Congratulations, Jerome Tesoro Our Employee of the Month

Jerome joined Melmark in May 2014, and he has proven to be a valuable addition to the Education Department. As an ABA Counselor in Classroom 2, he is always available to help his co-workers no matter what is going on. Not only does Jerome demonstrate a friendly demeanor to his colleagues, but he is also kind, respectful and compassionate to all of the individuals he interacts with throughout the day.

Jerome is knowledgeable of the BSPs for the students in Classroom 2 and assists other staff who may not be as familiar with an individual. Newly hired staff have described Jerome as extremely helpful and say he actively listens to all of their

questions, always providing thoughtful answers. Employees who work in Classroom 2 appreciate Jerome’s commitment to the students and can tell this is more than a job for him.

His co-workers value the extra effort and support he provides when behaviors arise, and say Jerome always has student and staff safety at the top of his mind. Melmark students benefit from Jerome’s contributions, hard work and dedication. Please join us in congratulating Jerome on this well-deserved recognition.

Jerome with student, Brenna, and colleagues

A Monthly Newsletter for the Melmark Community

August 2015

Watch video of Jerome receiving his award on Facebook!www.Facebook.com/MelmarkPA

MandatoryAll-Staff Meetings

Tuesday, September 29:9:15 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, September 30:2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.

• Construction News

• Melmark Updates

• Opportunity to “Applaud” Co-Workers in Open Forum

• Refreshments

All meetings held in Melmark’s Multi-Purpose Center (Gym)

Need $500?Know someone who would make an exceptional member of the Melmark team? Tell them to check out Career Opportunities and apply online at: www.melmark.org/careers. We’re looking for motivated and caring individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. An existing Melmark employee gets $250 when the new hire is here for three months and another $250 when the new hire is here for one year. You can refer new hires all year long! Just fill out the employee referral form, found in HR, before the new hire begins at Melmark.

The Joybells of MelmarkPerforming at World Meeting of Families

6abc was there when The Joybells learned about this remarkable opportunity. To see video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/embed/AfW_W4WCOxE

The Joybells of Melmark have some exciting news to share. On September 27, adults in this hand bell choir will perform at The World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, on the same day Pope Francis says Mass in the city. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for The Joybells, who were selected from thousands of performers and groups.

The World Meeting of Families takes place every three years and is the world’s largest Catholic gathering of families. The Philadelphia event begins on September 22 and ends on September 27. Pope Francis is scheduled to make two appearances on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway - the Festival of Families on September 26 and Sunday Mass the following day. Organizers expect as many as two million people to converge on Philadelphia during the gathering.

To learn how you can participate in the events surrounding the Pope’s visit, go to The World Meeting of Families’ website: http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/

The Joybells will perform on Sept. 27 at Eakins Oval, between Love Park and

The Philadelphia Museum of Art

At Melmark, a big part of our work is to create opportunities for the children and adults we serve. Imagine our excitement when we learned The Joybells were selected from thousands of applicants to perform at The World Meeting of Fami-lies during a visit from Pope Francis. Talk about an opportunity!

We are still learning details about The Joybells’ performance, which will take place on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia on Sunday, September 27. While transportation to the event will require great patience and planning, we encourage everyone

to visit The World Meeting of Famlies’ website to learn how they can attend, if they are interested. For those of you who would rather stay home and avoid the traffic and crowds, we will forward information about any television cover-age as we learn of it.

We also encourage all Melmark staff members to make appropriate plans to get into work on time despite antici-pated heavy traffic and planned road closures during the Pope’s historic visit. As always, the continuous safety and care of the individuals we serve are of utmost importance.

A Message from Our President Joanne Gillis-Donovan, Ph.D.

Celebrating an Anniversary25 Years After the Americans with Disabilities Act

On July 25, The Joybells of Melmark performed at The National Constitution Center to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on Persons with Disabilities, The Office of Councilman-At Large and longtime Melmark friend, Dennis M. O’Brien, Liberty Resources and the National Constitution Center hosted the celebration. Below are photos from the event.

