Established in the early 1970s, READS Collaborative has been providing special education services for students throughout southeastern Massachusetts in grades preschool through grade 12 with low incidence, high needs disabilities. One of the collaborative’s well-established programs is the Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing Program.

For more than a half-century, the READS Collaborative has specialized in providing educational services to students in grades preschool through 12+ who are Deaf and/or hard of hearing. Additional services are also provided to support early intervention needs for those children birth to age 3 who are Deaf and/or hard of hearing.

The New Digs
The READS DHH School, located at 399 Old Colony Road, was previously occupied by a local community day program. The building was purchased by READS Collaborative in June 2025.

Renovations on the newly purchased building began immediately in preparation for the school to house the READS DHH administrative offices, five classrooms, and additional spaces for related services.

Three classrooms will be utilized by preschool through third-grade students; one classroom will serve students 18-22 years old requiring transition services; and the remaining classroom will provide occupational and physical therapy services.

The building also provides dedicated spaces for a nurse’s office, speech and language, and counseling services, and contains a working kitchen and eating area where students can gather for lunch as well as a separate teacher’s lounge and workspace.

“With doors opening and barriers coming down, the launch of this new location for the READS Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program marks a pivotal moment for Southeastern Massachusetts — one that promises greater access, stronger connections, and a more inclusive future for students who are Deaf and hard of hearing in this region and across the state,” said Joanne Haley Sullivan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC).

Valuable Partnerships
For more than 50 years, the READS DHH program has been embedded within various local public schools. READS Collaborative leases classroom and office spaces needed to educate its students. This arrangement allows students access to inclusive opportunities with typical peers in a public-school setting.

For over the past decade, the READS DHH Program has partnered with Norton Public Schools to provide students with a full array of services. Students receive educational support ranging from completely sub-separate small group instruction to full inclusion within the general education setting given ASL interpreter support and depending on the student’s educational profile and needs.

“READS provides students with access to any related service they may need such as counseling, speech and language, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, just to name a few,” said READS Collaborative Executive Director Dina Medeiros. “The purpose for purchasing and renovating this new building was to provide needed classroom spaces for our youngest students, as well as provide a transition program for our oldest students, ages 18-22, who may need additional support beyond the high school experience as they prepare for adult living.”

In recent years, Norton Public School’s classroom spaces have become limited due to Norton’s own growing needs to support their students. READS Collaborative needed alternate classroom spaces to house students from their DHH Program in grades preschool to third grade. That’s a consistent concern for all collaboratives across the state — finding space to house and educate their students.

“Our goal is to provide the most opportunities for our students who are Deaf and/or hard of hearing,” said Executive Director Medeiros. “We feel strongly that opportunities for inclusion with typical peers provides an enriching experience and also fulfills our obligation as educators to provide students with the least restrictive environment. READS Collaborative has enjoyed a very positive relationship with Norton Public Schools and our students have greatly benefited from this.”

READS DHH students participate in many of the extracurriculars that Norton Public Schools offers with support as needed from READS DHH staff, and the continuity of inclusive opportunities from grades K-12 provides for increased opportunities to develop social connections and build confidence.

“We wanted to maintain our relationship with Norton Public Schools so our students could continue to have access to inclusive opportunities from K-12,” said Executive Director Medeiros. “This is when the idea of potentially purchasing a building of our own that could be in close proximity to Norton Public Schools was presented by our DHH Program Director Rebekah Marchilena.”

READS Business Manager Lindsey Albernaz started looking for potential properties and discovered the Old Colony Road building in Norton.

“It is only 0.4 miles from the J.C. Solmonese Elementary School (JCS),” Medeiros said. “This enables us to provide an easy commute for our students in K-3 to access inclusive services through JCS. A plan to purchase and renovate the new building was developed and the doors to the new school opened on Jan. 5. It has been a smooth transition into the new building. READS Collaborative is very fortunate to have been able to secure and create this new learning space for our students and staff.”

Sign of the Times

READS Collaborative Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Program Director Rebekah Marchilena and student Deborah Nascimento held their hands high to show off the new word sign students and staff will now use to reference the READS DHH program.

For many years, the ASL (American Sign Language) word sign for the program was the same as the sign for the word “radio,” a medium that didn’t quite accurately or sensitively describe the program. So to celebrate the opening of a new READS DHH School on Old County Road in Norton, READS launched a contest.

Nascimento, a grade 12 student who attends the Bristol-Plymouth (BP) Regional Technical School in Taunton through the READS DHH Program, won the contest to create a new ASL word sign for the “READS DHH Program.”

The new word sign consists of the symbol for the letter “R” (for READS) along with a full hand showing five fingers, to symbolize the five READS Collaborative school buildings housing their students (the new DHH School, the Henri A. Yelle Elementary School, Norton Middle School, Norton High School and BP).

About READS Collaborative
Middleboro-based READS Collaborative serves over 30 school districts that include 20 member public school districts — Abington, Acushnet, Berkley, Bridgewater-Raynham Regional, Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical, Brockton, Carver, Dighton-Rehoboth Regional, East Bridgewater, Freetown-Lakeville Regional, Marion, Mattapoisett, Middleboro, Norton, Rochester, Somerset, Somerset-Berkley, Taunton, West Bridgewater and Whitman-Hanson — to address the intensive and diverse needs of students PreK to grade 12+.

Feeling the rhythm, young Thai-son read his “Drum Poem” at the front of the assembly.

Thai-son and nine of his fellow students, who all utilize wheelchairs for mobility, contributed poems to the newly published book “Wishes on Wheels: Poems of Power and Possibility.” For most of the students, the project not only provided a first opportunity to write poetry and read it aloud, but also their first time speaking or performing before a crowd of their peers.

“Hear the beat of my drum,” Thai-son said, seated in his chair at the front of the room. “It goes pa-rum-pum-pum-pum. When you play, it sounds loud. It’s more fun when you play with a crowd.”

The audience cheered their support for the novice poet.

“You can play it fast,” he said softly into the microphone. “You can play it slow. You can play with friends. You can play rock and roll. Do you like the drum? Oh, I like it too. It’s more fun when I play with you.”

Applause flooded the room. Thai-son glowed.

The Project

The Education Cooperative (TEC) Campus School students accepted a challenge posed by fellow wheelchair-user Matt Brown.

Brown, a Norwood native, was paralyzed from the neck down following a boyhood hockey accident. Now, he and his friend, Suzanne Galvin, a former third-grade teacher, have collaborated on the new book, “Wishes on Wheels,” featuring the poetry of Massachusetts students who rely on wheelchairs.

“We owe so much to our poets and the entire TEC School, for not only supporting the ‘Wishes on Wheels’ project, but also the Matt Brown Foundation,” Brown told the young poets and the audience. “When you hear our poets read their poems, I just want you all to remember that it doesn’t matter how we get around, it doesn’t matter how we communicate, we all have stories to tell.”

Last school year, Brown and Galvin reached out to TEC Executive Director Emily J. Parks and TEC Campus School Program Director Meredith L. Faletra. A partnership was quickly formed.

“We talked to your principals and administrators and asked, ‘Do your kids want to write some poetry for a special book about kids who use wheelchairs for their mobility?’” Galvin told the assembly on Sept. 16. “And automatically, lightbulbs started going off … They could picture all the wonderful poems that would be coming out of your school. So we got together, you collaborated with your teachers, and together this really special book called ‘Wishes on Wheels’ came true.”

All book sale proceeds will fund the Matt Brown Foundation, which focuses on supporting and helping people and families impacted by paralysis.

