BALTIMORE, Oct. 1, 2026—Kennedy Krieger School: Powder Mill Campus celebrated the opening of its functional living skills classroom with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 30. The apartment-style classroom provides students with autism and developmental disabilities with hands-on learning to develop the skills needed for greater independence and success in adulthood.
The classroom gives students a dedicated place to practice everyday living skills in a realistic setting. Designed to resemble a fully furnished apartment, the classroom includes a kitchen, bathroom area, bedroom furnishings, and other common household features. Students can practice tasks such as cooking, cleaning, household organization, and self-care routines with support from school staff.
"It is important for us to have this new space that can accommodate the different needs and goals of our students," said Terry Scott, director of education at the Powder Mill Campus. "It allows students to practice life skills as if they were living on their own and develop the confidence to be as independent as they can be."
For many individuals with developmental disabilities, achieving independence requires personalized instruction and additional practice. This space supports these efforts by integrating training into students' educational programming. It is primarily used by students ages 14 to 21 who are participating in transition planning and preparing to graduate.
“The goal is not only to teach essential skills but also to create learning opportunities that motivate students and make them excited to participate,” said Scott.
The project was made possible through generous support from Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Mary and Daniel Loughran Foundation, the Syla Foundation, and Covenant Guild, Inc.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony also commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Powder Mill Campus, which has provided specialized educational services and support to students in Montgomery County since 2007.
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نبذة عن معهد Kennedy Krieger:
يُعد معهد Kennedy Krieger منظمة غير ربحية معروفة دوليًا، يقع في منطقة بالتيمور/واشنطن الكبرى، ويُحدث أثرًا في حياة ما يقرب من 30,000 شخص سنويًا من خلال خدماته الطبية للمرضى الداخليين والخارجيين، وخدمات الصحة السلوكية والعافية، والخدمات المنزلية والمجتمعية، والبرامج المدرسية، وتدريب المهنيين، وأنشطة المناصرة. ويقدم معهد Kennedy Krieger مجموعة واسعة من الخدمات للأطفال والمراهقين والبالغين الذين يعانون من أمراض أو اضطرابات أو إصابات تؤثر على النظام العصبي وتتنوع شدتها من المتوسط إلى الحاد. ويترأس المعهد فريقًا من الباحثين الذين يساهمون في فهم نشوء الاضطرابات مع استحداث أساليب تدخل جديدة وطرق تشخيص ووقاية وعلاج مبكرة. تفضل بزيارة موقع KennedyKrieger.org للمزيد من المعلومات حول معهد Kennedy Krieger.
