CEO Update: Despite 2021-2022 Challenges School Year is a Success
The 2021-2002 school year will soon draw to a close, and there were many successes despite COVID obstacles. “Despite the pandemic, we moved much closer to pre-pandemic operations,” said CEO Larry Sauer. “Our staff worked hard to provide quality programs for students and their families. Additionally, the state was very supportive in our recruitment and retention efforts through a number of grant programs.”
Strategic Plan Implementation Begins
The Strategic Plan roadmap that will guide the school through 2025 and beyond is underway. League leadership meets every two weeks to assign responsibility and review progress on the over 200 action items for key goals: vocational; transitional; academic; residential; staffing; marketing; financial; development; and vocational center. Staff committees have begun moving forward on implementation and the Board receives a quarterly report on this progress.
Larry recently held a “Town Hall” to present the Strategic Plan to Friends of League, parents, and community partners; this was also streamed on Facebook. Additional presentations are planned for the future. The Facilities Committee of the Board is in the process of identifying an architect for the Moosehill Vocational Center project.
Student Intern Program is a Win-Win
Our successful student internship program continues. “The student internship program is mutually beneficial,” said Larry. “It provides students with hands-on teaching experience while reducing staff workload. Additionally, the internship program is frequently a resource for new hires upon their graduation.” A student from Simmons University recently began interning at the school and a Bridgewater State University student will be joining in the fall.
Independent Educational Consultants Association Conference Provides Networking Opportunities
Larry attended the mid-May Independent Educational Consultants Association Conference in Philadelphia. This national 1,200-member organization is comprised of independent consultants who help families identify schools for their children. The event provided networking opportunities with consultants who specialize in placing students with disabilities. In addition to inviting attendees to consider the League School for their clients, Larry participated in some of the educational tracts focusing on new Autism research.
School Hosts Forum on How to Embed Transition Requirements in Current Practice
At the beginning of April, the school hosted a forum with local school districts to share strategies for implementing post-secondary transition processes. The school’s educational consultant, Dr. Margaret Reed, provided an update on the Individual Education Program (IEP) Improvement Project that the school is participating in. She provided an overview of current and emerging process requirements so that school districts can begin planning for the change.
The event, held at the Dedham Holiday Inn Conference Center, included workshops after the main presentation. Five school districts shared details on their transition programs. The League School’s workshop, presented by Vocational Coordinator Amy Faraone, focused on how the school prepares its students for life after graduation. “We plan to host another conference next year that focuses on the IEP Improvement Project’s data collection requirements,” said Larry. “This is an opportunity for school districts to become more familiar with the school while helping them with their transition processes. We look forward to another strong year ahead.”
