Social Seven

While we focus our community on resources during the COVID-19 situation, please enjoy our new series; Social Seven – A Week Full of Ideas and Inspiration!

Meditation Monday

Our first ongoing series, where we will provide ideas to bring some serenity into your week, with the people who make Springbrook great in mind! We hope these tips and exercises will provide a little calm while staff members and program participants make the best of the coming weeks, and that our online community can benefit too.

A Sense of Calm – Meditation Monday

This Meditation Monday, we'd like to share a way that we like to relax here at Springbrook: participating in sensory activities! Whether it's playing music to exercise our singing and rhythm keeping, or practicing a fun sensory shoebox puzzle, exploring our senses is...

Spend Time With Your Pet – Meditation Monday

This Meditation Monday, we're talking about those fuzzy, furry, feathery, finny friends in your house - your pets! Having a pet may help reduce stress and improve your mood. Interacting with pets may help release oxytocin, a brain chemical that promotes a positive...

Miles and Miles of Springbrook Smiles – Meditation Monday

There's no denying the feel-good power of a smile. Smiling not only offers a mood boost, but also releases endorphins that reduce stress, increase our endurance, and strengthen our immune systems. This #MeditationMonday, let's take a look at some of the beautiful...

Let’s Dance – Meditation Monday

Let's DANCE! At Springbrook, we love to show off our moves and get down to the music. Dancing is a great way to destress, so this #MeditationMonday, put on some of your favorite tunes and get groovy!

What’s Cookin’? – Meditation Monday

At Springbrook, we find cooking or baking is a wonderful way to unwind and focus your mind on something both constructive and delicious. Whether sweet or savory, on this #MeditationMonday, find something yummy to make. Here are some photos of us cooking our favorite...

Memorial Day – Meditation Monday

Today we celebrate Memorial Day, observed to commemorate the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday originated in the years following the Civil War, which ended in 1865, and claimed more lives than...

Gardening – Meditation Monday

Gardening is a powerful way to practice mindfulness and meditation. Having to care for plants is a good way to learn to look after and respect other living things, and it helps to develop our appreciation of the magic of nature. It doesn't matter if we're seven or...

Take A Look Tuesday

Our next ongoing series, where we will share some of our favorite photos of moments large and small from the past few years. We are thrilled to share with students, residents, families, and staff some happy memories from around our many programs. The world has changed; it does not mean that our community is gone. We hope that these memories will give you a reason to smile!

Take a Look Tuesday – Positive 2020 Reflections

This Take a Look Tuesday, as January draws to a close, we are taking a moment to reflect back on 2020. We are grateful for all that we have, particularly in the hardest times. The Springbrook Community is made up of kind, thoughtful, compassionate, and dedicated...

Braving The Cold In Style – Take a Look Tuesday

This Take a Look Tuesday we want to know if you have ever seen a sled quite this?! It sure looks like these students (and staff!) from The School at Springbrook had an awesome time last week braving the cold in style!

Patty Rocks the Vaccine – Take A Look Tuesday

On this Take a Look Tuesday we wanted to share a short video of Patty—a resident of The Pines—doing her part to protect herself and the people around her from COVID-19. When asked how she felt a few days later, Patty told staff that she was “Feeling well”. Way to go,...

Classroom Christmas Cookies – Take A Look Tuesday

On this Take a Look Tuesday, we wanted to share a bit more holiday happiness! Just before the holiday break, students from Athena Frost’s classroom set to work and decorated the Christmas cookies from their Freestyle Confections decorating kits. Each Springbrook...

Ford Ave in the Decorative Spirit – Take a Look Tuesday

For this Take a Look Tuesday we wanted to show you how the men and women of Ford Ave choose to decorate their home for the most wonderful time of the year! Between the lights, the inflatable decorations, and the 4 foot nutcracker on the front lawn, it is clear to see...

Community Homes Art Projects – Take A Look Tuesday

For this Take a Look Tuesday we wanted to share some of the amazing art projects that the talented men and women of our Community Homes program have been creating. From garden steps to wreaths made from recycled materials, the creativity of these individuals is truly...

Patty Gets Comfy – Take A Look Tuesday

For this Take a Look Tuesday we wanted to share how Patty, one of the ladies who lives at The Pines, is preparing for the cold weather ahead. Back at the end of September Patty decided that it was time for some online retail therapy (courtesy of Amazon)! She purchased...

Wellness Wednesday

Our new Wednesday weekly feature is here to keep residents, students, families, and staff happy and healthy while we all are practicing social distancing. These tips, tricks, and tidbits come from Springbrook Therapy and educational staff, along with a few other trusted resources.

COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar – Wellness Wednesday

Care Coordination Organization, Southern Tier Connect, a Springbrook subsidiary, is hosting a special webinar on Tues Jan 26 from 3-4p to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with two local health professionals. It will be an educational discussion in light of all the...

COVID-19 Vaccine – Wellness Wednesday

This Wellness Wednesday, we wanted to share that New York State released further guidelines regarding eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine. Please visit the below link to find out if you’re eligible, and if you are to schedule an appointment to get vaccinated. It is...

