Weirton Elementary School gets communication/sensory boards on playgrounds

WEIRTON - Students from the John D Rockefeller IV Career Center have been working to back to the local school community.

JDR4CC graphics and carpentry students worked on a collaborative project to give students at Weirton Elementary School a sensory outlet and an outstanding voice. The JDR4CC obtained a grant in conjunction with Weirton Elementary School to provide students with a way to enhance their communication outlets.

LAMP Programming has been adopted by Hancock County Schools as a program used in conjunction with AAC devices to help students with limited to non-verbal communication skills communicate their wants and needs on a daily basis. The Communication boards serve two purposes; as a LAMP Communication Picture System and as a sensory outlet. The boards are two sided with each component being on an individual side. The boards are eight feet in length and have a multitude of learning opportunities within them.

Over the course of the past year collaborative planning has been conducted to develop the boards which were installed on Weirton Elementary School's playgrounds. The concept came from the rise of communication needs amongst students.

The JDR4CC students met with administrators, faculty and students to develop a concept idea to best meet the needs of the students.

JDR4CC students visited special education classroom settings at Weirton Elementary School throughout the school year in a variety of capacities to interact and get to know the students to learn more of their communication and sensory needs and understand them as individuals.