Staff News - November '25
- Laura Bohnke
- Nov 3
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 3
📌To Do - Due by Nov 28th
Thank you to all staff who completed the required Personal Appearance Annual Review. We truly appreciate your help in keeping us compliant with our requirements!
Complete the Emergency Evacuation Review
This should take you less than 10 minutes to complete. Information covered in this quiz is drawn from our Emergency Evacuation Procedures - Policy 407 available in the Staff Hub.
Complete this Employee Handbook Update Acknowledgement.
You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the updated versions of these policies and procedures. Physical copies are posted on the communication board in the workrooms. Digital versions can be viewed on the Staff Hub page. Supporting documents are linked in their corresponding policy section. Updated and new policies for this month are:
Policy 212: Drug/Alcohol-Free Workplace
Consent and Release for Drug and Alcohol Testing
Workplace Safety Tips (included in Health and Safety Training)
News - Jump to:
Supported Pathways
Company-Wide
New Director!
We’re thrilled to welcome Hayley Barnfield as our new Director of Life Skills and Career Development! In this role, Hayley will be uniting our Employment Services and Waiver Services (PAC and Behavior Consultation) teams, ensuring collaboration, consistency, and continued growth across these important areas.
Hayley brings a dynamic background in program management, event coordination, and community engagement, with experience spanning healthcare, law enforcement, and the arts.
Before joining Partners in Autism, she served as Event Coordinator for Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, where she organized large-scale fundraisers and educational events, managed budgets, and led cross-team collaborations. Her earlier roles at the Fort Wayne Dance Collective included Manager of Organizational Engagement and Program Coordinator, where she strengthened community partnerships, developed inclusive programs, and supported professional development for staff and artists.
Hayley has strong strategic thinking, relationship-building, and leadership skills as well as a focus on creating programs that balance compassion with impact. We’re excited to see how her experience and enthusiasm will continue to strengthen and unify our services.
Welcome to the team, Hayley — we’re so happy to have you on board!
Annual Chili Cook-Off Winner
This year's winning recipe goes to Olivia Dunten for her take on white chicken chili!
We have a total of 6 participants with a wide variety and styles including seafood!
Thank you to all who participated, and a huge thank you to both our Employment Specialists, Brittaney and Saige, for their help in cleaning up!
Upcoming Events
Thanksgiving is on its way! Our clinic and offices will be closed November 28th and 29th. We hope you all are able to get some well-deserved rest and spend time with those you love. We're thankful for each one of you as you continue to adapt with grace, creativity, and teamwork as you support one another and the families we serve. Your dedication doesn’t just make things run smoothly; it creates a culture of compassion and connection that shines throughout everything we do.
November Birthdays
Let’s wish a happy birthday to our amazing teammates:
Natalie Eddy – 11/02 (PAC)
Kaydn Ullom – 11/05 (ABA)
Laura Bohnke – 11/07 (Admin)
Ashley Luebke – 11/08 (SPLC)
Becca Barney – 11/10 (ABA)
Kelly Phillips – 11/17 (ABA)
Jazmyn Hughes – 11/23 (ABA)
We hope you all have the happiest of birthdays!
Welcome New Staff
Programs and Courses
Life Skills - New Session!
Amanda is excited to announce our first spin-off session to our already successful Food and Nutrition course. The new session aims to build practical baking and kitchen skills, promote teamwork, communication, and social interactions, and gain confidence and independence in baking!
This session is for those who have completed the Food and Nutrition or already have basic kitchen/cooking knowledge and want to expand and learn about baking. Participants MUST be able to participate in an activity that is 2 hours in duration.
The course is planned to start on Thursday, November 13th, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, and it will run every Thursday for six weeks, except the week of Thanksgiving! During this time, participants will make No-Bake Energy Bites, Sugar/Chocolate Chip Cookies, Quick Bread Biscuits, and work on decorating (with a guest teacher).
As always, we welcome sponsorships to help support our courses. If you’re interested, please reach out to Amanda@PartnersinAutism.com to learn how you can get involved.
Autism Pre-Screening Assessments - Bundle Discounts!
Did you know anyone can get a discount on our prescreening assessments for autism, giftedness, or ADHD if they sign up for a family bundle or multi-assessment bundle?
