Special Grounds Coffee Shop, Event Center & Career Center Opening Soon!

Sara’s Garden is pleased and SO excited to announce the opening of its Special Grounds Coffee Shop, Event Center, and Career Center at 854 S. Shoop Avenue in Wauseon! The new Career Center is scheduled to open August 19 with the start of New Horizons Academy’s school year while the Special Grounds Coffee Shop and Event Center will open this fall, staffed by many of our special needs high school students.

During a normal school year, it is always challenging to find vocational placements for our special needs high schoolers; and this year is anything but normal. With higher unemployment rates in Northwest Ohio and so many public health restrictions due to the coronavirus, this year could have been a vocational placement and employment nightmare; instead, it is a dream come true! With the purchase of the former First Baptist Church , NHA now has its very own built-in vocational options.

Over half of the building is being converted into a Career Center with classrooms and skills labs for our New Horizons Academy students which will promote vocational training and employment. Education and training will include daily life and personal care skills, basic reading and math literacy, employment readiness with customer service and socialization activities, and vocational education and training in such areas as food preparation, cooking, cleaning, gardening, landscaping, event prep, catering, coffee roasting and packaging, and woodworking. For more information on enrolling a special needs student in New Horizons Academy’s Career Center or to schedule a tour, call Admissions Coordinator Ronda Rupp at 419-335-7272 or email rondar@sarasgarden.org.

Special education students up to age 21 (and hopefully young adults after they get out of school) will progress from learning basic life skills to practicing in the skills labs to eventually working in our Special Grounds Coffee Shop and Event Center. The Event Center will be available for individual, family, and business rentals for weddings, conferences, workshops, and other special events; and best of all, our special needs students will be setting up, tearing down, and cleaning the facilities. They will get built-in event prep and cleaning experience. Please consider supporting our special needs students by hosting your next event with us. For more information on the Event Center, its reception hall, kitchen, and large event space, call Sara’s Garden’s Administrative Assistant Katie Helberg at 419-335-7272 or email katieh@sarasgarden.org.

The most exciting aspect of this facility is the fully functional Special Grounds Coffee Shop, staffed by many of our special needs high school students. The coffee and pastry shop should open this fall. Our plan is to source fair trade coffee beans and roast our own delicious blends of coffee in-house, providing amazing vocational opportunities for our students. This fall, please stop in and support our special needs students and get a great cup of coffee or if you are in a hurry, use our drive-up window for your caffeine fix. All proceeds will be used to support special education services through New Horizons Academy and Sara’s Garden. Please keep an eye out for our fall Special Grounds Coffee Shop Grand Opening invitation and announcement. We look forward to seeing you and serving you there!

We Need Your Support Now, More Than Ever!

During these uncertain times, we need your support now, more than ever! Sara’s Garden and New Horizons Academy are doing everything we can to meet federal, state, and local health and safety guidelines so we can stay open and accessible to serve our special needs children and their families.

We are so grateful to the dedication of our staff, who really pitched in and helped get our special needs Summer Camp up and running with just six days’ notice from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. They also revised our hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocols and office and lobby procedures to serve our clients while keeping them safe from coronavirus exposure. We can’t thank our nurses, therapists, and staff enough!

Many of our clients are those least able to navigate this new normal. They are under intense financial, emotional, and physical stress, and they need our services now more than ever which is why we need your support. Because of COVID-19, we were forced to cancel our Purse Bingo and Golf Outing, two annual fundraisers that we rely and count upon to fund operations. The Ohio Department of Education also informed us that all of our Autism and Jon Peterson Scholarships will be reduced due to the governor’s budget cuts. When our special needs children and their families need the services the most, funding is the tightest.

If you have the means or are able to help, please consider making a donation to Sara’s Garden and New Horizons Academy. Our special needs children and their families need your support and our services now more than ever! Please consider donating today. Log onto https://sarasgarden.org/support/ to make a credit card donation or send your check or money order to Sara’s Garden, P.O. Box 150, Wauseon, OH 43567.

Thank you for your continued support of Sara’s Garden and New Horizons Academy! We hope you and your loved ones stay safe and well.

Marathon Classic Volunteers Needed

Sara’s Garden is proud to announce that we have been selected as a benefiting charity for the 2020 LPGA Marathon Classic to be hosted at Highland Meadows Golf Course, August 3rd-9th.

