JEFFERSON — In a county known for its covered bridges, it is fitting that a school for special students is named “Building Bridges School.”

“I just felt the name was fitting,” said Ginger Putman, principal of the facility, which opened at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year in the former Bethel Bible Church on Goodale Road.

Designed to educate students who don’t fit into the traditional classroom for a number of reasons, Building Bridges has 24 students in three classrooms: Kindergarden through second; third and fourth, and fifth and sixth. Students come from Ashtabula City, Buckeye Local, Geneva City, Jefferson Area Local, and Pymatuning Valley Local school districts.

Prior to creating the school, Ashtabula County students with these unique needs had to attend outside the county, which put an additional strain on tight budgets, Putman said.

Children attending Building Bridges display behavior issues, such as lashing out in response to emotions they may not understand fully or know how to deal with, becoming overstimulated by their environment, or simply not knowing the proper way to interact socially with others.

“The students are here to develop new skills and learn coping strategies and anger management,” Putman said. “We help them to learn to identify their feelings and be able to verbalize them, instead of acting out physically.”

Teachers and counselors at the school strive for an atmosphere of calm and use a variety of methods to achieve that delicate balance. Much of what they do is known as sensory processing, Putman said.

Laurie Orlando, a licensed social worker and child therapist with Signature Health, works full time at Building Bridges. She said sensory-integration class plays a big role in helping children maintain a sense of calm.

“There is a lot of movement and activity. They use their muscles and learn to regulate themselves (behaviorally) through teamwork, playing hockey, relay races (and so on),” Orlando said.

Putman added that other methods of letting the students know they are safe include putting gentle pressure on their shoulders, joint compression and the use of a weighted belt around their waist, which applies pressure to their core.

“Some students like that feeling of pressure. It comforts them and makes them feel safe and protected,” she said.

The other typical gym activities provide a release for pent-up energy and again move the children toward feeling calm, she added.

A big part of what the school is trying to achieve is building trust among the students and their teachers and counselors, as well as with other adults in the children’s lives, Putman noted.

“Progress may be in incremental small steps, but with these children, I look at it as a fairly significant progress,” Orlando said.

Pat Janis, also a counselor with Signature Health, works primarily with fifth and sixth-grade students in a small room nestled in a quiet spot within the school. In addition to talking with students to help them sort out what they’re feeling and experiencing, both in the school environment and at home, Janis uses play therapy. A chess board is constantly set up for use by the older children, who find that this game of strategy helps them to remain focused.

“They learn to accept loss (in a positive way), and they learn to think ahead,” Janis said, adding that in that sense, it’s not just a game.

A plastic bin in another corner of Janis’ office contains sand, another sensory tool.

“It’s very tactile. They run their hands through it or play with toys in it,” Janis said.



Special teachers

Kerrie Thomas teaches children in grades three and four. She uses centers in her classroom in which students focus on their academic work, like math, reading and science. She noted that students focus on these subjects for about 20 minutes a session and are given a period of free time, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, as part of their daily routine. During the periods of free time, the children are allowed to do things they particularly enjoy. One girl brings a doll to school and often uses her free time caring for and nurturing her “baby,” Thomas said.

In the kindergarten to grade two classroom, Darcy Miller is the teacher. Having taken over the classroom less than a month ago, she is still working to get to know the individual needs, likes and dislikes of the eight students she oversees.

“Right now, I’m doing a lot of observing to determine their skill levels,” Miller said.

Miller also noted that she uses a great deal of positive behavior supports in her classroom.

“You have to control the behavior, or there is no learning,” she said.

Miller uses theme activities, such as pirates, to focus her students’ academic endeavors.

Children in fifth and sixth grade have Jessica Delfft as their teacher. Delfft uses a levels system, whereby students earn points that can be redeemed based on the level the student has reached.

“I prefer having them earn privileges rather than physical things,” Delfft said.

In addition, Delfft allows students to earn “Decision Dollars” through good behavior, which they can use to “pay” for privileges, such as shortening a particular assignment. In this way, they not only learn about the value of money, but also another valuable lesson.

“It gives them a sense of control and power. They can make their own decisions,” Delfft said.

Similar systems are set up in each classroom and are based on age and developmental levels of the students.

In all three classrooms, routine is stressed. Students have calendars or schedules, which are posted, so that they know what to expect at any given time throughout the school day. Smooth transitions from one activity to the next are important in order to minimize stress for the children, the teachers said.

“Any student who experiences what is referred to as a ‘meltdown’ receives immediate attention to defuse the situation,” Putman said.

The goal for these students is to be able to return to their home schools once they’ve mastered coping skills that allow them to interact well with other students, she added.

Occupational and physical therapists work regularly with students at Building Bridges, as well. Administration of these services is based on a child’s individualized education plan, and services are unique to each child. Assisting the teachers each day is a team of classroom and student-specific aides.

Pamela Gran works for the Ashtabula County Educational Service Center.