The Archway Schools Revamp Graduation Amid Pandemic

This year, staff from the Archway Schools have been doing everything they can to make the end of the school year special for graduates to celebrate the big milestone. Last week, the Archway Schools held drive-through graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020 for both Upper and Lower School students on Archway’s main campus in Atco, New Jersey. The Archway Lower School event was held on Wednesday, June 3rd and the Archway Upper School event was held on Friday, June 5th. Graduates and their families were loaded into family vehicles, many of which were decorated in school colors and had photos, posters and banners of the graduates taped to the outside. Horns were blaring, balloons were flying from the top of cars, teachers, school administrators and administrative staff lined the procession line and the 2020 graduates were dressed in caps and gowns.

Archway Programs Receives Protective Mask Donation from Cappelli Tailors

To help protect a more vulnerable population and support essential frontline workers during this time, John Cappelli, owner of Cappelli Tailors, has generously donated one hundred protective face masks to staff and individuals served throughout Archway’s Residential Community Homes and Supportive Living Program. The face masks will help ensure the health and safety of residents in addition to the Direct Support Professionals who care for them during this crisis. Ever since his business was deemed non-essential, John Cappelli and his team at Cappelli Tailors have been tirelessly donating their time and materials to provide reusable masks for those who need them. To pay it forward during the COVID-19 crisis, Archway Programs made a contribution to Cappelli Tailors to support what their business is doing to help the local community.

Archway Programs Celebrates Black History Month

Staff, clients and students at Archway Programs celebrated Black History Month to honor the contributions made and highlight how the African American culture has profoundly shaped American culture in many ways. Programs throughout the organization held various Black History Month events and participated in a number of activities to remember important people and events in history while celebrating their achievements. 

Honda of Turnersville Spreads Holiday Cheer to Kids in Need

Youth from Archway Programs, a local nonprofit, filled the service bay at Honda of Turnersville on Wednesday, December 11th, 2019 as the South Jersey dealership hosted its seventh annual holiday party for nearly sixty kids from Archway’s HOPE and DISCOVER programs. This year youth from Legacy Treatment Services’ residential program joined Archway Programs. Staff and their families from Honda of Turnersville volunteered to host the highly anticipated event, which gives children the opportunity to take a break from the daily challenges they face and just be kids. In addition to coordinating vendors, caterers, balloons, photo booth, games, and music, generous volunteers from Honda of Turnersville made sure each child received presents this year.  Prior to the event, children wrote down three wish list items on gift tags. Staff and families from Honda of Turnersville each took several tags and generously purchased each child all three presents for the kids to open at the holiday party. 

Just Kids Partners with New Jersey Audubon

This school year, Just Kids, a before and after school care program, has partnered with New Jersey Audubon to expand its curriculum. An environmental educator, Emily Wilmoth, from New Jersey Audubon has visited each of the twenty-one Just Kids’ locations to work with Just Kids staff, to provide exciting, engaging hands-on curriculum. Activities were designed specifically for the varied learning opportunities available in the environments around each school building. Some students learned about the diversity in nature through exploration, by getting to be detectives and discovering nature's superpowers. They then saw how these same characteristics of nature are seen in superheroes. Children also observed birds outside of their schools and learned about migration, nesting and raising young birds. The kids then used things found in nature to build nests, just like birds do.

Tim Titus Receives Non Profit Co-Trustee of the Year Award

The Non Profit Development Center of Southern New Jersey (NPDC) honored Archway Programs’ Board Chair, Tim Titus, at their 2019 Annual Non Profit Organizations Awards Celebration on March 7th, 2019 which was held at Adelphia’s in Deptford, New Jersey. Titus was named ‘NPO Co-Trustee of the Year’ and was recognized for his outstanding contribution and impact on the community.  Executives and members of both leadership teams from Archway Programs and Woods Services joined Titus and others throughout the community to celebrate this special honor.

