Wading River School hosted an informational Autism Acceptance Fair on April 3 and 4 and students were eager to learn and share stories of love and understanding of family members, schoolmates or friends who live with autism spectrum disorder.

Coordinated by special education teacher Lynda Kranidis, students visited the gymnasium where they were greeted by physical education teacher John Regazzi who divided them into four groups to visit stations around the gym. The stations featured a video and a read-a-loud on autism, a set-up featuring businesses that RISE students have conducted including plant care, laminating responsibilities and a dog biscuit service, a table where they could write a kind note about someone they know, and a table with squishy and tangle toys, light ups and tactile sensory objects that help students concentrate or focus.

Fourth graders in Kerryann DeMauro's class created not only fidgets but presented thoroughly researched information on autism. Students Azalee Delvecchio, Grace Giangrasso, Eileen Hamski, Mia Horsford and Robert Stroh each spoke on why they created fidgets and how they can benefit students on the autism spectrum. Teachers and parents also shared stories of their autism journeys with their children. The Speech Dream team also was on hand to discuss augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices and how they benefit the students who use them.

In almost two decades of working with children on the autism spectrum, Mrs. Kranidis is grateful for working with her colleagues and seeing how the student acceptance has grown over the years in Wading River School and throughout the Shoreham-Wading River community.

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Date Added: 4/10/2024