Our Blog
News and insight from Franciscan about our philosophy of hope through healthcare and recent issues affecting children’s wellness.
Better Speech and Hearing Month: Kennedy Day School
As Better Hearing & Speech Month continues, learn more about speech therapy at Kennedy Day School from Alex Mack and Stacey Swift, Speech-Language Pathologists. If you walk into any classroom… Continue Reading
Drop Everything and Read at the
Kennedy Day School
Drop Everything and Read is one of the many special programs at the Kennedy Day School that truly engage students in the joy of learning. Like so many other aspects of daily life at KDS, the D.E.A.R. program is developed and executed with creativity and endless possibilities in mind. Students are involved in all aspects of the celebration, based on their abilities and goals.
Review: Speechless Premiere on ABC TV
ABC’s new TV Series, Speechless, follows the adventures of DiMeo family and is one of the first of its kind to offer unique insight into the life of a family with a child who has a disability. It is our privilege to work with incredible children and families who share challenges similar to those of JJ and the DiMeos – so we tuned in to check out the pilot episode. Now, we’re sharing some initial reactions from our Speech-Language Pathologists, Kennedy Day School teachers, and even a few of our Kennedy Day School students!
Music Therapy: Setting the Stage for Learning
Music Therapy is an integral part of the curriculum at the Kennedy Day School – engaging students in learning, working toward their individual goals, and having fun! In this blog post, we explore what a Music Therapy and Speech-Language Co-Treatment session looks like, to the tune of Justin Bieber’s “Sorry.”
Reflections of a KDS Speech-Language Pathologist
Nimisha Muttiah is leaving Franciscan Children’s to continue her work in Speech-Language Pathology in her home country of Sri Lanka, serving children where resources, therapeutic experts and technology are incredibly limited. We will miss her dearly, but are proud that she will continue to share our unwavering passion for helping each child reach their fullest potential with those families in need. Nimisha wrote the following blog post as a reflection of her time spent as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Kennedy Day School (KDS) at Franciscan Children’s.
A Different Perspective on Back-to-School
Our guest blogger is mom to Michael and Eric, twin boys who attend the Kennedy Day School onsite at Franciscan, and Katie who attends a local public school. Back-to-School is a bit different for the Murray family, and Amy tells us why!
Creativity at Work: the Kennedy Day School Art Show
A closer look at the Annual Kennedy Day School Art Show, the incredible talent of our students and staff, and the beauty and creativity that results from working hard and stepping out of your comfort zone!
Korey’s Kennedy Day School Graduation
Korey Foley’s story at Franciscan began when he was just three years old. Nineteen years later, Korey has become a well-known, smiling face both inside and outside our halls for friends of the hospital and the Kennedy Day School (KDS). Last week we celebrated a big milestone for Korey, his family and his friends – his graduation from the Kennedy Day School.
Transition & Adult Services Resource Fair
A critical issue for families of children with disabilities, transition planning for adulthood is an area with which many parents struggle. Therefore, providing a forum for families to interact and connect with adult services professionals was both important and rewarding. We were thrilled to welcome over 20 families & numerous professionals to our first Transition and Adult Services Resource Fair.
Kennedy Day School Expands Vision Services
Recent enhancements to the Kennedy Day School’s Vision Center room has allowed the program to expand services and created an even brighter place for students to grow!
Back-to-School Transition with Augmentative Communication and Assistive Technology
Kennedy Day School staff identify areas in which augmentative communication and assistive technology can be used to ease the challenges of a new school year for many students who use them as an aid to learning.
Kennedy Day School Lemonade Stand: Pour the Lemonade!
With Lemonade Stand construction and official taste-testing complete, it was time to move on to the final phase of our project – an official unveiling of the new stand and pouring of our first glasses of lemonade!
Kennedy Day School Lemonade Stand: Taste Testing
The Lemonade Stand construction was complete and with summer just around the corner, we knew it was time to make the lemonade! With so many brands on the market, we decided to put it to a vote and let our customers decide with an official taste test.
Kennedy Day School Lemonade Stand: The Building Process
One thing our Kennedy Day School staff can be proud of is our creativity and inventive style! When it comes to making and adapting things for our students, we are quite resourceful. We use what we have on hand to design and construct our projects, and so with some PVC piping, colorful tape, and some fun – our lemonade stand is close to being ready to open for business!
Kennedy Day School Lemonade Stand:
Project Launch
In collaboration with Bug’s Bikes, our Kennedy Day School Project Excel students and staff are opening a Lemonade Stand! From building to decorating, designing advertisements to squeezing lemons, our students will assist in all aspects of this project.