Cotting School

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Faculty and staff orientation is in full swing—it’s been wonderful catching up with returning Falcons and welcoming our new Falcons to the nest! We can’t wait until Wednesday when the halls are filled with students and the excitement of a new school year. Image description: A grid with four pictures of faculty and staff participating in training.

We are excited to announce the launch of our new website, including a portal to make it easier for parents and guardians of current students to find information, forms, the Weekly Update newsletter and to register their students for sports and after school programs! Parents: Please keep an eye out for a separate email from us, which will prompt you to create a password to log into the new parent portal. A big thank you to Sperling Interactive for being a terrific web development partner. Check it out here: www.cotting.org Image description: A graphic with a laptop and smartphone showing the new website on the screens. Text: New Website Launch! www.cotting.org.

New to the Nest! Get to know English Language Educator and Community Outreach Coordinator Naomi Zuckerman! Q: How did you get into your current line of work? A: I started volunteering in a classroom and decided to pursue education. Q: What’s an accomplishment that you’re proud of? A: Raising my children. Q: What’s something most people don’t know about you? A: I have food FOMO which makes ordering at restaurants difficult at times! Q: What are your favorite things to do when you are not at Cotting? A: I love hiking with my dog. Q: What’s the top destination on your must-visit list? Or a favorite place you have visited? A: I hope to do more big bike trips when my kids get a bit older. Image description: A headshot of a smiling staff member. Text: New to the Nest Naomi Zuckerman English Language Educator / Community Outreach Coordinator

Where there’s smoke, there’s Director of Facilities Dave Peduto grilling for everyone while school’s not in session—it doesn’t get much better than this! Image descriptions: Image 1: Dave working at a grill with a big smile. Image 2: Dave working at a grill with a group of people waiting.

New to the Nest! Get to know Assistant Program Director Kerrie French! Q: How did you get into your current line of work?   A: I started as a music teacher, because making music in an ensemble was always the best part of my day as a student and I wanted to offer that experience to others. Over time, I realized I could have a bigger impact on more students by working in administration. Q: What made you choose to work at Cotting? A: The warmth and enthusiasm I felt from everyone from the first time I entered the building was contagious--I couldn't wait to come back and officially become a Falcon!             Q: What’s an accomplishment that you’re proud of? A: I'm proud of learning how to play the ukulele to use in my classroom with students. Q: What’s something most people don’t know about you?  A: I am ambidextrous - mostly because I broke my wrists six weeks apart in elementary school and had to learn how to do things with whichever hand wasn't in a cast! Q: What are your favorite things to do when you are not at Cotting?          A: I love to spend time with my husband and two young daughters, read and cross-stitch, and explore local hiking trails.          Q: What’s the top destination on your must-visit list? Or a favorite place you have visited?           A: I studied abroad in Ghana as part of graduate school. I would love to go back and explore parts of the country I didn't see during my first visit!                                                                                                                                   Image description: A headshot of a smiling staff member. Text: New to the Nest, Welcome, Kerrie French, Assistant Program Director

Serving lunch, nutrition and smiles. How lucky are we? Photo and copy by our student social media intern, Michael L. Image description: Four lunch staff members are smiling and standing in front of the kitchen entrance.

Rachel is mastering life skills and work skills at her in-house job—laundry! Image descriptions: A grid with three images. Image 1: A student looking at the laundry process visual supports. Image 2: A student using a communication device. Image 3: A student pushing the laundry cart.

In a two part series about adaptive recreation, Meghan Smith from GBH News went kayaking with our favorite accessible adventurers, Waypoint Adventure, and a few Cotting Falcons! Waypoint offers accessible summer recreation in partnership with Mass DCR’s Universal Access Program. #adaptivesports #adaptiverecreation #kayaking #massachusetts #accessiblity

We were thrilled to see so many Cotting Falcons in the new Arbella Insurance Group commercials featuring local Special Olympics Massachusetts athletes--airing during the Summer Olympics! #ChooseToInclude #SpecialOlympics #SummerOlympics Watch here! ▶ bit.ly/3SwPmSy ▶ bit.ly/3zZeTxa Image description: A student athlete running on a track wearing a Cotting shirt.