*AB SpEd PAC makes every effort to ensure that resources listed on our website include information and support our members will find useful and are compatible with our mission and purpose.  We accept no responsibility for the groups, activities, and events listed below.  Further, by listing the resource on our website, we are showing no endorsement.  The resources have been listed for informational purposes only.

Acton-Boxborough Special Education Parent Advisory Council Members have expressed a growing need for after-school programs, extracurricular activities, and social skills groups for our special needs children in the community. We will be collecting resources for these activities as soon as we can and will post them here.  Also, a new Afterschool and Summer Fee-Based Programs Task Force has been formed in hopes of identifying more specific needs and organizing social groups to help meet those needs.  

• Professional Social Skills Groups

• Ongoing Groups and Activities

• Summer Camps

• Lessons

• Events

Professional Social Skills Groups:

• The Academy 
  (with multiple locations including Natick, Newton and Danvers.  They need to be contacted individually, programs may differ)
  

• The Academy of Physical & Social Development
  425R Watertown Street
  Newton, MA 02458-1113
  Main:(617)969-2200 * PERC:Ext. 11 * Consultation:Ext. 11
  Activity Group Program
  

• Academy MetroWest
  9 Tech Circle, Natick, MA, 01760
  (508)-655-9200
  School-year Program
  

• Dana Group Associates
  10 Chestnut St.
  Needham, MA 02492
  781-449-1143
  Group Programs for Children
  

• Katherine Elias & Associates
  124 Watertown Street
  Watertown, MA 02472
  (617) 923-1161
  Social Pragmatics Group
  

• Educational Consultants of New England, Inc. (ECN)
  460 Totten Pond Road
  Suite 400 
  Waltham, MA 02451
  781.895.3200
  Fax:781.895.3226
  "Good Times Groups" for Social Pragmatics  

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Ongoing Groups:

• Boy Scouts Opportunity -

  Pack/Troop 222 Seeks to be Inclusive of Boys with Mild Special Needs

  The goal of Pack/Troop 222 is to make the scouting program accessible to all boys, irrespective of disability.  September 2002 marked the initiation of Cub Scout Pack 222.  In September 2006 we also chartered Boy Scout Troop 222.  What makes Pack/Troop 222 unique is its commitment to reach out to and serve boys with mild to moderate special needs. Membership in Pack/Troop 222 is open to any boy 6-14 years of age, and scouts may join throughout the year.  Although based at the Weston Scout House, Pack/Troop 222 welcomes boys from any town or community, and currently boasts members from over sixteen different communities. 

  Attractive features of Pack/Troop 222 include its highly structured programs and perhaps most importantly an environment of tolerance and acceptance.  Exciting programs in the past have included a Museum of Science sleepover, a field trip to the Pawtucket Red Sox, building birdhouses, making musical instruments followed by a movement to music session, kayaking, a trip to a puppet theater for a show and puppet making, and so forth.

  The members of Pack/Troop 222 develop an amazing sense of self-esteem when they don the scouting uniform.  The scouting program is noncompetitive, and each boy goes at his own pace.  Achievement awards and merit badges provide scouts with immediate reinforcement.

  Pack/Troop 222 usually holds a monthly field trip and a monthly unit meeting, which typically takes place at the Weston Scout House on a mid to late Sunday.  Pack/Troop meetings might consist of an opening circle and flag ceremony, a gross motor activity weather permitting (e.g., scavenger hunt, relay races, obstacle course), snack time and a fine motor activity (e.g., arts & crafts). 

   No two boys are alike in terms of skill sets, but most of the scouts in Pack/Troop 222 have mild to moderate challenges in the areas of social relatedness and/or communication.  Typical diagnoses might include: Asperger’s/PDD, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, speech delays, sensory integration disorder, and other mild developmental delays. In all cases, they are children first, with a desire for friendships and acceptance.  Many of the boys provide excellent peer models for the other scouts, and some of the scouts are for the first time forming close friendships and getting invited to playdates and birthday parties. 

  We always encourage families to consider joining a typical pack/troop first.  Notwithstanding, even though many of the boys in our unit have only mild to moderate special needs, parent organizers felt that participation in other packs/troops might be somewhat overwhelming for their sons¾and that without these accommodations and extra supports, participation in the Scouting program in general might be out of reach for these boys.

  In short, the mission of Pack/Troop 222 is in keeping with the highest ideals of Scouting!  

  Here are some additional points to keep in mind:

  • Siblings are invited to participate in most activities.
  • This is not a drop-off situation.  A parent or caregiver is required to remain with the scout during meetings.
  • Mothers, as well as fathers, are invited to accompany their sons to meetings and events.  Several of the boys in our unit have single parents.
  • Pack/Troop 222 has no paid employees.  We expect parents to volunteer to organize activities or assist with other administrative duties.
  • Although not necessarily recommended, scouts may simultaneously join our pack/troop and a typical pack/troop.  Scouts must register separately with both units.
  • Annual unit registration fee is about $25.  There may be additional costs for uniforms and admission fees on field trips.  Scholarships are available to any family with limited financial resources. 

  For more information, please contact the pack directly at westonpack222@comcast.net.
  (listing updated Dec 2006)
   

• Massachusetts General Hospital YouthCare - Designing and implementing interventions in cooperation with local school systems.  For more information contact:  Scott McLeod, PhD 

• McLean Hospital sponsored support groups - Several groups for adolescents with mood disorders or those who are learning to deal with their strong emotions.  See their web site for a current list of groups.

• Springboard -  a "social club consisting of adults and adolescents with learning disabilities or Asperger's Syndrome.  Founded in 1981 by a group of parents of children with learning disabilities, Springboard now operates under the management of TILL, Inc.  Its main purpose is to foster social relationships between its members by providing fun, interesting, recreational, cultural and educational activities.  In the process of participating in activities and socializing with peers, members learn skills to help them better handle a variety of social relationships and situations. "  Contact: Cheryl Kaufmann, Springboard Coordinator, TILL - Springboard, 20 Eastbrook Road, Dedham, MA 02026, phone: 781-302-4619.

• Social Skills Group Programs – The Academy North located in Lexington, Reading and Beverly is currently accepting referrals for their Social Skills Group Program for boys and girls ages 5 to 17. These small groups meet after school Monday through Friday and focus on helping children with a variety of special needs build self-esteem and healthy peer relationships through group discussion and cooperative and non-competitive activities. The Academy is directed by Jeffery Colucci, Ph.D. and George Marinakis, Ph.D. For more information contact (781) 942-9277.
  (listing updated Nov 2006)

  
  

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Summer Camps:

• Federation for Children with Special Needs Summer Camps Directories

• Therapy/Respite Camps: Kids with Autism and Other Special Needs

• KidsCamps.com - provides a list of special needs camps by state

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Lessons:

Events:

coming soon!

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