Gains deeper understanding of issues facing children with autism and the education solutions to help transform their lives
Southborough, MA, September 5, 2019. The New England Center for Children® (NECC®), a global leader in education and research for children with autism, announced that Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito visited the school today to observe NECC’s transformative teaching, research and technology for children with autism. Lt. Governor Polito and the Baker Administration are strong supporters of special education and this visit strengthened their awareness and engagement with autism education.
“The New England Center for Children is a great example of how research-based teaching techniques and technology can positively impact the lives of children with autism and their families,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Special education remains a priority for the Baker-Polito Administration and together with NECC’s dedicated teachers, we strive to empower every Massachusetts student to learn and grow.”
“All of us at NECC are proud and honored to have Lt. Governor Polito visit and gain a deeper understanding of the issues facing children with autism,” said Catherine Welch, Executive Director of NECC. “The teaching methods, research, and professional development that NECC does here and in our Massachusetts partner schools is transforming the lives of children with autism.”
Lt. Governor Polito was interested to learn about NECC’s graduate-level teacher training program which educates tomorrow’s teachers in best practices that will benefit students in Massachusetts classrooms and beyond. NECC also partners with public schools in Massachusetts to provide classrooms that apply behavioral principles that mirror the structure and support often found only in private school settings as well as consultants who work with public schools to design effective solutions to improve student progress and increase independence.
The Baker-Polito Administration is dedicated to special education and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers “A Parent’s Guide to Selecting a Special Education Advocate in Massachusetts,” developed to assist parents in choosing an advocate in the Special Education process when needed. The guide is available at https://fcsn.org/parents-guide.
Lt. Governor Polito was sworn in for a second term as the 72nd Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on January 3, 2019, after a first term focused on moving Massachusetts forward through bipartisan, results-driven leadership.
Since taking office with Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Polito has visited and partnered with leadership in all 351 of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns, developing close relationships with mayors, town administrators, and other municipal officials and building on a fundamental belief and understanding that the Commonwealth’s success is driven by the strength of its diverse expanse of people and places.
Lt. Governor Polito began her public service in local government, serving as a member of the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen, and in 2001 was elected state representative, representing the residents of the 11th Worcester District (Shrewsbury and Westborough) for five terms. Lt. Governor Polito is a graduate of Worcester’s Holy Name Central Catholic High School, Boston College and the New England School of Law. She is a lifelong resident of Shrewsbury where she owns and operates a commercial real estate development firm and lives with her husband, Stephan M. Rodolakis, and their two children.
About The New England Center for Children
The New England Center for Children® (NECC®) is an award-winning autism education center and research institute. Our community of teachers, researchers, and clinicians have transformed the lives of thousands of children with autism worldwide through education, research, and technology. The Center provides comprehensive services to maximize independence: home-based, day, and residential programs, partner classrooms in public school systems, consulting services, the ACE® ABA Software System (http://www.acenecc.org), teacher professional development, and research on educational best practices.
NECC is committed to staff professional development, partnering with local colleges to provide on-site graduate training and degrees at little to no cost to the NECC teacher. The result is a growing pool of exceptional teachers trained in best-in-class methodologies, whether they continue their careers at NECC or move on to public schools or private agencies. The New England Center for Children is based in Southborough, MA, and operates a center in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Learn more at https://www.necc.org.