Empowering students with autism to achieve their greatest potential in all aspects of their lives. | | Our Community Showed Up With Heart | |
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The Timothy School community came together in an extraordinary way for our inaugural Heart for Autism Art Show—and we’re filled with gratitude.
From April 9–12, more than 250 guests joined us to celebrate the creativity and talents of our students and alumni. Thanks to your generosity, over $14,457 was raised to support our mission of educating and empowering students with autism.
By attending, volunteering, donating, spreading the word and cheering us on, you became more than participants, you became ambassadors for The Timothy School. Your involvement helps ensure our students continue to learn, grow, and thrive in a community that celebrates their unique strengths.
We invite you to enjoy our Heart for Autism Art Show Highlights, including "Fun Facts & Big Thanks," "Behind the Scenes," "Moments We'll Never Forget," "Patrons of Possibility" listing and heartfelt messages to our students and school.
| | | | Community Day is Almost Here! | | |
Join Us -- Rain or Shine!
Saturday, May 31, 2025
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
The Timothy School
973 Old Lancaster Road
Berwyn, PA 19312
Admission is FREE!
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*Wristbands = All the Fun! Access unlimited inflatable carnival games, moon bounces, face painting & balloon fun all day for just $20.00!
Prefer tickets? It’s just 3 for $5.00 to mix and match your favorite activities!
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Live Music with the one and only Mr. Jake!
Balloon Animals, Face Painting & Moon Bounces.*
Shop Local – browse our amazing vendor tables.
Raffle Baskets + 50/50 Drawing
Tasty Eats For Sale – Chick-fil-A Sandwiches, Soft Pretzels, Snacks & Drinks PLUS Owl’s Water Ice & Treats Truck is back by popular demand!
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Get ready for Community Day with our official event t-shirt!
- Adult = $20,00 each
- Youth = $17.00 each
Best of all, a portion of the sales of each tee supports The Timothy Fund.
Shirts may be sent home with your student or picked up at Community Day.
Order must be placed by Friday, May 9, 2025.
Limited quantities will be for sale at the event.
| | Integrated Teamwork Boosts Student Success in Grooming Group | | |
A new Grooming Group led by teacher Olivia Sims (Room 201) is helping students build essential hygiene skills through thoughtful collaboration. Since September, Olivia has teamed up with school Speech Therapist Alicia D’Antonio and Occupational Therapist Jess Berger to create engaging, hands-on lessons that go beyond basic grooming.
“As an OT, grooming is a big focus of mine,” Jess shared. “But the real success happens when the whole team brings their expertise together. Students don’t just learn how to groom—they learn what the items are called, get more practice, and build true independence.”
Each session begins with a 15-minute group lesson, introducing grooming tools like toothbrushes and hairbrushes while teaching the vocabulary and steps for each task. Students then head to the bathrooms for guided practice. Jess supports fine motor skills, while Alicia and Olivia reinforce language, independence and communication.
Alicia remarked, “Olivia broke down each task with visuals, manipulatives, and video models, making it the perfect setting to target vocabulary, sequencing, requesting help, and executive functioning. I’ve seen so much growth—not just in the grooming tasks themselves, but in students’ understanding of the language and steps involved. Even when I’m not in the room, I know my goals and strategies are being followed. That’s what true collaboration looks like.”
The results have been remarkable. Students have progressed from identical matching to writing out full grooming routines, meeting multiple IEP goals along the way. These skills are already carrying over into home routines, building confidence and independence every step of the way.
| | A Thoughtful Start to Autism Month | | Volunteers Make a Difference | | | | |
Looking for a meaningful volunteer project? The Timothy School welcome volunteers year-round, including summer! Whether it’s helping with indoor painting, campus clean-up, prepping classroom material or seasonal gardening, your time and talents directly support our students.
Have a unique project idea? We’re always open to new ways to collaborate.
To get involved, contact Sarah Hale at shale@thetimothyschool.org or complete our Volunteer Interest Form.
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Creativity Comes Alive in Room 210
Each week, Leah LaPera leads the class in an art group, where students read a book together and then bring the story to life through a themed craft. Their artwork is proudly displayed on the classroom door for all to enjoy throughout the week before being sent home to families.
The students are big fans of the art group where they also get hands-on exposure to a variety of art techniques and materials.
Every student has developed their own creative preferences:
Audrey enjoys gluing and arranging sequins and gems into cool designs. He also loves to paint with his hands and watercolor, which he used to create pieces for the art show.
Olivia prefers drawing with bold markers and painting with gouache and acrylic. She loves helping Leah with the bulletin boards and frequently chooses craft time, drawing or painting as a reward. Her watercolor artwork added a special touch to the class’s art show centerpieces.
Grayson and Kai both enjoy structured projects, especially those that involve assembling parts and following directions to see a final result. They, too, used watercolors to create the beautiful centerpieces for the art show.
| | | Grandparents & Special Friends Day | | |
The school was filled with even more love than usual as we welcomed grandparents and special friends to spend the morning with our students.
The day began with a moving group session led by School Social Worker Jackie Mellinger and Speech-Language Pathologist/AAC Specialist Ashley Johnson, in which the visitors had the opportunity to share stories about their students. Most of the room was in tears as guests expressed how The Timothy School saved their students or changed their lives for the better in so many ways.
Throughout the morning, guests visited classrooms; created a craft with their student; joined together in the gym to drum, dance and sing with Musicopia and enjoyed a snack break.
Thank you to all who joined us and made the day so meaningful for our students, teachers and staff.
| | Smoothie Stand & Coffee Talk | | |
Our Secondary Center students, as a part of their weekly internship program, started running a Smoothie Stand every Friday.
From following recipes and measuring ingredients to safely blending and serving, students are building real-world skills in math, teamwork and responsibility.
Our teachers and staff love ending the week by purchasing freshly made smoothies.
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Another new endeavor held every Friday morning is called “Coffee Chill and Chat” with our Speech and Communication Therapy Department.
It is a relaxed social time where students can share stories, enjoy a few laughs and build stronger connections with friends and staff alike.
These casual conversations are more than just fun—they’re a powerful way to support communication skills and meaningful relationships.
| | | Inspiring Presentation at The Shipley School | | |
Ashley Johnson presented to a group of approximately 160 middle school students at The Shipley School. They were a captivated audience as Ashley educated them about autism in general, our amazing students and how they can be an advocate/friend to autistic individuals.
The Timothy School's overall mission is to educate and empower individuals with autism to achieve their greatest potential, but a huge component of that mission is to disseminate research and educate the community about the abilities and needs of individuals with autism.
If your organization is interested in learning more about The Timothy School, scheduling a tour, or inviting a member of our team to speak about autism, inclusion and advocacy, please contact our Executive Director, Sarah Greim, sgreim@thetimothyschool.org.
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Do you have a Heart for Autism and wish to receive
The Timothy Society Newsletter?
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The Timothy School is the oldest non-profit approved private school in Pennsylvania devoted exclusively to teaching students with autism. Since 1966, we have worked to develop an understanding of autism that recognizes the strengths and uniqueness of our students and the specialized methods needed to expand their educational opportunities.
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