The Basics of the Wings Post-Secondary Program

 The focus of Wings is on the transition from school-aged education into post-secondary options for individuals with moderate disabilities.  In essence, transition is a process that directly links the young adult's educational program with his/her plans for the future. It involves a transfer of the more academic-related learning into applications for lifetime learning and living.  Transition skills need to be addressed throughout a student's entire school career. For that reason, Rochester Community Schools has embedded a variety of transition processes through all grade levels. However, for students at the post-secondary level, the primary focus is on the supported transition concepts that can and will facilitate greater levels of independence for an adult with moderate disabilities.

Unique Learning System is the ONLY online, dynamic, standards-based curriculum specifically designed for special learners. Subscribers download monthly instructional thematic units of study. Each unit contains 30 lesson plans and downloadable materials that teachers can readily implement into classroom learning activities. All materials are created using SymbolStix graphics. The unit lesson plans define three levels of differentiated tasks to accommodate the diversity of learners with significant disabilities.ontains 30 lesson plans and downloadable materials that teachers can readily implement into classroom learning activities. All materials are created using SymbolStix graphics. The unit lesson plans define three levels of differentiated tasks to accommodate the diversity of learners with significant disabilities. The Wings Program utilizes an online, dynamic, standards-based curriculum specifically designed for special learners. Monthly instructional thematic units of study, containing 30 lesson plans and materials, are downloaded so that teachers can readily implement them into classroom learning activities. All materials are created using SymbolStix graphics. The unit lesson plans define three levels of differentiated tasks to accommodate the diversity of learners with moderate disabilities.

Two types of materials are included in the program: Core Materials and Monthly Topics. The Core Materials remain the same throughout the year. The Monthly Topics contain new information each month. Tasks are identified by instructional targets, which align to content standards. These instructional targets are the natural extension of the grade level instructional targets that are addressed in the K-12 Programs.

English Language Arts/Reading:  Build word recognition within daily living and vocational materials  Understand and apply vocabulary related to community, daily living and vocational situations.  Locate and use information from various sources to achieve a purpose.  Engage in print materials for pleasure. English Language Arts/Writing:  Produce purposeful writing documents that follow conventional styles.  Complete written forms related to life and job skills.  Use appropriate conventions in writing (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation). English Language Arts/Communication:  Effectively ask and respond to questions within community, daily living and vocational activities.  Demonstrate expressive skills to effectively participate in a social exchange.

Mathematics:  Apply use of numbers in real-life situations, including basic computations.  Apply and manage use of money in the context of real-world situations.  Apply and manage use of time in the context of real-world situations.  Solve and apply measurement processes in the context of a daily living activity. Social Studies:  Demonstrate basic employability skills, including work, social and hygiene habits.  Demonstrate effective self advocacy skills to maximize independence in home, community and employment.  Identify rights and responsibilities of citizens, including opportunities for civic participation.  Explore community resources for personal, vocational and daily living supports  Participate in conversations related to current event topics of the community and beyond.

Science:  Recognize and apply appropriate health habits and practices including: nutrition, fitness and health care.  Identify weather conditions and make decisions in regard to appropriate activity, dress and safety.  Responsibly use sources of energy and technology involving heat, light and/or electricity.  Create a solution to a problem when given a budget, time frame and materials

This curriculum program is designed for students with moderate disabilities. These are students who have moved through the grades and now require intensive training that will lead to adult living.  The primary goal is to increase independence in the areas of job skills and daily living.  Students with severe disabilities may be involved in this program, however, they should function as if they have a moderate cognitive impairment. The primary goals for these students will be to create opportunities in the context of real-world situations that create interactions. For some students, this means giving others a reason to interact with the individual.

Monthly Instructional Topics are units that change each month with new information. Topics relate to vocational, community living and daily living skill areas. Core Materials provide a foundation for the routine daily activities in a classroom. These vocational, community living and daily living activities are ongoing and changing each day/week. Core activities provide daily opportunities for teaching and reinforcing those necessary soft skills that lead to successful transitions in life. The Transition Passport contains a variety of assessment tools and processes as well as structured guides/lifelines that will facilitate the student's career planning into adult living.

