Children and teens who participated in The Arc’s Social Skills sessions received certificates, a goodie bag of fidget toys, and a special paper heart with messages from their classmates during their last session on June 10.

The classes, which ran most Tuesdays from January to June, were held at the Opportunity Zone in Maplewood. Ages 5 to 10 met from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and ages 11 to 15 met from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. During that time, social worker Casey Dickson and a team of staff would lead the participants through a series of activities together. They would begin by greeting peers and answering social questions. Then the group would discuss the lesson of the week—topics such as sharing, respecting personal space, and taking turns. The group would immediately put the lesson to use with a project or role playing, and then the group enjoyed supervised free play together. During this first 2025 session, 12 students completed the program and were recognized during a special ceremony at the end of the final session.

If you are interested in participating in future social skills classes, call Toshonda Johnson-Hall at 973-535-1181 ext. 1275 to see if your child is eligible. The program is offered free of charge by The Arc of Essex County and enrollment is coordinated through the Life Management Program.