Today was another special day at Regional Day School! Thanks to generous monetary donations by the Palmer family and the Manchester Township Education Foundation (MTEF), not one, not two, but THREE Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) were installed at the Regional Day School's playground!
Met with excitement and cheers of appreciation, Mrs. Palmer and her son, a former student of Regional Day School, were invited to help reveal these incredible communication tools to the students and staff of Regional Day School.
Principal Lisa Michallis explained to those in attendance that the PECS provides students with accessible communication on their playground. Nonverbal students, or students who are friends with nonverbal students, can now communicate their needs and desires through photos and icons. A nonverbal child can be invited to play by a friend in this way or communicate with their teacher if they want to play on the swings, slide, or enjoy the gazebo and take in the fresh air.
Unique to the system is the placement of the two larger boards and the addition of a mobile PECS board. This allows students to take their communication on the go around the playground! Students could be found enjoying the PECS boards immediately today after the ceremony.
Thank you to the Palmer family, the MTEF, and those MTSD staff members who wrote the grant, helped plan and order the boards, and installed them for our students. This is a great addition to the Regional Day School that will be enjoyed by students for years to come!