Regional Day School featured on TV

A program at the Regional Day School at Jackson, a division of the Manchester Township School District, will be featured on the television show "Classroom Close-up, NJ" on Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m. and Dec. 9 at 9 a.m. on New Jersey Network public television.

Special education students from the school learned many skills when they were involved with putting on the play "Beauty and the Beast" last year, according to the school's principal, Ralph Literzi.

The students used arts and crafts to produce the props and scenery. A speech therapist worked with the students on their language skills and an occupational therapist used stage theatrics to enhance the children's movement skills.

According to Literzi, the Regional Day School at Jackson, on Route 571, is actually under the auspices of the Manchester public school system. The highly specialized school is dedicated to people between the ages of 5 and 21 who are classified due to a number of different reasons ranging from autism to physical handicaps.

The school receives students whose special needs are not being met in their local school from sending areas throughout New Jersey, including Ocean, Mon-mouth and Somerset counties.

"Classroom Close-up, NJ," now in its 13th season, features innovative programs going on in local school classrooms. Each half-hour segment shows how school professionals inspire and motivate students.