Latham Centers in Brewster, MA is a special kind of place for a special type of student. Located on Cape Cod, Latham Centers offers innovative treatment and support services for two, very distinct groups of individuals ages 8-22. The first group is developmentally and/or educationally delayed, often on the spectrum lacking clear social boundaries and/or with Reactive Attachment Disorders or other clinical diagnoses. The second group is children and adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome, a rare, genetic disorder in which seven genes (or some subset thereof) on Chromosome 15 are deleted or unexpressed on the paternal chromosome.

We arrived on a beautiful afternoon in late June. The campus was peaceful and yet there were many cars in the parking lot, indicating there were many people on campus. We later learned that several of the students require one-on-one staffing, though most have a 3/1 student/staff ratio, especially when they are in school.

We parked our car and walked around a building toward a center yard. A man was setting up pavilion in the center yard preparing for an outdoor event of some type and directed us toward the office. We continued walking along a path that led around another building and ended up at the school office. The door was locked with a doorbell, so we rang the bell and waited. A buzzer went and the door unlocked to let us enter the school. We were quickly met by Pam Nolan, Director of Children's Services. Together with Rachel Dewees in Admissions and Gerry Pouliot, Vice Principal of the school, we walked over to the lunch room to grab a bite to eat.

As we finished our lunch, several kids came in to start their class, an expressive arts class. They were working on musical instruments and learning about differences in tones and sounds. Some were nervous at the change in their schedule with visitors that they weren't expecting, while others were actively talkative with us.

Pam explained that at Latham Center, they have to lock up all the food related items due to their students with PWS. PWS causes the person to continuously eat without ever feeling full. In addition, they have very poor muscle tone. As a result, when they first come, they are often very overweight and lethargic. Latham Centers puts each student on a special diet plan to control their intake and allows them to return to a more appropriate weight.

After lunch we headed outside where a class was working on physical activities and another was taking a recess on the colorful playground. We observed many different ways the staff work with the students, all of which felt loving and compassionate. We watched play therapy for a bit and then headed over to the school to see the classrooms.

Students at Latham Centers often struggle with attention issues as well as learning differences. Curriculum includes the four core classes of Reading and Literature, Math, Science and History, plus Physical Education, Arts and Music and Library and Computer skills. Students often have sensory tools at their desks to help them focus, and several classes have an attached room where students can remove themselves from class to refocus and at the same time, they are still connected to the class to continue class from there if they need to. Because classes are 1 staff to 2-3 students, teachers are able to help the students truly understand what they are learning.

After the school, we worked our way over to the dorms. We entered the dorms in the girl's wing, which started in a common area, then through a doorway and down the hall. There were rooms on each side. Most of the students at Latham Centers have their own room and each room was decorated to the style of its inhabitant. Latham offers award ceremonies often, and the kids were proud to incorporate their awards into their decorations. At the center of the building was an attendant station where someone is always available for the students. Then we took a turn and headed down the second hall, which belongs to the boys at the Center. The rooms were noticeably very tidy.

After we left the dorms, there was a little time for us to hang around in the center yard while students waited for a "dog show" that was being performed by one of the students. While we waited, one of the soon-to-be graduates came up to talk with us. She was proud of the program and had truly connected with the staff. She smiled and joked with them as she talked with us about how good Latham Center was for her. She tried to think of something she perceived as not so good, and the only thing she could think of was about another girl who was presently having an autistic episode and the fact that when that happened, she just looked away to the nice things on campus, like her friend who loved basketball. It was an effective way for her to deal with what she perceived as awkwardness. While we waited, Susan LaPlant, Director of Admissions, met with us to address any questions we may have.

The dog show went off without a hitch. After it was over, we learned that the girl who did the show had been one who would not communicate with anyone. She was painfully shy, but she connected with the dogs in a way she had never been able to connect with people. The dogs truly helped her come out of her shell, allowing her to begin connecting with people too. This girl volunteered at the local pet shelter as a vocational training part of her academic program.

The primary facilities are located on a campus in Brewster, with independent living and group homes for our adult programs also located in Brewster and other towns on Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts. We left the main campus and Pam and Susan drove us over to one of the young adult group homes. For being in the populated area of Brewster, it sure felt peaceful and away from the population. This location will eventually house the donkey program and allow the kids to work with donkeys and goats. It felt warm and inviting for the young adults who live there.

If there is one thing that people should know about Latham Centers in Brewster, MA, it would be that to truly understand the compassion the staff has for the students and the successes of the program, one really needs to visit and experience the program in person. After a great visit with Latham Centers, we decided it was time to head on down the road. We said our goodbyes, got in the car and drove away, feeling very satisfied that Latham Centers does wonders for their students.