La Salle neighbor aids disabled students

By Jordan Seltzer
Collegian Reporter
January 31, 2007

Widener Memorial School is a K-12 school for disabled people with very high expectations, located at 1415 W. Olney Ave., just blocks from La Salle.

“We meet the child where they are and take them as far as we possibly can take them,” said Principal Robert Mack. “Twenty percent of our pupils comprise youngsters who are cognitively intact. They transition into college. The other 80 percent transition into some type of positive post school setting, if at all possible.”

This is part of the reason that Constance Clayton, Superintendent of the Philadelphia school system during the 1980s, called Widener “One of the city’s best jewels.”

Knowing of the challenges students face and helping the students deal with them is part of the holistic program at Widener.

“We teach a course about self -direction, self-control and self-advocacy. We teach believing in yourself and dealing with the fact that you live in a non-disabled world. The counselors and educators work on positive self image. We provide rich forums for the kids to discuss sameness and difference and hopefully celebrate the differences. We keep this as a content area of study,” said Mack.

There is also a strong emphasis on “making sure that the students go to school for a purpose.” For the past three years, Widener has formally activated the Family Partners Program. This is a program in which graduating seniors have a staff member who partners with them and their families in assisting with the transition. The staff mentors assist in many areas of life including trying to get scholarships, college applications, Paratransit, setting up bank accounts and connecting with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.

The school also has partnerships with FedEx and Kinko’s, which not only train students but often hire them.

While still attending the school, the students are taught life skills in a variety of ways. Patricia DeLuca, who teaches in the science center, discusses how the science experiments teach students valuable life skills.

“Each student has a job to do with their school work. They get paid $5 a week. My kids are jealous. They say, ‘Mom, why can’t we get paid for going to school, too?’ Every Friday, the kids get to shop with the money they earned in the Dixon Discovery Room at the school. There are donated items that they can buy. Some save up, and some buy things with whatever they have. This is to teach them coin value and exchange principles.”

There is also a one-bedroom condominium where the children learn how to clean and a satellite Please Touch Museum. They have had guest speakers from Nigeria give a presentation as part of the “Make History Come Alive” social studies unit.

One of its best amenities, Widener’s indoor pool facility would put many high school pools to shame. “Water becomes a great equalizer. From the neck up, you cannot tell who is disabled and who is not,” Mack said. “It is a reciprocal integrative relationship between the disabled and non-disabled.” This is not your ordinary school pool program. They have activities like scuba diving, kayaking, canoeing and fishing in addition to modified swimming techniques.

“We try to get them in the water by kindergarten, and usually by the end of the year they feel independent in the water,” said James Scanlon, the pool instructor. “I remember one time I came in while a scuba program was going on and there were six kids playing checkers underwater. They also play hockey underwater, too.”

Although the students have fun, they still understand that academics come first.

“Our first job is to make sure the students excel academically. This drives all other effective means of support,” Mack said, “We teach with rigor here, and we have for years. We don’t waste a minute.”

Widener collects benchmark data on literacy, mathematics and science skills every six weeks and displays it in the hallway. This is an indication that academics is not taken lightly. There is an Individualized Education Program meeting held at least once each year with the pupil and his or her parents to decide on appropriate educational objectives and services.

Mack believes the dedicated faculty is a large part of the educational success at Widener.

“Widener has exceptional educators. We just don’t stop growing. It’s just part of our philosophy. We make sure we are the best at what we do. The smallness of the school really makes a difference. We are fortunate enough to have a smaller teacher to student ratio, so everyone knows each other.”

This atmosphere of dedication and commitment has rubbed off on the students.

“My favorite subject is math because it’s challenging. I don’t like to take the easy way out,” said Charles Rawlings, a high school student at Widener. “If you take the easy way out and you are not challenging yourself, you are not learning. I like to keep pushing myself.”

Students who are this inspired and motivated are what every teacher dreams of. Because of its proximity to La Salle, many student teachers from La Salle get to experience Widener’s students, with Mack acting as their field supervisor.

There are currently five teachers on Widener’s faculty who are graduates of La Salle.

“I became very impressed with the quality of La Salle’s graduates.” Mack said. “It is a two-way street where we learn and grow together. ”

seltzerj1@lasalle.edu