Superheroes Week Recap

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Via West Superparticipants! Superheroes Week has concluded and we learned a lot about what it takes to be a real hero. We made signs illustrating superhero core values, learned the importance of healthy eating by making Incredible Hulk green smoothies, and we put our strength to the test in the Superhero Training Village.

We felt the exhilaration of flying during our field trip to the Sky High Sports Trampoline Park, and we made superhero capes to keep us aerodynamic.

 

We relaxed with a Saturday morning cartoon marathon in our jammies, and we also created superhero flip books, cakes, and decoupage comics frames.

 

We also learned with iPads, rode horses at the Via West corral, and spent some quality time in the Via West pool. To see more pictures from this session, please visit our Facebook page.

Via West Summer Officially Under Way

Nurse interns arrived at Via West Campus eager to begin training on May 29^th.  Nursing students will complete an eleven week community health nursing curriculum at Via West this summer. Adding an extra layer of care for participants with medical issues, the internship also increases the pool of nurses who are comfortable and competent meeting the special needs of children, teens, and adults with developmental and physical disabilities.

 Nurse Interns

75 other counselors, volunteers, unit directors, program staff, and health care staff arrived on May 31^st for general staff training. Led primarily by Director Leslie Davis and Associate Director and Health Care Manager Sandy Keefe, the training will lasted four days and encompassed everything from behavior management to special diets and independent living skills. There was a parent panel where the staff had the opportunity to meet with current Via West participants and their parents and learn firsthand the type of expectations our families have when they come to our programs.

All Staff

The first Via West session begins today, June 4^th, and the excitement of the staff is high. “Our staff is amazing – so flexible – so loving – but above all really smart,” says Via West Director Leslie Davis. “We are very lucky!”

Welcome Back Nurses!

The summer of 2012 marks the fourth year of the Via West Summer Nurse Internship Program that began with a generous grant from The Valley Foundation. Over the course of 11 weeks, ten nursing students and new graduate nurses from San Jose State and San Diego State will complete a community health nursing curriculum focused on the specific needs of children, teens and adults with developmental and physical disabilities. In addition to providing an extra layer of care for participants with medical issues, the internship serves as a mechanism to increase the pool of nurses who are comfortable and competent meeting the special needs of our population.

Via West is Hiring!!!

Via West Campus is currently hiring counselors, unit directors, nurses and program staff for scheduled weekend programs that run from October 2011 through April 2012. We are particularly interested in bringing onboard students and/or graduates in professional fields, including recreation therapy, kinesiology, adaptive physical education, special education, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, audiology, physical therapy, child and adolescent development, and nursing.

Via staff members from nursing, occupational therapy, adaptive physical education, recreation therapy and speech language pathology are actively involved in these weekend programs, so students will have the chance to see how professionals provide education and training to our clients. Staff members are expected to live on campus, receiving room and board, throughout the weekend. We are a non-smoking facility. Staff members can choose the weekends they work, and are given first priority for summer positions as well.

We are holding open houses for potential staff on Sunday, September 25 from 10A-1P and again on Wednesday, September 28 from 5-8P at Via West, 13851 Stevens Canyon Road, Cupertino. Applicants will learn about the program, tour the campus and have a personal interview for hiring purposes. If you would like to attend an open house, please email Sandy Keefe, MSN, RN, Associate Director, at skeefe@viaservices.org and fill out an online application at http://viaservices.org/content/camp-costanoan-application.