Fall Newsletter 2023

This fall included both fun and informative activities for students and families.

The PERC Office sponsors sensory friendly events for students in Berkeley County Schools. In October, the PERC Office held a Sensory Trunk-or-Treat in the back parking lot of the Special Education Office. Children were able to trick-or-treat safely through the drive through trunk-or-treat and had their pictures taken in costume. Decorated cars lined the parking lot to hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters.

Just a friendly reminder that in addition to Autism Awareness decals for your car, PERC also has stickers for any Child with Special Needs. In the event of an accident or emergency situation, emergency personnel will be made aware if a child has Autism or any type of special need and may be non-verbal, a runner, or scared of loud noises and lights. This will allow first responders to identify and handle these serious situations with care. We want to make sure all children are safe. Please contact the Office of Special Ed at 304-263-5717 if you would like one of these decals for your vehicle.

The Occupational Therapy role in the public school system is often difficult to define. Occupational Therapy works to assist students with gaining, rebuilding or adapting skills to become as functionally independent as possible. Activities may include visual, fine motor, sensory and assistive technology. Below are some simple suggestions for sensory input during this Holiday Season!

Berkeley County Schools Office of Special Education held the Transition Fair on October 25, 2023, at the Berkeley 2000 Recreation Center. The Transition Fair hosted local agencies for families and students to gain more insight into the supports available to assist with successful transition to post-secondary life. This year it was advertised for students in grades 7-12 to attend.

Agencies in attendance provided information on the following:

• Guardianship and powers of attorney
• Day habilitation
• Direct care services
• Post-secondary education services
• Mental health
• IDD Waiver services
• Community College disability services
• Residential services
• Counseling services
• Transition planning services
• Financial planning
• Parent engagement

Hedgesville High School's student of the month for October is Tyjee Foy. Tyjee is a Junior and is participating in the work exploration program for the first time. Tyjee currently works at King's Pizza in Hedgesville and is subbing for an injured student at Martinsburg Service Center. At King's he ensures they always have enough pizza and carryout boxes on hand for a week's worth of orders and does various prep work such as cutting lemons, cleaning menus and folding silverware in napkins. At Martinsburg Service Center he assists with vehicle safety inspections, tire rotations and oil changes. He looks forward to going to work every week and he eagerly volunteered to cover for a student that had an injury that prevented him from going to work during the month. Congratulations, Tyjee, on being named the HHS October Student of the Month.

Mark Harris is a senior and has been in Work Exploration for two years. He has worked at ROCS, Tractor Supply and McDonald’s. He is currently working at Opequon Motors where he does oil changes, tire rotations and engine repairs. Mark comes to work on time, has a great attitude at the jobsite and is always ready to learn. Mark is planning to become an auto mechanic where he will use all the skills he learns each week. Congratulations, Mark!!

Alex Printz is our student of the month for October, 2023. Last year, before Alex turned 16 years old, he worked in the PAES Lab, and after he turned sixteen, he began going out to the businesses. This quarter Alex has been working at The Pizza Oven in Inwood. At The Pizza Oven, Alex assists with washing dishes, preparing pizzas for the pizza bar, and prepping various foods to be prepared for customers. Alex has already proven since beginning Work Exploration that he is going to be a real asset to any business he goes to. He is enthusiastic and eager to do a good job. Alex is looking forward to putting his newfound skills to work soon and is already starting to apply for part time jobs in the community. Keep up the great work Alex!!!

It is with great pleasure that I respectfully submit this nomination for Izzy Martinez to be recognized as the Spring Mills High School Work Exploration Student of the Month for October. This is Izzy’s second year in the program. She has worked at the Berkeley Theater, ROCS, Bedington Corner Store and Food Lion. Wherever Izzy goes her pleasant disposition, sweet sense of humor and friendly smile make her an instant success with the employees and customers. These qualities also set an example and inspire other students in the program. BZ to Izzy for a job well done!

Mr. Justin Slonaker is a teacher at Martinsburg High School and has been teaching for 14 years. Mr. Slonaker's favorite part of teaching is the relationships he is able to foster with both his students and their families. He loves seeing his students have "breakthrough moments" and wanting to "dive deeper" into a lesson that was taught previously. Mr. Slonaker explains, "I enjoy taking my students on learning journeys where we may read an article about a specific topic say the Mona Lisa painting, then we'll watch a video on the topic, and we may finish with a virtual field trip to the Louvre or creating our own unique artwork." Mr. Slonaker and a colleague started Buddies Club 13 years ago at the suggestion of a student. Buddies Club builds relationships between students with special needs and their typical peers through field trips, weekly lunches, and fun activities on MHS Club Days. Mr. Slonaker's dedication is evident in the relationships with his students and families that extend far beyond high school graduation. You are appreciated, Mr. Slonaker!

The Parent Engagement Resource Center is a program dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and caregivers of all students in Berkeley County Schools. PERC provides resources, connects families with organizations, serves as a liaison between the school and families, and encourages opportunities for families to connect.

Email: terri.hickerson@k12.wv.us
Website: https://www.berkeleycountyschools.org
Location: 401 South Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV, USA
Phone: 304- 267- 3510