Latham Gets It
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood! And all of a sudden I have a memory flash of Mr. Rogers walking through his front door. Boy, I haven’t reminisced about that wonderful PBS show in a long time! Now, back to my original thought—it is gorgeous, if just a tad bit chilly outside. My toes continue to be exposed in flip-flops because I am stubborn and set a date rather than a temperature to move to more weather appropriate shoe choices. I have a very warm office being near the copy machine and while it is annoyingly hot most of the year, I appreciate it today.
As many of you know, I’ve been on the road lately and it was wonderful chatting with people about Latham School and Gilbough, our adult program for individuals with Prader-Willi Syndrome. I am proud of the work being done by our dedicated professionals and always happy to meet families and share information. They often ask, “What does Latham do?” I love talking about Latham and I try in a very short period of time, to give an overview of our programs. Often, I look at the parent and usually end with “Latham gets it.” And we do. Three conferences later and I am heading back to Cape Cod.
It is good to be home and it is good to be back on campus. I like it here. My oasis is not for everyone and at times, it can be loud. I would be more concerned of a quiet place that is “home away from home” for 45 students! Amongst the noise I can identify the sounds of laughter, excitement, learning, sportsmanship, friendship. I can also hear sadness, frustration, panic and anger. What I find remarkable as I work in my office upstairs away from the day to day activities of kids, is the comforting sounds of staff. Respectful and caring, but firm, giving support and structure to those whose coping skills challenge them in school, with friends, with emotions and with stress. We help them navigate and find their place in the world, giving them the tools they will need to succeed and thrive. I think to myself as I listen, this is what I want families to know about Latham and why Latham gets it.
Submitted by:
Chris Gallant