Archway Celebrates Grand Opening of Blue Violet Flowers and Gifts

On Wednesday, March 20th, 2019, Archway Programs celebrated the launch of its first social enterprise, Blue Violet Flowers and Gifts, at a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening event. Waterford Township officials, Archway employees, clients, customers and local community members joined together to unveil the new retail flower shop located on the White Horse Pike in Atco, New Jersey. The new flower shop creates custom floral arrangements for all events and holidays, and provides fresh flowers, as well as a variety of hand-crafted items and unique gifts from other local South Jersey businesses. What sets Blue Violet Flowers and Gifts apart is that it employs individuals with disabilities, promoting inclusion and supporting the community. 

Archway Programs Launches Its First Social Enterprise Business

Archway Programs is preparing to launch its first social enterprise, Blue Violet Flowers and Gifts, a retail flower shop located in Atco, New Jersey. The nonprofit is hosting a grand opening event next month to celebrate this new initiative and will be announcing more details soon. Blue Violet Flowers and Gifts will employ adults with disabilities throughout South Jersey, giving each individual an opportunity to work in an integrated setting to gain skills, readying them for future employment opportunities in the community and increasing their independence. Blue Violet Flowers and Gifts will create custom floral arrangements for all events and holidays, provide fresh flowers, as well as offer a variety of hand-crafted items and unique gifts from local South Jersey businesses.

South Jersey Dealership Spreads Holiday Cheer to Children in Need

Youth from Archway Programs, a local nonprofit, filled the service bay at Honda of Turnersville on Wednesday, December 12th, as the South Jersey dealership hosted its sixth annual holiday party for children and teens from Archway’s HOPE and DISCOVER programs. Each year, Honda of Turnersville staff and families volunteer to host the highly anticipated event, which gives children the opportunity to take a break from the daily challenges they face and just be kids. General Manager Min Chin had a few tricks up his sleeve this year, too. As the kids anxiously stood in the Honda dealership looking out the windows for Santa to arrive, the dealership announced that Santa needed a little help. That’s when the Phillie Phanatic came running into the dealership to surprise the kids. The expressions on the kids’ faces were priceless, and they could hardly believe that they got to meet the Phillie Phanatic himself. With help from the Phillie Phanatic, Santa arrived on a decked out firetruck escorted by volunteers from the Whitman Square Fire Company of Washington Township.

South Jersey Biz Magazine Announces Nonprofit Stars of 2018

Archway Programs has been selected as one of South Jersey Biz Magazine’s Nonprofit Stars of 2018. Award recipients consist of leading nonprofit organizations in the South Jersey area that go above and beyond in the community and make an impact in the lives of individuals who need care and support.  There are a total of seventeen Nonprofit Stars of 2018, which were nominated by South Jersey Biz Magazine’s editorial team. This is an annual nonprofit feature, highlighting the top nonprofit organizations throughout South Jersey who are making a difference in their communities. South Jersey Biz Magazine distributed their November 2018 issue on November 27, 2018.

Archway Programs Supports Nationwide Early Literacy Program

In an effort to help support another nonprofit serving young children from birth to five years old, Archway Programs opens its doors to 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, a nonprofit which provides a nationwide early literacy program to thousands of  children. This new pilot program will launch its first satellite location at Archway Programs’ location in Washington Township, New Jersey. The new program will be dubbed “1000 Books Reading Nook” and will open its doors for the local community prior to officially opening for a special celebration. Staff from both organizations will celebrate alongside the local community at an open house on Friday, November 2nd, 2018 from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. noon.

South Jersey Nonprofit Raises Awareness for Important Cause

Archway Programs held its 8th Annual Cancer Awareness Walk. Each year, the goal of the event is to educate others about cancer and raise funds to support individuals facing the fight against cancer. This year, the reason is a little more personal for Archway employees. The money raised will directly help support Archway employees and their families impacted by cancer and related medical issues they may be facing.  When Archway Programs employees learned that some of their colleagues had been diagnosed with cancer, they donated their time and money to support fundraising efforts in addition to this annual event. The community effort may have seemed like just another fun awareness event but seeing the level of support of those who showed up and helped contribute proved that every penny raised was not just going to a research fund. Awareness was certainly brought, conversations were sparked, but the reactions of those supported by the event showed that Archway Programs employees have a strong bond, much like a family, and everyone came together for all of the right reasons.