The Joybells performing at the National Constitution Center

An inflatable puppet from the parade leading up to performances

The Joybells having fun after their performance

Michael Donovan Manager of Operations and Strategic Initiatives

Advocacy CornerState Budget Update

I had the privilege of attending a press conference hosted by the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania (MHASP) at Pottstown Recovery and Education Center on Monday, August 17. I was there representing MAX as Chair of the organization’s Policy and Advocacy Committee and of course, Melmark. The following people were in attendance and made statements:

• PA Secretary of Human Services - Ted Dallas• Chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners - Josh Shapiro• Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners - Dr. Valerie Arkoosh• Representative Madeleine Dean, Montgomery County• Representative Mary Jo Daley, Montgomery County

Both the administration and the members of the General Assembly who spoke (all Democrats) stressed the importance of passing a state budget as soon as possible. They were critical of the Republican leadership, whom they feel is holding up the passage of a state budget favorable to human service programs. Rep. Daley made the comment at the end of her remarks that there is a provision that allows the Speaker of the House to call the General Assembly back to Harrisburg prior to the scheduled date of August 25 if the two sides get closer in their negotiations.

Montgomery County made its own commitment to providers to keep paying until the end of September, and there was a round of applause for Mr. Shapiro and Dr. Arkoosh as a result. Shapiro did say, however, that the faucet would run dry eventually. Interestingly, there was a story in Wednesday’s pennlive.com feed, which said the following: “Gov. Tom Wolf said on Wednesday he will support setting aside money in the final budget to reimburse those organizations for the interest payments associated with their need to borrow money while waiting on state funding.”

Help Around the OfficeVocational Job RequestsWho doesn’t need a little help around the office? The young men and women who participate in the Christopher Maurer Vocational Program at Melmark are offering you a helping hand. And thanks to some help from our MIS Team, getting that help is as easy as a click of a mouse. Using Sharepoint, you can now request services ranging from binder assembly to recycling pick-up and Melmark vehicle cleaning. Just go to the Sharepoint home page, select “Client Job Request” and fill out the appropriate fields. Someone from the vocational team will be in touch to schedule your job request.

Sharing Our ExpertiseMelmark Clinical Staff Present at National Conference

Members of Melmark’s clinical team attended the National Autism Conference in State College, PA earlier this month, sharing their research with other professionals in the field.

Jen Croner, M.S.Ed., BCBA, Melmark’s Research and Training Coordinator, presented a poster comparing two interventions to determine which was more effective in reducing inappropriate vocal behavior.

Behavior Analyst, Sam Russo, M.Ed., BCBA, presented a poster demonstrating a successful intervention to increase bit presentation and consumption with two individuals who attend the Melmark School.

Melmark is committed to contributing to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis through these presentations as well as through articles in peer-reviewed journals, magazines and newspapers dedicated to evidence-based interventions for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and autism.

Melmark Behavior Analyst, Sam Russo, M.Ed., BCBA with Melmark Research and Training Coordinator, Jen Croner, M.S.Ed., BCBA, at the

2015 National Autism Conference

Melmark’s Got Talent Classrooms Perform Together on Stage

On August 12, students at The Melmark School performed for parents, staff and friends at the 2015 Melmark’s Got Talent Show. From dancing carwashers to a surfing safari, everyone had a great time. Below are photos from the show.

Callum and Darth Vader

Brandon and his staff on stageJoey dancing to “Happy”

Jordan dancing at the talent show

Everyone’s CampaignProgress has been steady as we move closer to the ultimate goal of the Promises to Keep Campaign.

• Total Commitments to Date: $10,966,978• Total Requests Pending: $10,040,000• Pledge Fulfillment: $7,203,201• Total Donors: 339

We are grateful for the major support toward our goal of $20 million. Consider that we have 5 commitments of $1 million, 30 volunteers made up of family members and friends serving on the Campaign Cabinet, and over 88% participation from all individuals solicited.