If you know anyone who might benefit, or if you're interested for yourself or your own family, you can learn more here: https://www.partnersinautism.com/pre-screening-assessments
ABA Services
Spirit Days
Friday, November 14th – Pajama Day – Be extra cozy, fuzzy, and silly. We've got an extra little treat in store for everyone!
A Sweet Time for All!
ABA had a sweet time during our annual office trick-or-treating event! This tradition is always such a fun way for kids to celebrate while also practicing valuable life skills like communication, patience, and social interaction in a natural, joy-filled setting.
Celebrating Our Culture Champions
Congratulations to our newest staff award recipients! We love recognizing the unique personalities and strong abilities that make our ABA team so special. Be sure to give them a shout-out on our social media post today — they deserve it!
Our ABA Culture Champions each exemplify four core standards:
Giving of Self: Alex W
Adaptability: Rachael H
Growth: Emily R
Positivity: Blake D
Jumping Above and Beyond
A special shout-out to Emily, who brought in her pet jumping spider to supplement a lesson in our Supported Pathways Learning Center! This authentic and meaningful experience captured the curiosity of students and truly demonstrated how our technicians go above and beyond to make learning hands-on and memorable.
Chili Cook-Off Fun
Our chili cook-off was a huge hit! Staff came together for an office potluck full of flavor, spicy debate, and fun — all while supporting one another with breaks for scrumptious food.
This is for You!
We want to take a moment to recognize the ABA team as a whole — for your continuous support of one another, your collaboration, and your willingness to help where needed. Whether you’re stepping in for a break, answering questions, or sharing advice, your teamwork truly makes a difference every single day.
Referral Bonus Alert
If you know someone who would make a fantastic addition to our ABA family, we’d love your referral! Remember, staff can earn a referral bonus, and new RBTs also receive a sign-on bonus. Let’s keep building our strong, supportive team together!
ABA Staff Spotlight: Alex Wagner
Alex has grown immensely since she began with us - in confidence, connections with staff and clients, strength, and courage. She overcomes obstacle after obstacle but isn't afraid to ask for help at the same time. She finds good balance in all that she does, and everyone from clients to families to her fellow staff adore her!
Supported Pathways Learning Center
Students in Ashley’s class have been working on daily journaling. This has given the students a chance to express their creativity through their artwork and writing!
In Diamond’s class, students have been working on comparing and contrasting by using both characters in stories and tangible items like pumpkins and gourds! Through these activities we are learning how to identify similarities and differences, describe traits and relationships, and use descriptive language. This combination of using stories and physical objects to practice the same skills strengthens and generalizes our observational and analytical skills.
Waiver Services
Building Independence
This month, several clients have been working diligently to develop their independent living skills. One client has recently mastered preparing simple meals independently, a significant step toward achieving self-reliance and confidence at home. Another client successfully managed their weekly schedule with minimal prompts, showing significant progress in personal organization and responsibility.
Community Engagement
Our clients have been exploring new community activities, from local art workshops to bowling nights. One client even joined a community volunteer group and shared how proud they felt giving back to others.
Social Growth
We’ve seen wonderful progress in social and communication goals. A few clients have been practicing conversations and teamwork during group activities, which helps them connect more with their peers and build friendships.
Seasonal Activities
Many clients are looking forward to fall festivals and upcoming community outings that they can participate in with their support staff. Looking for opportunities and events in our community? Reach out to your new director, Hayley Barnfield!
Staff Spotlight: Marissa Aguirre
A special shoutout to Marissa Aguirre for the incredible compassion, dedication, and care she provides to her loved one. Supporting a family member requires a special kind of heart, one filled with patience, empathy, and unwavering commitment. Marissa consistently goes above and beyond to ensure her loved one receives person-centered, respectful, and empowering care.
Social Groups
Navigators
Our Navigators had an awesome time planning our set of trunks at the trunk-or-treat complete with a floor-is-lava challenge. And when the votes came in, we won Best Trunk!
Remember that during the school year, we meet biweekly on the first and third Thursday of each month.
Employment Services
Client Successes
Let’s celebrate our clients' amazing wins this month:
Went to a job fair and got hired as a picker at Sweetwater.
Got a dishwashing job at Baker Street
Had an information interview to learn more about working at the Dupont Library and had a blast
Got a packing position at Amazon
Way to go, team!
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