an answer to the question. For
Conference in Pittsburgh in July 2013. A total of 29
instance: How do I encourage my child to brush
subjects reviewed the site, watched specific videos or read
his teeth? How can I help my student organize her
detailed content, and provided feedback. The overall
materials for class?
• An answer is displayed with step-by-step instructions, conclusion from the research is that participants believed
the website is needed, useful and appealing. Two-thirds
downloadable materials to use, and a video
would be extremely likely to recommend it. Nine-in-ten
demonstrating the process of the answer.
• Each “answer” or strategy recommended is identified believe they would use the website in their teaching or
caregiving of children with autism. Of the most watched
as an “established” treatment or an “emerging”
videos or most read advice, all were rated extremely
treatment based on The National Standards Report
positively for overall opinion, ease of understanding,
of the National Autism Center.
usefulness of information and ease of application.
• If a question
The site has been “live” since mid-July, has had more than
is posed to the
2,000 visitors, and currently has over 100 subscribers.
site for which
The 2000+ visitors to the site are predominantly from
there is no
the USA (90%), with the remaining 10% from Canada,
answer, it is
Australia, Europe and India. sent to Watson
“One of the main purposes in creating this resource is to
consultants,
who moderate be able to help anyone anywhere” said Watson’s Public
Relations Specialist Shari Bruce. “Seeing these global IP
the site, and
an answer will addresses visiting the site, we believe that is exactly what
we are accomplishing.”
be created
The Watson Institute is grateful to PNC Foundation and
and posted
the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust for financial support
to the site.
• Subscribers to the site may in the development of the site.
rate and comment on answers and strategies.
We encourage visitors to the site:
• The site is free to use.
www.watsonliferesources.org.
The Watson Difference
3
Watson Welcomes
New Board Members
Two new members have joined The Watson Institute’s Board
of Trustees in 2013.
Todd R. Jansma joined the Board
at the June 2013 meeting. Todd
is a Senior Manager in Deloitte
Consulting’s Strategy & Operations
practice with over 12 years of
experience in the management
consulting industry. He also spent
three years in commercial banking
with National City Bank Corp. Todd holds an MBA and bachelor’s
degree from Duquesne University
and is a Chartered Financial Analyst
and member of the CFA Society of Pittsburgh. Todd is also a
member of the Board’s Development Committee.
Daniel A. Brailer joined the Board at
the September 2013 meeting. Dan
is currently Vice President of Investor
Relations and Corporate Affairs at
WESCO International, Inc. He
joined WESCO in 1999 and has had
a significant role in enhancing the
firm’s capital structure and in building
a robust investor relations program.
Dan holds both a BS degree and
MBA in Marketing and Management
from West Virginia University.
Watson welcomes Mr. Jansma and Mr. Brailer to the Board
and we appreciate the talents and experience they bring to help
serve the mission of The Watson Institute.
Makenna Griggs and John Pickerd get ready to pack Market Day orders
at The Education Center.
Market Day
Market Day is a fundraising food cooperative, providing
opportunities to raise money for schools by selling food
products. Students help unload Market Day deliveries and
pack up orders for parents and staff once a month. Since
the Ed Center has participated in Market Day more than
$6,500 has been raised to purchase items for student
programming such as equipment, computer software, iPad
apps, money for community outings, and more.
For more information on Market Day, visit their website at
www.marketday.com. To participate in the Education Center’s
program, designate The Watson Institute as your organization
on the Market Day website or call 412-749-2851 for more
information.
Ed Center Receives Donation
from Autism Speaks
Representatives of Autism Speaks’ Pittsburgh Chapter
visited The Education Center in September, donating
an iPad to one of our classrooms with transition
aged students. Pictured are Watson teacher Elizabeth
Graham with Lisa Maloney, Richelle Ward and Brett
Spitale from Autism Speaks, looking on as Andrew
Schmidt demonstrates how he uses an iPad in class.
