New Program Will Benefit Students with Autism

Students with autism and cognitive disabilities will soon have greater access to extracurriculars thanks to a new pilot program at the high school.

The Londonderry High School Extended Day pilot program was approved by the School Board last week.

"While some of our students are able to participate in clubs, band and athletics that we offer, there is still a population that cannot access those after school programs to be a part of the Londonderry High School program and the larger Londonderry community," said school district Director of Pupil Services Kim Carpinone at the meeting Sept. 25. 

Carpinone said eight high school students in the ACT and Friends4 programs have been identified as potential participants. The ACT program supports students with cognitive disabilities, she said, and Friends4 is for students with varying levels of autism.

The new pilot program will run two days a week until about 3:15 p.m., providing students with about an hour and a half of guided activities in the afternoon. She said students could attend sports games, watch extracurricular club demonstrations or do other recreational and leisure activities, like bowling.

Carpinone said the program would be run by an occupational therapy assistant and speech and language pathologist already on staff at the high school. The program would also require two assistants in its pilot year, which would be funded by a payroll line already dedicated to extended day programs, she said.

But Carpinone said she's hoping other Londonderry High School students will get involved, too.

"This is an opportunity for typical peers to come and mentor this population," she said. "The whole purpose is building that sense of community for students who don't have the typical access points for that type of activity."

Carpinone said students who volunteer as peer mentors could earn points toward their red cord at graduation, which honors extracurricular and volunteer activities.

"We hope there are typical peers who want to participate, but we are ready to proceed without them and grab them along the way," she said.

With School Board approval, Carpinone said the pilot program could begin as early as this week. At the end of the school year, she said she would return to the board with an update on the pilot program's success.