“I want you to know that this book has made such a difference and such an impact already,” Galvin told the kids and TEC staff members gathered for the assembly. A week later, the book’s publisher, Little Dreamer Press, held a launch party to celebrate the poetry collection’s official release.

Finding A Voice

“This project provided our students with an opportunity to be heard, respected and recognized for who they are,” Faletra said. “The positive experiences were endless, highlighted not only by a published book and poetry recitations in a school-wide assembly and the community book launch, but by these children and young adults finding a true role model in Matt Brown.”

All 10 student-poets took turns at the front of the room, reading their creations aloud. Some utilized the help of a teacher and some spoke via electronic devices. Others used their best speaking voices to lift their poetic verse above the background noise and to the ears of a grateful audience.

“Sharing your voices and your hearts and your hopes and your wishes with us means more than you can know,” Galvin told the young poets. “We’ve learned what makes you feel happy, proud, loved, independent, strong and brave. You are all now officially published poets. And your words will be … forever read by countless people. Your poems open hearts, awaken curiosity and make the world a better place, one poem at a time. Thank you for trusting us with your words, your hearts and your wishes on wheels … Your powerful, heartfelt, creative and honest poems touched all of our hearts.”

Wheels and Wishes

Lexi O’Malley, 20, of Walpole, wrote a love poem to her gait trainer, a device she uses to exercise and walk unaided.

“Sparkly hot pink gait trainer,” she said, her eyes choosing words from a digital display and an electronic voice pronouncing each verse. “Flying down the hallways … Step. Step. Step. Independence, fast and freeing. Flying down the hallways. Focus and concentration. I feel strong.”

Trinity Elias, 18, of Norwood, followed suit, writing about her motorized power chair.

“It’s purple,” she said, reading her poem. “I like the color of it. I like to use it a lot indoors. I need help getting through the doors. I can’t do it myself. I feel happy and more comfortable using it.”

Later that day, she cruised the TEC Campus School hallways in her purple power chair, waving to friends and fist-bumping staff.

“With this project, our students embraced poetry as a meaningful way to express their voices, share their experiences, and talk about what is important to them,” Parks said. “Our educators welcomed this project with enthusiasm, providing the support needed for students to use their skills, take risks and express themselves.”

Across Massachusetts, educational collaboratives are embracing the arts and teaching students who are faced with incredible challenges how to be heard.

Now, after a half-century of special education in the Bay State, since Congress enacted legislation mandating all children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education, the once voiceless are receiving the tools they need to speak out, loud and clear.

“It is heartwarming to see what our students are capable of when challenged to go beyond what is expected,” said Joanne Haley Sullivan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC). “This is a true testimony to the progress and vision we have made since IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) was passed in 1975.”

About “Wishes on Wheels: Poems of Power and Possibility”

“Wishes on Wheels” captures the voices and hearts of children in Massachusetts and New Hampshire who use wheelchairs to support their independence and mobility. All profits from sales benefit the Matt Brown Foundation, a 501(C)3 providing support and assistance to groups, individuals and families living with or recovering from illness or injury, with a particular emphasis on paralysis. For more information, visit mattbrownfoundation.org. To purchase the book, “Wishes on Wheels,” click here.

Former student Jimmy Harrington sat in an empty CCC classroom doodling tiny characters on small squares of paper — some ripped from video games, like Angry Birds and Plants Vs. Zombies — others of his own creation.

Through staff ingenuity and compassion, both boys made fierce advancements and eventually outgrew their need for specialized collaborative instruction.

Now Noah’s starting third grade at his neighborhood school, and Jimmy’s a freshman at Bristol Community College (BCC).

Jimmy’s Return

On a recent visit back to the CCC, Jimmy Harrington, now 19, approached the receptionist’s desk at the building entrance. “Hello, I’m Jimmy, the Legend of the Cape Cod Collaborative,” he told her, a confident alumnus proudly returning to his elementary alma mater.

Jimmy attended the school for nearly a decade and forged a fierce reputation.

“They turned me from a demon child to a saint,” Jimmy said.

His parents laughed and challenged him.

“I don’t know about a demon or a saint,” said his mother, Melissa.

“You provided us with a lot of challenges,” said Julia Bryant, CCC S.T.A.R. Program Director, as she entered the lobby. “And we learned a lot from each other.”

S.T.A.R. is the CCC program that specializes in working with students with challenging behavioral issues.

Daily Challenges

The faculty and staff at the CCC deal with behavioral challenges every day — that’s their specialty. They deal with daily challenges, work toward avoiding future challenges, and aim to prepare many of their students to transition back to their home public school districts.

“When a student has a behavior, we process with them about the incident,” said Director Bryant. “What happened? What were you feeling? What responsibility did you have in the situation? What could you do differently next time?”

There were early signs Jimmy’s childhood path would be bumpy. He’s been reading and writing since he was three years old. Around that same time, he also started spitting, hitting and biting.

“When Jimmy was four months old he was diagnosed with infantile spasms, which is a seizure disorder,” his mother recalled. “Because of this diagnosis, he received early intervention services. When he was around age 2 it was recommended that he be evaluated for delays. He was then diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay.”

At first, Jimmy was integrated into a typical preschool classroom. While early classroom integration may be the right approach for some children, it was a poor fit for Jimmy.

“Some students require such specialized instruction and programming that traditional public schools can’t provide that kind of support on their own,” said CCC Executive Director Dr. Hope Hanscom. “That’s why collaboratives are needed. We provide the programming that not all public schools can provide on their own.”

His Young Parallel

As Jimmy prepared for his first year at BCC, an outgoing second-grader at the CCC challenged the educators there with some of Jimmy’s same high-incidence behaviors.

Noah Brown started acting out in kindergarten.

He would often strip naked, defecate on the floor and toss it at teachers and staff.

“He was like a wild animal locked in a classroom,” said his mother, Brittany Brown. “He had constant outbursts and serious anger issues. He’d break things and rip faucets off sinks.”

Noah was diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Both Jimmy and Noah eventually regained control, but it wasn’t easy. They channeled their emotions, learned to express themselves through artwork, and benefited from the expertise of dedicated CCC educators.

“With every student we try to figure out what the child’s ‘currency’ is that they will want to earn for demonstrating appropriate behaviors and completing academics,” Director Bryant said. “The other side of the coin is being very consistent with the consequences. You hope to not have to use the consequences, but you are trying to teach new skills to replace the behaviors and that can take time.”

Jimmy the Kid

All staff in the S.T.A.R. Program are specially trained to conduct safe and appropriate restraints, which was especially important while dealing with Jimmy.

Director Bryant recalled a time when Jimmy had to be restrained as often as 30 times in a single school day.

Then one day, she was personally restraining Jimmy. To an observer, this might look like a giant bear hug, but the proven technique prevented Jimmy from harming himself or others. At first, he was furious, until finally, he just smiled and relaxed.

“I’d like to see you do that now,” Jimmy said, grinning, having grown broad and tall.

Praise and Parades

Collaborative staff sometimes had trouble getting Jimmy packed up and ready to leave.

“For Jimmy, if he had a good day — completed work and displayed minimal inappropriate behavior — the staff would follow him out and create a parade — clapping, singing — ‘The Jimmy Parade,’” Director Bryant recalled. “On Fridays, if he had no timeouts all week, he would have ‘Chicken and Fryday,’ where we would order him chicken tenders and fries.”

And when Jimmy acted out, art helped to bring him back.