Thank you Autism Speaks!
Andrew Schmidt demonstrates iPad apps he uses in class.
4 The Watson Difference
Friendship Academy Students
Display Creativity Through Murals
Local artist Alison Zapata spent several weeks with students at
The Watson Institute Friendship Academy creating a series of
murals depicting Pittsburgh scenes and icons. The results of their
efforts are six murals that will adorn the hallways of the school in
Pittsburgh’s Friendship neighborhood for many years to come.
Alison brainstormed ideas with groups of students responsible for
each mural. As the respective themes for each mural came together,
Alison guided the students through the process to turn their visions
into reality. Murals depicted famous musicians, sports figures and
other dignitaries from Pittsburgh, as well as Pittsburgh’s famous
skyline and rivers.
“The students came together with many ideas to form one
collective voice through visual art” said Alison. “The process of
immersion in the arts created an atmosphere in which the students
were able to transform from the individual to a team. Their voice,
success, and gift of sharing will be on display for years to come.
I was moved by their enthusiasm and persistence to achieve.”
Comments solicited from students who helped to create the
paintings were insightful, including:
• I liked working together with friends
• I liked having the help of a professional artist, Ms. Allison
• I liked learning teamwork and how to get along with others
These comments demonstrate that the students learned so much
more than how to create art. Teamwork and togetherness were a
common theme. Many comments also referenced the enjoyment
of “splatter” painting, a method where the brush does not actually
touch the canvas, but the paint is thrown at the canvas from the
brush with a flick of the wrist.
Ms. Zapata’s participation with this project was made possible
through the Arts in Education Partnership of the Pennsylvania
Council on the Arts, a state agency. It is funded by the citizens of
Pennsylvania through the annual legislative appropriation. This
residency was administered locally by Gateway to the Arts. Lauri Kragness, Education Director at Friendship Academy,
facilitated the application for the Artist in Residence program. “The Watson Institute Friendship Academy is dedicated to
harnessing the potential in every child and nurturing the spirit of
‘curiosity seeker’ in each of them” said Ms. Kragness. “Friendship
Academy recognizes the essential role the arts play in helping all
students to succeed in school, life and work. With this purpose
in mind, the Friendship Academy Mural Project, in partnership
with Gateway to the Arts and the PA Council of the Arts fostered
creativity, self-esteem, and teamwork. Gateway to the Arts
provided our students the opportunity to work with an artist
who brought her love of the creative world to our school. Our
students benefitted from this experience and are proud of their
collaborative murals.”
Eric Woods,
Alarieo Scales,
and Akelay Green
helped to create
the “Famous
Pittsburghers”
mural, one of
six that adorn
a hallway at
Friendship
Academy.
The Watson Difference
5
LEAP Preschool Continues to Shine
Watson’s LEAP Preschool has been providing high quality early
intervention services to preschool children diagnosed with an
Autism Spectrum Disorder and their typically developing peers
since 1981. It reflects a naturalistic, inclusive developmental
approach for teaching children in an early childhood environment.
Family involvement is essential for the success of the children who
participate in LEAP programs. The following is a testimonial we
received from a LEAP mom:
“I wanted to send you an email expressing my gratitude and
appreciation for how the LEAP preschool is helping my son. I
have talked with Ms. Suzan about how Ethan has been using more
words, expressing excitement about going to preschool every day,
and talking about his friends and teachers at preschool. He has
flourished so much in the few weeks that he has been attending
this preschool. He is always happy to be there and sometimes
doesn’t want to leave. Since preschool has started, he has been
using a lot more words to communicate at home and sings songs
often. His night time routine has become amazing. He is now
initiating bedtime and often falling asleep before his bedtime with
excitement that he gets to go to preschool the next day. I am
so grateful that he is able to attend this school and would highly
recommend it to many. His teachers are amazing and he loves to
see them. Keep up the amazing work.” — Brandy O’Brien
LEAP operates programs at three locations: Sharpsburg, Sewickley
and Butler, PA. Visit our website for more information.