The Campaign will positively impact everyone associated with Melmark. Subsequently, its success will require everyone’s participation. Advancement staff and Campaign Cabinet members are currently reaching out to all Melmark family members and friends to share the details of Promises to Keep and to encourage participation. Anyone wishing to learn more about the objectives of Promises to Keep should contact the Advancement Office.

Isn’t that music to your ears? The new Education Parking Lot has been completed and is open for use. With the opening of the new lot, we now have more parking than at any time before on campus.

Staff are reminded to park only in designated parking spots on campus. Any cars found parked illegally, on the grass, in visitor spots or in the driveways of Melmark houses will be tagged. The information will then be turned over to the staff ’s supervisors for corrective action. Thank you for your cooperation, and enjoy all those extra spots!

Thank you to everyone for their cooperation during the site work construction. All campus improvements are designed to provide optimal safety to Melmark’s

clients, staff and visitors.

Each month, we’re updating staff on construction taking place on Melmark’s campus. Below is a look at some of the main tasks underway in “The Construction Zone”:

Plenty of Parking!!

A welcome sight!

Losers R Winners Weight Loss Challenge The Losers R Winners Weight Loss Challenge is back! This challenge is an 8-week program that encourages employees who are above the CDC’s recommended body weight to lose weight by dropping unhealthy habits and adopting healthy ones, with the goal of weight loss.

Initial weigh-in sessions began on Monday, July 13, and the final weigh-in will conclude on Friday, September 11.

Earn points toward a discount on next year’s insurance! Participants who are above the normal range for BMI will be eligible for the 50 healthy lifestyle points if they lose 5% of their body weight by the end of the program. Employees who are already within the CDC’s recommended body weight range only need to weigh in any time before September 11 to earn the points.

Here is the link to the CDC’s Body Mass Index Calculator to see if you are “Underweight”, “Normal weight”, “Overweight” or “Obese”. You’ll just need to enter your height and weight, then press the “Compute BMI” button.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

Final Weigh-InsMonday, September 7 - Friday September 11 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

We are excited to have launched another Walking Works Challenge, which began Sunday, August 16 and runs through Saturday, November 14th. This is a 12-week challenge to see how many miles teams (four to eight people per team) can walk by the end of the program.

This is another opportunity to earn Healthy Lifestyle Tracker points, which can add up to savings on next year’s health insurance premium! In addition to earning points, there will be prizes for the team with the highest average miles walked over the 12-week challenge and a prize for the person with the overall highest total number of miles walked.

