Princeton Child Development Institute

Part of each’s students’ programming at PCDI includes sampling new leisure activities and developing new hobbies that they love. Many of our Lower and Upper School students enjoyed ninja classes at this semester!

Part of each students' programming at PCDI includes sampling new leisure activities and developing new hobbies that they love. Many of our Lower and Upper School students enjoyed Ninja classes at Centercourt Lawrence this semester. Take a peek at all the fun we had this spring!

A round of applause to all of our musicians and artists who participated in PCDI Presents: Night of the Arts! 🎶🎨

We love all of our grown-ups! PCDI parents, grandparents, and other friends gathered for some outdoor fun sandwiched between Mother's and Father's Day. PCDI is so grateful for our close partnership with parents and other beloved friends and family!

Thanks for all the bubbly fun, NJ Bubble Parties!

PCDI was happy to contribute to the 50th Association for Behavior Analysis International® convention in Philadelphia. PCDI professionals along with our colleagues from our replication sites presented a symposium entitled: Compassion and Science— How and Why They Must Coexist in Autism Education Programs. We were thrilled to be joined by Dr. Shahla Ala’i from the University of North Texas as the symposium discussant.

Dr. Amanda Freeman presented data on program-wide measures aimed to capture both students and teacher engagement and affect. In other words, are students actively participating in activities? Are they enjoying those activities? Are teachers interacting with students in an attentive, responsive, and positive way?

Dr. Freeman ended her presentation referencing a book chapter entitled, “Do Good, Take Data.” This chapter, written by behavior analyst, Todd Risley, references a breakthrough contribution to our field – the demonstration that naively simple immediate things are actually powerfully important in the real lives of people.

The data presented by Dr. Freeman illustrate that interacting positively and paying attention to students are naively simple things— that can be powerfully important for the individuals we serve.

Somerset Hills Learning Institute BBA Otizm Department of Behavior Analysis at UNT

Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) is a widely-used method for teaching individuals with autism. The highly-structured nature of DTT encourages student engagement with many opportunities to respond in a relatively short period of time. However, this method may inadvertently limit spontaneous student initiations during those activities. Dr. Amanda Freeman's latest publication, out last month, examines how additional teaching strategies, including script-fading, could increase more elaborate social interactions during these teacher-led instruction.

You can check out this recent article and the rest of PCDI's publication library at: https://pcdi.org/publications/

- ABA Licensure Regulations Finalized Exciting news for ABA professionals: NJ ABA licensure regulations finalized and application process coming soon.

A heartfelt thank you to each of our generous Spring Sensations sponsors. PCDI would not be able to help individuals with autism realize their full potential without the generosity of our community. Thank you for making a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve.

Spring Sensations 2024 ended with a photo finish! It was a night celebrating our students' accomplishments and endless potential. With the support of our generous community, we raised over $400k to fund PCDI's exceptional and necessary educational programs for children and adults with autism.

Thank you to each of our sponsors, committee members, volunteers, and donors who have chosen to invest in PCDI's mission, empowering people impacted by autism.

🎉Ryland Inn
🍾Landmark Hospitality
📸Brittany Breen Photography, LLC
🎤Elegant Music Group

Thank you, Brittany Breen Photography, LLC for capturing the details of Spring Sensations! We cant wait to share more!!

Spring Sensations' silent auction is LIVE!

https://pcdi2024.givesmart.com

Register today and start bidding on an amazing selection of over 130 items, ranging from travel and jewelry to VIP experiences and family fun.

Get ready for Saturday now by checking out our exceptional live auction packages, including an exclusive NBC package, a sought-after reservation for 8 at Rao's NYC, a Napa Valley getaway, a week stay for 8 at a luxury resort in Mexico, and a thrilling fishing excursion for 4. Team up with friends or family now so you're ready to raise your paddle on our group-friendly packages on derby day!

https://pcdi2024.givesmart.com

PCDI Spring Sensations Help Princeton Child Development Institute spread the word about Spring Sensations: An Evening at the Derby!

Spring Sensations, PCDI's biggest fundraiser of the year, is almost here! Purchase your tickets today and get ready for unbridled fun at our derby-themed gala, while making a difference in the lives of individuals with autism!

https://pcdi2024.givesmart.com

What could be better than a spring field trip through fields of tulips!? PCDI's education and adult program students loved touring Holland Ridge Farms on tractor-drawn wagons with stops to pick bouquets, pet farm animals, and enjoy the endless rows of color! Many thanks to Holland Ridge for providing our students with such a fun trip, and for their kind hospitality!

Holland Ridge Farm's tulip fields are bursting with millions of colorful blooms! We're proud of our adult learners who are employed as a part of the field crew to keep the rows of beautiful tulips in tip-top shape for the best floral experience around! Thank you, Holland Ridge Farms, for partnering with PCDI to provide inclusive employment opportunities for individuals with autism! 🌷

Hats off to Weiser Financial for their generous sponsorship of PCDI's annual gala, Spring Sensations! Your investment in exceptional autism education is an investment in each one of PCDI's incredible students. A million thanks to this Millionaires Row Sponsor! 🌹🏆

You can make a difference by partnering with us too! Check out our sponsorship opportunities at https://pcdi.org/events/spring-gala-2/

Dine and donate TODAY at Panera Bread in Nassau Park Blvd in Princeton from 4-8pm. 25% of your purchase will go back to PCDI. Remember to use code FUND4U!

https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/cafe/locations/nj/princeton/510-nassau-park-blvd

Beat the rainy day blues and support PCDI with a customized stir-fry bowl, salad, or honey bowl at honeygrow today! Use promo code GIVE134 on the honeygrow app, at honeygrow.com, or in-store at the kiosk before checking out for 20% of your purchase to go to PCDI.