Ethan O’Brien (right) and one of his “buddies,” Dante Siriano, getting
ready to call it a day after a great afternoon at LEAP.
“Taste It Tuesdays” at
Friendship Academy
Anthony Walters tends to vegetable
plants at Borland Garden.
Did you know October is National Farm to School Month?
Friendship Academy’s Family and Consumer Science teacher Mrs.
Bell began a new tradition this school year dubbed “Taste it Tuesday,”
and on a recent Tuesday in October she combined the tasting day
with fresh produce from a local community garden to promote the
concept of “farm to table.” She also encourages her students to visit
their local farmers markets to buy
fresh local produce.
Mrs. Bell serves
swiss chard from
the Borland
Garden to
Shawn Terrant,
a volunteer at
Borland Garden.
6 The Watson Difference
On “Taste it Tuesdays,” students
prepare and taste a dish that
may be new to them. As part
of Watson’s Community Based
Instruction Program, Friendship
Academy students are making a difference in their community by
helping out with the Borland Garden Project at the corner of Black
and North Beatty Streets in East Liberty. Borland Garden began
as an approximately 1/3 acre vacant lot and today has a flower bed,
vegetable garden and fruit bushes and trees. Friendship students
have been volunteering at Borland Garden for the past 3 years and
have played a vital role in the garden’s “growth.” Borland Garden
organizers Maria Piantanida and Ken Pruszynski brought fresh
herbs and vegetables to this “Taste it Tuesday” in October where
they prepared pasta with fresh pesto sauce, butternut squash bisque
and sautéed swiss chard from the garden. In this way they truly
were able to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
The Watson Institute/First National Bank Pro-Am Golf Tournament
New Venue for Tri-State PGA in 2013
2013 marked the 33rd consecutive Watson Pro-Am Golf
Tournament, and Watson is grateful to our title sponsor First
National Bank. This year’s event was especially noteworthy,
as it became a qualifying tournament for members of the
Tri-State Section PGA. So not only were event participants
competing as a team, but local PGA professionals competed as
well. Because of the generosity of all of our sponsors, this year’s
Pro-Am raised $100,000, bringing the combined total of ProAm proceeds over the years to $3.5 million. A special thank you goes to our Pro-Am Committee Chairman
Ron Donatelli, Vice-Chairmen Charles Thorne and Bill Wrenshall, and the entire
Pro-Am Committee who have worked tirelessly on behalf of Watson.
Many other organizations and individuals have contributed to the success of this
year’s event with their sponsorships and attendance. They include:
Gold Sponsors
The Baron Group
BD&E
CS McKee Investment Managers
Dollar Bank
Highmark
Huntley & Huntley
Merrill Lynch /Spanos Group
On Demand Energy
PNC
Wright Automotive Group
Silver Sponsors
Allied Insurance Brokers
Babst Calland
Baird Investment Management
Dr. John & Dolores Barber
First Commonwealth Bank
Gateway Health Plan
HDH Group
Marquette Associates
Merrill Lynch/Brown-Hurray Group
Metz Lewis Brodman Must O’Keefe
Oppenheimer Funds
PJ Dick/Trumbull/Lindy Paving
Pitt Ohio Express
UNUM
Wrenshall & Associates
Patrons
J Kaye Cupples
Penneco Oil Company
Advertisers
Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote
First Choice Mortgage Services
Gateway Engineers
Infinity Resources Inc.
PGT Trucking
S & T Bank
Simpson & McCrady
Sisterson & Co.
Contributors
Anonymous
Flick Financial
Gordon Terminal Services
Dr. A. Jay Gross
Metro Benefits Inc.
Robert Riordon
Schneider Downs
Sheetz Inc.
