Posted by Plainsboro Rotary

Rotary Club of Plainsboro (RCOP) is sponsoring New Jersey's Autism Awareness Ambassador program. More than 300 Autism awareness school resource packs have been disseminated to elementary classrooms throughout the state, impacting more than 7,000 students. The school Resource pack contains all the tools needed for an elementary school teacher (Grades K to 5) to raise awareness in his/her classroom and includes supplies for a 24 student classroom.

 

 

 

127 Elementary schools, 91 districts/ towns and 19 NJ Counties have been distributed with these resource packs to create the autism awareness through teachers and professionals across the state. These teachers’ audience -- non-autistic children, other "non-special needs" teachers, and school administrative staff will receive input on how to behave with autistic children day to day including how to behave with autistic children they come into contact with -- a key element in the behavioral therapy the kids need.

We will be helping spread autism awareness in the support systems available for the autistic children in New Jersey public schools -- their parents, siblings, relatives, other teachers and administrative staff, their families, friends. The Rotary name will reach our local community through the acknowledgement in each Resource Pack, and links to our website from the Autism New Jersey Autism Ambassador Program website.

We are also partnering with MRESC (Middlesex Regional Educational Services Commission) -- which provides advanced professional support for the special needs teachers in 600 school districts and municipalities in New Jersey. MRESC runs 4 autism schools themselves, and helps districts offer educational programs for special needs students in our public schools. We will be helping fund the technology and resources needed in their schools. Once again, we will be reaching our local community through acknowledgements on the MRESC website and promotional material.

Here is Autism NJ s website giving details about sponsorship

http://www.autismnj.org/aa_month_sponsorship

Rotary Club of Plainsboro approach and program execution strategy as follows:

What is missing -- how can we provide service that really makes a difference here and now?

A critical and powerful element in the above therapy program is missing.

It is the supplemental supporting therapy that could be provided if our community accepted autism as a fact of life. It would have a very positive influence on the way the autistic children are treated by their classmates, their non-special needs teachers -- think gym teacher -- the administrative staff in the schools, their parents, friends, waiters in restaurants, etc.

The need is to spread awareness of autism and its management in our community. The magnitude of the numbers involved, and the difference it could make complementary to the efforts by the solitary special needs teachers, is huge!

Be recognized, with your support, as a concerned corporate citizen in our community and help make a difference

Join the Rotary Club of Plainsboro (RCOP) in making a difference with your sponsorship support! We have adopted two long-term initiatives to support those in our community being touched by autism.

We ask you, as our sponsor, to help us provide funding for these initiatives:

1. Spreading awareness of Autism in the community

Autism New Jersey (ANJ) has recognized the above critical element that is missing for autism support, with their "Autism Ambassador" program.

We are sponsoring Resource Packs for this program. ANJ will distribute these Resource Packs to "non-special needs" teachers in public schools in New Jersey. The Resource Packs contain the tools needed for an elementary/middle school teacher to raise autism awareness in his/her school and classroom. These teachers’ audience non-autistic children, other "non-special needs" teachers, and school administrative staff will receive input on how to behave with autistic children day to day.

About Autism New Jersey(http://www.autismnj.org)

Autism New Jersey is the largest statewide network of parents and professionals dedicated to improving lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. It is a nonprofit agency committed to ensuring safe and fulfilling lives for individuals with autism, their families, and the professionals who support them. Through awareness, credible information, education, and public policy initiatives, Autism New Jersey leads the way to lifelong individualized services provided with skill and compassion. They recognize the autism community's many contributions tosociety and work to enhance their resilience, abilities and quality of life.

2. Providing advanced professional support for severe cases

We are also partnering with our MRESC (the Middlesex Regional Educational Services Commission). Their brief is to help school districts offer educational programs for special needs students in our public schools. They themselves run 4 public schools for autism for the more severe cases from the districts.

Your sponsorship will help fund the technology and resources needed in the MRESC schools.

About MRESC (http://www.mresc.k12.nj.us)

It is a New Jersey State Department of Education funded organization. Founded in 1977, it serves over 600 school districts and municipalities in New Jersey. It provides specialized, auxiliary and remedial services to thousands of autistic, multiply disabled and at-risk students, a comprehensive Professional Development Academy, and the Collaborative Educational Services program to the districts.