Current Parents and Families
For all updated information and upcoming events, please visit this section often to view new updates and changes to the school calendar. This section will help keep you informed and up to date on the latest information while your child is at Brehm.
Announcements
Strategic Planning Workshop
The Brehm family, administrators, faculty, parents and Board meet once a year in Carbondale to discuss the strategic plan and its progress. It encompasses a hard day's work, and at times very spirited debates and an adendum to our visions was added in February of 2007.
Brehm's mission is to empower students with complex learning disabilities to recognize and optimize their full potential. This mission will never change. Our new vision is to serve as a partner to Brehm Preparatory School and the OPTIONS program's ongoing mission as stated above and to continue to express the uniqueness of our programs.
But as we grow and expand into other areas, we need a vision that is succinct, easy to remember, not limiting and all inclusive - in other words the "umbrella" or guiding light for the overall institution, in whatever direction the future leads us. The vision wording agreed upon follows: Brehm's vision is to create successful outcomes for individuals with complex learning differences.
As a result of all this effort, and a good bit of time spent to flesh out the following topic list the collective efforts produced the outline of an agenda in February 07 strategic planning. Topics that were covered included:
- Admissions
- Board of Trustees
- Fund development/fund raising/grants/planned giving
- OPTIONS future direction
- Human Resources
- Technology
- Academics/curriculum/electives
- Facilities
- Residential life/social/emotional/family model program enhancements
- Recreation/sports/extracurricular activities
As usual, it was a very busy time, a chance to work and meet - and everyone had a chance to contribute. Won't you please make plans to join us next February to chart Brehm's future?
Communicating with your child and preventing homesickness
Below are some helpful hints for communicating with your child and preventing homesickness.
Mail
- Mail is delivered Monday through Friday only.
- UPS is usually cheaper than U.S. Postal Service for larger packages.
- Send care packages! If you send food, include a Ziploc bag for leftovers.
- Send gift certificates to use around town.
- Give your child's address and emails to grandparents, friends, etc. Give them address labels to encourage them to write.
Email
- Accessible in classrooms. Teachers will occasionally allow access during the day as a privilege.
- The entire Brehm campus is wireless. Your child has access to the internet through their personal computers.
- If you've ever needed an excuse to buy a digital camera, now is the time. You can brighten your child's day by emailing photos of family members, pets, friends, etc.
Dorm Phone Protocol
- There are two telephones for the 18 students in a dorm, one in the upstairs alcove and one in the downstairs alcove.
- It may be easier for your child to call you. Consider setting up a regular, designated day and time for them to call home, and inform the Dorm Parents.
- Teach your child how to call collect or use a calling card. Some long distance carriers offer an
800 number that will ring your home phone for a nominal fee.
Other Phone Numbers
Dorm Assistant's Offices. Dial the main number at (618) 457-0371 then use one of the extensions given to you on Move-In Weekend.