A Special Thank You…
to the following who provided time
and resources to this year’s Pro-Am:
2013 Pro-Am Committee
Allegheny Country Club
Alpha Graphics in the Cultural District
Mike Angerman
Heinz Retired Volunteers
Sewickley Senior Men’s Club
Sam & Judy Spanos
Unum Volunteers
Watson teachers and students
Jim Wiltman
Professionals from the Tri-State PGA participating in the 2013 Watson Institute/First
National Bank Pro-Am.
The Watson Difference
7
Non Profit Org
US Postage
PAID
Combined Federal Campaign: 38761
Pittsburgh PA
Permit 612
United Way Contributor’s
Choice Campaign: The Watson Institute 150
301 Camp Meeting Road
Sewickley, PA 15143-9950
Our Schools
Our Programs
Administrative Offices
Raymond B. White, CEO
Marilyn Hoyson, Ph.D., COO
Barry W. Bohn, CFO
301 Camp Meeting Road
Sewickley, PA 15143
412-741-1800
Community Based Instruction Program
Leslie Corey, Coordinator
301 Camp Meeting Road
Sewickley, PA 15143
412-741-1800
The Education Center at the Watson Institute
Michele Trettel, M.Ed., Director
301 Camp Meeting Road
Sewickley, PA 15143
412-741-1800
Friendship Academy
Mary Beth Boylan, Ph.D., Co-Director
Lauri Kragness, M.Ed., Co-Director
255 South Negley Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-365-3800
Dear Friend of the Watson Institute,
The Fall season is upon us and brings thoughts of things to be grateful for, and our
donors are certainly among them. We are also grateful for the accomplishments of
which we can be proud that continue our mission: helping children and youth with
special needs to achieve their fullest potential in all aspects of their lives.
LEAP Preschool
Nancy Rapp, M.Ed., Coordinator
W. Bruce Thomas Education Center
200 Linden Avenue
Sharpsburgh, PA 15215
412-781-1708
We are pleased to introduce Watson Life Resources, an online tool to complement
our services to teachers, trainers and caregivers who teach and support children with
autism spectrum disorder and other special needs. The site was promoted at the Autism
Society’s 44th National Conference in Pittsburgh in July 2013. Attendees who used the
site and completed a survey conducted by a local research firm saw great value and potential in its application.
Psychological Services
301 Camp Meeting Road
Sewickley, PA 15143
412-741-1800
As the numbers of visitors and subscribers grow, we work towards our goal of being able to assist anyone
anywhere. An online format makes this possible. We feel strongly that keeping the site free to users is the best
way to grow content, encourage participation and provide valuable help and information to them with more
questions and answers, comments and ratings.
Respite Programs
Mary Jo Alimena Caruso, M.Ed.,
CareBreak Coordinator
Sharon Smith, M.Ed.,
Day and Overnight Respite Coordinator
301 Camp Meeting Road
Sewickley, PA 15143
412-741-1800
As the site grows, so will our costs to maintain and moderate it. We are most grateful to the PNC Foundation
and the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust for financial support in the development of Watson Life Resources. We are committed to sustaining and growing the site and are seeking additional financial assistance from
corporations, foundations and individuals who share our goal to help educators and caregivers of children with
special needs anytime and anywhere. At this time of year, as you consider year-end gift giving opportunities,
we hope that a donation to the Watson Institute will be among them. An envelope is inserted in these pages for
your convenience. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Training and Consultation
W. Bruce Thomas Education Center
200 Linden Avenue
Sharpsburgh, PA 15215
412-781-1708
WIBSA—Watson Institute
Bahavioral Support Academy
Michele Trettel, M.Ed., Director
301 Camp Meeting Road
Sewickley, PA 15143
412-741-1800
WISCA—Watson Institute
School-based Cyber Academy
Marcia Laus M.Ed., Coordinator
200 Linden Avenue
Sharpsburgh, PA 15215
412-781-1708
May I be among the first to wish you and those you hold dear a safe, healthy and happy holiday season. All the best-
Raymond B. White
Chief Executive Officer
The Watson Institute
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