For Calais parent, PTO President, Advocate and Innovator, Subha B. — the Calais School is synonymous with hope!

Her family moved to New Jersey from the Midwest in 2012. Their son began attending a public middle school but was struggling due to a lack of appropriate resources…“It was pretty scary. The transition was very hard for him.”

While working with her son’s case manager in early 2013, Subha discovered The Calais School. “We thought Calais would be good for him,” she said. “When you walk in, there is so much warmth and it feels very welcoming.”

Subha’s son has some developmental disabilities, as well as autism and other health conditions, she said. “He is a very complex child, and you need to have a lot of patience. Calais changed him.”

The Calais counseling team, the school psychologist and her son’s private physicians all work together, she said. “Everybody is very approachable, and they all let me know what is going on.”

The Calais staff also listens, she said. When Subha suggested that her son and other children would benefit from a school chorus, the administration and staff jumped into action. The Calais Choir continues to be very popular among students. When the school wanted to place her son at a job site, she told them how much her son loves art museums and they placed him at the nearby Morris Museum.

Subha has left own her mark on Calais in many ways. She is a fierce advocate not only for her son, but for all similarly situated children. Her grassroots lobbying efforts, through NJCDD along with the efforts of other parents, supporters and organizations, helped to get NJ S3434 signed into law on June 16, 2021. This law provides students with special needs who are aging out of the school system with another year to obtain related services, which would otherwise have been lost due to COVID-19.

Back in 2014, what started as a casual Calais family meet-up at Godfather’s pizza in Hanover has transformed into a regular monthly event. Organized by Subha, the meet-up gives parents and students a chance to connect and build friendships. The gathering is open to all Calais families.

“Calais changed the life for my son and my family. . . Calais was our light at the end of the tunnel. Calais means hope.”

Subha’s son enrolled at Calais in early 2013 and will soon graduate from the 12 Plus Program. “He gained so much at Calais,” Subha said. “We want him to continue his progression and we are looking for programs similar to Calais with more independence.”

While we are excited to see what the future holds for Subha and her son, her involvement at Calais will be missed. She has always made herself available for parents and staff. She recently graduated from the New Jersey Partners in Policymaking Leadership Program and is looking forward to bringing more positive and needed changes in the community.