Please note, third-party orders (e.g., Door Dash) and discounts/coupons cannot be used in these fundraising events.

https://www.honeygrow.com/

Awareness is just the beginning. ✨

"When the autism label first emerged a few generations ago... Doctors told parents to take their autistic child to a state institution and never look back... Little knowledge, resources, or people were available to support families. During those times, policymakers didn't allocate time and resources to people with disabilities. Scientists were just beginning to understand how learning works. They were also discovering the magnitude of change that can happen when parents and professionals create an environment that allows dignity and growth. Moreover, communities didn't understand their collective responsibilities to people with disabilities. This was a time of injustice and disgrace.

The times have changed."

Shahla Ala'i-Rosales & Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe (2021)

Head on over to Hash House in Lambertville today through Wednesday and make an impact during Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month! Enjoy brunch, lunch, and bougie drinks AND provide direct support to the students and families of Princeton Child Development Institute, helping to create opportunities and resources for their journey towards empowerment and success.

https://www.hashhouselambertville.com/

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You don't want to miss this symposium at the New Jersey Association for Behavior Analysis conference on April 26. "This symposium will define how we link compassionate practices with data-based outcomes to ensure that both science and compassion are part of autism education programs."

The symposium includes a presentation by PCDI directors, Dr. Amanda Freeman and Christine Fry, entitled "A Direct Measure to Support Efficacy and Compassionate Behavior Analytic Services," as well as presentations from several other ASAI professionals.

SESSION 2 SYMPOSIUM 3: Compassion and Science – How and Why They Must Coexist in Autism Education Programs

Friday April 26, 2024 from 12:45-2:00 PM
West Library

Chair: Dawn Townsend, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Alliance for Scientific Autism Intervention)

Compassionate Care is More Than Words….It’s a Responsibility
Eric Rozenblat, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Dawn Townsend, Ph.D., BCBA-D, & Donna DeFeo, Ph.D.

Training Clinically Strong, Compassionate Staff Members
Alison Gillis, Ph.D., BCBA-D, NYS LBA & Susan Vener, Ph.D.

Behavioral Systems to Ensure Compassionate, and Comprehensive Intervention Programming and Family Supports
Kevin Brothers, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Priya Patil, M.A., BCBA, Sandra Gomes, Ph.D., Paul Shreiber, MA, & Emily Gallant, Ph.D.

A Direct Measure to Support Efficacy and Compassionate Behavior Analytic Services
Amanda Freeman, Ph.D. & Christine M. Fry, M.Ed.

1.5 Supervision CEUs, 1.5 Learning CEUs

Recent interest in compassionate care has been evident in the field of Behavior Analysis, with concerns that emphasis on technical procedural knowledge has overshadowed the delivery of compassionate care. This symposium will define how we link compassionate practices with data-based outcomes to ensure that both science and compassion are part of autism education programs. As the founders of our field noted, behavior analysis is defined by both scientific rigor and valued goals and outcomes. A review of the core dimensions of behavior analysis will be completed along with an emphasis on how those dimensions are implemented and/or assessed in a science-based intervention model employed across several education programs nationally and internationally. Staff-training practices that include a focus on both technical precision and relationship development will be described to demonstrate the importance of training both clinical and compassionate repertoires. The role of consumers in selecting intervention goals will be discussed, as well as the importance of providing a wide breadth of programming that meets the family and cultural needs of each individual student. Finally, student observational measures, including engagement, activity selection, and interaction patterns will be shared to demonstrate the utility of these measures in assessing outcomes of compassionate care.

For more information about this talk, click here: https://behaviorlive.com/conferences/njaba/events/compassion-and-science-how-and-why-they-must-coexist-in-autism-education-progra

If you have any questions, reach out to [email protected]

Use our hashtag for the 19th Annual Conference:


We can't wait to see you there!

Instytut Wspomagania Rozwoju Dziecka, one of PCDI's international replication sites, located in Gdansk, Poland, recently hosted their 14th annual International Scientific Symposium focusing on sharing current research supporting the social inclusion of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder.

Christa Kassalow, a member of PCDI's clinical administration team, presented to over 6000 national and international attendees about PCDI's inclusive summer program, Summer Wonders. The presentation described teaching strategies and methods used to expand learners' social skill repertoires during Summer Wonders' 2023 season, and next steps for research in this area.

April is just around the corner and we hope you'll add one or more of these dates to your calendar to celebrate and support our students and families impacted by autism. Become a when you during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month!

We had the best time learning to make pasta from scratch earlier this week thanks to the generosity and talent of PCDI grandparents! Our inquisitive students mixed in ingredients, rolled out dough, cranked dough through pasta-making machines, and hung the pasta to dry before taste-testing delicious linguini! Buon appetito!

We're happy to join behavior analysts around the globe today to celebrate the ways behavior analysts bring about socially meaningful change that improves lives!

Wishing you a wee bit o' fun and a whole lot o' luck this St. Patrick's day! We are so lucky to see our students learn and grow! ☘️ Check out our IG stories for more St. Patty's party fun!