The Weitzman Family Religious School is thankful for the generous support of the Gladys Golman/Faye Dallen Special Needs grant.
Kesher in Hebrew means connection. While one of the Kesher program goals is to help its students connect with others in our school community, the program also facilitates connections between parents and teachers, and students and teachers.
The Kesher program aim is to support students with special needs to maximize their religious school education. Social and academic progress are closely monitored and personalized goals are set for students.
Important themes of the Kesher program include:
• Facilitating friendships
• Providing in-classroom support
• Using Jewish values as a framework for teaching social skills
Physical Layout:
The Kesher room is designed to help students feel safe and successful. The room is divided as follows:
• Calm Corner- Helps students relax, reduces anxiety.
• Work Areas- Small tables, arranged for students to work in pairs to meet social and academic goals.
• Sensory Table- Contains tactile supplies related to holiday themes.
• Background Support- Bulletin boards and posters that promote coping skills.
Students:
The Kesher program currently supports 25 students with special needs.
Diagnoses include:
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• ADHD
• Learning differences
• Anxiety disorders
Outreach:
The Kesher program strives to establish connections with students.
• Schools- Visiting the schools that students attend to learn more about their daily lives.
• Parents- Working closely with parents as part of a commitment to a proactive, positive relationship.
• Special Needs Partnership- Collaborating with the Jewish community to provide additional support for children with special needs.
For more information about the Kesher Program, contact
Mali Gariani, Kesher Program Coordinator, at kesher@shearith.org
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