We all know the importance of education on students' future success. Our job as educators is only validated when we see that our students are on the road to becoming self-directed and life-long learners. We offer two great examples in this newsletter, the Theresa Paplin Dream Factory and the UNIS-UN International Conference.
As you will read in the article, the Theresa Paplin Dream Factory which resulted from the forced lockdown during Covid19, has improved the outcomes for the students by empowering them with technology skills and real-world experiences that lead to productive lives. The Postcards from the Schools, illustrates the impact of a student-led conference. Students from the United Nations International School (UNIS) organized an international gathering where they discussed how to improve education for all students worldwide, and what they need to learn to be prepared to contribute to the knowledge-based global society we are all part of.
Similarly, the upcoming professional development webinars aim at developing student agency with Project-Based Learning strategies in the classroom and during their summer time. Please join us!
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By Joseph Levy of Theresa Paplin School, SCO Family of Services
 The most challenging times can offer unprecedented opportunities. And this was how the story of The Dream Factory begins. The Theresa Paplin School is a non-diploma bound, New York State-certified special education school that serves adolescents and young adults who are dually diagnosed with serious emotional disturbance, as well as a developmental disability. Students reside at the Ottilie Residential Treatment Facility, or attend as day students. The Theresa Paplin School teaches functional, academic, and vocational skills based on each student's individual abilities.
 When Covid-19 closed all the schools, some of our students had to remain in the building, and technology was the “call to action” that helped them cope with the fears and insecurities that we all lived through during that time. Students were introduced to 3-D printing, immersed themselves in the process, and soon after designed and created the T-Shirts with the logo “United We Stand 6 Feet Apart”. The T-shirts illustrated in the image to the left were an immediate success among the entire SCO Community, and in fact, launched today’s Dream Factory.
Under the leadership of former principal Shante Spivey and the creative support of Ms. Loretta Speller, we were awarded a grant that allowed us to develop the initial idea into a full-fledged production program. Today, the Dream Factory operates as an extension of the Technology/Vocation class at Theresa Paplin School.
 The goal of this vocational program is to teach students transferable life skills. Students learn technology and vocational skills in the classroom, which are used to gain work experience in the Dream Factory. The work experience along with the hours students work are used in obtaining their Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credentials. Students work in collaborative teams to provide graphic services to various programs within the SCO Family of Services as well as community partners. These services include wide format printing of posters and banners, graphic design and screen printing, heat transfer printing, laminating service, book and brochure creation, and laser engraving of traditional awards, and custom glass. In addition to designing and creating products, students are responsible for quality control, packaging, and the distribution of products. |
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The 2023 UNIS-UN Conference. Turning the Page: A New Chapter in Education
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Register today!
Check out Fordham PDRC's Professional Development calendar below
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If you prefer, access the registration form by clicking on Upcoming Events.
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