Title Card for SBS videos with Jon Philby

Yoga – Wellness Wednesday

One of the best workouts to achieve both body and mind balance is yoga. While great for strength, flexibility, and stamina, yoga also serves as a source of inner relaxation, with an emphasis on breathing techniques. Take some time out of your day this Wellness...

Full Body – Wellness Wednesday

If you don’t have enough time for several days of exercise a week, it’s important to choose a workout that works your full body. This ensures that all your muscles are worked evenly and that no muscle group is left out. Physical Education teacher and Co-Coordinator...

Balance – Wellness Wednesday

Motion of any form requires balance. It is important to work on your balance to ensure the healthy and proper movement of the body. This is why training fundamentals are so beneficial. Physical Education teacher and Co-Coordinator for the Springbrook Scorpions...

Lower Body – Wellness Wednesday

While the weather is beautiful out, be sure to add some additional lower body exercise to your workout routine. Physical Education teacher and Co-Coordinator for the Springbrook Scorpions Jonathan Philby shares with us an exercise program designed to work out the...

Springbrook Strong – HIIT

Healthy exercise comes in many forms. If a particular exercise isn’t enjoyable to you, be sure to give others a try to figure out what best works for you. Physical Education teacher and Co-Coordinator for the Springbrook Scorpions Jonathan Philby shares with us an...

Thinking Thursday

This series of posts are about how we are continuing to learn and discover during the current situation. For example, The School at Springbrook has created fun new ways to deliver educational programming in campus residential houses. Teachers, Therapists, and Direct Support Staff are working together to make sure that students maintain the the skills they have developed while a traditional class environment is unavailable. We are proud of the adaptability of these inventive professionals to provide support, and every Thinking Thursday we will share a way that our amazing team of educators is doing just that!

Back in the Classroom – Thinking Thursday

On this Thinking Thursday we thought it would be appropriate to share that we welcomed day students back to The School at Springbrook on Wednesday, July 8th! With all necessary safeguards in place, day students like Finn can finally reconnect with his Teachers and...

Bee Springbrook – Thinking Thursday

This Thinking Thursday we are reflecting on our academic year at The School at Springbrook. We are proud of the progress and choices that students made before and after moving to in-home instruction, and we know that this video reflects the attitude and spirit of The...

Zoom Meeting with Jessica Elliot's Class 6/3/2020

Learning from Home – Thinking Thursday

On this Thinking Thursday we wanted to show you how many of the teachers, therapists, and students of The School at Springbrook are continuing to teach and learn while instruction is being delivered in the homes. The remote classroom presents different challenges to...

Staying In Touch – Thinking Thursday

On this Thinking Thursday we thought we would remind you to keep in touch with your friends and family during these frustrating times of social distancing and isolation. When was the last time you called your best friend? Why not take a few minutes, sit down, and make...

Staying Informed – Thinking Thursday

For this Thinking Thursday we wanted to share how Powell—one of the residents at Oak and Elm—keeps engaged and focused! Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of talking to Powell knows that he likes to be informed. While he certainly enjoys watching the news on...

Students Learning at Scriven House May 2020

Teaching and Learning at Home – Thinking Thursday

Happy Thinking Thursday! Today we wanted to share some practical ways that the students of Scriven House are keeping their minds razor-sharp! Whether practicing important skills like reading, measuring, and waiting in the kitchen, or developing other important skills...

Learning Through Play – Thinking Thursday

For this Thinking Thursday we wanted to say thank you to the teachers and therapists who have gone above and beyond to ensure that the people they support not only continue to learn, but also have fun doing so. Alyssa Hall—Speech Pathologist in The School at...

Fun Art Friday

TGIF; let’s have a little fun! This series of posts will provide different creative activities to bring out your artistic side. We know the value of expression through art, music, dance, and theatre in our many programs, so we hope this brings some of that spirit to residents, students, staff, and our online community.

The Pines, Walnut, and West Oneonta – Fun Art Friday

This is the last of our Fun Art Friday series, concluding the final pages of our Community Homes Coloring Book – featuring The Pines, Walnut, and West Oneonta. Say hi to Bill from The Pines and Vinny from Walnut Street! Click on the coloring book page to get the...

Swart Hollow and Sweet Briar – Fun Art Friday

Happy Fun Art Friday! Today we have two more pages for our Community Homes Coloring Book, featuring Swart Hollow and Sweet Briar. Say hello to some of the residents who call these houses home! Click on the coloring book page to get the printable .pdf, and don't forget...

Sherburne and Stone Quarry- Fun Art Friday

This #FunArtFriday, we have two more pages to add to our ongoing Community Homes Coloring Book, featuring Sherburne and Stone Quarry. At Springbrook, we respect the right to privacy of all individuals, and because we don't have photo permission from the folks at these...

Pierstown – Fun Art Friday

This #FunArtFriday, we have another page to our ongoing Community Homes Coloring Book, featuring Pierstown. Say hello to some of the ladies who live there! Jane (left) Princess (middle) and Michele (right), with Home Unit Staff (Rhiannon Ham)Other residents not...

