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While this community is in the
forefront in providing programs and support to
students with disabilities, many feel
there is still work to be done.
Efshar Circle parents and students celebrate Shabbat.
About Opening the Doors
Operating on a budget of more than $600,000, Opening the Doors
(OTD) provides direct services to 2,600 students, educators and parents
through a variety of programs and services. Funding comes from Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit campaign allocations, two grants
from the Jewish Fund, a $1 million endowment from the Dresner
Foundation and, in some cases, fees for service.
Most students are served through a collaborative partnership among
26 schools where special education teachers with a master’s degree
support both students and teachers where needed, including making
modifications or suggestions to help student success. in the classroom.
Doors to the Future is designed for children in an early childhood
center and utilizes para-educators to act as one-on-one shadows for pre-
school children to give them the chance to participate in the classroom.
More than 50 percent of the students impacted by OTD are in con-
gregational schools. To meet the high demands, the Harold Wade
Madrichim Leadership Institute trains teen shadows from all
schools to help diverse learners be better included in the classroom.
In 2014, OTD took over a school inclusion program run by JARC.
Through the program, 11 students have been provided with a full-time
shadow at a Jewish day school. However, the program is currently
funded by a grant from the Jewish Fund that expires at the end of this
school year. Director Ellen Maiseloff is actively seeking funding so the
comprehensive program can continue.
Seminars and conferences also make up a key component by
providing resources for parents and practitioners. On Sunday, Feb. 26,
Opening Doors will offer “Grit, Perseverance and Frustration Tolerance“
with speaker Cindy Goldrich offering tips and strategies to help children
with ADHD and executive functioning challenges. Registration at 12:30
p.m., program at 1:30 at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. For
details, see JewishDetroit.org/JDAIM (Jewish Disability Awareness and
Inclusion) or call Shoshana at (248) 205-2549. For more on OTD, go to
jewishdetroit.org/programs/jewish-education/special-education.
including Detroit, now
While parents are cog-
designate the month
nizant of the financial
of February as Jewish
constraints and other chal-
Disability Awareness &
lenges of accommodating
Inclusion month by hosting
all kids in a Jewish educa-
events such as speakers,
tional environment, they
book clubs and film screen-
still want their children to
ings.
have a strong Jewish iden-
“Still, there are many
tity and engage in Jewish
families I know that want
programing — and to be
their children to be in a day
received with openness and
school and they are not,”
support in the community,
Tinman said. “The need is
Goldberg said.
still great, but the resources
are simply not there for
OPENING THE DOORS
these children. To meet the
Hershy Tinman and
needs requires a lot of sup-
Noah Goldberg are just
port in terms of qualified
two examples of stu-
staff in the schools and, of
dents who could not be
course, financial support —
adequately accommo-
Rachel Tinman Borsand, her mother Chaya
and that’s where our com-
dated in a Jewish school.
Leah Tinman, brother Hershy Tinman and sis-
munity has come to a halt
Administrators responding
ter Alanna Tinman Weitzner
because we simply don’t
to a survey from the Jewish
have those resources.”
Federation’s Opening the
Under federal law, public schools are required
Doors Program identified at least 125 students
to provide an education to all students, regard-
in their schools with learning, behavioral and/or
less of their abilities. And while a private school
social differences that they would be able to pro-
cannot refuse to accept a student based on his or
vide service for if they had more
her disability, the school can base admission on
resources, said Ellen Maiseloff,
meeting academic criteria.
director of Opening the Doors
When Martha Goldberg lived in Ohio, her son
(OTD). This program offers an
Noah attended a Jewish day school with state
array of services aimed at pro-
funding to cover the cost of his one-on-one aide.
viding supplemental learning
Tuition was the family’s responsibility.
support to enhance a school’s
The Goldbergs moved to West Bloomfield
existing services to allow as
when Noah was in kindergarten. They hoped
many students as possible to
Ellen Maiseloff
to continue his day school education, but the
receive a Jewish education.
schools they visited required that Noah, who has
“Federation identifies it as
Asperger’s syndrome, attend with an aide. Paying
a priority to provide programs and services to
tuition plus the cost of an aide was not financially these children, their teachers and the communi-
viable so they enrolled him in a Walled Lake
ty, and we are working hard to find the funding to
public school. Noah has since transferred to the
expand what we offer to meet the needs of these
International Academy, a private secular school
learners,” Maiseloff said.
in Bloomfield Hills. He is now in ninth grade and
“As much as our program has grown and is
has not had an aide since kindergarten.
thriving, there’s still more to do and, ultimately, it
Despite having to give up a day-school educa-
comes down to resources to continue to enhance
tion for her son, Goldberg is understanding of the and expand this program by serving as many
financial realities. “It all comes down to money,
students as possible. There is still a tremendous
and small private schools are not always set up
number of students who need learning support
to accommodate children with extra challenges.
to find success in the classroom environment
I think our Jewish institutions are open to it, but
with their peers.”
the money makes it or breaks it,” she said.
Further, the number of unserved students
The Goldbergs turned to synagogues for Noah’s does not take into account those who may not
formal Jewish education and said they had good
be on the radar or those with needs that cannot
experiences at both Congregation Shaarey Zedek be accommodated in a Jewish school unless the
in Southfield and then Congregation B’nai Moshe family provides a full-time, one-on-one aide and
in West Bloomfield, which was closer to their
potentially absorbs the costs of ancillary support
home.
staff, such as a speech pathologist or occupa-
continued on page 14
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February 23 • 2017
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