Our hope is that the holidays can always be a joyful time for our students. But for those facing economic challenges, this can be an incredibly stressful time. Currently, 79% of our students receive free or reduced meals (breakfast and lunch) at school. Read more
The TTIP program proved their entrepreneurial mettle before the winter break by making and selling festive holiday wreaths to sell to staff. They made over one hundred dollars which they plan to apply towards the cost of a Wii Fitness for the program. Their newest product is a selection of dog treats, designed and baked in our JFR Foundation Life Skills Room.
Serendipity’s Board of Directors, staff members, and students welcome Randi Johnson who brings valuable business experience and a commitment to Serendipity’s mission to provide support for students to heal, learn, and contribute.
Randi is founder and owner of Copia Group, which provides recruitment services for executive and director level positions. Her work allows Randi to build on her core beliefs—that relationships matter, that meeting people where they are makes learning possible, and that meaningful work is empowering. Randi not only guides her clients towards the formulation of their personal goals, she herself operates from a personal mission statement. She seeks to help people find and go towards their potential while she finds and goes towards hers.
There seems to be a natural alignment of Randi’s philosophy with Serendipity’s mission. Her background makes her an important addition to our finance committee, where she helps oversee and guide financial reports and decisions. Her enthusiasm to become quickly involved and to support the board’s projects is very much appreciated.
The entire Serendipity team feels strengthened by Randi’s skills, expertise, and commitment to the welfare of our children. Please join us in welcoming her.
Serendipity’s student council is a wonderful opportunity for some of our high school students to participate as leaders in our school.
This year, the student council got right to work on planning high school-wide activities such as the Halloween Dance and the Holiday Lunch. They also worked on some service projects. Several of our council members were volunteers at a leadership conference for disabled youth. The experience deepened their insight into both the challenges faced by disabled individuals and the resources and supports available to them. It proved an inspiring experience, and everyone came away feeling empowered to seek further leadership opportunities in their communities. The student council also sends a representative to Serendipity Center’s Quality Improvement Committee, which convenes four times a year to review and discuss how our program and services can be strengthened.
During the month of February, the student council sponsored “Spirit Week”. Tie-dyed shirts in Serendipity school colors were created, and a slate of silly, fun activities were scheduled for every student in the school. It was a time for our students to feel unified, to feel pride in their school, and to experience the importance of including joy in our lives. The Valentine’s Day dance was another great success.
Students who are interested in serving on the student council are required to fill out an application in September and must meet specific criteria in order to be considered, including excellent attendance, passing grades, and consistent safe, respectful and responsible behaviors. This year there has been increased interest in student leadership, and the council is currently functioning with up to 10 members. They are a group of students who have risen to the expectations and have been exemplary student leaders.