Horizon Dec 2023 - Flipbook - Page 7
SPEECH & LANGUAGE CENTER NEWS
Krista Norwood, M.S., CCC/SLP, Director of Speech & Language Center
The mission of the Shelton
Speech & Language
Center has long been
to serve students and
families, at Shelton and
in the community alike,
by providing thorough
and informative screens,
comprehensive speech and
language evaluations and
speech therapy services of
the highest quality. We could
never begin to fulfill this
mission without our team of experienced and caring clinicians.
Our greatest goal is to help our clients realize success by giving
them the tools to better communicate.
The Shelton Speech & Language Center is available yearround to serve Shelton students, as well as to our clients who
come to us from the community. Continuous therapy provided
during the summer months is critical for many of our students
to prevent loss of skills and to
facilitate the communication
skills they have newly acquired.
Camps provided by the Speech
& Language Center are also
unique in that they run for six
to seven weeks, providing a
level of intense therapy that
is often required for children
with significant articulation
and language delays to make
progress.
The seven-week Language Adventures Camp is the Shelton
Speech & Language Center’s longest running program, having
been offered for more than 20 years. As teachers pack up and
tidy classrooms in May, the Speech Center therapists transform
space into a preschool area that is ready to host approximately
20 campers, ages 2 ½ to 6 years of age. Rooms are transformed
into spaces that invite youngsters to engage with an
environment that is immersed in language-rich opportunities.
For example, during Community Helpers week, a wall is
decorated with vibrant orange and gold tissue to simulate
flames near a pretend fire truck. Dress-up firemen uniforms,
helmets and hoses hang nearby at the ready for campers to
jump in and let their imaginations run wild. Each week, campers
enjoy activities, crafts, snacks
and projects that are built
around unique themes,
including Dinosaurs, Camping
and Bugs, Out on Safari and
Blast Into Space. Each summer
wraps up with Beach Week,
which is complete with a
splash day and sweet treats.
“I look forward to Language Adventures each year,” says Avie
Nikolopoulos, coordinator of the camp. “Since we’re with our
campers eight hours each week, we have a unique opportunity
to not only get to know them, but to see them make incredible
progress with their speech and language skills. It can be
exhausting, but it’s always
rewarding and fun!”
Parents consistently report
favorable outcomes in their
children’s speech and language
through participation in
Language Adventures. “We have
observed so many new sounds,
increases in expressive language
and improved ability
to answer questions,”
says one mom.
Another camper’s
parent adds, “My child
loved the themes and
used the strategies
at home. We are
impressed with the
staff and would highly
recommend this
amazing program.”
“My child loved the themes
and used the strategies at
home. We are impressed
with the staff and would
highly recommend this
amazing program.”
˜Student camper’s parent
From left to right: Chelsea Maxey, Avie Nikolopoulos, Lauren Edwards, Krista Norwood, Lindsay Cobert, Melissa Powell
and Stephanie Weatherford.
SHELTON SCHOOL
THE HORIZON
DECEMBER 2023
5