metro
Opening Doors
JARC, Federation to collaborate
on School Inclusion Program.
W
—Fox Run resident Dr. Leonard Stein
Living at Fox Run in Novi, Dr. Leonard Stein has time to
work full-time as an optometrist and develop his eye for
photography. Since dining, maintenance and 24-hour security
are all handled by our expert full-time staff, Fox Run residents
have more energy and opportunity to pursue their passions.
Fox Run is a great place for seniors who enjoy an active lifestyle.
Learn more about independent
retirement living at Fox Run in Novi.
Call 1-800-989-0293 today for
your free brochure.
Fox Run
Add more Living to your Life®
Novi
EricksonLiving.com
8622639
❑
1885000
10 June 26 • 2014
hen JARC began its
School Inclusion
Program (SIP) in 1998,
with the goal of including children
with disabilities in Jewish day
schools, many of the day schools
were skeptical about including these
students.
While sympathetic, they lacked
teachers and other profession-
als trained to work with students
who learn differently, have delayed
language and who might become
disruptive. However, 16 years later,
the program has successfully served Estie Garfinkel, classroom assistant,
more than 60 students, many for 10 with Simcha Landsman
or more years.
JARC's School Inclusion Program
provides comprehensive classroom and
said, "I am in great support of this
auxiliary support for children with a
ambitious undertaking. The program is
wide range of disabilities in order to
vital to the community and much more
attend Jewish day schools with their
secure as a collaborative venture with
same-age peers, rather than being seg-
Federation:'
regated with other disabled children in
Jeffrey Lasday, Alliance director,
a special classroom.
said, "The collaboration is a wonderful
The target population is Jewish chil-
opportunity for Federation's Opening
dren ages 3-19. With a range of disabili- the Doors program to expand its ser-
ties, these students would not be able
vices to serve more children:'
to attend Jewish day schools (preschool
Opening the Doors' mission is to
through high school) without the com-
enable students, regardless of their
prehensive support system of the SIP.
diverse learning, behavioral and social
In the 2013-14 school year, the SIP
abilities, to participate in a quality and
is serving 16 students at Akiva Day
meaningful Jewish education with their
School, Bais Yakov, Hillel Day School,
peers. It currently serves more than
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, Yeshiva Gedolah
1,000 students in Metro Detroit's Jewish
and Yeshivas Darchei Torah. Students
early childhood programs, congrega-
have varying disabilities including cere- tional schools and day schools.
bral palsy, Down syndrome, language
"Opening the Doors, a nationally
impairment, intellectual disability and
recognized program, is very proud of its
autism spectrum disorders.
collaboration with Jewish day schools
Through much discussion, consid-
for 19 years and the many children who
eration and planning, JARC's SIP will
have been included and engaged in a
transition to a collaborative venture
Jewish education through our services,"
with Jewish Federation's Opening the
said Ellen Maiseloff, associate director,
Doors program beginning July 1.
special education, for the Alliance. "We
At this time, JARC is seeking new
look forward to our collaboration with
partners to implement and continue the the School Inclusion Program and the
success of the SIP program," said JARC
opportunity to implement enhanced
CEO Rick Loewenstein.
services for students with diverse learn-
"Working in collaboration with
ing differences:'
Federation's Alliance for Jewish
Chaya Leah Tinman, JARC's school
Education will allow JARC the ability to
inclusion coordinator and its leader
build upon the Alliance's Opening the
since its inception, will work closely
Doors Program's experience and exper-
with Opening the Doors leadership and
tise in this area and relationships within staff as a consultant to the program.
the schools:'
Over the course of the academic year,
He added that JARC has come to
Federation will review if and how the
realize the SIP is outside of its core mis-
SIP could best be integrated into other
community on-going programs and
sion of providing residential and subse-
quent support services.
services as well as work with JARC to
Cheryl Guyer, current co-chair of
explore options for the future continua-
the Alliance and past JARC president,
tion of the program.