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The Sussex Consortium could have been mistaken for the scene of a home-makeover show over spring break. In a week, the school’s functional program apartment was gutted, redesigned and rebuilt entirely with donated materials and volunteer hours.
“The best part about all this is the generosity of the community and the businesses and the fact that they’ve done all this work in five days,” said Jen Reynolds, an occupational therapist at the consortium.
As Reynolds walked over newly laid tile, she explained why it was time for a renovation. The kitchen and laundry room had been separated by a wall that cramped the kitchen, she said, making it difficult to give students working in the kitchen any independence.
“We are trying to teach our students to be as independent as possible and to follow directions. When it is crowded in here they can be overstimulated, and it becomes difficult for them to pay attention, so it can be hard for them to learn,” said Reynolds.
The problems didn’t stop at a lack of counter space. There was no outside vent for the dryer. “The dryer was ventilated into a bucket of water, so it was always hot in here, and it was a fire hazard,” she said.
Part of the school’s education program includes teaching students everyday skills, such as cooking, washing dishes, washing and drying clothes, and personal hygiene. The apartment is where that instruction takes place.
Now, the former laundry area is a desk space for students and the washer and dryer are outside the apartment. The kitchen area is spacious, with plenty of room for students to work. Teachers and paraprofessionals will no longer have to crowd around their pupils.
And that extra space will be needed. The number of autistic students at the Sussex Consortium has more than doubled since 2002, said Assistant Principal Kelly Cannon. “We’re increasing each year, so we will grow into every nook and cranny we’ve created,” Cannon said.
“It will be great to see how we can teach life skills to our students in a more functional space,” said Reynolds.
The makeover started out with a donation from Bad Hair Day? owner Drexel Davison. Thinking it would be better to completely redo the apartment, Reynolds and fellow consortium teacher Pam Graves went to construction company Schell Brothers for some help.
“Schell Brothers made this happen. They organized the subcontractors and all the work. As soon as they presented our idea to these subcontractors, it was amazing how many people were willing to help,” said Reynolds.
All the new appliances were donated by local businesses, as was the new furniture. Some of the high school students went to Wal-Mart with Reynolds to pick out new supplies for the kitchen.
“This project is a reflection of how good a community we have. A very generous community makes you want to work in that community,” said Sussex Consortium Assistant Principal Kelly Cannon.
The renovated apartment is similar to one that will be part of the new Cape Henlopen High School. Cannon said similar facilities at different sites will help the program spread out its students. The Consortium serves mainstreamed students attending Cape Henlopen High School and the Ninth Grade Campus as well as the Sussex Consortium building.
Cannon said there will probably be 50 consortium students attending the high school when the new building opens in 2010. And, thanks to increasing awareness of autism and better understanding of the condition, more students will attend the Consortium, he said.
The Sussex Consortium is part of the Delaware Autism Program. Some 150 autistic students attend the Lewes school along with 50 students with other disabilities.
Contact Leah Hoenen at leah@capegazette.com
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