“For Jimmy it was helpful to get through this by allowing him to draw a cartoon about the incident instead of just a conversation,” said Director Bryant.

The staff would encourage Jimmy to draw while processing after making “unexpected choices.” They enlisted help from Jimmy’s favorite cartoon characters.

“When he was into Olaf from ‘Frozen’ we would have Olaf watch Jimmy complete his work because Jimmy didn’t want to ‘disappoint’ Olaf,” Director Bryant said. “When Jimmy made an unexpected choice and we would process with him, he would draw a cartoon of what happened and what he could do next time.”

After making significant strides, Jimmy left the collaborative as an eighth grader. He went on to earn his diploma from Old Rochester Regional High School. Now he’s off to higher education, and plans to study graphic design.

Next for Noah?

Noah also made incredible progress in just a few short years in the S.T.A.R Program.

“He’s grown so much as a kid since he started here,” Noah’s mother Brittany said. “He’s learned other ways to handle his emotions. He’s gone back to the sweet little man he used to be.”

Both Jimmy and Noah have a shared hobby in common. Drawing provides them both with a sense of comfort. In the CCC cafeteria, Noah proudly showed off some of his favorite drawings.

Director Bryant, and moms Brittany Brown and Melissa Harrington all agreed that they had to work together for real change to take root.

“You need to be on the same team,” Bryant explained. “There can be no secrets. We are very honest. Sometimes schools sugarcoat things. But that does not do anyone any favors. Only through difficult discussions can we find the solutions that truly make a difference.”

“These students present tremendous challenges and require just the right staff to work with them,” said Joanne Haley Sullivan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC). “Staffing is hard, but collaboratives do a great job finding and training the right people to make a real difference in these children’s lives.”

Jimmy the Student

“Jimmy was challenging,” Bryant recalled. “He did interesting things. He once stood in the toilet and tried to flush himself down … He once stripped naked and scooted across a bunch of tables. It was a game to him. But he was the only one enjoying it. There are so many ‘Jimmy stories.’ It’s like folklore around here.”

“I was a monster,” Jimmy said, half-joking.

Over time, Jimmy’s mother noticed significant changes for the better in her son.

“It was like the heavens opened,” she said.

“Finally, someone who understood me,” Jimmy added to the conversation, looking up from his drawing for just a moment.

“They saw the good and the loveliness inside of Jimmy,” said his mother. “They just got it.”

Noah Brown draws and paints as a release when he feels the frustration mounting.

About the Cape Cod Collaborative 

The Cape Cod Collaborative, based in Osterville, provides a wide range of services to students, including special education programs for low incident, special needs populations; programs for the multi-handicapped; therapy and services for students requiring specialized support; and a full range of transportation services for both the special needs and general education population. The Cape Cod Collaborative also provides the STAR Program — a public day school supporting students, referred from their home districts, who require a structured program with high levels of support. The STAR Program currently supports students with varying needs: cognitive, communication, and behavioral (including autism spectrum disorder); as well as elementary-age students with social-emotional/behavioral disorders. The program strives to meet the individual needs of students, enabling them to reach their potential and aiding in their personal growth. For more information, visit the CCC’s website.

Aiden Russell, a senior at Valley Collaborative, shows off his gold Special Olympics medal.

Four special education collaboratives — Andover-based CREST Collaborative, Billerica-based Valley Collaborative, Stoneham-based SEEM Collaborative and Beverly-based Northshore Educational Consortium — joined forces for a third year to host a heartwarming and inspiring Special Olympics Collaborative Game Day event, dedicated to students with special needs.

The annual event celebrates the athletic abilities, determination, and joyful spirit of students, fostering an inclusive community and providing a memorable day of achievement and camaraderie.

Students from participating districts competed in a variety of athletic events designed to be inclusive and accessible for all ability levels, including track and field races, throwing events, and adaptive obstacle courses. The day emphasized participation, personal bests, and the joy of sportsmanship.

“We are incredibly excited to bring this Special Olympics event to our students,” said Jae Handler, a CREST Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and the event’s Special Olympics Coordinator. “It’s a testament to what can be achieved when organizations work together with a shared vision. This day is all about empowering our students, building their confidence, and giving them a platform to shine brightly.”

Several nurses who work for the collaboratives took a turn at the medals stand and struck a few poses.

This collaborative effort highlights the commitment of CREST Collaborative, SEEM Collaborative, Northshore Education Consortium, and Valley Collaborative to enhance educational and extracurricular opportunities for students with special needs across their respective communities. By pooling resources and expertise, the collaboratives are able to create a high-quality, impactful event that would be challenging for any single organization to undertake alone.

After the public school Game Day Events grew too large, Bill Bryant, Director of Programs at CREST, spearheaded a new initiative: a collaborative Special Olympics Game Day.

Every participant earned a gold Special Olympics medal.

“Three years later, our event for CREST, SEEM, Valley, and Northshore collaboratives has become a highlight, fostering growth and improving the experience for all student participants,” Bryant said.

Bryant, who served as master of ceremonies, worked with the rest of the annual Game Day’s founding members — Handler and Rachel Riley, from CREST; Peter Loring and Katie Nutile, from Valley Collaborative; Susan Tremonte and Maria Hudson, from SEEM; and Martha Krol and Sheila Guiney, from Northshore.

The small, dedicated group of collaborative staff members has worked tirelessly for the past three years to keep the event growing and improving each year. They’ve also developed relationships with local community sponsors, including Tony Colella Landscaping, Fitzgerald Physical Therapy Associates, The WILD Salon, and AXA Insurance Corporation.

A Valley Collaborative student gets ready to try the Hoop Roll event.

Volunteers from the community, school staff, and families have been integral to the event’s success, providing encouragement, assistance, and creating a vibrant, supportive atmosphere.

“What a wonderful experience it was for our students to participate in this Special Olympics event,” said Francine H. Rosenberg, Executive Director of the Northshore Education Consortium. “Students with disabilities don’t always have opportunities to be part of larger community activities. They had the opportunity to compete in fun sporting events, adapted to their skill levels, with students from other schools. They received medals, carried banners, had people cheering for them, and participated in a parade of athletes led by police officers carrying torches. The smiles on the faces of students and staff were priceless! This was a day that they will remember!”

Rosenberg joined the leaders of the other three collaboratives — CREST Collaborative Executive Director Bob Jokela, SEEM Collaborative Executive Director Cathy Lawson, and Valley Collaborative Executive Director Chris Scott — at the event, which is quickly becoming a tradition for all four special education providers.

Every student won a gold medal. Every student won a chance to stand on the three first-place medal pedestals.

Three CREST students — Zachary Nichol, Jayden Phan, and Evelyn Ryan Jacobson — await their Special Olympics medals.

CREST Teacher and event disc jockey Andres Jones worked the turntables as students took turns singing and dancing to Jock Jams like “Are you Ready for This?” and the Frozen theme song, “Let It Go.” Athletes Isaac Wilson, JJ Tumbarello, and Freddy Abreu led the crowd in singing the national anthem.

A unit of local law enforcement officers — Assistant Superintendent Moe Pratt, of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department; Chief Jamie Lovell, Lt. Derek Colella, Sgt. Jeff Smith, Capt. Ashley Sanborn, and Officers Jason Skane, Mike Chase, and Jake Casucci, of the Danvers Police Department; and Officer Chris Liacos of the Gloucester Police Department — led a march of Special Olympians, along the track and onto the field.

The Field Hockey event challenged students to score goals with pool noodles and a beach ball.