Archway Programs Expands Early Intervention Services

Archway Programs has partnered with Voorhees Pediatric Rehabilitation Services, in association with Voorhees Pediatric Facility, to expand its early intervention program, Step By Step, serving children from birth through three years old. This collaboration with Voorhees Pediatric Rehabilitation Services will give Archway Programs the opportunity to provide additional supports to children with special needs. The Step By Step Program provides therapeutic services to children experiencing delays in reaching developmental milestones or with a medical diagnosis that puts them at risk for delay. This will allow staff from Voorhees Pediatric Rehabilitation Services to support Archway’s Step By Step Program and get out in the community to help more families. Both organizations began discussing the opportunity back in May and expect to start working together early September 2018.

Archway Programs Comes to Camden

Archway Programs continues to grow and expand its special education services with the launch of a new program to benefit Camden students. The Archway School at Cooper’s Poynt, an approved private school, offers a groundbreaking method for delivering academics, social and life skills to students seeking private school placement in a public school. This program will serve students in Camden City and surrounding school districts, grades kindergarten through fifth (ages five to ten) and will implement a multisensory approach to learning. The objective is to focus on each child’s strengths while providing positive developmental supports to those with behavioral, emotional, intellectual and/or multiple disabilities. The Archway School at Cooper’s Poynt will bridge a gap in providing students and families in Camden the supports needed to address each child’s individualized needs and challenges. Archway Programs will utilize vacant space in Cooper’s Poynt Family School, located in the neighborhood of North Camden. Similar to the Archway Schools, this program will operate during normal school hours on a ten month school year beginning September 6, 2018.

Talents Blossomed as Students Showcased Horticultural Skills

Last week Archway School students held their Annual Extended School Year Summer Flower Show for an employee-wide event to showcase their skills and talents from the horticultural on-campus program. The event took place on Wednesday, August 8th and ran all day in the Career Center at Archway’s Upper School. Kristine Henle-Blank, Horticulture Instructor, and participating Archway students transformed the space to mirror the theme which was inspired by their favorite exhibit at this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show. As Archway employees arrived, they stepped into Archway’s very own “Lantern Festival” complete with lights, Asian inspired music, handmade lanterns and of course several floral masterpieces, each made by various students who participate in the horticultural program.

The Archway Schools Kickoff Special Olympics Inspired Event

This morning the Archway Schools kicked off the 10th Annual Archway Games, inspired by the Special Olympics, to gear up for next week’s festivities. Today’s Opening Ceremony consisted of a parade, introduction and processional of teams, the National Anthem was beautifully sung by former Archway student, the (cardboard) torch was ‘lit’, there was even a special guest speaker. Before closing remarks, an oath was sworn by athletes and judges in the name of sportsmanship, fairness and fun. This year’s games will take place Monday, August 13th through Thursday, August 16th with a Closing Ceremony on Friday, August 17th.  

The Archway Schools Receive National Recognition as a School of Excellence

The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) has named The Archway Schools as a 2018-2019 School of Excellence. This is the fifth consecutive year The Archway Schools has received this award. Being selected as a NASET School for Excellence is the highest level of recognition a private education school can achieve through their professional association. This year, the honor was bestowed upon 102 private special education schools throughout the United States that met rigorous professional criteria and demonstrated truly exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in the field of special education. The Archway Schools are one of nineteen schools in the state of New Jersey and one of five schools in South Jersey who received this year’s NASET award.

