The Busy Bee Early Intervention Program
Now Celebrating our 10th Year!
10 years ago, the Busy Bee Program for Children with Autism was formed. A joint project of the Bayonne Board of Education, the Bayonne Medical Center and the Simpson Baber Foundation, the Busy Bee Program is an early intervention program specifically targeted to meet the needs of the growing autism population. Housed at Bayonne Medical Center, it was the first of its kind early intervention program whereby the educational community, the medical community and the community at large joined together to provide necessary, but previously unavailable services to some of the most vulnerable members of our community—developmentally disabled young children.
Over nine years of operation, the foundation has spent over 1.5 million dollars on Busy Bee and has been able to maintain the program without cost to the parents.
The Simpson-Baber Foundation and Busy Bee have been recognized statewide by the Association of Administration & Curriculum Development, the New Jersey Assembly and the Russ Berrie Foundation and nationally by the Rosalyn Carter Institute, Major League Baseball, People magazine, and the New York Mets.
The Busy Bee Program uses ABA principles to teach individual goals in the areas of Speech and Language, Learning Readiness, Socialization, Self-Help, and Fine Motor Skills, which are modified for their age group. A portion of the day the children receive instruction in a group setting and to generalize skills. The program has a ratio of 1 student to 1 teacher/assistant.
The youngest Busy Bee student was 11 months when he entered the program. The typical age of entry is 18 months to 2 years old. All students age out of the program at the age of 3 years old, when they enter the public school system.
Over nine years of operation, the foundation has spent over 1.5 million dollars on Busy Bee and has been able to maintain the program without cost to the parents.
The Simpson-Baber Foundation and Busy Bee have been recognized statewide by the Association of Administration & Curriculum Development, the New Jersey Assembly and the Russ Berrie Foundation and nationally by the Rosalyn Carter Institute, Major League Baseball, People magazine, and the New York Mets.
The Busy Bee Program uses ABA principles to teach individual goals in the areas of Speech and Language, Learning Readiness, Socialization, Self-Help, and Fine Motor Skills, which are modified for their age group. A portion of the day the children receive instruction in a group setting and to generalize skills. The program has a ratio of 1 student to 1 teacher/assistant.
The youngest Busy Bee student was 11 months when he entered the program. The typical age of entry is 18 months to 2 years old. All students age out of the program at the age of 3 years old, when they enter the public school system.
Maryann Cassidy, Busy Bee Teacher
Maryann attended Kean College and obtained a BA in Early Childhood Education. In 1995, while working to earn her special education certificate, Maryann began her career working with students with autism, starting as an assistant in a self-contained school for children with autism. On November 4, 2002, Maryann began working with The Simpson Baber Foundation - the first day the Busy Bee Program opened. Since then, Maryann has taught close to 100 Busy Bee students.
She has made an incredible difference in the lives of 100 children with autism!
She has made an incredible difference in the lives of 100 children with autism!
Click on this link for WPIX New York coverage of The Busy Bee Program during Autism Awareness Month.