To conclude the event’s Welcome Ceremony, Valley student Keegan Graham led the participants in a recitation of the Special Olympics Athlete Oath: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

“On behalf of Special Olympics, Massachusetts, and the four participating collaboratives, I warmly welcome all of you here today,” Handler told the crowd. “Let’s give a big hand to the athletes, coaches, families, and volunteers who have come out today to compete and show their spirit and support!”

The St. John’s stadium erupted with cheers and applause.

“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of modern special education, we are incredibly proud to see four educational collaboratives join forces to provide a vibrant and inclusive Special Olympics program for students across our communities,” said Joanne Haley Sullivan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC). “This partnership reflects the deep commitment of collaboratives to ensure that students of all abilities have access to meaningful opportunities for growth, connection, and achievement. As the statewide organization supporting Massachusetts’ educational collaboratives, MOEC celebrates this effort as a powerful example of how collaboration can expand opportunities for students on the full spectrum of disabilities. We commend these collaboratives for their leadership and heart — and for helping every student experience the joy of belonging.”

For more information about the Special Olympics event or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, please contact Jae Handler at jhandler@crestcollaborative.org or Bill Bryant at bbryant@crestcollaborative.org.

Educational Collaboratives in the Northeast Region of MOEC recently hosted the third annual joint Special Olympics event.[/caption]

CREST student Katrina Bell clears the obstacle course.

About the Collaboratives

CREST Collaborative

CREST Collaborative is a public school collaborative dedicated to partnering with other public school districts to provide comprehensive services to students who require additional support beyond what their home school districts offer. With a diverse range of six different programs specifically designed to cater to varying needs and learning styles, CREST ensures each of our 270 students and 59 adults receives the personalized attention necessary for their academic, personal, and vocational success. CREST students may face a diverse range of challenges that impact their academic success, including behavioral, emotional, physical, cognitive, and medical issues. The specialized services and expertise of CREST Collaborative are tailored to address these unique and often complex challenges. CREST collaborates directly with school districts across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine to provide resources in their home school or facilitate student placement at the CREST campus in Andover.

Northshore Education Consortium

The Northshore Education Consortium was one of the first regional collaboratives in Massachusetts and is the largest provider of intensive special education services to children and youth with emotional, behavioral, and developmental disabilities on the North Shore. Since 1975, NEC’s mission has been to support member districts by offering high-quality, cost-effective school programs, consultation, professional development, support services, and resources.

SEEM Collaborative

SEEM Collaborative is an educational collaborative governed by 11 public school districts. Since 1968, SEEM has served the students, parents, educators, and specialists from its member districts. The Collaborative provides a full range of services to students in the northeast region of Massachusetts. Services range from educational programming to consultative services that are provided in the district and/or at home. Each student receives the blend of services needed to support his/her unique needs and to enable academic, social, and emotional advancement.

Valley Collaborative

Valley Collaborative was established in 1976 to meet the special education needs of the students and adults of its nine member districts and surrounding communities. Valley currently serves more than 400 K-12 students and 225 adults with a dedicated staff of 250 teachers, education specialists, therapists, paraprofessionals and adult support professionals. Valley’s mission is to work collaboratively in order to create a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and responsive learning environment that recognizes individuals and empowers them to navigate confidently with optimal independence in their community and fosters lifelong learning.

In 2025, the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of special education with a series of feature stories that will help to tell the untold stories of collaboratives to help educate the public about what collaboratives do and how they have evolved to serve the needs of our most vulnerable students over the past five decades.

In 1975, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. Congress changed the name of the law to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in a 1990 reauthorization — and IDEA was again reauthorized in 2004.

MOEC is the professional organization representing the Commonwealth’s educational collaboratives. Massachusetts Collaboratives are a statewide network of educational service agencies that work together with school districts and schools to implement direct educational services and programs to students and adults, develop programs and services to enhance school districts’ operating efficiency, and provide high-quality professional development and technical assistance.

“Our organization is a public school for students with a variety of special needs,” said Kim Wilmot, student services director at SMEC. “One of our programs, transitional services, is for 18- to 22-year-olds with developmental disabilities who are learning independent living skills and vocational skills.”

“Like the donut thing, I like the Boston creme,” said student Jaitzy Burgos.

“Jobs,” said student Cedric Duro when asked what he wanted to learn.

The students typically run an internal cafe at their school on Friday mornings. However, thanks to the team at Grand-Ma’s Donuts, including owner Hannah Lemieux, whose son has autism, they were able to test their skills in a real-world setting.

“They’re capable of everything that every other person is,” Lemieux said. “There’s a job for everybody, and more business should be doing this.”

The hope is that the experience and confidence gained will help these students secure jobs in the future.

“We believe that every student is a lifelong learner,” Wilmot said. “Every student should have access to meaningful experiences throughout their lives. For many of our students, that does mean competitive employment with or without support, and for others, it’s just being embedded into their community and having a place where they know others and are known and can be seen for their talents.”

Please visit WCVB for complete coverage on this story.

About SMEC
The Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative is a public education collaborative established in 1975. SMEC is an extension of 10 public school systems, which make up its membership. The present membership includes the Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, Rochester and Old Rochester Regional public school districts. SMEC accepts students for enrollment in its programs from school systems throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. The Collaborative’s programs and services are locally based and locally directed and are designed to supplement the special education resources of its member districts. SMEC offers a variety of services for students with special needs aged 3-21 as well as adults with developmental disabilities. To learn more about the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative, visit their website.

Adam Howland has been a SMEC client since 1990. His sister, Heather Hooley, says the collaborative and the services they offer, have helped Adam live his best life.

Adam lives in an apartment in Dartmouth with longtime roommate Michael Wnek. The two, who both have Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities, are cared for all day, every day, by three shifts of residential and community staff provided by the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC) in Dartmouth.

Before the advent of modern special education, which was passed into federal law in 1975, during the first year of Adam’s life, and the same year that SMEC was founded, people like Adam had far fewer opportunities and options.

“More than 50 years ago, before special education, the only option for someone with Adam’s needs would likely have been institutionalization,” said SMEC Executive Director Catherine Cooper. “Today, with SMEC’s resident support services, we have the ability to assist Adam with all his individual living skills, allowing him to live out on his own as an adult in his fifties. Our support staff helps with grocery shopping, preparing meals, laundry, employment services and social activities. And during the day, Adam comes to our day program.”

During a recent interview, Adam sat next to his big sister in a conference room at SMEC, where he has been receiving services for more than 35 years.

He kept his fingers tightly curled and crossed, making small finger puppets, a habit he has had since he was little. Adam was born with Down syndrome. He was later diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He is also legally blind.

Adam doesn’t speak much. But he communicates effectively, shifting his tone and utilizing simple, pronounced gestures. Those who love him have no trouble interpreting Adam’s likes and dislikes, yes’s and no’s.

“He lets you know what he’s thinking,” said his sister Heather Hooley. “He’ll wind up like he’s throwing a javelin. Or you’ll see the joy on his face.”

Adam lives his best life. And although he has a devoted family, standing behind him every inch of the way, the services he has received through SMEC for over three decades have made a significant difference, and help Adam to be able to live, work and thrive independently.

Mom the Advocate

Up until 1990, when Adam turned 15, he was a student in the New Bedford Public School system. He was educated in a separate resource room-style classroom.

His late mother, Elaine Howland, was a staunch advocate for kids like Adam. She was a fierce defender of her son’s rights. And she was far ahead of her time.

Adam’s mother was a nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford. She created a support group for parents of children who shared similar diagnoses to Adam.