Special Needs Students Inspired by Helping Local Cancer Patients

Students from The Archway Schools were recently acknowledged as one of the Top Fundraising Schools in New Jersey by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients, the Student Series fundraising program.  This year, Archway’s Upper and Lower Schools joined forces to raise money and support the cause raising a total of $1,158.00. This is the seventh year that Archway’s Upper School has participated and the first year that the Lower School has joined in supporting the fight against blood cancer. In addition, the Archway Schools successfully completed the Pasta for Pennies Program, which awards the top fundraising classroom with a celebration party donated by the Olive Garden. Rather than having the Olive Garden celebratory lunch for their hard work, students generously decided to forgo the lunch and donate it to someone who needed it more than they did. The fundraiser took place throughout the month of May and the school received special recognition from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this past week for their participation and continued support in the Student Series fundraiser.

Students with Special Needs Graduate with Life and Work Skills

Ten special needs students from The Archway Schools celebrated their graduation during two ceremonies held earlier this month. The Upper School graduation ceremony took place on Friday, June 1st, 2018 in the Upper School Gymnasium located in Evesham, New Jersey and the Lower School graduation ceremony took place on Tuesday, June 5th, 2018 in the Lower School Gymnasium located in Atco, New Jersey. Young men and women are now Archway’s youngest alumni – the Class of 2018. The rooms were filled with pride, many proud tears of joy and laughter as staff and students reminisced their favorite memories throughout the years and the many accomplishments as parents, staff members, family and friends gathered to celebrate the Archway graduates. Each student was called to the stage for the walk of triumph, as they received their diplomas.

Special Needs Schools Prepare for Career and Technical Education Luncheon

Next week Archway Programs’ Upper and Lower Schools will host its 12th Annual Career and Technical Education Luncheon on to celebrate the relationship between the working students and cooperative employers who participated in this year’s Structured Learning Experience and Community Based Instruction programs on and off-campus. The invite-only event will take place on Wednesday, May 30th in the Upper School Gymnasium located in Evesham, New Jersey. At the luncheon, there will be a special guest speaker and awards will be given to the students who excel at their job, as well as an award for the employers who make the Career Education Program so successful. The guest speaker for this year’s 12th Annual Career and Technical Education Luncheon is former Archway student, Sam Toney. Mr. Toney attended Archway’s Upper School for six years and graduated in 2010. During this time, he played on Archway’s basketball team and won the Student of the Year Award in 2010. Archway Programs’ staff is eager to have him speak at the event and is looking forward to students hearing his story. Mr. Toney’s hindsight can be another student’s foresight.

Enterprise Holdings Foundation Donates $1,000.00 to Archway Programs

Archway Programs recently received a donation from Enterprise Holdings Foundation for the children served in their Partial Care Services Youth Programs, HOPE and DISCOVER. Children in the HOPE (Help, Optimism, Preparation, Empowerment) and DISCOVER (Direction, Improvement, Structure, Creativity, Oversight, Vision, Encouragement, Reward) Programs are between the ages of five and eighteen with behavior and/or emotional concerns that interfere with their daily living. With the donation from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, Partial Care Services staff will be able to set up a “chill station” in each of the five group rooms to promote therapeutic, self-calming strategies and help nurture a sense of relaxation and healing. Adding the “chill stations” will provide students with a positive, safe place to give them a mental break to re-focus and calm down so they can return back to their group setting. This will allow the students to briefly get time away but still be in the same room under observation.

Students Visit Senior Center for a Special Mother’s Day Activity

Students from The Archway Schools’ Horticulture Program visited the residents of The Fountains at Cedar Parke for a special Mother’s Day Flower Arranging Demonstration. Under the direction of Horticulture Instructors Kristine Henle-Blank and Hannah Gunson, the students showed residents how to create beautiful Mother's Day Teacup Arrangements with colorful flowers and greenery. There was plenty of light-hearted conversation and socializing, as both students and residents shared stories, smiles and new found friendships. This was the second flower arranging demonstration by the Archway School students coordinated by both Horticulture Instructors, Careers Teacher Brooke Chmura, along with Susan Mantz, Activities Director of The Fountains at Cedar Parke.

