Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21
YEAR IN REVIEW (2017-2018)
Fall
We Are One!
Opening Day 2017 helped us celebrate another year as a united front at IU 21, helping children learn! We are one, our theme this year, helps us remember that we have one common goal, and we can all work together for the students we serve to provide them with the most success.
Camp Canvas
Teachers attended Camp Canvas to develop, expand and polish their Canvas skills. Canvas, an online learning system, helps deliver curriculum to students who are online learners.
First Day Back to school!
School is back in session and some students are loving being back in a routine. This social student in particular enjoys being around his friends and teachers.
Student Forum
As Student Forum gets back together for a new school year, they engage in team building activities. These activities help to get students from different districts acclimated with one another. Some of the activities included a silent birthday lineup, peer questionnaire and human knot!
Tech Wizards
Tech Wizards and Tech Wizards Jr. are back in session! This year, the groups will be working on 3D printing and microbits. These projects will involve computational thinking, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration, which are key components of STEM work.
Teachers Explore STEM
Science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM, has been a hot topic in the education world. Curriculum and Instruction held a STEM in the classroom workshop to help teachers hone their skills while teaching these components. They learned by doing, as they collaborated using peer feedback on a ramp device they had to make effectively out of scrap materials.
Students Visit Grim's Orchard
Students in this deaf and hard of hearing class are shown at Grim's Orchard enjoying the fall weather with teachers. Grim's offers a variety of activities, including a tour of the apple orchard where the science of apple agriculture is explained with the help of an interpreter.
Legislative Visit: LCEA
Local legislators along with IU 21 administrators visit Lehigh County Enhanced Autism. These visits give necessary insight to legislators who make important policy decisions regarding education.
Signing Santa
This holiday season began with a festive walk to Santa's workshop where the Signing Elf was there to greet our deaf and hard of hearing students! This is possibly the deaf and hard of hearing students' favorite visit all year. They love to tell Santa what they would like for Christmas and connect with him through ASL.
Administrative Vist: Weisenberg Elementary
During this classroom visit at Weisenberg Elementary, we observed students working one on one with teachers on worksheets and various communication activities. Dr. Eib, Kim Talipan, Deb Popson and Robert Bold paid a visit to the class to say hello to kids and teachers before the holidays.
Students Perform Skit for Board Members
Our board enjoyed holiday performances from the deaf and hard of hearing students at the holiday luncheon. Here, deaf and hard of hearing students can be seen telling a Christmas story using ASL.
Students Read Story at Holiday Staff Luncheon
Our staff holiday performances included select students from Carbon Lehigh Achievement School and Carbon County Enhanced Autism. These students worked together to read a Christmas story to staff and the board, pass out treats, and sing Christmas carols to the audience!
STEM Competition
A number of students interested in STEM participated in our Governor's STEM competition this year. The initiative was to build an invention that could improve quality of life for citizens in Pennsylvania. Parkland took first place with their invention, Plastobot, which helps with household recycling.
SkyZone Trampoline Park
As a break from classroom instruction, students head out to SkyZone in Bethlehem. Here, kids have the opportunity to exercise by jumping on super flexible trampolines, work through an obstacle course or jump into a foam pit. These activities help give students aerobic exercise and work on flexibility, coordination and gross motor skills.
Force Gymnastics
In these times of crazy weather, it's good to know our students have some great options for indoor play! At Force Gymnastics, they had a chance to jump on gymnastics equipment, play in a bounce house, balance on the balance beams and more. Activities like these work to teach students about patience, socialization and becoming acclimated to new environments.
Spring
Deaf Youth Day
On Deaf Youth Day, deaf and hard of hearing students visited Allentown City Hall and talked with Allentown Police about emergency signs and signals for the deaf. The group toured City Hall and learned about police procedures. This group of young people hope to bridge the gap between the hearing and non-hearing.
Math 24 Competition
Math-loving students compete for the chance to win first place at Math 24. Each round has a small group of students trying to find a solution of twenty-four from a set of four numbers. They must be quick and precise to be successful!
Spring Dance
Our students are seen here happily spending time with friends and teachers at one of our two dances per year. These dances are a way to encourage relationship building, socializing and having fun with classmates outside of classroom walls.
Reading Olympics
Reading Olympics encourages students to read and examine multiple texts to prepare for a trivia style team competition. Most students read nearly every book on the list. These kids were excited to compete and read too!
Google Bootcamp
Educators attended Google "Bootcamp" with Rich Kiker to learn tips and tricks in earning level one Google Educator certification. Being a certified Google Educator can start a teacher on the pathway to becoming a certified Google Trainer.
Academic Competition
Several schools compete in hopes of winning first place at our Academic Competition. Academic trivia questions are directed to three teams at a time, with the correct team earning points toward their overall score. The first place team moves on to a state competition. Congratulations Central Catholic High School!