She wanted Adam to live as normal a life as possible. She fought for the integration of special education students in the classroom and argued for her son’s equal opportunity to an education.

Prior to 1975, wealthy families hired private health care workers or sent their children with special needs to specialized private institutions. Poor and middle-class families often struggled, and their children became wards of the state, institutionalized by the state, or were forced to lead cloistered, unproductive lives.

Howland wanted more for her son, and SMEC helped her achieve that goal.

“My mom was a huge advocate,” said Adam’s sister Heather. “She saw the struggles of kids who were in similar situations to Adam. And she always said, ‘That’s not going to be Adam’s life.’”

SMEC’s mission statement pledges to provide high-quality programs and services for all children and adults who need specialized instruction or support. Their innovative programs aim beyond youth, targeting clients’ entire lifetimes, rather than just their first two decades of life.

At age 50, Adam may not be the typical special education student in Massachusetts. Technically, he aged out of special education at age 22. But thanks to SMEC’s Supporting Adults for Inclusive Living (SAIL) and Adult Day Health programs (ADH), he’s still receiving services 28 years later.

Adam is just one of about 150 individuals, between both adult programs, receiving services from SMEC. The collaborative also serves an average of 750 people annually across all age groups.

“For clients like Adam and his roommate Michael, later in life, we’re not focusing as much on their academics,” said Executive Director Cooper. “We’re focusing more on their quality of life. We want them to be able to live as independently as possible, have full social lives, and be fully engaged in their community.”

Services After Age 22

SMEC has 10 member school districts — Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, New Bedford Vocational, Old Rochester Regional and Rochester — and provides services to students from throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. The collaborative was formed in 1975 under a state law, MGL Ch. 40, that allows two or more school districts to form an Educational Collaborative to provide special education services on a regional basis.

In 1990, SMEC expanded its programming through state contracts to provide adult services to students who were aging out of special education on their 22nd birthday. Those adult students now have the option of participating in the collaborative’s SAIL and ADH programs.

Through the SAIL program, Adam receives help with daily tasks like preparing meals, shaving and showering. On weekdays, Adam visits the SMEC community day program for structured activities, like arts and crafts and fitness classes. The staff takes program clients on bowling excursions; they sometimes dine out and embark on short trips to local community events like festivals and concerts. They teach classes on social skill development, money management and other Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).

Prior to retirement, Adam worked for several years at Silverstein’s Clothing Store in New Bedford and A. Walecka & Son Movers in West Wareham. SMEC helped him land the jobs and gave him skills that helped him at work.

SMEC utilizes a team approach to meet the needs of the whole individual in order to achieve greater personal independence and success. SMEC, a member of the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC), offers a variety of services for students with special needs aged 3-21 as well as adults with intellectual disabilities.

This year, MOEC has launched a celebration of the 50th anniversary of special education in Massachusetts, each month releasing stories of its members’ successes and triumphs against the odds, like Adam’s.

As a member of MOEC, SMEC is part of a broader, statewide network that works to ensure all students, and sometimes adults, with disabilities have access to high-quality, individualized support services. MOEC plays a critical role in advocating for collaborative programs like SMEC across Massachusetts, fostering innovation, equity, and opportunity for people like Adam.

“Educational collaboratives are deeply rooted in their communities and are uniquely positioned to support individuals, some even throughout their entire lifespan,” said Joanne Haley Sullivan, Executive Director of MOEC. “Stories like Adam’s are a powerful reminder of why we do this work — to ensure that every person, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to live a full and meaningful life.”

Besides SMEC, MOEC has four other members that provide services to eligible individuals after they turn 22 — Valley Collaborative in North Billerica, Shore Educational Collaborative in Chelsea, CREST Collaborative in Andover, and LABBB Collaborative (Lexington, Arlington, Burlington, Bedford, Belmont, and Watertown) in Burlington.

Living Life to the Fullest

The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome, while initially very low, has over time gradually increased due to advances in medical science.

According to the Advocate Medical Group’s Adult Down Syndrome Center, people with Down syndrome in 2025 “are living longer and healthier than any other time in the past.” In 1900, the life expectancy of people with Down syndrome was only 9 years, but by 1984, life expectancy had increased to 28 years. And since then, the life expectancy of people with Down syndrome has increased to about 60 years in the United States.

A shorter lifespan only increases the stakes for individuals born with Down syndrome. With statistically less time to live, each day is more important than the last. Each moment really matters more.

Adam loves playing vintage video games like Centipede and Galaga, rolling ski balls, taking selfies, reading phonebooks and browsing through old Sears catalogues.

“Adam loves to dance,” said Heather. “He spins the girls around. Adam loves both blondes and brunettes. He loves to laugh.”

Adam also loves to sing in church. He loves to eat cookies and chips — maybe too much.

His father picks him up every Sunday morning for church. Two men, out on their own for the morning. They cruise around in a pickup truck, listening to old country music. They eat grilled cheese sandwiches and watch old westerns. They visit Heather for Sunday dinner.

Those who love Adam have learned the importance of giving him lots of choices — about a dozen boxes of cereal, or a half dozen flavors of ice cream. Choices and making regular decisions have helped to prepare Adam for life on his own.

Adam’s sister said she is grateful for every day she has had with her little brother. She is the core of his solid family unit. And for children who will eventually become adults with Down syndrome, a loving, patient and dedicated family can make all the difference.

The other key ingredient is a caring, competent service provider, and for Adam, SMEC has filled that role for decades.

“He didn’t fit one mold,” Heather said. “He needed an approach that was outside the cookie-cutter, outside the box. He found that here. SMEC has helped Adam live the life that our mother always wanted for him.”

In 2025, the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of special education with a series of feature stories that will help to tell the untold stories of collaboratives to help educate the public about what collaboratives do and how they have evolved to serve the needs of our most vulnerable students over the past five decades.

In 1975, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. Congress changed the name of the law to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in a 1990 reauthorization — and IDEA was again reauthorized in 2004.

MOEC is the professional organization representing the Commonwealth’s educational collaboratives. Massachusetts Collaboratives are a statewide network of educational service agencies that work together with school districts and schools to implement direct educational services and programs to students and adults, develop programs and services to enhance school districts’ operating efficiency, and provide high-quality professional development and technical assistance.

Adam Howland turned 50 in November 2024. He’s now the same age as special education and SMEC.

Adam, at right, lives in an apartment in Dartmouth with longtime roommate Michael Wnek, at left. The two, who both have Down syndrome, are cared for all day, every day, by three shifts of residential and community staff provided by the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative.

SMEC does not operate group homes. Instead, Adam lives in his own apartment with SMEC’s full-time support.

Adam Howland received all sorts of life skills training over the past 35 years from SMEC.

Adam Howland received all sorts of life skills training over the past 35 years from SMEC.

Resident Support Coordinator Wendy Coutinho, who has worked with Adam Howland for 16 years, and Program Director Sean Mitchell pose for a photo with Adam and his sister Heather Hooley at SMEC in Dartmouth.

Since he was born, Adam Howland’s family members — his father Dennis, late mother Elaine, and sister Heather — have been among his strongest advocates.

The Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC) welcomed jazz quartet Open Ears Open Hearts to their Dartmouth headquarters on Friday, April 25.

He left the show with his ears and heart wide open. Mission accomplished.

“I love the jazz,” he said, laughing and telling friends on the way out of the performance. “I really enjoyed the drums. I liked that jazz.”

