Community

`She is
like an

ANGEL'

Retirement party will honor
principal of public school
for children with special needs.

LISA FEIN
Special to the Jewish News

school for children with spe-
cial needs will honor a local
pioneer in special education
at her retirement dinner on
Friday, Oct. 20 at the Holiday Inn
Fairlane in Dearborn.
Principal of the Helen Field Learning
Center in Detroit since 1979, Dr.
Gertrude Gordon retired on Sept. 1.
The center is a Detroit public school
for trainable mentally impaired and
multiply handicapped children with an
IQ level of 30-50. Students range in age
from 3 to 26. During her tenure,
Gordon introduced several programs at
the school that are now common to spe-
cial-education facilities, including hav-
ing graduation and a prom.
Special-education teacher Marsha
Chatman, the union representative at
the center, worked with Gordon since
1987 and has nothing but praise for her.
"She is a genuine person," Chatman
said. "She has a kind and warm heart.
She is a caring individual. She will help
anyone — it doesn't matter what race,
creed or color. She is one in a million.
She is like an angel."
Gordon would take her students to
extracurricular activities, such as the cir-
cus and ice follies, Chatman said. The
principal also arranged for visits from
the Detroit Police Department's
Mounted Division and Blue Pigs (a
singing group), and brought Weight
Watcher meetings to the center.
Chatman said Gordon, a Detroit
school board member for 36 years, now
retired, "has restyled and touched the
kids' lives. She has made the children
feel good about themselves. When the
children feel worthy, they will produce.
I have seen it."

Boosting Self-Image

Gordon created and is president of
the learning center's Foster
Grandparent Program. Volunteers
age 60 and older visit the center
every morning and are assigned to
different classrooms. The visitors
not only help serve lunch to stu-
dents, but also, and more impor-
tantly, dispense love. Catholic Social
Services helps fund this program.
The principal also was instrumen-
tal in helping teacher Jan Wanetick
to get the Consumer
Sales/Vocational Art program (the
students' gift shop) off the ground.
"She was the program's best cus-
tomer and never failed to bring
guests to the school up to the class-
room," Wanetick said.
In 1979, Gordon served on the
advisory board to initiate the
Scouting for the Handicapped
Program at White Orthopedic
School. Gordon said the program's
mission is "to develop a positive self-
image for every child."
The program, the only Boy Scout
program open to girls, has 4,200
participants.
Gordon is on the executive com-
mittee of the Trailblazer Division of
the Scouting for the Handicapped
Program for the Boy Scouts of
America/Detroit Area Council.
On May 4, Gordon got the Silver
Beaver Award, Scouting for the

Handicapped's highest
honor. Its founder and
program director, Ed
Deeb of Grosse Pointe
Shores, nominated
Gordon. "She is a dedi-
cated servant to the
young and handicapped,
he said. "I am proud to
know her as one of my
friends."

Gordon, a lifelong member of
Temple Beth El, became bat mitzvah
with a group of 10 adults in 1997.
"Three days before the service, I fell
and broke my hip," Gordon said. "I
had my daughter come and get me
from the hospital. She took me to
the service in a wheelchair. I was not
about to miss it." ❑

Musically Inclined

Gordon began her work-
ing life as an entertainer,
performing with a variety
of big bands and on radio
and television. She sings
in five languages and is a
dancer, singer and pianist.
While attending college,
she sang at the Penobscot
and Caucus clubs in
downtown Detroit and at
charitable events.
Gordon used her musi-
cal talents to help make
her students at the Field
Learning Center feel like
other public-school students. For
example, they took part in holiday,
black history and stage productions
that she wrote and accompanied on
the piano.
In retirement, Gordon continues
to work with the Foster Grandparent
Program, with hopes of expanding it
to other schools.
She's now organizing the
Trailblazers' Handicap Scouting
Jamboree scheduled for Dec. 7 at
the Michigan State Fairgrounds in
Detroit. Ron Jackson and Hugh
Barell of the Blue Pigs will perform
for 1,000 scouts.

t A Glance

-Dr. Gertrude Gordon

• Hometown: Born in
ittsbargh, Pa.
Residence: Southfield
Education: Bachelor's
ree in music education from
Yne State University, 1964.
aster's degree in education
WSU, 1965. Certification
mentally impaired and physi-
y 0.17 otherwise handicapped
ndividuals. Doctorate in educa-
n from WSU, 1970.
Career: Taught music edu-
ation to special education stu-
at Henry Ford High
ool, White Orthopedic
ool and Helen Field
earning Center, all of Detroit,
68-79. Assistant principal at
ite Orthopedic, 1975-79.
den Field Learning Center
rin:cipal, 1979-2000.
• Family: Two daughters,
a Fredrica Shiefman of
cson, Ariz,, and Samara Jaye
szczak of New Mexico; grand-
augnter Briana Laszczak, 19.

Valuing Diversity In Judaism

Temple Israel's Kulanu Committee will
host "Valuing Diversity From a Jewish
Perspective: Thoughtful Parents Raising
Thoughtful Kids" 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov.
14, at Temple Israel. The program is co-
sponsored with Michigan Jewish AIDS
Coalition's ECHO program (Educating
our Community about Homosexuality
through Outreach).
The workshop will feature Rabbi Ben
Kamin, the author of four books,
including Raising a Though. Oil Teenager,
a Book of Answers and Values for Parents
(Dutton, 1996).
Following Rabbi Kamin's presenta-
tion will be a panel discussion on gay
and lesbian individuals, individuals with

developmental, physical and psychiatric
challenges, and economic differences
within our community.
The panel, moderated by Rabbi
Joshua Bennett, will include Dr. Gary
Faber, deputy superintendent of West
Bloomfield Schools; Beth Greenapple,
Jewish educator and member of MJAC's
ECHO advisory committee; and Carol
Kaczander, Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit campaign associate
and staff for the agency executive's Task
Force for Special Needs.
The program is open to the commu-
nity at no charge. To request babysitting,
call no later than Nov. 9 to Temple
Israel, (248) 661-5700.

10/20
2000

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