Debbie Laframboise makes her own path at Berkshire County Arc. An employee of Pittsfield High School, she works part-time at BCArc in a variety of roles, and plans to do more when she retires from the school system.
“You can say I follow my students when they age out of the school system,” she said. “I have always found this work interesting. I love to listen and connect with all types of people with disabilities. I have a knack for knowing what they enjoy, remembering what they like to do, and working with them.”
Two nights a week Debbie, a Certified Nurse Assistant, works one-on-one with an individual in a residential program. “We do everything together,” she said. “But while I’m his direct caregiver, I also like to engage the whole house.” This could include a game, preparing meals, laundry, whatever needs to get done in the home.
She also works for BCArc’s Adult Family Support program. Four days a week she meets a student when he gets off the bus, and takes care of him until his mother comes home from work.
“I adore all of them,” she said.
“As they move out of the school system into adulthood, BCArc looks to me for assistance because I already know them. And I’m more than happy to stay with all of them.”
At the high school, as a teaching assistant, she works with the 18-and-over students until they are 22. “We teach them social skills, banking and managing money, exploring the Internet safely, along with other life skills. They have explicit goals and we work with them to reach those goals. As they move out of the school system into adulthood, BCArc looks to me for assistance because I already know them. And I’m more than happy to stay with all of them.”
