On Friday, May 31st Cheshire Elementary School celebrated Diversity Day. As part of a school wide event, children participated in activities that showed how diverse the world is. The entire school wore red, white & blue t-shirts to show our patriotic support. Staff & students joined together to join a human flag (see above). Students in the 6th grade challenged the faculty to a softball game, which the faculty won, 7-0!!!! (Go teachers!!!) :)

At the same time as the softball game, the Abenaki Mohawk/East Woodland Native American Indians explained their heritage and performed some Indian songs. After lunch on the lawn, the entire school marched in a parade around Cheshire. At the end of the day, David Grover performed LIVE, and entertained everyone!! (See above) Thanks to everyone who helped out to make this day happen!!!!!!!!

Cheshire Elementary School was awarded an $8,000 Focus Grant funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education.

This grant, titled "Empowering Special Education Teachers as Leaders", enables teachers to have training in the use of IntelliTalk II, a computer program that is used for adaptation and modification of the general curriculum to meet the needs of all students in the classroom. This computer program enables students who have learning disabilities, dyslexia, writing difficulties, and attention problems to access the curriculum in a way that best meets their needs. The program can also be upgraded to meet the higher expectations of other students.

A teacher from each grade, 4, 5, and 6, teachers of special needs and technology trained personnel are participating in the Focus Grant training, which will be expanded to all teachers in Cheshire School in the fall. The teachers will adapt their curriculum to the computer program to modify for the needs of the children.

Another goal of the program is to have parents attend an after-school session and observe how the program works for their children.

Teacher training takes place after school. At the end of the training, teachers will have lessons ready for present students and incoming children in September.

Tucker Beliveau, 4, takes a break from his puzzle, as teacher Kellie Pierce, left, and mom Martha, smile and look on.

ADAMS -- While most mothers only have to wait about a year to hear their child say "Mommy", Martha Beliveau waited six. Two of Beliveau's three children, Karlie, 6 and Tucker, 4, were diagnosed with pervasive development disorder, otherwise known as autism, around 16 months. While her first child, Brodie, 8, showed no signs of the disorder, both children who followed him began to retract from the world and the normal activities of a child. According to Beliveau, Karlie's symptoms began to show after she received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and contracted measles. She lost eye contact with others, her motor skills faded, and she would simply sit and stare at the television for hours if allowed. Tucker exhibited similar symptoms, but with the analysis of Karlie's symptoms he was diagnosed much earlier.

Beliveau said she and her husband, Don, were devastated by the news of Karlie, and then Tucker. But what was once thought to be a defeating blow to the children's futures and the family's lifestyle, has changed to a ray of hope through a program called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

Joyce Daigneault, right, works with Karlie Beliveau, 6.

The teachers chart the children's progress after each "school" day, focusing on skills such as responding to their name, imitation skills, and completing routine tasks. Current progress finds Karlie, who had almost no vocal skills in the beginning with a vocabulary of 20 words while Tucker, who began the program immediately after he was diagnosed, has acquired almost 100 words. "Both of them have just made tremendous progress over the years," said Beliveau. "Karlie still uses a picture exchange custom book, but she's saying more of the words now. And Tucker has just absolutely blossomed." "He can now put together full sentences," Pierce added. A major breakthrough for Karlie, as well as Beliveau, came about a month ago when Karlie said "Mommy" for the first time. "We called Marty upstairs and she just had tears in her eyes," said Daigneault. "I had been waiting six years for that," said Beliveau, smiling.

Two of the upstairs rooms were transformed into classrooms where the children work daily with the teachers, a system currently being funded through the school district. Upon entering Karlie's colorful room, a video monitor and television screen can be seen above shelves filled with dolls, toys and books. Sitting at a table with Daigneault, she worked on her numbers by counting toy people. After counting up to 20 Daigneault rewarded her with a hug.

Karlie Beliveau, 6, gives a hug to teacher Joyce Daigneault.

Even every day activities such as getting dressed and brushing their hair need to be taught through the repetition of a daily schedule. According to Beliveau, the overall goal of the program is to teach the children how to become more independent. "Right now we're keeping the main goals short term, setting goals every year that they usually meet or surpass," she said. "If there's a point where they can go to school then great, but we aren't rushing them. We just want to help them live an independent life." Although the progress fluctuates with the 25 to 30 programs each child must practice, Beliveau said it balances out. "The consultant told us we may have an upswing and then plateau," she said. "And of course they have their good days and bad days, just like everyone else. But whenever we go backwards slightly, there's usually an upswing somewhere else."

The children attend pre-school in Cheshire, Karlie twice a week and Tucker three times a week. Beliveau said the teacher tries to get them to interact with the other students to improve their social skills. "We had to teach Karlie how to play with her dolls -- she used to just line them up and stare at them," she said. "Now she does things with them, like make them move or dance." "That's not something you would think of having to teach a child, but that was only the beginning," said Daigneault. "Tucker has also improved with a lot of imaginative play," Beliveau said, as he rolled around in a jacket sitting on the couch. "He's starting to interact more with his older brother too, which I think makes Brodie happier."

As for Brodie's reaction to his siblings' disorder, Beliveau said his attitude and understanding have improved. "It is difficult on him -- they have all these toys and don't go to school," she said. "But I think he's happy now that Tucker can interact with him. Plus he gets a kick out of going to Boston (for doctor's visits)." Beliveau said Brodie still asks questions about the disorder, his most recent being, "Who did this to them?" "It's so hard to answer that, especially when I'm not sure myself," she said. "I tell him they have a boo-boo on their brains." This "boo-boo" also causes problems with sensory issues. Karlie, who wore shorts on a winter day, doesn't like the feel of clothes on her skin. Part of her program is brushing her skin with a special brush, swinging in a child's swing, and anything which causes a deeper pressure, such as wrapping her in a blanket. Tucker is obsessive-compulsive when it comes to having dry and clean surfaces.

"There are also other issues, such as gastro-intestinal problems, that they say are connected with the brain function and autism," Beliveau said. But despite the constant struggle and endless effort that Beliveau and the children endure on a daily basis, all those involved in the program agreed on one thing: It's all worthwhile. "Just to see the smiles on their faces, as well as ours, and to feel the constant hugs they now give readily, it's worth it," said Beliveau.

Donna Roberts' e-mail address is droberts@thetranscript.com, telephone extension 227.