Sara’s Garden, with the support of the Marathon Classic, hopes to create TWO fully inclusive, multi-sensory play areas in Springfield and Wauseon, which offer youth of all ability levels and their families the opportunity to explore, discover, and play together. They will address the needs of special needs children with neurological, intellectual, and physical disabilities, as well as their typically developing peers and siblings. These fully inclusive, regional playgrounds will have areas and activities rich in sensory experiences, social interactions, and physical challenges. The play areas will naturally expand and enhance both the recreational and therapeutic treatment, offered both during and after school hours for special needs children and their families.

As a benefiting charity, we are providing volunteers to help with set-up and clean-up of the tournament.

Ten volunteers are needed for set-up on August 2nd from 2:00 – 6:00 pm.
Three volunteers are needed to for clean-up on August 10th at 8:00 am until completion for clean-up (approximately 2 hours).

Volunteers should wear clothes you are comfortable getting dirty or paint on, no jeans allowed. If the volunteer is under 18 years of age, they must have a parent or guardian present.

If interested in volunteering on behalf of Sara’s Garden, please contact Kelly Elton at kellye@sarasgarden.org.

Jr. & Sr. High Openings for In-Person Classes

New Horizons Academy is still accepting students in its junior high and high school classes for both our Wauseon and Toledo, Ohio campuses. NHA is proud of its college-prep coursework, has developed a strong partnership with Northwest State Community College for dual-credit College Credit Plus (CCP) classes, and works with its college-bound students to explore scholarships and other educational funding options. Our mission is to provide the highest quality educational and intervention programming available and empower students with disabilities to reach their full potential.

New Horizons Academy plans to hold in-person classes for students, five days a week during the 2020-2021 school year following health department guidelines.

NHA does not solely focus on any one area of development; rather, each developmental domain (social, emotional, communicative, physical, and cognitive) is developed simultaneously throughout the school day. Great importance is placed on setting high goals and expectations and providing students with the appropriate assistance required for them to achieve their individual goals.

Providing an academic curriculum that is challenging is crucial, while simultaneously discovering and exploring ways that our students are best able to access that curriculum.

Program information and benefits:

COST: Tuition and intervention costs are covered by the Autism Scholarship, Jon Peterson Scholarship or through a contract directly with the home school district.
SOCIAL: Students feel welcomed and accepted by students and staff at New Horizons Academy instead of being singled out because of their differences. Many develop friendships for the first time and participate in social activities outside of school.
ACADEMICS: Our licensed teachers, intervention specialists and therapists design each student’s individualized program to maximize their academic success. We build the skills back into every student to help them leap ahead academically! Our evidence based curriculum provides students a strong educational experience. NHA also partners with local universities in offering college level classes.
COMMUNICATION: We have found that consistent communication and parent involvement has been a crucial force in our student’s development, learning, and success at school and in life. This intentional communication helps build on-going, productive, and trusting relationships with the families that we serve.

Come see for yourself why NHA is Northwest Ohio’s home for SPECIAL education!

In-Person Early Learning Openings Available

New Horizons Academy is still accepting students, Preschool through Second Grade, for both its Wauseon and Toledo, Ohio campuses. New Horizons Academy’s Early Intervention Services include; Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Conductive Education and Behavioral Supports, to serve its’ special needs students.

New Horizons Academy plans to hold in-person classes for students, five days a week during the 2020-2021 school year following health department guidelines.

New Horizons Academy’s early learning classes focus on foundational skills necessary for your child’s future education. Your student’s day is filled with a variety of activities that promote skills so that they learn naturally.

Specialized programming allows students to rotate through classes gaining foundational skills. Structured set-up within each room helps develop consistent expectations for your child. In this focused environment they are supported by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who oversees all aspects of your child’s educational growth and development. Our BCBA also supervises our Ohio licensed staff delivering targeted instruction in Language and Literacy, Foundations in Math, Fine Motor and Handwriting, and Play and Social Skills.