Current TeamsBand of Buddies

Fearsome Foursome

HR Runs Far

Mission Slim Possible

Operation Save Money

TT’s Trotters

Team Awesome

Team Holey Walkamolies

The SHOE

The Walk-inators

Walk it Out

Walking Wonders

EMPLOYEE NAME POSITION DEPARTMENT HIRE DATE

Tanisha Bardlavens-King ABA Counselor Education 4/6/2015

Faustina Kandeh Residential Aide Adult Community Residential 4/6/2015

Kristen Madera Family Services Admin. Asst. Education 4/6/2015

Laconya Toler Residential Aide Adult Campus Residential 4/7/2015

Mary Bunde Residential Aide Children’s RTF 4/20/2015

Stephanie DiLoreto Registered Nurse Health Care 4/20/2015

Nicole Esposito Registered Nurse Health Care 4/20/2015

Zebena Fallah Residential Aide Adult Campus Residential 4/20/2015

StAff ReAchiNg 90 DAyS of eMployMeNt

EMPLOYEE NAME POSITION DEPARTMENT

Michael Abu Registered Nurse ICF HomesStephanie Bearish Teacher EducationLisa Bowers Adult Program Manager ICF HomesAmelia Brickhouse Clinical Associate¸ RTF EducationShareefah Brown ABA Counselor, Education EducationKenneth Carter Incident Management Analyst Quality AssuranceKollie Catakaw Residential Aide Children’s ResidentialFatmata Charm Residential Aide, Adult Services Waiver HomesFamatta Crawford Residential Aide, Adult Services ICF HomesDavid Czeponis Repairman FacilitiesOnonuju Dike Clinical Associate RTFTennie Duncan Residential Aide, Adult Services ICF HomesCourtney Durham Residential Aide, Adult Services ICF HomesSamantha Evans Residential Aide, Adult Services Waiver HomesBrigid Fellenbaum Office Manager Human ResourcesBrittney Guyton Clinical Associate RTFDanielle Hinton Clinical Associate¸ RTF EducationSadan Kaba ABA Counselor EducationMusa Kamara Residential Aide Children’s ResidentialTheodore Longmire Residential Aide, Adult Services ICF HomesMelissa Miller Residential Aide Children’s ResidentialAlpha Moseray Clinical Associate¸ RTF EducationJennifer Mucellin Assistant Director Children’s RTFMichael Nwanah ABA Counselor EducationJosiah Paris Residential Aide Children’s ResidentialKiana Pittman Clinical Associate¸ RTF EducationGessie Senatus Clinical Associate¸ RTF EducationFatima Sheriff ABA Counselor EducationJames Smith Residential Aide, Adult Services Waiver HomesKelly Stith ABA Counselor EducationAlphonso Tiady ABA Counselor EducationMatengy Toure ABA Counselor EducationEddie Towah Clinical Associate RTFMonica Traveres Licensed Practical Nurse NursingAlyssa Trim Clinical Associate¸ RTF EducationAndrew Vandi Residential Aide, Adult Services Waiver HomesYvonne Warren ABA Counselor EducationDawn Warren Licensed Practical Nurse ICF HomesSharniece Washington Environmental Services Attendant FacilitiesShellie Watson-Tucker Residential Aide, Adult Services ICF Homes

coNgRAtulAtioNS, New hiReS!

Tuesday, September 15 Janssen Care Days Meadows Garden 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 16 Janssen Care Days #2 Meadows Garden 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Friday, September 18Melmark Heritage FestivalComplimentary Lunch

Center CircleGym

10:00 a.m.11:45 a.m.

Monday, September 21 Vanguard Volunteers Meadows Garden 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Friday, October 2 Shire Pharmaceuticals Volunteers Campus 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Monday, October 5 Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Classic

Waynesborough CC St. David’s Golf Club Gulph Mills Golf Club

All Day / Evening

Thursday, October 29 Newtown Square Rotary Dinner Meadows 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Friday, October 30 SAP School Halloween Party, Parade, Hayrides for Adults Campus

9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 31 Lansdale Catholic HS Halloween Party Gym

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Monday, November 16 AmeriKids Concert Gym 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 21 ValleyPoint Church Christmas Lights/Caroling Campus

9:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 26 Thanksgiving Luncheon Gym 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 2 Melmark Service League Trim the Tree Center Hall

9:30 a.m.

Friday, December 4 Staff Holiday Party Springfield CC Time: TBD

Sunday, December 6 PBM Lions Club Christmas Party Gym 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Monday, December 7 Melmark Players Dress Rehearsal Gym 8:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 9 Melmark Players Assembly Gym 1:30 p.m.

Thursday, December 10 Melmark Players Opening Night Gym 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 13 Melmark Family Christmas Party Gym 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 13 Melmark Players Cast Party Meadows 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, December 15 Chester County Band Christmas Concert Gym

7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 16 Santa Sing-Along Center Hall 1:30 p.m.

Friday, December 18 Adult Day Christmas Luncheon Gym 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Friday, December 25 Christmas Luncheon Gym 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

We are happy to once again offer you discounted tickets to Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom this summer! Employees, friends and family can purchase discounted tickets (online only) at a savings of $15 per ticket for use any day.

*LIMITED TIME OFFER ONLY AVAILABLE ONLINE.

Purchase your advance tickets today at: https://www.dorneypark.com/melmark

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