Oxford – Fun Art Friday

This #FunArtFriday, we have another page to our ongoing Community Homes Coloring Book, featuring our Oxford Home. At Springbrook, we respect the rights of everyone, including the right to privacy. Because the residents at Oxford would prefer not to be photographed, we...

Otego – Fun Art Friday

This #FunArtFriday, we have an additional Community Homes Coloring Book page for the Otego Community Home. This beautiful house in the Village of Otego is home to John, Marilyn, Denise, and many others, and we are pleased to share their pictures and this fun activity...

Oak and Elm- Fun Art Friday

This #FunArtFriday, we have an additional Community Homes Coloring Book page for the Oak and Elm Community Home. This beautiful house in the center of Oneonta is home to Betty, Brian, David, Lilian, Powell, and Steven; a fun group who have chosen Springbrook as a...

Situation Saturday

These are quick updates about critical programmatic or protocol changes that we have made in the past week in response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation. As all of us are inundated with information, this is one way that we can help our staff, families, and community keep up-to-date about Springbrook’s COVID-19 response.

100% COVID Vaccine Participation – Situation Saturday

This Situation Saturday we are proud to announce that our West Oneonta Community has a commitment from 100% of staff and residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes readily available! This extraordinary effort was supported by Jessica Pidgeon, House...

Local Healthcare Systems on Brink – Situation Saturday

Here’s the situation! Our region of the state is experiencing a drastic increase in COVID-19 infections. The increase in infections has heavily taxed our local healthcare systems. We must take action. To mitigate the risk presented by high infection rates across the...

COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar – Situation Saturday

The COVID-19 vaccine has been highly anticipated and is on the forefront of everyone's mind. We would like to invite you to our COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar, during which we will overview the most up to date information available, touch on vaccine consent, and review...

Sharing Gratitude This Thanksgiving – A Message From Patricia Kennedy

The year 2020 has presented us with challenges and changes to our work life and home life. The year has also provided a perspective and a grounding that has clarified for me what matters the most to all of us at Springbrook. The people we support, their families, our...

Thanksgiving Holiday Visitation Schedule – Situation Saturday

We are happy to offer visitation availability for the week of the Thanksgiving Holiday, including Thanksgiving Day. In recognition of our visitation staff's outstanding efforts, we have slightly altered visitation hours on Thanksgiving Day and the day after...

Haunted Nature Trail – Situation Saturday

For this spooky Situation Saturday, we wanted to share the delightfully frightening experience of walking on our Haunted Nature Trail! Springbrook staff decorated the trail with all kinds of donated Halloween décor. With jump-scares around every corner and donuts and...

Family Webinars are Online – Situation Saturday

It's Situation Saturday, once again! This week our Executive Team met with families for a webinar update, reviewing some of the changes and updates to our protocols. That webinar can be viewed on our COVID-19 update page, and below. If you have any questions about the...

Sunday Funday

These post are our way of sharing what students, residents, and staff are doing to have some fun! We will also share ways that you can connect without being in the same room. Remember, we ALL need to “stick together” while practicing social distancing!

Essential and Proud – Sunday Funday

Today we are featuring an essential employee, not working for Springbrook, but supported by Springbrook. Bruce Wood, who is a resident of the Century-Sunrise Apartments in Johnson City has proudly performed his job at Good Sheppard Village in Endwell. Bruce knows that...

Fun and Games at The Pines – Sunday Funday

Happy Sunday Funday (and Happy Father's Day as well)! This week, we are checking in with our friends at The Pines. These folks love board games, Patty has been mixing it up with Don using photo filters on her iPad and hanging with the house cat, Jingles. Everyone...

School Fun Day – Sunday Funday

It's a beautiful Sunday Funday — lets flashback to The School at Springbrook's Fun Day from summer 2019. Snacks, smiles, and slip and slides were only a few elements of a sunny day enjoyed by all! Click on the image below to see full-screen pictures from this...

Spirit Week – Sunday Funday

This Sunday Funday, we wanted to let you know about School Spirit Week; five days of celebration for each of The School at Springbrook houses. Even if you don't live or work on campus, you can join in on the fun too; make sure to tag us (@springbrookny) and we will...

Cooking With Alyssa – Sunday Funday

We have been offering a Weekend Challenge for students, residents, and staff over the past six weeks, and so for this Sunday Funday, we wanted to show you one of the most fun parts of these weekly games - Cooking With Alyssa! Alyssa Hall is a Speech Language...

Prom – Sunday Funday

For this Sunday Funday, we are sharing a little bit of fun that happened earlier this weekend at the School at Springbrook! Since our usual Prom was canceled due to social distancing guidelines, we instead decided to hold a semi-formal evening of dinner and dancing...

Appreciation for Kids Unlimited Preschool – Sunday Funday

It's Sunday Funday again! This past Friday, Springbrook, along with childcare organizations statewide recognized and honored the essential workers providing the crucial service of taking care of children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The NYS Office of Child and Family...