Student Supports with Applied Behavior Focus:

Positive reinforcement for skill acquisition
Visual schedules and visual supports for expectations and routines
Differential reinforcement for appropriate behavior
Modeling skills
Breaking down skills into small steps
Data-driven decision making

Our early learning students’ days are filled with many activities to promote generalization of skills in a natural way. Children receive instruction focused on:

Language and Literacy (Including embedded speech services)
Foundations in Math
Fine Motor and Hand Writing
Play and Social Skills

In these classes children complete activities targeting individual needs with the goal of completing independent activities. The second portion of the school day revisits all of the concepts taught in the morning rotations using a more natural, less intense approach such as during specials, circle time, and group games.

Dave Ripke Memorial

PETTISVILLE – David Charles Ripke, 75, went home to be with Jesus on Thursday, June 11, 2020, at the CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center in Defiance, Ohio, after a brief battle with cancer.

Dave was born to the late Charles and Betty Ripke on January 9, 1945, in Amarillo, Texas, where his father was stationed in the Air Force. He graduated from Ayersville High School in 1963 and then attended Bluffton College, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology. While at Bluffton, he enjoyed playing baseball for four years. He went on to earn his master’s degree in education from the University of Toledo in 1973.

On December 23, 1967, Dave married his high school sweetheart, Marilynn Bowditch, and she survives. Also surviving him are his three children, Shannon Krieger (Doug) of Archbold, Tami Mast of Goshen, Indiana, and Ryan Ripke (Sarah) of Pettisville; and grandchildren, Olivia, Isabel, Lily, Charlie and Aranjer Krieger, Emily (Hunter Ackerman), Morgan, Joel and Addie Mast, and Joey, Quinn, Maggie and Grace Ripke. Dave also is survived by sisters, Susan Hanenkrath (Elwood) and Jane Link (Tom); and brothers, Dan Ripke (Mary) and Denny Ripke (Kathy).

Dave spent his entire career at Pettisville Schools from 1967 until 2009, where he was a teacher, longtime varsity baseball coach, driver’s education teacher, guidance counselor and athletic director.

After retirement, he enjoyed volunteering as a mentor and mowing the lawn at Pettisville Schools. He enjoyed umpiring all levels of youth baseball from 1995 to 2018. He loved golfing, manicuring his lawn, and following his kids’ and grandkids’ athletic events and concerts.

Dave was a longtime member of Pettisville Missionary Church where he had served as deacon, elder, Sunday School teacher and greeter over the years.

To sum up his beautiful legacy: He loved Jesus. He was married to his “first” wife for 52 years and he thought that was a funny joke. He had three kids, some in-laws, 13 grandkids, who all adored him. He loved baseball (Go Indians!), people in general, sweet treats and taking pictures. He made the world a better place. We would be hard pressed to find anyone who knew him who didn’t deeply respect him. We told him Thursday, that he could go if he needed to, so he did. Thank you, Jesus, for giving this man to us.

Visitation will be at Pettisville Missionary Church on Monday, June 15, from 2-8 p.m. A Celebration of Life service will take place, also at Pettisville Missionary Church on Tuesday, June 16, at 11 a.m., following a family burial. Short Funeral Home in Archbold has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Memorials in Dave’s honor can be made to Sara’s Garden HBOT Center the following ways:

Cash:
- Cash donations may be dropped off at our main office located at 620 West Leggett Street, Wauseon, OH 43567
- Please do not send cash through the mail.
Check:
- Please make checks payable to Sara’s Garden
- Checks can be mailed to Sara’s Garden, PO Box 150, Wauseon, OH 43567
Credit Card:
- Credit card donations can be made by phone by calling our office at 419-335-7272. Ask for Matt or Julie.
- Credit card donations can also be made securely through our website by clicking on the DONATE NOW button below.

Sara’s Garden is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your charitable contribution is tax deductible under 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, to the extent allowed by law. A receipt will be sent to you after your pledge has been received to use for tax purposes.

Summer Camps Are ON!

Sara’s Garden Is NOW accepting registrations for its special needs summer intervention programs. Call NOW!

Governor Mike DeWine’s announcements last week paved the way for us to open our summer intervention camps. Sara’s Garden is now accepting registrations for its programs in:

Wauseon (June 1-26)
Holland (July 6-31).

Availability will be based upon staffing, so it is important to call as soon as possible to secure a spot. Only by calling and registering can the appropriate staffing be lined up in order to meet the needs of the kids.

