Our school trip to LifeTown in Livingston, NJ, was one of the highlights of our year. In addition to inclusive programs and classes for children, teenagers, and families—and a sizable interactive play area and pool—LifeTown has an interactive, immersive small town where neurodivergent children and adults can practice life skills ranging from following traffic rules, to using a bank, to working or shopping in a store.

One of the most important things we do at Orchard Friends is to prepare students for life after Orchard Friends. A visit to nearby Villanova University presented an exciting opportunity to build and practice skills–all while getting a first-hand look at a college program that could be a great fit for many of our students!

In the midst of the winter holiday season and following the excitement of Giving Tuesday, I’m thinking about gratitude.

For so many of our students, the first day at Orchard Friends means so much more than the start of another school year—it’s the start of an entirely new relationship: with school, with learning, and with themselves.

For some students, a three-month break from school can result in the loss of hard-won skills gained the previous year. Orchard Friends’ Extended School Year is a way to provide more continuous support for these students, helping to reinforce these skills through fun, engaging lessons and activities. 

We’re changing the ways that we talk–and think–about graduation. We’re expanding our definition of “graduate” to include all of the ways our students transition to the right next step for them. And we’re adding a new segment to our graduation ceremony to recognize–and share updates about–OFS students who have graduated to another school, trade program, or life milestone. 

I often say, “When you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” Like all students, students on the spectrum vary widely in their strengths, challenges, interests, and struggles. Our understanding of autism is constantly evolving, which means that the way we think about, talk about, and understand autism are, too.