Benway’s incentive program also allowed the students to visit the Intrepid Museum.  The entire building was treated to a luxury Coach Bus ride into NYC and everyone was able to see the various aircraft fighters and gunnery tools on board.

On the academic side of things, the HSPA’s are over, NJAsk is upcoming and several of our students were able to visit a culinary vocational program.  We are continuing to work strongly on building our elementary program and our involvement with the community.

Everyone is looking forward to the Spring Break and the last leg of the 2011-2012 school year.

Happy Holiday to All!

California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser, Benway School

Join us at California Pizza Kitchen for a falvorful FUNdraising event

Just bring the flyer below, present it to your server, and 20% of your check will be donated to our orginization. Purchases include dine-in, take-out, catering and all beverages!

Fundraiser in support of  Benway School
Wednesday, January 25, 11:30am – 10:00pm

California Pizza Kitchen
Willowbrook Mall, Wayne – 1400 Willowbrook Mall
(Between Sears and Macy’s)
(973) 837-9501

Go to cpk.com to view our pizzas, pastas, salads, appetizers & desserts.
You can even order online!

Join the CPK Adventure Club at cpk.com and receive $5 off your next visit!

Download and Print The Fundraiser Flyer Here!!

Wayne, NJ—Family members of students with special needs along with Educators in the field are cordially invited to tour Benway School’s new “State-of-the-Art” facility, located at 620 Valley Road, on Friday, October 21st, from 12:30 to 3:00 PM. Guests will be treated to lunch, enjoy a guided tour of the facility and see why Benway has earned the reputation of being a “Unique & Nurturing Environment”. As an added bonus, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office will offer a special presentation by a member of their Gang Intelligence Unit – 2 Professional Development Hours provided.

Benway School is a state-accredited program for students grades 1 through 12 with Emotional, Social, Cognitive, and Learning Difficulties. Not only is Benway School’s curriculum aligned with the New Jersey State Standards, but they also address the three modalities of learning: Visual, Kinesthetic, and Auditory. The school is equipped with SMART Boards, SMART Tables, iPads, Computer Lab, G5 Music Program, Wii Fit P.E. program, and a brand new TV/Media Room. In keeping with the various learning styles of individuals Benway also offers:

• Shared Time with Districts
• Shared Time with The Ho-Ho-Kus School of Trade (HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, and Medical Assistant Certification)
• Extensive Elective Courses
• Work Study Program
• Transition Counseling/Training—College and Work-based
• Community Based Instruction
• Multi-sensory Reading Programs (Fast ForWord, Great Leaps, and PAF)
• Outstanding multi-media Art Program (clay, photography, acrylics, watercolors, individualized instruction)
• individualized and Group Music and Singing Lessons
• Individualized and Group Counseling Services

Come and learn more about Benway School’s program on October 21st. Reservations can be made by phoning (973) 633-3837 or by emailing Mrs. Ihne at bihne@benwayschool.org

Read The Full Open House Press Release

These are just a few questions school staff  all over the country, not just Benway are asking themselves right now? Workshops have been schedueled for the new reading program, FastForward and advanced training for the SmartBoards. New equipment has been ordered for the school news cast.  Curriculum mapping (what concept will be taught for each week) for each class has been laid out. Lesson plans are being worked. These are not easy tasks to complete and are best done before the students arrive back to start a new school year.

Yes some school staff (I say some because there are those who teach extended school year or summer school)  are not in the classroom for two months, but are working hard just the same. By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail. ~ Benjamin Franklin

“Fit Brains Learn Better” at BENWAY

BENWAY SCHOOL, a New Jersey State-Approved Special Education school, grades 1–12, is proud to offer the Fast ForWord Reading Program to its already technologically-advanced curriculum.

The Fast ForWord Reading Program consists of a series of computer-delivered brain fitness exercises to improve reading, language, and cognitive skills. The exercises are adaptive so that each student will be challenged according to their needs.

This hands-on reading intervention program assists students in processing more efficiently; and 30 years of neuroscience research in schools throughout the country consistently demonstrate students achieving an average one- to two- year increase in reading skills in 8-12 weeks. (scientificlearning.com)

Fast ForWord, along with Benway’s other technologically advanced learning tools such as Smart Boards, IPads2, G5 Interactive Music Computer, state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment, multi-media Art classes, computer-based Math program, and Smart Tables allow Benway students to improve their:

• •Academic Performance
• Ability to follow directions
• Reading skills
• Memory, attention, processing and sequencing skills there by demonstrating an increase in self-esteem and a new-found confidence in learning!

Benway School, located in Wayne, is a forerunner in the field of assisting students with mild to moderate cognitive and learning disabilities and mild to moderate behavioral, emotional and social difficulties. Our highly skilled staff and low student-teacher ratio, coupled with individualized and group counseling, post-secondary transitioning assistance, work-study/vocational programs and a positive rewards system help challenge students to make remarkable strides and move “ForWord” towards achieving academic success!

Benway is a member of the Association of Schools and agencies of the Handicapped, ASAH, the New Jersey Association of Pupil Services Administrators, NJAPSA, and the Northern Jersey Special Education Administrator’s Association, NJSEAA.

View New Jersey’s Number 1 Special Education School, “Fit Brains Learn Better”, Press Release.

Download This Press Release PDF

What do you think? Leave your comment Below.

Research has shown that students can lose one to three months of math and reading skills in the weeks they aren’t in school. According to the National Summer Learning Association, all youth have a loss of learning if they don’t get involved in educational activities during the summer. Most students lose about two months of math skills during the summer.

Most schools require students to read anywhere from 1 to 3 books during the summer pending their age and grade.  Some kids finish the reading in the first week or two after school lets out, others wait until the week before school goes back to session.  So how do you keep the learning process ongoing?

Here are some fun tips to keep the brain active and the learning process ongoing.

Science: According to American Scientist magazine, there is much evidence that the majority of science learning “takes place outside the classroom.” Called “free-choice science learning,” it includes activities ranging from a seemingly benign walk in the park to full on science hobbies like rock collecting and stargazing. Other activities that cause science learning include trips to science museums, watching certain television shows like Mythbusters, reading stories online, and even web searches sparked by an event like last year’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Give a kid a microscope and see what they can discover.

Math: Your kids could be put in charge of planning the details of a family trip including figuring out gas costs, distances, travel times and the budget. Summer is a great time to take the younger kids to the bank, let them open and manage a bank account of their own.

Another great suggestion: practice investing in the stock market. Websites like themint.org and Motley Fool provide financial tips and practice scenarios.

Reading: If there is no required reading for school, or if they finished already, take a trip to the library or Barnes & Nobles, there will always be something that will catch their attention.

What do you do to keep your child learning during the summer?

Helpful Links:

FunBrain        www.funbrain.com/aboutus.html
Cool Math        www.coolmath.com/aboutus.htm
TheMint        www.themint.org
Motley Fool        www.motleyfool.com
Barnes & Noble       www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/index.asp
Pizza Hut reading    www.bookitprogram.com/default.asp
Nat’l Educ Assoc.   www.nea.org/tools/10400.htm
Amer. Library Assoc.   www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestficya/bfya2011.cfm
Physics Experiments    www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/physicsexperiments.pdf
Dangerous Boys Book    www.dangerousbookforboys.com/
Daring Girls Book:    www.daringbookforgirls.com/

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