treatment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
NSSA Adult Services clients recently spent a day at Commack Old Navy experiencing what it’s like to be an employee at a retail clothing store.
General Manager Doug Wadsworth and Business Operations Manager Lisa Simonelli invited five adult clients to be a part of the on-the-job experience.
Clients first watched a training video on safety and then went out onto the sales floor split up into groups: cashier, fitting room, clothes folding and sweeping. Each client got to take a turn and experience each area.
They got right to work!
Happy faces at the register.
They had lunch in the break room and then returned to their duties in the store.
It was a wonderful day for everyone and we appreciate Old Navy allowing our clients this opportunity to experience a day in the life of an Old Navy employee.
The students and faculty of Smithtown High School East, once again, hosted an evening of dancing, food and fun at their Hollywood-themed event for NSSA adult clients, consultation students and Barell students aged 14 and up.
Attendees arrived by walking up a red carpet and into a gym filled with high school students dressed up and ready to dance with our students and clients.
It’s so great to see our students and clients having a great time with the Smithtown East students and one another.
The high school also served a fun pizza dinner that was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Many thanks to Stacey Agosta for helping to set this up, DJ Matt Figuccio for the dance music, NSSA teachers for accompanying their students and Smithtown High School East for their graciousness and hospitality in putting this event on for us once again.
Smithtown High School East once again hosted a Winter Dance for NSSA students and clients who were over 14 years old.
The cafeteria was decorated with a winter theme, refreshments were served by Smithtown High School students, DJ Matt Figuccio kept the dance floor jumping…and there were smiles everywhere.
Thank you to Smithtown High School East with providing our students and clients with another evening of fun and friends!
NSSA Adult Clients were fortunate to spend a crisp autumn morning last week at ELIJA CSA, a ten-acre farm on the beautiful North Shore of Long Island. The farm is a sustainable, non-profit farm committed to using environmentally responsible practices to raise high quality, organically grown produce.
The ELIJA CSA is dedicated to enriching the health and wellness of our community by providing an innovative community supported agriculture (CSA) program that offers dynamic learning opportunities to its diverse membership. On this particular day, NSSA and Elija Adult clients were planting garlic. Rows were tilled in advance by hand, then clients were instructed how to plant the garlic bulbs (pointy end up!) without stepping onto the freshly turned soil.
Clients took a break when needed and just enjoyed the fresh air.
There was even a mascot!
After planting, the next team of clients covered the newly-planted bulbs with straw to help protect them from the cold temperatures ahead.
And everyone seemed to enjoy their work in the beautiful sunshine.
We can’t wait to visit the ELIJA CSA farm again soon!
NSSA closed out its summer session with the 5th Annual Sibling Day on Thursday, August 18, 2016. Invitations were made to students’ and clients’ families to join us for an afternoon of fun, food and friends.There were indoor and outdoor activities, a waterfall slide bouncy house, wonderful Grill Boys food truck lunch courtesy of NSSA’s Parent Association, and a prize wheel and photo booth (thanks to the artistic stylings of Tori). And kids everywhere! Sliding, swimming, scootering, prize-wheel spinning, swinging and just plain having fun. It was a wonderful way to end the Summer of 2016. See you all in the fall!!!
The wonderful students and staff of Smithtown High School East once again hosted a fun evening for NSSA students and clients on April 1, 2016.
They decorated the space and dressed according to a Luau theme and everyone had a great time dancing, snacking and limbo-ing.
The event is geared for students and clients aged 14 and up. Smithtown students encourage dancing and socializing. NSSA staff attends as well.
DJ Matt Figuccio keeps the party lively playing favorite tunes.
Thanks again to Smithtown High School East for being such gracious hosts, we look forward to seeing you again soon!
Martin C. Barell’s Classroom 1 is our youngest classroom, with six boys between the ages of 7-9. Six (wonderful!) teachers work with them throughout the day from the moment they get off the bus in the morning until they leave to go home at the end of the day. As you can imagine with boys this age, this is a busy classroom! Let’s follow them through a day back last summer…
The boys arrive by bus at 9am.
They greet their friends while learning to unpack and put their backpacks away in their lockers.
Mornings are spent doing goal work, such as reading, counting and sequencing.
And then there’s some time to learn to play with new toys.
The teachers were designing a new bulletin board for the classroom with the theme “Kicking Off to a New Year” so we had a little photo shoot with the boys dressed as football players.
Lunchtime is spent practicing using utensils and napkins appropriately and trying new foods.
Once a week the group takes a yoga class where they learn and practice postures and movements.
After working up a sweat in yoga, the class heads next door to the JCC for swim.
Some are super enthusiastic to get in the pool!
Some are a little more cautious…
But once in, everyone enjoys themselves.
After swim it’s almost time to get ready to pack up to go home.
The end of a long day. See ya tomorrow!
As has become an annual tradition, the staff and students of Smithtown High School East hosted a winter dance for the 14+-year-old students and clients of NSSA and The Martin C. Barell School. On January 9, 2016, students decorated a cafeteria with giant paper snowflakes, twinkle lights and glittery branches, turning the lunchroom into a winter wonderland. Pizza and snacks were provided, as well as a yummy dessert buffet. DJ Matt Figuccio rocked the house with favorite tunes and colored light show. Smithtown High School East students mingled and danced with our students and staff, including a rousing conga line! When parents came at the end of the evening, they had some tired but happy kids to take home. Thank you Smithown High School East for inviting our kids once again to a super fun evening and for being great peer models for our students and clients!
On a beautiful summer day some of NSSA’s Adult Services clients visited nearby Blydenburgh Park for a day of boating, hiking, and just enjoying nature.
Safely outfitted in life vests, clients and staff took turns in row boats on the serene headwaters of the Nissequogue River.
Groups took turns hiking along shaded paths.
Some clients were just joyful being out in nature!
NSSA’s Adult Service program has a number of different job sites they visit weekly. One of their jobs is at Manor Farm, a local farm managed by Starflower Experiences.
At the farm, the clients do vocational agriculture jobs such as weed, deadhead, rake, paint fences, and do general cleanup.
The farm is about 5 acres and very charming, with a historic house and several outbuildings.
This week they were working on weeding one of the raised beds that held mint, tomatoes, lavender and sage.
Once this and another raised bed are cleaned out, they can plant whatever they choose in there.
When the trash can is full of weeds, the clients take turns dumping the can.
A job well done, guys!