Executive Director Catherine Cooper is excited to announce that the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC) welcomed jazz quartet Open Ears Open Hearts to their Dartmouth headquarters.

The four musicians played three mini-concerts for collaborative clients throughout the morning of Friday, April 25.

“The vast majority of our students and consumers love music,” Executive Director Cooper said as the second show was set to begin. “They find it very therapeutic and enjoyable. A lot of them love to sing and dance. We have aficionados of all sorts of genres here.”

Brian has become well known throughout the collaborative for his love of not only jazz, but also the late musician John Denver. Brian can often be heard belting out verses from Denver’s hit, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” throughout the SMEC hallways and activity rooms.

Friday’s jazz program was funded by a grant from the Dartmouth Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

The Open Ears Open Hearts quartet lineup included: Cameron R. Siegal, a full-time PreK–5 music teacher in the Dartmouth Public Schools system, on drums; tenor saxophonist John McKenna, a teacher in the Jazz Program at the University of Rhode Island; and acoustic and electric bassist John Lockwood, and guitarist Jim Robitaille, founder and director of the Performance Jam Session Series, and member of the Jazz Faculty at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

“We are very excited that they chose us to benefit from their talent,” Executive Director Cooper said. “We’re all very thankful for their visit.”

About SMEC

The Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative is a public education collaborative established in 1975. SMEC is an extension of 10 public school systems, which make up its membership. The present membership includes the Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, Rochester and Old Rochester Regional public school districts. SMEC accepts students for enrollment in its programs from school systems throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. The Collaborative’s programs and services are locally based and locally directed and are designed to supplement the special education resources of its member districts. SMEC offers a variety of services for students with special needs aged 3-21 as well as adults with developmental disabilities. To learn more about the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative, visit smecollaborative.org.

Brian Rodriguez, at left, bopped his head and clapped his hands hard throughout the quartet’s performance. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)

At the SMEC show, the Open Ears Open Hearts quartet lineup included, from left to right, drummer Cameron R. Siegal, bassist John Lockwood, guitarist Jim Robitaille and tenor saxophonist John McKenna. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)

The Open Ears Open Hearts quartet played three mini-concerts for collaborative clients throughout the morning of Friday, April 25. (Photo Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)

Friday’s jazz program was funded by a grant from the Dartmouth Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. (Graphic Courtesy Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative)

Elijah Whyte and Daniel McMahon were both students at the Pilgrim Academy, a Plymouth school operated by the Pilgrim Area Collaborative. Although both struggled with diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), they excelled and went on to earn diplomas. Now they’re both working at the Pilgrim Academy as Educational Support Professionals (ESPs).

They can really relate to the kids. After all, they were them, once upon a time.

As students initially diagnosed with Asperger’s, Elijah Whyte and Daniel McMahon did not always feel comfortable in conventional public school classrooms and hallways.

After struggling to thrive in their home school districts, Whyte and McMahon transferred to the Pilgrim Academy, a school operated by the Pilgrim Area Collaborative, where they excelled and earned their diplomas.

Today, they walk the halls of their alma mater as educators, not just former students. Now, every day, they work with students like Zachary Joseph Boyer, 16, of Whitman.

Zach, who also has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has grown to appreciate the empathy exhibited by Pilgrim Academy staffers like Whyte and McMahon.

Whyte and McMahon, both Education Support Professionals (ESPs), were uniquely qualified for their new roles at the school. At the collaborative, their autism diagnoses became assets. The two young staff members can often more easily connect with their current students, many of whom are working to overcome the same, shared obstacles.

“I don’t even consider my autism as a disability,” said Zach, a Pilgrim Academy sophomore. “My brain is just working in Windows, and everybody else is on MacOS. We all take in the same information; I just process it differently.”

Whyte and McMahon have minds that work on similar cerebral operating systems as Zach. They can relate to the potential sensory overload that can be triggered by a frenetic school classroom or hallway. They can appreciate the simple comforts — like a few moments of silence, or a quick walk.

The pair of educators recently told their stories as part of a series highlighted by the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives’ (MOEC) celebration of special education’s 50th anniversary.

“The positive outcomes at Pilgrim Area Collaborative reflect the growing understanding and commitment to supporting students with disabilities, a progress that has been made over the past 50 years under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),” said MOEC Executive Director Joanne Haley-Sullivan. “This progress reflects the vital work of collaboratives across the state in providing innovative and effective educational services to meet the diverse needs of students.”

Back Then
“Back then, in school, I often felt like my head started filling up,” Whyte recalled from his early educational experiences. “There were so many students, moving fast in the crowded halls. I’d get very sensitive — too sensitive. The hallways were always crammed with people; there was a constant flow. I’d get uncomfortable in my clothing. It was just too much to handle. Eventually, I just stopped going to school.”

Besides autism, Whyte, a Plympton native who is now 19 years old, also struggles with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He had stopped going to school before his family discovered the Pilgrim Academy (the Pilgrim Area Collaborative’s small, structured, therapeutic school for students in grades 5-12 experiencing significant social, emotional and/or behavioral difficulties in Plymouth).

“Once I got here, I kept coming,” Whyte said.

The smaller class sizes helped to relieve the onsets of academic discomfort. The close attention he received from faculty and staff helped him absorb lessons and learn on-pace with his classmates. Whyte earned his high school diploma in 2023. Now he’s helping young students strive for the same success.

McMahon hails from Kingston. He’s now 25 years old and graduated from the Pilgrim Area Collaborative in 2017. He went on to higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Wheaton College.

Besides Asperger’s, McMahon also struggles with ADHD, as well as bipolar disorder.

“I’d find myself in the middle of a lesson on long division, unable to focus for an extended period of time,” McMahon recalled. “The other kids were getting it, but I wasn’t.”

Back in 2010, he arrived at the Pilgrim Academy.

Full Circle

“Pilgrim Area Collaborative has embraced inclusive practices that promote the academic and social success of all students, showcasing the ongoing evolution of specialized education,” said MOEC Executive Director Haley-Sullivan. “This shift highlights the increasing recognition of the importance of tailored educational opportunities, ensuring that students with disabilities have access to quality learning environments that foster their full potential. Elijah Whyte and Daniel McMahon exemplify this.”

Whyte and McMahon recently sat for an interview, accompanied by Pilgrim Area Collaborative Executive Director Dr. Dympna M. Thomas, to discuss how their paths led them to the point they’re at now.

Executive Director Dr. Thomas says that the small class sizes and level of support they are able to provide make it feel like they’re all a part of a family.

Around 40 students are enrolled in the Pilgrim Academy’s ASD program, run by about 25 staff members. The collaborative as a whole has about 120 total students with 100 staff, not including home services staff.

That family feeling made a deep impression on McMahon.

“To have a community that is like me — that meant a lot,” McMahon said. “To be around other neurodivergent people, that sense of community, it mattered.”

The Pilgrim Academy’s self-stated goal of placement is to assist students in re establishing and maintaining typical adolescent responsibilities such as consistent school attendance, appropriate emotional regulation, effective interpersonal skills and consistent completion of schoolwork.

The school has programs designed for students with a primary diagnosis of high functioning autism spectrum disorder, non-verbal learning disability, and/or executive functioning difficulties. It focuses on providing students with an opportunity for psychological, academic, and personal growth.

After graduating, both Whyte and McMahon returned to the school to work as full time education support professionals (ESPs).
“Watching these two with kids is just amazing because they relate so much with the students,” Executive Director Dr. Thomas said.

“It is so easy to see yourself in these kids,” McMahon said.