New Jersey Afterschool Program Wins Statewide Contest

Students from Archway’s Just Kids Program at Tatem Elementary in Collingswood, created and won the NJSACC’s (New Jersey’s School Age Care Coalition) first ever annual Celebrate Afterschool Poster Contest! NJSACC, the Statewide Network for New Jersey’s Afterschool Communities, received over 100 posters from 14 different afterschool care programs throughout the great state of New Jersey. Poster submissions were due in March and created  by youth attending afterschool programs. Students in the Just Kids Program worked together and made a colorful puzzle piece poster listing out what they love to do in their afterschool program. They had a very special reason for choosing the artwork that they created.

Recognizing Employees Who Are Making a Difference

Archway Programs honors its Leader of the Year and Employee of the Year recipients, recognizing staff members who have made extraordinary contributions to the mission and vision of Archway Programs.  This year, Archway Programs had so many nominations for Employee of the Year that they are awarding two Employees of the Year awards. Each employee is nominated by peers and supervisors who believe each person demonstrates exceptional performance, has held their position for over a year, is seen as a steady force for positive change and has accomplished an amazing feat in the context of their work that distinguishes the employees from all others. The Leader of the Year is nominated in a similar process, however, this award in for an employee on the leadership team, who shows sensitivity to and respects staff roles through best practice supervision, demonstrates a positive attitude towards all people and is a role model of creativity, intelligence, and initiative in providing a quality work environment.

Autism Awareness Event Promoting Acceptance and Inclusion

Archway Programs hosted its 9th Annual Hands Around the Lake event yesterday, which promotes autism awareness. This is a community-wide event where individuals served, staff members and families all attended to show their support. The goal of the event is to educate others about autism, so that as a community, we can not only be more aware, but accept and include all of those affected by autism and other disabilities. Those who attended the event lined up around Archway Programs’ main campus lake and held hands while Executive Director of Education, Susan Lafferty, welcomed everyone and students from both of the Archway schools read facts about autism before the walk began.

Employees Honored At Recognition Breakfast

Archway Programs’ Board of Trustees hosted its eleventh annual Employee Recognition Breakfast this morning with nearly 80 people in attendance and 38 staff members as they were honored in the Career Center at Archway’s Upper School. Each year Archway takes time to recognize its employees with longevity and salute outstanding staff members who have supported the organization as they reach career service milestones. Archway employees were recognized for 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, and 5 years of service.

Ron Reid represented Archway Programs at a Philadelphia Flyers game for being identified as a Community Teammate, recognized for his service and dedication to improving his community. The recognition was presented to Mr. Reid by Philadelphia Insurance Group and the Philadelphia Flyers. Reid along with thousands of Flyers fans watched an exclusive special feature interview on the video board where staff members talked about the incredible work Reid does at Archway Programs. This wasn’t the only surprise that was in store for him though. Bob “The Hound” Kelly presented Reid with a customized Flyers jersey signed by “The Hound” himself! Reid, an avid Philadelphia sports fan, knew exactly who Kelly was and was grateful to get the opportunity to meet him. Bob Kelly is a former NHL Philadelphia Flyers player and currently serves as a Flyers Ambassador. Watch the exclusive interview here, https://youtu.be/tuecsFB2B-8.

Archway Programs has announced that George Richards, Chief Financial Officer, will take the additional role of interim Chief Executive Officer following Marge Conner-Levin’s decision to resign. Richards will act as Chief Executive Officer until such time as a suitable replacement for the Chief Executive Officer role has been identified.

South Jersey School Receives International Acknowledgment For Excellence in Special Needs Education

Archway Programs was honored to host Byhaveskolen representatives as they joined forces, shared innovative ideas and discussed industry trends on Tuesday, January 16th. Archway’s administration sat down with the Danish special needs school educators to collaborate and gain outside perspective. Both organizations share similar goals in providing the best education and individualized care to students to prepare them for real life.

Local Business Spreads Christmas Cheer to Archway Programs’ Partial Care Services Children

Honda of Turnersville hosted their fourth annual gift and holiday party for Archway Programs’ Partial Care Services youth on Wednesday, December 13th. Closing down their service bay to accommodate 40 kids of Archway Programs’ Partial Care Services, Honda gives Christmas gifts that these kids otherwise would not be receiving from Santa this year.