June 2020 Newsletter

Part of our new normal now includes wearing a personal safety mask daily while delivering ABA based therapy to protect our clients from the threat of COVID-19. In order to ensure that all of our clients can access their native language while receiving our essential and critical services, our registered behavior technicians that serve our Deaf children living with autism wear masks that provide a clear covering on the front, which allows for the same access to communication while still maintaining our novel standard of protection. WISH-TV Channel 8 covered this story — watch the full newscast here. Then, Read our latest blog post by Stephanie Dille-Huggins, MA, BCBA to learn more about the importance of the modified masks!

Health & Safety Signs  Our newest video talks about health and safety signs that can be utilized in the home and around the community. Signs include washing hands, soap, mask, doctor, medicine, and social distancing. Visit our YouTube channel to watch this video as well as past trainings!

Chalk Walk  Last month at our Madison location, the sidewalk came alive with an exciting “chalk walk” filled with obstacles that clients and their therapists completed to reach the finish line!  Watch the video here!

A reminder that our centers will be closed Friday, July 3rd, in observance of Independence Day.

Thank you to these staff members for Maximizing Those Who Struggle, Embracing Those Who Love and Fulfilling Those Who Serve.

Michelle, Therapist  I am inspired every day by my clients, their families and my co-workers. My co-workers help inspire me to be a better ABA therapist through advice and examples on ways to connect with my clients or improve my skills in ABA. Seeing my clients grow in so many different ways and how their families share the excitement with me in their progress inspires me to continue in this field.

A dream manager goal I have accomplished was to choose what field to pursue for my master’s degree. I can happily say that I will be attending Purdue University this fall for my Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). My favorite thing about working with children with autism is learning how unique and different each child is. I really enjoy singing along and dancing to songs such as, “Wheels on the Bus.” My favorite memory at Cornerstone so far was when one of my clients learned and said my name through a Go Noodle song!

Rachelle, Center Manager   My children and I enjoy visiting zoos and learning about animals. We have a family goal to visit every zoo and aquarium in the US! I also enjoy art, DIY projects, antiquing, and making updates to my house. One Dream Manager goal I’ve had for a while has been to have my driveway redone and thankfully that should be happening in the next two months, finally! I also volunteer regularly for Cornerstone Autism Foundation events. Since my son was a client here for over 6 years, Cornerstone and their foundation are really close to my heart. I love seeing their impact on local communities.

My favorite part about working here at Cornerstone has to be seeing the clients learn and grow. I have the special privilege of making progress videos for our Polk graduations, so I get an amazing look at how far each client has come. It’s really special to be a part of that. And, by being the main point of contact via phone for our families, I really enjoy getting to know each family and building those relationships.

Kelsey, Therapist  My husband and I bought our first house last summer! This summer we are starting our family and expecting our first little boy. In my free time I like to spend time with my friends and family playing games, spending time outside, and going to concerts. So far, my favorite place I’ve visited in the world was Jamaica. I love any warm beach and it was especially blue and beautiful there.

My favorite thing about working with children with autism is watching them grow and learn! Seeing the excitement on their faces when they do something great or ask for something new. These kids really do teach you to celebrate the little things and make every day better!

Fine Motor Game Ideas  Amazon has created a list of their top rated games that involve fine motor skills practice. Some of the games listed also involve following directions, color and number recognition, sorting, sequencing, and self-care skills practice. Click here to view Amazon’s list of top fine motor games.

 

LifeCourse Framework  The Charting the LifeCourse Framework was created by families to help individuals of all abilities develop a vision for what a “good life” means to them. The LifeCourse tools help them identify and develop supports that will help them to live their best lives. Get started with the LifeCourse Framework at lifecoursetools.com. The toolkit is available in English and Spanish. Current Cornerstone families can contact our Parent Liaison to set a time to work through the materials together.

 

Road Trip Scavenger Hunt  Sometimes you just need to get in the car and drive to get a change of scenery! Even if it’s a quick 10 minute trip, families may look forward to a few minutes each day of time to admire the beauty of the world around them.  Add a fun element to your trip with this free printable scavenger hunt, which shows images of common things that kids can label on a trip, such as a bus, police car, and traffic light.  Print the scavenger hunt by visiting this link.

 

Quick Bread 3 Ways — Banana, Pumpkin or Zucchini  Many people are getting into cooking and baking lately. Baking bread can be a fun way to try something new with your child while making a healthy snack you can enjoy together. Your child may love to measure ingredients, mash bananas, or stir it all together. This easy recipe calls for just ten common ingredients, and you can choose which type of bread to make using Pamela’s gluten-free mix. See how to make this quick bread with your family at pamelasproducts.com.

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