The three MONTHLY INSTRUCTIONAL TOPICS listed below include selected areas of skills, jobs and daily living that are embedded in the day's routine. Lifetime Skills define a time when a variety of skills can be taught. Individual IEP goals related to reading, writing and math may be taught at this time. Monthly bill paying, planning and spending money and computing time concepts are the primary math focus in these activities. There is also an emphasis on communication and social skills within the monthly activities Job Club is an instructional period that focuses on job-related skills. Many of these activities will be represented in scenario cards, role-playing situations and strategies to apply to individuals' lives. The topics that are addressed each month for Job Club include: Daily Living Club presents content learning on a topic of the month. Articles are read, activities are completed and lifeline supports are given for each individual student. Eight new topics are presented each year. Leveled stories, articles, problem-solving scenario cards and rights/responsibilities are part of the monthly topic. InterviewingVolunteer Jobs Work AttitudesJob Training/Job Tours Job Interest SurveysJob Exploration

MonthYear 1Year 2Year 3 JanuaryKitchen SafetySelf-advocacyRestaurant Skills FebruaryFirst-AidClothing for SuccessLeisure Time MarchClothing /Laundry CareHome Safety/MaintenanceMind Your Manners AprilNutritionPersonal SafetyPersonal Grooming MayRelationshipsFuture Living OptionsMy Community SeptemberPersonal Health CareReady for WorkUnderstanding Laws OctoberHousekeeping ChoresFeelings and EmotionsMaking Decisions NovemberTelephone TalkAlcohol/ Drugs/ TobaccoMy Body and Me

The Unique Learning System Transition Program is set up with three levels of student differentiation. Overall, the goal is to include all team members within an active level of participation of the same task, yet with differentiated expectations based on individual needs and abilities. It is often very challenging to create meaningful experiences for individuals with severe/profound disabilities. These suggested levels do encourage responses in the form of a vocalization, a visual response, or a motor action that may be perceived as “intentional” and thus a reason for the communication partner to continue and expect further responses from the team member. The use of errorless choices and/or talking devices that can be presented for activation are common tasks represented in these lessons because these will serve to build independence. The three levels of differentiation are described in this way:  Level 1: Students typically require maximum support within instructional tasks. For these students, increasing the level of participation is the main objective.  Level 2: Students may require picture support and other direct support in learning and the demonstration of comprehension.  Level 3: Students are typically learning to read text, produce simple writing, performing basic math processes, and independently demonstrating comprehension of modified learning information.

Community Job Training is an opportunity to view, explore and experience various job settings in the community. Job training activities may vary and include volunteer jobs within the school environment, the school neighborhood or other community locations. Evaluation forms in the Transition Passport Toolbox provide a means to monitor student progress.

 Daily Planner contain personal information forms, such as schedules, calendars, sign-in sheets, grooming forms and home-school communication. The binder is the responsibility of the team member to bring back and forth to school/home each day.  A.M and P.M Jobs are assigned to each student and are rotated weekly. The morning job suggestions include a variety of classroom and clerical jobs. The afternoon job suggestions are related to household cleaning tasks, such as sweeping, dusting and emptying trash.

 Morning Meeting resembles a daily staff meeting on the job. Team members take turns as the group leader and reporter of the daily activities. A current events time is included to encourage team members to share an event that is happening in the world around them.  A Scheduled Break Time is part of the Core Materials. The goal is to introduce appropriate activities and socialization skills that typically occur during a workplace break.

Mealtime Menus are planned and created by the team. This also includes shopping, cooking and cleaning up for daily lunch meals. The Core Materials include suggested Personal Fitness Routines, as well as personal fitness and activity records for each team member to design and follow a fitness routine.

 Employability Class provides a structured learning/teaching time when students build on critical job skills in the context of a real-world work task. Students also learn to accept directions and constructive criticism on a job.  Recreation and Leisure Activities look at lifetime activities that will promote good health, opportunities for interactions with others and positive sportsmanship qualities.

Our school based Occupational, Physical therapist, Speech and Language and School Social Worker are available to our classrooms as a general consultative support service and/or direct service depending on the needs of each individual student.

 The Transition Profile is built on teacher observational data and team reporting. Descriptors of student behavior are listed on the online profile document that can be checked for a specific student.  Monthly Checkpoints are another tool for data collection. This performance assessment may be used as a pre- and post-assessment on areas on learning within the monthly instructional topic.  Transition Planning is designed as a data collection center for High School and Transition students. The tools in this section provide information that will assist the student and his/her team in moving forward into the application of skills and personal preferences for transition years. The Transition Planning tools are designed to be completed by the student. Five sections of planning assessments are included:  Vocational/Employability  Daily Living  Community  Personal Life  Lifelong Learning  A composite report is created to enable the student to develop a personal future plan.

Principal: Anne Evans (best method of Teacher: Stephanie Smith  Teacher: Peggy Dona  Social Worker Sabrina Krolicki Speech and Language Teachers: Jennifer Anderson WBL Coordinator/Teacher Consultant: Jen Lamar