a publication of springer school & center | w i n t e r 2 0 0 7 | www.springer-ld.org Coming Attraction! How can you help? A Springer Celebration! on April 25, 2007 A Springer Celebration! is Springer’s major annual fundraising event. You can include cocktails & hors d’oeuvres, a silent help support this important evening by: auction, live auction, dinner and program. • Donating auction items for our silent Learning changes lives. And so can you. and live auctions. As Springer’s 2006-07 Annual Fund theme • Securing a table sponsorship. (This could broadens the idea of change and encour- be your place of employment, your own ages community participation, Clooney – business or other interested parties.) brother of the late singer/actress Rosemary • Advertising in the event program. Clooney and father of television and movie Call the Springer Development Office star George Clooney – will also address the at (513) 871-6080 x213 for more details. power of change, from his book The Movies That Changed Us. Roll out the red carpet, don your best Each year Springer hosts an event to logistics while Jay and Amy will head up duds, and pretend this is “Oscar night”! increase awareness about Springer’s mis- the auction committee. Tom and Cindy Springer is excited to announce that sion and to raise funds for scholarships are alumni parents and Tom is a current Nick Clooney, journalist, author and and center programs. Previous events Springer board member as well as being an former host of cable’s American Movie have featured Coach Marvin Lewis, Henry alum himself. Jay and Amy are parents of a Classics, will be the guest speaker during Winkler, and a tribute to Matth. Toebben. current Springer student. A Springer Celebration! on Wednesday, Co-chairs for the 2007 fundraiser are Save the date for this wonderful evening April 25, 2007 at the Newport Syndicate, Tom and Cindy Youtsey, III and Jay and of movies, food, and celebration with Newport, Kentucky. The “movie-themed” Amy Stoehr. Tom and Cindy will focus their friends and supporters of Springer School event, scheduled from 6:00-10:00 pm, will talents on event sponsorships and and Center! cafeteria and gym will result in flexible, Capital Campaign Springer students enjoying the newly multi-purpose spaces better suited to meet renovated Music Room. Comes to Life! school and center program needs. Stay tuned! In 2006, Springer School and Center’s The two components of the capital $5,000,000 capital campaign, Imagine the campaign are: to preserve and improve the Possibilities, made initial campus improve- campus ($1.2 mil) and increase the ments a reality with the transformation of financial aid endowment ($3.8 mil). To the lower level Music and Motor Rooms date, the campaign has received $3.2 into bright, dynamic spaces. In addition, million towards those goals. new exterior doors were installed through- Campaign Chair and Springer board out the building. This summer, the main member, Kate Lawrence said, “We are very building will undergo major renovation to excited about the generous response from remaining gifts for the campaign so that include: the installation of an elevator; the community for this important work. Springer can continue to change the lives of remodeling of the lobby, front office, gym, The building improvements during this children with learning disabilities through and cafeteria; and the addition of modular next summer will be a visible reminder of the school and center programs. Our region storage units for the classrooms that will our pledge to grow the Springer infrastruc- is very lucky to have the resources that be used to create learning spaces within ture so that more students in need can be Springer provides to the many families the larger room. The renovation of the served. We are committed to securing the affected by learning disabilities.” continued on next page SPR N&V Winter 07.indd 1 1/23/07 12:36:26 PM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S COLUMN TALKING WITH… Richard Lavoie shelly weisbacher, executive director In a few weeks, Springer School and school and center, and to engage staff Furthermore, through the self-study Q. After working for many years with RL: Develop a support system. We all Center will welcome a visiting team of members in thinking about Springer in a process, we learned much about ourselves as students, parents and educators affected by have support systems as adults, people educators and administrators from the holistic manner. we discussed and reflected on our challenges, learning disabilities, what is the one thing we can call on when we need advice or Independent Schools Association of the What emerged is a self-study report and plans and priorities. For instance, we you wish they all knew and understood about assistance. Many times, the child with living with a learning disorder? LD has a support system of one – mom. Central States (ISACS). The visiting team will based on our five core values: Student know that we want to continue to identify and Those children need to find a support be on-site for three days to evaluate our Growth and Development, Staff Expertise evaluate new assessment tools that will help RL: We need to understand that kids go system they can access in adulthood, and program. As a member of ISACS, we are and Development, Partnership, Communi- us be ever more diagnostic in our teaching; to school for a living. That is their job and figure out who the right people are to lend required to participate in an extensive cation and Stability. These values are the increase recognition of Springer as a regional they do it six hours a day. If you run into support or assistance. accreditation process. This process follows a cornerstone of our work, guide day-to-day resource; and establish stronger connections a kid you haven’t seen in a while, the first Compartmentalization – recognize that thing you ask is “how’s school?” But if you seven-year cycle that includes in-depth and long-range planning and decisions, to alumni. the disability is a part of you, but don’t let run into his dad, you may not ask how work surveying of parents, trustees, and staff; and incorporate all aspects of the organiza- While the ISACS accreditation process it define you. Most successful adults with is going for two hours. For kids, school completion of a written self-study; an on-site tion. Using our values as the framework is just one of the many tools we use at learning disabilities don’t label themselves is their identity. When you ask kids with evaluation; and periodic progress reports. proved to be to an ideal means to address Springer to engage in ongoing evaluation as an LD insurance salesman or an LD learning disabilities, “how’s school?” the ISACS accreditation is important to that which the ISACS self-study requires and planning, it is unique among them teacher. While realizing and working with answer for them is usually “pretty bad.” Springer on several levels. It demonstrates and to accomplish our goals. because of the opportunity to receive input the fact that they have a learning disability Parents need to understand that their kids to the community our adherence to the The self-study process allowed us to from peers working in similar settings. We and that it’s a part of who they are, it’s not carry over their traumatic school experi- and recognize and mimic the culture sur- the whole of who they are. best practices of independent schools, and recognize and celebrate what we accom- know from past experience how valuable ences outside of school. There is a social rounding you. Develop emotional coping skills. Suc- it is an approved measure by the Ohio plish in our day-to-day work as well as in this can be and we look forward to the and emotional impact that the child is (Note from Rick: Drawing on more than cessful adults can recognize when they are Department of Education for maintaining our work over time. In the seven years since visiting team’s thoughtful input and going to bring home. Having a learning 20 years of groundbreaking research trac- getting depressed or anxious, and use the our state charter. On a deeper level, it we were last evaluated, many initiatives analysis, and the opportunities this will disability is a 24-hour disability, not just ing the lives of children and adults with LD, support systems they have in place to get provides a structured, formal means for have been realized including: evolving our provide for us to continue to evolve as the a problem at school and it affects many researchers at the Frostig Center in Pasa- themselves re-balanced. self-assessment that is critical to Springer’s core curricula in significant ways; increasing regional resource for learning disabilities. aspects of life, language and learning. dena, California have identified key factors Recognize that you are a specialist. As that contribute to success. For more info, ongoing development and future planning. the use of technology at all levels; expand- Q. On page 142 in your book, It’s So Much a child, we are expected to be generalists go to www.ldsuccess.org.) This is the third time Springer has ing the center’s presence in the region Work to Be Your Friend – Helping the Child – knowing and learning about almost completed the ISACS accreditation cycle. through on-site and community based with Learning Disabilities Find Social Suc- everything. Adulthood can be kinder to Q. You have shared many moving experi- As we approached the current self-study, programs; formation of the Diversity Circle, cess, you mention that you have ADHD.