“You two are like the cool older kids,” Dr. Thomas said to Whyte and McMahon. “The kids connect with you in ways they could never connect with others.”

Their Return

“I’ve learned to encourage their little quirky behaviors,” McMahon said. “That’s what makes me special. That’s what makes us special.”

Zach, the Pilgrim Academy sophomore was joined by fellow student, Jack Ruben Anzora, 14, of Plymouth. The pair developed a friendship playing Fortnite online and have bonded in the classroom. They both said they appreciate staffers like McMahon and Whyte, who seem to understand their daily struggles.

Whyte said he sees himself in the pupils he works with every day.

“I had a lot of the same struggles,” Whyte said. “I had freakouts regularly. I would squeeze my pencil until it broke. Or I’d scratch at my neck; I’d scratch and scratch. I couldn’t help it. But then things started getting better.”

Zach had similar struggles with anger and acting out. As a younger Pilgrim Academy student, he would often bang his head against the wall repeatedly, risking injury but unable to stop. He eventually learned therapeutic techniques that helped him rationalize and eventually end the destructive behavior.

“Now I know that banging my head against the wall could lead to brain damage,” Zach said, standing to stretch and work his legs. “Now I’ve been here almost five years. I don’t bang my head against walls anymore.”

McMahon is proud he can now help those whom he calls his “fellow neurodivergent.”

“I just let them know that they are not alone in their struggle,” he said.

For Dr. Thomas, the addition of two former students to the staff personifies the special education success story.

“There’s nothing more satisfying than watching your students grow and return,” Dr. Thomas said. “We’ve come full circle. I’m so proud of them both.”

In 2025, the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of special education with a series of feature stories that will help to tell the untold stories of collaboratives to help educate the public about what collaboratives do and how they have evolved to serve the needs of our most vulnerable students over the past five decades.

In 1975, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. Congress changed the name of the law to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in a 1990 reauthorization — and IDEA was again reauthorized in 2004.

MOEC is the professional organization representing the Commonwealth’s educational collaboratives. Massachusetts Collaboratives are a statewide network of educational service agencies that work together with school districts and schools to implement direct educational services and programs to students and adults, develop programs and services to enhance school districts’ operating efficiency, and provide high-quality professional development and technical assistance.

Elijah Whyte and Daniel McMahon were both students at the Pilgrim Academy, a Plymouth school operated by the Pilgrim Area Collaborative. Although both struggled with diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), they excelled and went on to earn diplomas. Now they’re both working at the Pilgrim Academy as Educational Support Professionals (ESPs). They posed for a photo with Pilgrim Area Collaborative Executive Director Dympna M. Thomas.

Elijah Whyte and Daniel McMahon were both students at the Pilgrim Academy, a Plymouth school operated by the Pilgrim Area Collaborative. Although both struggled with diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), they excelled and went on to earn diplomas. Now they’re both working at the Pilgrim Academy as Educational Support Professionals (ESPs).

Pilgrim Academy sophomore Zachary Joseph Boyer, 16, of Whitman, who has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), loves to draw and paint. He has a penchant for superheroes, and he has learned to use art to express himself.

Pilgrim Academy freshman Jack Ruben Anzora, 14, of Plymouth, recently helped the school launch its first podcast.

North River Collaborative Head Custodian Chris Poh stands in a classroom at the Rockland-based school. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives)

In 2007, Bridgewater eighth grader Chris Poh, 14, was caught bringing a knife to school.

His subsequent discipline and removal from school could have put his educational success and prospects in serious jeopardy.

However, through what he learned at the North River Collaborative (NRC) in the years following, the incident launched a new beginning and provided him with the vital tools he has used throughout his life to control the temper and anger issues he has dealt with since he was young.

“I was angry all the time,” Poh, now 33 recalled during a recent interview at the school. “Constant outbursts and temper tantrums, you know, childish stuff.”

While trying to fit in at his old school, one day he brought a rusted antique World War II-era folding knife to school. He had no plans to use it. He didn’t threaten anyone. But he did show it off to other students and it was quickly reported to school officials.

The knife discovery wasn’t his first disciplinary scrape. He had been acting out, throwing tantrums, having difficulty with executive functioning and being unable to control a burning rage he felt building inside.

As a result, Poh was enrolled at the Rockland-based North River School, a program run by the North River Collaborative, which specializes in helping students with behavioral issues.

Fourteen years after graduating from the NRC, Poh is now the head custodian of his alma mater, a job he is truly proud of and passionate about. Every day he gets to maintain and care for the school that gave so much to him at such a crucial crossroad in his young life.

A History of Helping

The North River Collaborative is a multi-purpose educational organization formed in 1976 to serve as an extension of local school districts in southeastern Massachusetts. The school uses an embedded therapeutic approach throughout the day to help students proactively and reactively process academic, social and behavioral situations.

Students are given alternative strategies to utilize rather than engaging in behaviors that would impact their learning or future success. The school has a staff-to-student ratio overall of about 1:2, which allows for vital individualized clinical and academic support for students.

“Students who attend our school have mental health challenges that have prevented them from being able to access education in their mainstream public school setting,” said NRC Executive Director Paul Tzovolos. “Most of our students have average to high average cognitive and academic skills but may have developed gaps in their education due to periods of crisis or absence from school. Many of our students are also involved with state agencies such as the Department of Children and Families or the Department of Mental Health or have experienced hospitalizations due to mental health crises.”

The school’s primary goal is to assist students in developing behavioral, social-emotional and academic skills, with the eventual aim of returning to their hometown school districts. Students receive academic credits toward graduation from their home school districts by completing the North River School’s course of studies.

The NRC serves 12 towns including two regional school districts in Plymouth County — Abington, Avon, Bridgewater-Raynham Regional, East Bridgewater, Hanover, Holbrook, Rockland, Stoughton, West Bridgewater and Whitman-Hanson Regional.

Instead of Punishment, Parkour

During the normal course of a school day, if a student acts out, rather than traditional disciplinary measures, school staff may offer an alternative like hands-on activities and athletics to divert attention and focus their energy.

The school also offers a unique classroom known as the innovation laboratory, where students can use screen printing to design posters or clothing, engage in Lego and robotic-type activities and operate 3D printers.

“We offer several digital creative outlets. The innovation lab is our purest exploratory space for our students — it’s a great outlet for students,” Executive Director Tzovolos said. “We also definitely use sports — especially basketball. I’ve been known to mix it up a bit on the court.”

While team sports didn’t interest Poh, school staff encouraged his passion for parkour, an emerging sport in which practitioners jump, climb and balance their way from one obstacle to another in the fastest and most efficient way possible, relying solely on one’s strength and personal athleticism.

“I did a lot of parkour at North River,” Poh said. “It was a good outlet for me. And the school helped me pursue it. My relationship with them was so good that they would let me practice in the gym. That was one of my primary outlets.”

Relationship-Driven Education

Above all else, Poh valued the close relationship he forged with his counselor Matt Morse.

“He and I developed a pretty good relationship. Whenever I felt like I needed to leave class, he would let me stay in his office. He could relate to me on the ground level, and he offered a lot of applicable wisdom. If taken properly, that can really put a kid on a trajectory for success,” Poh said. “They really do bring in people who care about the kids. I felt like all the people working here had a real genuine nature. I felt that every day I went to school.”

Executive Director Tzovolos credits the North River School’s tirelessly committed staff and overall therapeutic milieu for success stories like Poh’s. The school also aims to help students develop a vision for themselves in the future.

