As Pennsylvania moves forward into the green phase, we are excited to focus on reopening our programs. We formed a team to create a Health and Safety Plan to keep our students, adults and staff safe. We are ordering personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies and prepping the building to help maintain social distancing. The staff will also be trained in the procedures and protocols of the plan.
Since our plan is not completed and prepping is in process, our Extended School Year (summer program) will be all virtual. The teachers are already prepared and ready to go with their lesson plans. The school year we anticipate will begin the end of August as planned. Currently, we are planning to have students in the seats. We are creating various scenarios, ready if we need to revert to red or green phase again. While in any phase teaching and learning will continue daily.
The Adult Program is providing services to our individuals in the community and in their homes, who are requesting assistance. The program will open in August and reopening will be gradual so we can accommodate everyone’s needs safely and effectively. As individuals become reacclimated time will be added as needed.
We look forward to the day when the halls will once again be filled with chatter and laughter and hopefully we get to pick up where we left off, continuing to make a difference in the lives of our students and adults.
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Tucked in-between JPII’s school and adult wings is a beautiful garden, tended with love and great care by a dedicated group of volunteers.
“It’s not just gardening when the other volunteers and I come to plant, weed and water – it’s a gathering of friends,” shares Priscilla P., the growing force behind Mary’s Garden. Providing beautiful gardens for the students, adults and staff to enjoy, learn and benefit from is important to Priscilla and to all the volunteers who come to lovingly tend Mary’s Garden.
Special features include:
- Pizza garden – Shaped just like a pizza pie, this garden includes tomatoes, basil, garlic, peppers, oregano and other herbs or toppings that you would find on pizza, although Priscilla added that there are no pineapple or bacon plants!
- Sensory garden – New and nearing completion this garden has scented and tactile plants to stimulate the students’ and adults’ senses.
- Animal garden – Features plants with animal or insect names: Lamb’s Ear, Tick Weed, Ostrich Fern, Mouse Ear Hosta, Snap Dragon, Alligator Slipper, Toad Lily, Turtle Head and a Dogwood Tree!
- Composters – Students and adults put plant-based food scraps and eggshells from the cafeteria in the tumblers and rotate to learn more about the composting process.
- Root viewing gardens – Sliding panels on the raised brick planters reveal clear panels so students and adults can study root development on plants such as carrots, potatoes and peanuts.
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A new handcrafted, stained-glass piece is being installed later this summer as a centerpiece of the garden. It will be positioned so the sun can shine through it, illuminating the garden in colorful light.
Besides the regular volunteer work force, other groups have been active in improving and expanding the gardens. The raised beds, white vinyl fencing, and vertical gardens were all completed by local Boy Scouts. Later this summer the Berks County Herb Society is adopting the garden to provide additional assistance.
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Priscilla said that when school is in session the students and adults work and help in the garden and ask lots of questions. It’s more than just a garden – it is an extension of JPII’s classrooms.
How you can help:
Donations: Blue perennials for the stained-glass garden such as Blue Siberian Iris, a Nandina (False Bamboo) and bagged brown mulch.
Volunteering: Volunteers are always welcome. The gardening group meets Tuesday mornings at 8:30 a.m.
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Contact JPII at 610-777-0605 to get more information about volunteering or to make a donation to Mary’s Garden.
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Employment Opportunities
Now is the time to join our JPII team as we are currently in search of caring individuals to fill various positions. For more information, click below. If you know someone who would be a good fit, feel free to forward this email.
Open positions include:
Speech-Language Pathologist
School Nurse
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Support Our Virtual Legacy Gala
We transitioned our
Legacy Gala into a virtual event and now is our moment to raise much needed funds with your support. As you will see in our video, your support is essential in helping us be prepared when it is time to reopen our center.
The following video provides a glimpse into why our services and programs are needed more today than ever before in the lives of our students, adults and their families.
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Shop to Support
A simple way to give to JPII is through the shopping that you already do! We currently participate in various school rewards programs, which allow us to receive donations directly from your purchases.
For more information on the following programs, click the desired image below:
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Keep Your Kids Active This Summer!
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We miss seeing our friends from All Abilities, but even social distancing can't keep us apart!
They have something for every comfort level and every ability!
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They are currently offering:
- Indoor and outdoor individual training classes
- Travel classes (Class can be held in your own backyard!)
- Indoor group training (completed with all required safety protocol to protect you and your family)
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John Paul II Center for Special Learning | 1092 Welsh Road, Shillington, PA 19607
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