January 20, 2009
Posted by FRIEND Playground Club Administrator in Uncategorized.trackback
The FRIEND Playground Club
Since September, 2008, dozens of individual schools and school districts have contacted the FRIEND Playground Club to learn more about implementing the program on their campus. To meet the needs of as many children and schools as possible, The FRIEND Playground Club is working in partnership with the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) and the Scottsdale Unified School District to produce a training manual, which may be available for schools in 2009.
Designed to be implemented using existing school staff and resources, the program is low-cost with lasting results for both children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and typically-developing peer mentors.
In addition to developing low-cost resources to support program success, SARRC is also working to develop a training program for both school professionals and para-professionals, with the goal of empowering schools with the tools and resources necessary for success. Positioning the program as a school-based and facilitated resource is paramount to program success because it localizes the effort – allowing school-based teams of parents and educators to build lasting programs that meet the needs of their children.
The outpouring of positive feedback and support for the program from parents, educators and students at Copper Ridge has been outstanding. With little more than word of mouth endorsements and a single newspaper article, excitement about the program has spread throughout Arizona and across the country.
