Written by Genevieve Van Doren for The Readington Monthly
To say that Spring Run School turned David’s life around is an understatement.
David, an 18-year-old who enrolled in the little-known school on Minneakoning Road in Flemington this past September, used to attend Bridgewater-Raritan High School. There he “mixed with the wrong crowd,” struggled academically and was constantly in trouble. By his own account, David was on a path that may have ended in drugs and possibly even prison.
“Before, I was a follower,” he concedes. “I made bad choices and sometimes blamed other people for my problems. I would get frustrated and angry.” With such a big school, it was easy for him – and his problems – to go unnoticed and unaddressed.
Eventually, a thoughtful guidance counselor suggested several alternative schools that might be better able to address his needs. He chose Spring Run School, a private, special-education school designed to serve students ages 14 to 21 with multiple disabilities. After just a few months, David is looking at his life differently.
“This school taught me a lot about life,” he said. “They gave me great advice, especially about how to stay positive. Even if I sometimes slip, they accept me for who I am.”
It’s that acceptance and respect for each student that lies at the heart of what the school seeks to accomplish. Besides the core academic areas of English, math and the sciences, the school provides physical education, health, driver education, art, computer-technology training, speech therapy and, most importantly, counseling.
“Often these students have experienced bullying in other schools and haven’t learned to control their behavior,” said Spring Run School Principal John Ritchie. “Our environment is safe and calm. Not only do these students learn to express themselves more appropriately, but they learn that they are in control of their own futures, which is empowering.”
Ritchie notes that frequently what his students crave most are friendships. “Inclusion is the school district’s term for placing special needs students in public schools. Sometimes this is an effective strategy and the student makes friends and flourishes.However, in many cases these students often don’t make friends and don’t come away with the social and other skills they need to succeed. Here, we make them feel cared for, and they are free to discover what they’re good at.”
That caring attitude not only permeates the school, but its parent organization, the Center for Educational Advancement, as well.
Best known for its wildly popular Turkey Trot fundraiser on Thanksgiving Day, CEA is a not-for-profit social business enterprise that provides employment and related services to disabled and disadvantaged people through its three operations, one of which is Spring Run School. The others are the Packaging and Products and Employment Services groups, which provide training through on-site employment and job placement for hundreds of individuals with disabilities and other special needs.
Like many other organizations, CEA has experienced significant financial pressures on several fronts. CEA President and CEO Michael Skoczek recently noted in a letter to supporters, “There appears to be increased reluctance to place special needs students in out-of-district, specialized schools such as Spring Run. This has resulted in lowered student enrollment and reduced access to the nurturing academic environment we believe such students need for long-term personal growth.”
Ritchie urges parents of special-needs students to become better informed by visiting his or other specialized schools before making decisions about placement.
One of the school’s biggest assets, Ritchie noted, is that students can continue to attend the school beyond age 18, when many programs for special-needs students end. In New Jersey, special education students are entitled to a free public education through age 21. In many instances these older students do not easily fit into a classroom with younger students and can miss out on developing some of the skills they will need in their lives.
CEA’s Packaging and Products group, a competitive packaging business which also solicits work for its clients, has also experienced difficulties as a result of the weak economy and competition for jobs. Recently the group lost its biggest revenue source as the customer moved their business to a more automated facility in Pennsylvania. Several other customers have also moved or cut back their business as a result of the weak economy. The CEA packaging group’s dilemma is especially troubling for Skoczek, because it robs people with disabilities of the chance to feel successful and to learn new skills. “As with everyone else, when they don’t work, they don’t get a paycheck. When this happens, this can lead to increased dependence on taxpayer support and also affects our ability to meet our Mission,” he said.
Similarly, the Employment Services group has struggled to place its clients in workplaces as jobs dry up in Hunterdon County.
Still, by patching together a variety of smaller packaging contracts and by being more creative with resources and marketing of services, CEA remains vibrant and financially sound, Skoczek said. “We are working tirelessly on many fronts to bring business back, enhance and expand our programs and continue to offer first-rate services. The tremendous support we receive from the entire community is a testament to the value of our services and the hard work and dedication of our wonderful staff.”
For additional information about CEA or its fundraising activities, go to www.ceaemployment.com or call 908-782-1480.
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