December Newsletter

Our 34th Annual All-School Thanksgiving Lunch was greatly enjoyed by all and now everyone is looking forward to our Annual Holiday Lunch on Tuesday, December 21st.


The Students and Staff of the Vocational Department would like to thank Don Clark of Clark Shredders, LLC for his recent donation of the repair costs for our table-top shredder, as well as his donation of a mail sorter. Mr. Clark’s generosity has also allowed us over the last several years to purchase our large floor model shredders at substantially reduced cost. The larger shredders allow us to process the large volume of paper that the RSS generates into animal bedding which is delivered twice weekly to the West Hartford Puppy Center.
Information for Mr. Clark’s services and products can be found at: http://www.shredders-r-us.com/.

Ethan G, June 2011 graduate, has begun an internship/exploration in the Cafeteria at the John J. Allison, Jr. Polaris Center, a sister CREC program in East Harford, where he is learning to run the register during the 3 lunch waves with support from his Job Coach, Diane Provenzano.

Jon T, June 2011 graduate, has begun an internship/exploration at the East Windsor Big Y and is off to a great start. Jon had a positive attitude throughout and reported that the best thing about his first day was “working with those nice people and the ease of the job”. Congratulations, Jon!











Billy McCabe and his mother, MaryElllen joined us for our Thanksgiving Lunch. It was great to see Billy and his Mom, and to hear how well he is doing.

We hear that Eric O, one of our 2007 Graduates, is doing well and working full time at the Walgreen’s Distribution Center in Windsor Locks.

Alumni News

On Tuesday, November 23, staff from Allied Community Services in Enfield, CT visited to showcase the jewelry made by employees that is for sale at Allied's Attic as well as marketed on-line. A number of former students and RSS graduates work at Allied. Paul C (Class of 1999), DJ (Class of 2009), and Mike S (Class 0f 2009) have worked on the jewelry making project. It's reported that Mike is also busy helping with other assignments that support the efforts of the thrift shop. For more information about Allied Community Services, go to http://www.alliedgroup.org/

Student of the Week

Gerardo O

2nd year Voc. Dept. student

Favorite job: disassembling and sorting nuts & bolts (three piece)

I'm really good at: keeping my workspace clean and neat

I've made a lot of progress in: getting my own materials

Something new I'm doing: working off-grounds at the CT Fire Academy

Something interesting about me: I am always dressed to impress!

Other: I love Hot Fries.

Check it out!

New page " Even More Community Work Sites" features information on these additional sites:

Connecticut Chapter, American Red Cross
Capitol Region Council of Churches

Check it out!

New page " More Community Work Sites" features information on these additional sites:

Shell Gas Station/Convenience Store
Shepherd Park Elder Housing
Children's Museum of West Hartford
St. Joseph Residence
Giovanni's Pizza Restaurant
Enfield Big Y
East Windsor Big Y

Student of the Week

Jean-Luc S

3rd year Voc. Dept. student

Favorite job: playing piano for the residents at St. Joseph Residence

I'm really good at: cleaning tables and playing piano

I've made a lot of progress in: learning new songs to play

Something new I'm doing: setting tables in the dining room at St. Joseph

Something interesting about me: I'm funny

The 34th Annual All-School Thanksgiving Lunch

On Thursday, November 18th, the 34th Annual All-School Thanksgiving Lunch will be shared by 225 students and staff at River Street School. The first? Back in November 1977, at what was then Day Treatment Service in the little Beach Park Elementary School, the 4 staff and 12 students of John Tyner's and Pat M's classes enjoyed a Thanksgiving celebration. As the center piece of the menu: two frozen turkey rolls!

Calling all Graduates!

We would love to hear news of and from any of our Alumni. Please let us know how you and your family are doing.

November Newsletter

Another school year is successfully well under way in the Voc. Department.

Thanks to all of our parents who were able to visit with Voc. staff in the Campus Work Center at the recent Open House.

Welcome to our newest student from Debbie Lanzl’s classroom, Steven P, who is off to a great start.

Obi E. from Helen’s room will be starting his first community based work experience delivering shredded paper from our recycling program to the West Hartford Puppy Center for animal bedding in early November.

Ethan G, one of this year’s June 2011 graduates, has been working at the Shell Gas Station/Convenience Store on Kennedy Road independently on Wednesday mornings and is becoming more independent in bagging groceries at the Enfield Big Y on Fridays.

Jon T, another one of this year’s June 2011 graduates, has also been working independently 3 mornings a week at the Shell Gas Station/Convenience Store on Kennedy Road, and will begin an internship/exploration at the East Windsor Big Y in early November.

In addition to our new work site at the East Windsor Big Y, our students recently began working at the Capitol Region Council of Churches’ offices in Hartford doing light custodial tasks. The Council has also provided clerical work for our students in the Campus Work Center.

News from our June 2010 graduates:

Billy McCabe is doing very well. His program is an all-work model enclave arranged through LARC where he is doing lots of piecework. All are well in the family and they are very pleased with his new program.

We home to add an “Alumni Corner” soon as well.