Schools
Reading & Wakefield Students Financial Literacy Fair
Event at Melmark New England Teaches Important Subject to Students with Disabilities
At the end of the school year, students from POST Academy, a partnership of the Reading and Wakefield Public Schools attended a Financial Literacy Fair at Melmark New England in Andover, an evidence-based day school serving children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and challenging behaviors. POST (Powerful Opportunities for Successful Transitions) is a collaborative post-secondary program that provides experiential and educational opportunities in the areas of daily living, employment, community inclusion, recreation, leisure and real- world academic skills in order to promote a successful transition to adulthood.
Knowing the importance of financial literacy Melmark hosted its 3rd annual Financial Literacy Fair for its students, as well as those attending from public school districts in the region. More than 100 Melmark students along with 27 students, with 19 staff members, from five local districts participated, including the POST Academy. The program was made possible through a grant by the Massachusetts State Treasurer’s Financial Education Innovation Fund.
In advance of the Fair, classroom teachers prepare students with an overview and "roadmap" that included some information about the various booths and activities, including opportunities to earn incentives (an important tool in positive behavior support). Staff create picture icons and other adaptive instructional tools to accommodate students who are non-verbal, have other medical and intellectual disabilities and for whom traditional learning tools would not be appropriate.