“We let them know they do have a chance at a productive and successful lifestyle after they graduate,” he said. “We work to get them out into the community to do some vocational exploration. Sometimes our students get linked up with local tradespeople who can provide guidance about potential career opportunities.”

Poh participated in as many hands-on programs as he could while at North River, including the culinary program, the small engine program and the graphic arts program.

Locking Up at Night

After he graduated from the North River School in 2011, Poh went on to join the U.S. Army National Guard. He served for several years, eventually earning the rank of E-4 Specialist.

Following his discharge from the Guard, he returned to the NRC as an assistant custodian where he learned under longtime head custodian George Terrill, who recently passed away after an extended illness.

The loss of his mentor weighed heavily on Poh. But thanks to the skills he has developed, he has been able to keep things in perspective and carry on Terrill’s legacy at the school as the head custodian.

“I still struggle with a set of issues that are just part of my character,” Poh said. “But now I’ve learned to control the emotions that I feel. I’m more than the emotions I feel. I’m more than the doubt that I feel. The educators here helped me find a wedge that I can use to separate my feelings from my actions.”

Poh is convinced he was destined for tragedy had he not found the North River School.

“Sometimes it still blows my mind,” Poh said. “I was just a little student here and now, I’m locking the building up at night. I’m so grateful to this school and its staff for all the relationships I’ve built. I truly feel that God placed North River in front of me as an option. This was not my last chance, but it was my best chance.”

Celebrating 50 Years of Special Education

In 2025, the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of special education with a series of feature stories that will help to tell the untold stories of collaboratives to help educate the public about what collaboratives do and how they have evolved to serve the needs of our most vulnerable students over the past five decades.

In 1975, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. Congress changed the name of the law to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in a 1990 reauthorization — and IDEA was again reauthorized in 2004.

MOEC is the professional organization representing the Commonwealth’s educational collaboratives. Massachusetts Collaboratives are a statewide network of educational service agencies that work together with school districts and schools to implement direct educational services and programs to students and adults, develop programs and services to enhance school districts’ operating efficiency, and provide high-quality professional development and technical assistance.

Chris Poh, left, and North River Collaborative Executive Director Paul Tzovolos recently discussed the programs offered at the school that helped him turn his life around. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives)

After graduating from the North River School, Chris Poh served in the U.S. Army National, eventually earning the rank of E-4 Specialist. This photo was taken in July 2014 at Hilton Field, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives)

Chris Poh graduated from the North River School in 2011. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives)

On Friday, Feb. 14, MPY Executive Director Daniels presented Emme, 10, of Dartmouth, with a certificate of award for her winning poster design, which was titled, “Blooming in our Community.” Emme was also given an Amazon gift card, meant to help her purchase art supplies. The award presentation, followed by group photos, cake and refreshments, was held at Albert F. Ford Middle School in Achushnet, where the SMEC program is housed.

Emme’s winning poster features a drawing of three flowers, with five flower petals floating in the air above them, bearing words like “kindness,” “helping,” and “caring.”

This year, participating students were challenged to create a poster featuring the theme, “CommUNITY — Together We Can Achieve Greatness!”

A total of 145 entries were submitted to this year’s project from 22 schools across the state that belong to MPY. Eight students from Emme’s class created and submitted a poster design.

“Thank you so much to everyone for participating,” said MPY Executive Director Margie Daniels. “The judges absolutely love the message of ‘Blooming in our Community.’ And aside from the beautiful flowers that you drew, we loved the words that you used: ‘caring,’ ‘helping,’ ‘kindness,’ and ‘respecting.’”

MPY has run the statewide poster project since 2009 as a way to engage students on important topics and to make their voices heard. The project is open to all high school, middle school and elementary students from MPY member districts. Project winners are chosen by a panel of students, educators, law enforcement representatives and MPY staff.

This marks the second year in a row that a student from this ALC 1 SMEC program was named a winner in MPY’s statewide art project. SMEC eighth grader Alan Campos-Gonzalez was named winner of the middle school division for the MPY 2023-24 Poster Project.

“You’re becoming a dynasty!” said Executive Director Daniels.

ALC 1 stands for Alternative Learning Classroom I, which is SMEC’s middle school program, serving students in grades 5 through 8 with social/emotional and behavioral disabilities. A total of eight students from the class participated in the project.

Acushnet Police comfort dog Sunny also attended the statewide poster contest celebration. The large standard poodle was brought there by its trainer, School Resource Officer Derek Cathcart.

Jessie McKenna, Emme’s mother, who also attended the celebration, credited SMEC and MPY with giving her daughter valuable opportunities like this to learn, grow and create.

“I’m just so proud of my daughter, and I’m just so grateful for programs like this and for her to have an outlet for her creativity,” McKenna said.

School Adjustment Counselor William Sylvia said the art project provided an important chance for students to reflect on the community values, to think about what makes them important and to talk about what that looks like.

“We’re really excited about all of the hard work that everyone did on this year’s poster project, related to community and what we value about community,” Mr. Sylvia said. “And our hard work paid off because every one of these can be considered winners.”

As part of the project, before they got down to sketching, drawing and painting, students in two social skills groups with Mr. Sylvia discussed the topic of community heroes. And they brainstormed ways to foster unity in their communities.

“We actually visualized what being part of a community is about,” Mr. Sylvia said. “Part of that process involved talking about our own community heroes. So we heard about how Mr. Beast is a community hero and Kai Cenat, right? We also heard about some of our own family and friends.”

During their brainstorming activities, the ALC 1 students wrote more than 250 ideas onto multicolored index cards, each containing ways people can help their family, friends, strangers, the environment and animals.

After that, they worked during Ms. Nicole Winning’s art class at SMEC to translate those ideas into creative poster designs. Ms. Winning emphasized simplicity when offering instruction on how to accomplish this, encouraging the students to incorporate no more than three major elements into their design and its message.

“When we’re designing a poster, we always talk about how less is more, and how we can’t put everything down on paper,” Ms. Winning said, “but we put just enough that we start to grab the viewers’ attention.”

In addition to the poster project, MPY is running a public service announcement project, encouraging students to film a 30- to 60-second video about the same subject of community, what it means and how to make a positive impact. The deadline for PSA submissions is Friday, April 25, 2025.

“As part of the MPY 2024–25 Poster & Public Service Announcement Project, we are trying to spark important conversations inside of the classroom about the importance of community, and the ways it is strengthened by different forms of unity,” said MPY Executive Director Daniels. “This is a great chance each year for our students to showcase their talents. We are thrilled to present Emme with this award and to recognize the efforts of SMEC students and staff who have participated.”

To learn more about the MPY 2024–25 Poster Project Award, click here.

About the Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc.
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides training, fosters collaboration, and develops programming to increase the health and safety of students. MPY is committed to bringing cutting-edge information and high-quality trainings to constituents and endeavors to provide solution-oriented, community-based, multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing and ideally eliminating risky behaviors for youth. Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth is governed by a Board of Directors made up of school superintendents, police and fire chiefs, and other community leaders who work closely with MPY staff to deliver this mission.

About SMEC
The Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative is a public education collaborative established in 1975. SMEC is an extension of 10 public school systems, which make up its membership. The present membership includes the Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, Rochester and Old Rochester Regional public school districts. SMEC accepts students for enrollment in its programs from school systems throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. The Collaborative’s programs and services are locally based and locally directed and are designed to supplement the special education resources of its member districts. SMEC offers a variety of services for students with special needs aged 3-21 as well as adults with developmental disabilities. To learn more about the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative, visit their website.