Dr. Eib Recommissioned
Dr. Eib was sworn in to another term as Executive Director by the State of Pennsylvania. Joined by the CLIU cabinet, Dr. Eib took oath at the Allentown Court House. We are happy to have Dr. Eib with us for another term as Director!
"The Flip Side" Podcast starts at LLAS
Lehigh Learning and Achievement School students began hosting a podcast called The Flip Side. Hailey, contributor to The Flip Side, explained that the meaning behind the name has to do with their unique opinions as young adults in the world, as opposed to the typical adults on the news.
Parkland deaf classroom starts Jr. NAD Chapter
Parkland High School deaf and hard of hearing students began a Jr. National Association of the Deaf chapter. They will be producing content such a PSA's, blogs, and other website features they can share with the community. Their goal is to educate both hearing and non-hearing people about the best ways to overcome communication barriers.
Life Skills Talent Show
Students from Life Skills classrooms gathered together at Mauch Chunk Opera house to showcase skills such as singing, dancing, acting and more! Excitement filled the room as each act got on stage to perform to a full house. Everyone did a wonderful job!
Peter Langman Presents
Renowned school shooting expert Peter Langman visited our central office to present the warning signs of a potential school shooter. Langman's presentation outlined previous tragic events and examined profiles of past shooters. Many districts attended, as well as members of PA state police and others concerned with school safety.
STEM Design Challenge
Students participating in the STEM Design Challenge are given two hours to build a structure that enhances daily life. Each year we are more and more impressed with their creativity! Judges from Thermo-Fisher Scientific offer their time to analyze student projects and give them a proper score.
Deaf & HOH Picnic
The deaf and hard of hearing classrooms held their annual end of the year picnic at Covered Bridge Park. Students and teachers played games like volleyball and football, ate lunch together and enjoyed a beautiful day outside of the classroom to cap off their year.
Special Olympics
These students were able to try their hand at the long jump, softball throw and more with the help of teachers and family. Special Olympics offers a chance for students with disabilities to experience athletics with special accommodations. Special Olympics was held this year at Whitehall High School.
Legislative Visit: CCEA
This visit to Carbon County Enhanced Autism included State Representatives Doyle Heffley, Jeanne McNeil and Zachary Mako. The Representatives were able to see our classrooms first hand and spend time with students while they learned. Thank you for visiting!
Regional Computer Fair
Our Regional Computer Fair had many excited teams ready to head to states! Categories for entry include logo design, webpage design, animation, digital movie and more. Judges who are knowledgeable in these areas score the projects. Each year it seems their talents are better than the last. Congratulations to our first placers!
Spring KTI Day
Teachers attend Keystone Technology Innovators' Day for valuable breakout sessions, learning about new technology, networking and more. Sessions included a wide variety of topics like coding, virtual reality and drones. This year's keynote speaker was Tom Murray, who spoke about the importance of meaningful tech integration in the classroom, connecting with students and encouraging their fullest potential.
Fishing Party at Germantown Grove
Germantown Grove's fishing party is held each year for students with special needs. The grove pairs them up with fishing experts who help them catch fish. Working together encourages patience and socializing. Students are able to take their fish home with them as they are prepared for cooking on-site.
Summer
Work Based Learning Picnic
Students in the work-based learning program had their picnic at Egypt Memorial Park. They enjoyed music, food, friends, basketball, face painting and more! This picnic celebrates the students who move through our work-based learning programs throughout the year.
25th Annual Golf Tournament
Golfers enjoyed a day at the picturesque Olde Homestead Golf Course while raising money for Carbon Lehigh Special Needs Children's Foundation. This was the 25th Annual Golf Tournament held for CLSNCF.
Celebrating Our Retirees
Our retirees deserve nothing but the best, and that is what we try to give them at our retirement luncheon! They were able to talk with co-workers, enjoy lunch, watch a video dedicated to them, and even receive a gift from work based learning students. Best of luck!
Boys and Girls Club
Girls' club is seen here posing in front of the lake at Camp Mosey Wood. The girls enjoy their time at Mosey Wood doing things like wall climbing, hiking, crafting, and of course, sharing s'mores. Boys Club is run at Camp Trexler nearby, where they do similar activities but enjoy fishing and archery most!
Extended School Year
Extended School Year allows students to return to school buildings during the month of July for a structured day of activities including cooking, art, gym, music, crafts and more. Seen here are two students interacting with a therapy dog named Ellie Mae.
STEM Camp at DeSales University
Students interested in STEM areas including science, technology, engineering and math attended our STEM Camp at DeSales University. In conjunction with Colonial Intermediate Unit #20 and DeSales, we were able to have kids experiment with such things as coding, circuits, problem solving, and more.
Graduation 2018
https://youtu.be/NnJbkOoRyIY