The Watson Institute

Thank you to the Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation for their support of our work building social and emotional learning in Sto Rox School District and New Brighton School-District. This partnership led to the discovery of an unexpected need in the emergency response community. EMS professionals sought Watson’s expertise to help them better support individuals with autism and other disabilities during emergency situations.

Through the Foundation’s funding, we created Ambulance Calming Kits, which contain sensory tools and communication supports designed to help first responders de-escalate, comfort, and safely assist individuals with disabilities. The Ambulance Calming Kits were delivered to Economy EMS and the Valley Ambulance Authority .

This partnership is strengthening school communities and emergency response systems, ensuring students are met with understanding and compassion. Thank you, Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation for your support in helping us to meet this need!

It’s completely normal to have moments of frustration or feeling upset. Teaching your students ways to respond when they’re experiencing these feelings can help them feel safe, acknowledged, and understood. Let us know in the comments - what are your go-to coping skills?

https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/watson-life-resources/situation/classroom-coping-skills/

At the 3rd annual Innovations in CVI: Moving the Agenda Forward conference, a multidisciplinary team of professionals from Watson partnered with a speech language professional from Penn State Harrisburg and a TVI AAC Advocate to present “An Eye on CVI” at The Children's Home of Pittsburgh.

We are grateful for our partnerships with fellow educators, professionals, therapists, and advocates that have lead to further research and innovations designed to support students with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) in a classroom setting.

We’re continually inspired by the passion Watson’s teams bring to their work.

Students at Friendship Academy had the chance to put their classroom learning into practice this fall! After weeks of studying ecosystems, water quality, and the trout lifecycle in the “Trout in the Classroom” curriculum, Mrs. Thomas took her science class on a fishing trip with the Anglers Fishing Club of Pittsburgh at Lake Carnegie. Hands-on experiences like these help students build confidence, curiosity, and connections with concepts they’re learning in the classroom with real-world applications. Thank you to the Anglers Club for their partnership! Our students are looking forward to a future fishing trip in the spring when they release trout at North Park.

https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/schools/friendship-academy/

For some students, seeing a blank sheet of paper in front of them when faced with a writing assignment can cause a sense of dread or anxiety. Teaching your students how to use a graphic organizer can help them to improve their writing skills and relieve some of the anxiety writing assignments can cause.

https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/watson-life-resources/situation/graphic-organizer-tools-writing/

Have you ever wanted to see your name posted as the “Employee of the Week”? At the Watson Institute, our students have plenty of opportunities to help out through in-school jobs and earn that rewarding title! Our classrooms use a Job Board to help students learn vocational and life skills that will benefit them as they transition into adulthood. Students practice communication, organization, and motor skills through a number of meaningful in-school jobs while making progress toward their speech and occupational therapy goals as well!

A job well done helps students gain confidence and independence as they prepare for the next steps in their educational and developmental journeys. Learn how you can integrate vocational experiences into your classroom and let us know what your students enjoy helping with in the comments below!

https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/watson-life-resources/situation/school-community-based-instruction/

Watson hosted Rep. Lindsay Powell, who serves the 21st District which includes communities served by our LEAP Preschool and WISCA programs in Sharpsburg.

We appreciate Rep. Powell and her fellow legislators’ support in helping Watson provide special education services for children with disabilities!

https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/schools/

Check out our 6-step guide to helping your students prepare to practice lockdown drills so they will know what to do in case an emergency happens in school.
https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/resource/lockdown-drills/

Thanks to the generosity of Chaffin Luhana LLP and the staff at the Watson Institute, more than three dozen families of Watson’s Friendship Academy and LEAP Preschool students will enjoy a turkey meal complete with mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and vegetables this Thanksgiving. Please join us in thanking them for their generosity!

Using social stories to teach students the fundamentals of communication and conversation can help students understand the scenarios in which they should utilize the skills they’re learning. Give it a try!

https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/resource/talking/

Watson recently partnered with DTCare, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that sends critically needed goods to vulnerable communities across the globe. Our education center donated gently used mobility equipment and accessible classroom furniture that our students have outgrown or have been replaced recently to DTCare.

Through their global humanitarian network, this equipment is being delivered to communities in Lebanon and Ukraine where it will support educational programs, community centers, and nonprofits, delivering hope and opportunity amid challenging circumstances.

We’re proud to partner with DTCare, connecting local action with global needs, supporting children with special needs in communities around the world.

Recently, Connor, a student in the WISCA program, exhibited his artwork alongside his siblings, Oliver and Andrea, also known as “The 3 Crafty Kids”, at Bella's Wishes-Ambridge Creative Arts Center. The exhibition showcased mixed media, watercolor, 3D prints, and maker projects, and the siblings had the opportunity to speak to their inspiration behind their work.

At Watson, Connor uses his art as a meaningful way to express his creativity and communicate his ideas. His artwork reflects both imagination and skill, capturing the curiosity and joy he brings to learning every day. Congratulations to Connor, Andrea, and Oliver on the success of their exhibition!

https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/schools/wisca/