We ask the parents of our students at each campus to please focus on attending the camp at your home campus. This will allow us the ability to serve as many students as possible and better manage travel expectations for our families. If you have interest in attending both camps, please let us know and we can put you on a waiting list for the alternate campus if space and staffing allows.

The Summer Camps will run weekdays with a morning session from 8-11:00 a.m. and an afternoon session from 12-3:00 p.m.

Services being offered in these summer intervention programs are Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Conductive Education, Occupational Therapy, Sensory Integration and Speech and Language Pathology. These services will be available for preschool to high school youth. They will be offered one-on-one and through small groups by licensed therapists, teachers, intervention specialists, paraprofessionals, and trained interns.

To maintain health and safety, Sara’s Garden will strive to comply with all orders from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, health mandates from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and our local health departments, and guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The health and safety of your children are our top priorities, and we will do everything possible to keep them safe and healthy. As we are notified of any new recommendations, guidelines or requirements, we will do our best to keep you updated and informed.

For more information on the summer intervention services or to register for the camps being offered, please call or email Ronda Rupp at 419-335-7272 or rondar@sarasgarden.org.

Challenges Accepted. Challenges Overcome.

In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. Genes carry the codes responsible for all of our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structures called chromosomes. Typically, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent. Down Syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. A medical term for having an extra copy of a chromosome is ‘trisomy.’ Down Syndrome is also referred to as Trisomy 21.

This extra chromosome 21 leads to the physical features and traits that can occur among individuals with Down Syndrome. It changes how the baby’s body and brain develop, which can cause both mental and physical challenges. Researchers know that Down Syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome, but no one knows for sure why Down Syndrome occurs or how many different factors play a role.

Brendan’s Down Syndrome diagnosis at birth came as a surprise to his parents; nothing in his mom’s ultrasounds during her pregnancy suggested the possibility of Trisomy 21. Their initial reaction was naturally to be scared and overwhelmed. However, they were able to see him for him, and the diagnosis quickly turned into something they absolutely loved about him. While Down Syndrome may be an irrevocable factor in the equation of Brendan’s life, it does not adequately define who he is, what challenges he will or won’t overcome, or predict who he will become.

As with many children born with Down Syndrome, Brendan had developmental delays in speech, fine and gross motor skills and experienced sensory issues. Additionally, Brendan had a few health problems early on that also led to delays in his development. His family worked hard to put Brendan in programs and therapies that would help with his development and increase his chances for independence. From an early age, he was in speech therapy, occupational and physical therapy. He also did hippotherapy (horseback riding) to strengthen his core muscles due to low muscle tone. All of these therapies were instrumental tools in overcoming early challenges in Brendan’s development.

When it came time to send Brendan to school, his family was faced with a new challenge. Where should they send him? Some children with special learning needs can experience difficulties in school, ranging from physical differences, problems with concentration, learning, speech, language, and perception to problems with behavior and/or making and keeping friends. All children need to feel a sense of belonging in ways that elicit positive responses from those around them. Sometimes, a child with special needs can alienate themselves from others when attempting to have their unique requirements met. This can result in the child feeling even more isolated.

Even though they lived in Toledo, Brendan’s mom worked near the New Horizons Academy campus in Wauseon and had heard many positive things about the school. After touring the facility and meeting with the staff they knew this was where they wanted Brendan to attend school. They were impressed, knowing there was so much that NHA had to offer their son. They decided to move forward with applying to NHA’s new campus location in Springfield.

It didn’t take long for Brendan’s family to begin seeing positive results. Within the first couple of weeks, they started observing noticeable improvement in everything from Brendan’s communication, motors skills, social skills, and even using the bathroom. They were amazed that they were noticing progression in all aspects of his development… and continue to do so.

Brendan is communicating his wants and needs much more than ever before. He is forming multi-word communication and using his manners so well. He has become more independent at home and in social environments. The friendships that Brendan has made have been key to him being willing to help, share and play with others. Brendan’s family has been extremely excited because they see the benefits first hand. They have repeatedly made comments about how there has been such a difference in Brendan and how great NHA has been for him.

