Students, guests make Rann Thanksgiving feast special

Students, guests make Rann Thanksgiving feast special

http://www.shorenewstoday.com/index.php/galloway-twp/galloway-twp-general-news/6357-students-guests-make-rann-thanksgiving-feast-special.html

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – Thanksgiving came early this year for some friends of a multiple disabilities class taught by Pam Bruckler and Colleen DeFoney at Arthur Rann Elementary School.

"This has become a tradition," Bruckler said before the dinner Friday, Nov. 19. "We're in our 10th year. Our kids spend the entire week preparing holiday dishes from scratch."

She said this allows the students to practice essential workplace readiness skills like cooperation and teamwork as well as to build a greater skill-set for independent living.

"This year is special because we have invited members of the Board of Education to join us," Bruckler said.

"We are also fortunate to have been offered help by some of our community's finest – members of Galloway's emergency medical tech squad."

She said the serving offer came from EMT Lt. Ray Adams Jr., a close family friend.

"He asked if some members of his crew might partner with us in an attempt to build a more positive relationship between our special needs students and the professional folks they might encounter in the event of an emergency," Bruckler said. "His hope is that this interaction might help to reduce fears and instill greater understanding and trust."

The students' "labor of love" provided a soup-to-nuts home-cooked banquet for about 60 people including students' family members, teachers and administrators, the director of special education, Superintendent Annette Giaquinto and board members.

"I would love it if we could shine some light on the positive things happening in our multiple disabilities program, especially during American Education Week," Bruckler said.

A year ago, the district changed the program so that students receive academic studies in the morning and life skills instruction in the afternoon.

"This is working out great – and today shows that," Bruckler said. "They learn skills to help with independent living such as cooking, doing laundry and practical things."

The feast was "fit for a king," she said, with everything but the turkey and gravy made by students.

"We have a no-kid zone for three feet around the oven," she said. "This year they made corn muffins and stuffing from scratch. The stuffing is made from my mom's recipe. Everything's fresh. They used real butter, fresh vegetables, broth from the turkey. And they peeled 20 pounds of apples and 20 pounds of potatoes to make applesauce and mashed potatoes."

Back by popular demand each year is "no-bake pumpkin cheese pie."

Second-grade student Liam Thompson, 8, wore a new sweater and had lunch with school board member Beverly Evensen.

"I worked on everything," Thompson said. "I made the layered pumpkin pie and I helped make mashed potatoes. I was a peeler.”

Another 8-year-old second-grader, Jahsir Brown, mixed ingredients for the stuffing.

"That was my favorite part," Brown said. "I'm glad I got to do that."

Sixth-grader Meet Patel, 13, said that after preparing the Thanksgiving dinner at school, he could make anything at home that he had made in class.

"I like the applesauce," Patel said. "We made the pumpkin pie. I made corn muffins, too. I could make all these at home."

He said his best studies were life skills and math.

"I'm good at math," he said. "I'm one of the leaders, and that makes me happy."