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NJCTS teaches The Center School in Franklin about Tourette Syndrome

NJCTS In-Service equips faculty for the challenges of TS

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NJCTS Youth Leadership Development Program Coordinator Melissa Fowler, M.Ed. presents an in-service workshop to teachers at The Center School in Somerset.

FRANKLIN TWP. (Somerset)- Faculty of The Center School in Somerset were visited by the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome (NJCTS) Education Outreach Program and received tools and strategies to work with students  living with Tourette Syndrome.

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited neurological condition known for uncontrollable movements or sounds known as tics. As many as 1 in 100 people show symptoms of TS, which is frequently accompanied by learning disabilities and mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

During the March 15th  presentation, NJCTS Youth Program Development Coordinator Melissa Fowler, M.Ed  used a variety of examples and techniques to help the teachers and staff understand what it feels like to have TS, as an estimated 20,000 school-aged children in New Jersey live with this challenging disorder.

The program is designed to equip educators with the skills and tools necessary to accommodate students with TS and its associated disorders.   In addition to faculty in-service presentations, NJCTS offers a peer in-service program in which specially trained Youth Advocates deliver a message of strength, empowerment and anti-bullying at schools across New Jersey.

Students, faculty and parents report a greater sense of cooperation and understanding in the classroom following NJCTS in-services.  These presentations are made upon request. Parents, educators and healthcare professionals are welcomed to contact NJCTS at 908-575-7350 to request an faculty or peer presentation.