Successful Transition Debi Kramer, Belmont Community Schools Lisa Pipkorn, Dodgeville High School
County Communities on Transition / County/ CCot Iowa and Lafayette County Schools Agencies Parents Businesses
12 Schools ArgyleDodgeville BarneveldHighland BelmontIowa Grant BentonMineral Point BlackhawkPecatonica DarlingtonShullsburg
Agencies ADRC DVR Independent Living Center Hodan Community Services Southwest Technical College TIG - Transition Improvement Grant coordinator (resource)
Parent and Business ❖ One parent representative who is also a business owner and supports our events and student involvement in the community ❖ Hope to incorporate more parents in the future
History of CCOT Active since 1995 Originally just Iowa County Lafayette County joined 2003
Demographics of Iowa/Lafayette CCOT Rural schools largest school students smallest - 90 students Use larger towns in the area for student experiences (Dodgeville, Platteville) Platteville - UW Fennimore - Technical College
CCOT meetings Monthly at centralized location Attended by schools and agencies together Use s and google docs to work together Future goals: website e-binder
CCOT meeting topics ● Yearly goals for our CCOT ● Planning student events ● Case studies, classroom questions ● Legal updates ● Agency updates ● Agency services ● Spec Ed teacher questions (EE, SLO’s, etc.) ● Guest speakers
Student Focused Events ❖ Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) ❖ College and Career Exploration Day (CCED) ❖ Recreational and Education Exploration Day (REED)
History of events ❖ Disability Mentoring Day - since 2007 ❖ Has had many variations over the years ❖ Always incorporate a business and agency connection for the students
Funding for student events Schools Donations Agencies
Disability Mentoring Day ● Students of all disabilities are invited (grades 8-12) ● 3 business shadows - over 40 businesses participate ● Agency discussion (ADRC) ● Employability Skills (McDonald’s corporation) ● Transition opportunities (Brian Kenney)
Disability Mentoring Day (cont.) ● National event on the 3rd Wednesday of October ● Invite the Mayor to offer a proclamation ● Support of schools - Principals, Superintendents, Pupil Services
Disability Mentoring Day planning ● Planning sheet to divide up tasks ● confirm business availability ● student registration ● scheduling ● chaperone assignments to each business ● transportation logistics
Student Schedule ● Schedule shows the timeline for the day ● Each business shadow ● Chaperone ● Bus/Van for transportation ● Lunch time (split into 2 shifts due to large numbers) ● Rotation for speakers during time opposite their lunch
Sample Student Schedule
Chaperone details ● ADRC, DVR ● Schools: 2-3 per school in addition to CCOT member ● Each business shadow has at least one chaperone ● Training morning of DMD during student welcome. ● Chaperone Schedule
Sample Chaperone Schedule
DMD details ● Thank you gift to businesses and agencies (certificate and cookies) ● Students are provided sentence starter thank you cards to be sent to businesses ● Door prizes - donated by individuals and agencies ● Students, chaperones and businesses provide feedback
College and Career Exploration Day College and Career Exploration Day (since around 2011) Alternate: EVEN YEARS Track 1: Four/Two year degree students (held at UWP) Track 2: Select most popular career choice of students (usually automotive/agriculture) Track 3: UWP entry level jobs/human resources and students area of choice Track 4: Agriculture - UWP Farm and local cheese factory
College and Career Exploration Day (cont.) ODD YEARS: Track 1: Four/Two year degree students (held at UWP) Track 2: Southwest Health Center - job opportunities and usually automotive or area of choice Track 3: Southwest Health Center and students area of choice Track 4: Agriculture - UWP Farm and local cheese factory
Recreational and Education Exploration Day Developed around 2010 ● Planning sheet ● Invite students primarily with CD/EBD ● Chance to explore nature/develop social skills
Recreation and Education Exploration Day Activities ● Station rotations: fishing, hiking, ‘critter catching’ ● cookout ● make s’mores ● lawn games
REED schedule
Further info or questions? Contact: Debi Kramer - Lisa Pipkorn -