Brendan’s mom stated, “We feel blessed and appreciative. Brendan has become more independent with life skills at home. We have noticed his behavior in social settings has improved and he is much more interactive. Brendan absolutely loves his school. He looks forward to going everyday! We are so thankful that this opportunity has been given to Brendan.”

His teachers and therapists have noticed Brendan’s progress as well, noting that when he started at NHA, he was shy and hesitant. Quickly, he started to find his voice. He has become this outgoing, outspoken child. He has such an infectious smile and a big heart! One teacher commented, “It has been so amazing to observe Brendan and be a part of his growth this past year.” The challenges Brendan has overcome and strides forward he has made in this short amount of time is so exciting and his family very is confident that, based on what they’ve seen so far, this will continue.

No matter what you have been told, there is hope. Hope for a child to emerge into the independent adults we as parents pray for. There is hope for those who were told they would not learn, or walk, or talk. That hope, is rekindled through the work that is happening at New Horizons Academy. The loving, caring and true compassion that is shown to each and every student, no matter how difficult their condition, disability, or behavior might be, is where the success story starts.

If you are looking for a caring school environment or a place where your special needs student can grow, thrive, and become as independent as he or she possibly can, then please consider calling us at 419-335-7272 and setting up a tour of New Horizons Academy… Where kids come first!

Something Special is Brewing

This crazy time of staying home and social distancing has definitely changed how we live, work and play. However, it hasn’t diminished the passion that we have for serving our clients, families and students. We’ve been working on something very exciting… and we can’t wait to spill the beans!

One of the biggest challenges we face in our PACE transitional program efforts is finding appropriate vocational experiences for our students. We are so thankful to the local businesses and organizations who have partnered with us to provide opportunities for our students to work. However, even when we are blessed to find placements for students to work, it can be challenging for our staff to transport students from job site to job site across the four-county area providing the necessary job coaching support. Additionally, when a student ages out of our PACE program we are no longer able to provide the much needed guidance our families often need.

To that end, we are finalizing plans to open our own career center this fall. This facility will offer many different vocational opportunities for our students… all under one roof. It will also be a place where our students can continue working even after they graduate from NHA. The building will feature labs and classrooms for vocational training. It will be available to the community for individuals and businesses to rent for weddings, conferences and special events. The most exciting aspect of this facility is that it will feature a fully functioning coffee and pastry shop with a drive-up window!

Our plan is to source fair trade coffee beans and roast our own delicious blends of coffee in-house, providing amazing vocational opportunities for our students… including roasting, packaging, shipping and stocking. From food preparation to catering… cleaning services to facility setup and tear down… we are so excited for the exciting opportunities that this facility will provide!

Stay tuned for additional information as it becomes available!

NHA Students Growing, Learning & Having Fun with MobyMax!

Since the coronavirus school closure, New Horizons Academy has been using the comprehensive, individualized, online MobyMax educational program to help serve our kindergarten through eighth graders. MobyMax meets the students’ educational, curriculum, and IEP needs while still being fun, imaginative, and rewarding. MobyMax is proven effective! In a 2018 large-scale research study of 4,000 students, MobyMax helped students learn 53% more than students without it. With just 20 minutes of instruction a day, some students advanced a full grade level. According to Tech & Learning, “The study results offer particular hope for students who are below grade level and need to catch up quickly and effectively. Teachers who need differentiated solutions to help struggling students can also reliably turn to MobyMax for personalized tools like built-in IEP reporting and continuous progress monitoring to find and fix learning gaps.” That’s what the experts say about MobyMax and why NHA selected it.

But let’s hear from one of our students, who earned a MobyMax badge the first week of the school closure. “Thank you, I deserve that, because I have been doing really good in science, CRAZY good!” And he and all of our students have been doing “CRAZY good” on MobyMax. In the first week alone, they studied and worked 16,850 minutes or 280.8 hours. So far, over 95% of our kindergarten through 8th graders have been working hard on their reading, math, science, and social studies. A big thank you goes out to Title I Reading Specialist Ellen Rupp, who has been coordinating and tracking the MobyMax lessons; and most importantly for our students, she has been awarding their badges, extra games, and rewards! If you haven’t already asked your child how they are doing on MobyMax or asked them what badges they have earned, please sit down with them, and watch them rock out and learn on MobyMax this week.