St. John of God Community Services

Westville Grove, NJ

When you envision this school for students with disabilities, you almost want to go back to school yourself.

St. John of God Community Services serves more than 180 students between the ages of 3 and 21 at its Westville Grove, NJ, campus, with a sensory-rich program that sounds both soothing and inspiring. Run by the Hospitallar Brothers, the Services, which includes an inclusive nursery school, day care and early intervention program, carries on the legacy of a 16th century Spanish monk from Granada who believed in the dignity of each individual and his own responsibility to respect and care for people who were ill or disabled.

There are 13 OTs employed across the agency. The school consists of two buildings, one that houses early childhood programs and one for middle and secondary school students. The school program has one part-time OT position now open.

Jennifer Stell, OTR/L, works with pre-school and primary students. "We all have expertise in different areas," she said, "so we each bring a lot to the table. There's a family atmosphere here. Many of us have been here for a long time, and that says a lot about the type of facility this is."

The students at the Services may be diagnosed with many conditions, including CP, Down syndrome and others. In 1999, Stell and her colleague Michelle Carbone found themselves working with more children on the autism spectrum. They saw a need for a more intense sensory approach to treatment. So the facility added a Snoezelen Room, an environment built for sensory stimulation. The room has a ball pit, a projector with fireworks and an ocean scene, bubble tubes and three different swings, among its offerings.

St John of God also created a sensory cart that teachers sign out, enabling them to turn

their classrooms into sensory-rich environments using smaller -versions of some of the things in the Snoezelen Room.

OTs at the Services do a lot of work with assistive technology.

"The technology here is much more school-based," notes staff therapist Lisa Drechsel, OTR/L. "In this particular school it has so many facets. I really feel I'm using all of my skills."

Drechsel likes the opportunity to continue active learning and research. The New Jersey Commission for the Blind conducts studies at the facility. Private, corporate and community donors like the Commission helped to fund an outdoor sensory garden. The garden has a trickling stream, wind chimes, scents and colors. Also, every classroom has a planter box. One teacher, an active 4-H member, has rabbit cages in her classroom.

"It's like a little OT heaven," laughed Stell.