Mohawk Special Education
Program 2012
Program Goals and Outcomes
•
•
•
•
•
Life Skills
Social/Communication Skills
Functional Academics
Vocational Skills
Advocacy Skills
Life Skills
To improve and develop skills for everyday
living.
•
•
•
•
•
Areas of focus:
Independent Home Living
Consumer Budgeting
Personal Finance
Career Readiness Skills
Personal Hygiene
Social/Communication Skills
To develop appropriate interactions with peers
and adults.
•
•
•
•
•
Areas of focus:
Demonstrating proper manners and etiquette in
various settings
Improving oral and written instructions
Using appropriate language skills
Practicing proper body language
Cooperation with others
Functional Academics
To improve and develop basic numeracy
and literacy skills with real life applications.
Academic Courses
Mathematics
•Practical Math
•Consumer Math
•Pre Algebra
•Algebra 1
English
•High School English
•Language Arts
Science
•Biology
•Earth and Space
•Physical /Environmental
Elective Courses
•Transition to Work 9-10
•Community Based Instruction (CBI)
•Life Skills
•Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTII)
Academic Classroom Activities
• To demonstrate lesson plans that involve differentiated
instruction that meet the needs of all learners and align
with PA Academic Standards.
Types of activities:
STEM Projects(co2 cars, bridge building, volcanoes, water
bottle rockets)
Cross Curricular
Technology(activotes assessments, webquest, interactive
smartboard lessons)
Real-World Applications(banking simulations, career
readiness paperwork/mock interviews,)
Vocational Skills
• To aquire skills required in a work
placement setting.
Areas of focus:
Employer checklist/evaluations
Skills practice (including soft skills)
Understanding of workplace rules/behavior
Advocacy Skills
• To develop assertiveness and
independence.
•
•
•
•
Areas of focus:
Self-Esteem
Disability Awareness
Rights and Services
Initiation of Assistance
A Note of Thanks
Thank you administration and staff for all of your
cooperation and assistance with the Mohawk School
To Work Transition Program. Your flexibility and
encouragement has enabled our students to experience
many beneficial career and community projects,
activities and events which have provided them with
knowledge, self-confidence and the empowerment
needed toward establishing their future professional
and educational goals.
Careerlink Job Fair
IN SEPTEMBER, SENIOR STUDENTS
ATTENDED THE LARGEST JOB EXPO
HOSTED BY CAREERLINK AT THE
COVELLI CENTER IN OHIO.
AT THE EXPO, STUDENTS OBSERVED
CURRENT JOB DEMANDS AND GROWING
CAREER FIELDS DETERMINED BY
TODAY’S ECONOMIC TRENDS.
THEY ALSO WITNESSED THE
ESCALATING NUMBER OF PEOPLE
JOB SEARCHING, AS WELL AS SEVERAL
TECHNICAL/TRADE SCHOOLS AND
MILITARY BRANCHES DISCUSSING
SKILLED TRAINING AND POSITIONS.
Westminster College Fair and Midwest
Intermediate Unit Transition and
Agency/College Fair
Students are able to attend the Westminster College
Fair and MIU4 Agency/College Fair each year to
view various post-secondary schools and agencies
including:
• Technical/Trade Schools
• Community Colleges
• Traditional Colleges
• US Military Branches
Retail Career and Consumer
Awareness
• This educational experience was scheduled at our
area’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart. The day’s
schedule consisted of students shopping for a list of
common necessities on a budget, and processing
through the checkout. Store workers paired with
the students (carrying calculators and worksheets)
to assist them with shopping. A register was put
into training mode for students to pay for their
items.
• After shopping, the students went on a store tour
with management, and reviewed job training,
shipping/inventory information, and store
regulations.
Automotive and Technical Job
Shadows
• Students are able to observe and interact with
mechanics and management/instructors in their
technical field of interests. Some sites include:
• Phil Fitts Ford
• Preston Motors
• Sander’s Yamaha
• New Castle School of Trades
• Lawrence County Career and Technical Center
Jameson Health System Career
Training and Job Shadows
•
•
•
•
•
Nutrition Department
School of Nursing
Office Administration
Maintenance
Shipping and Receiving
Career Experiences At The Greer
House Assisted Living
• Nutrition Department –
Students prepare appetizers,
serve lunch and clean-up
dining area.
• Activities Department –
Students assist residence
with arts and crafts
• Entertainment – Students
with musical talent perform
for residence during or after
lunches.
Community Partnerships
• Training and Service Learning
Students learn job skills while helping the community by participating in
activities that assist children, elderly, and the environment through:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
PA Cleanways
The Purple Cat
Lawrence County Life
New Castle Recycling
Oh Wow Children’s Center of Science and Technology
Lawrence County Head Start
FD Campbell Library
Community YMCA Internships and
Job Shadows
• Students assisted preschool
HeadStart students with
sports activities at the YZone. Students were
responsible for equipment
set-up, social interaction and
demonstrating leadership
skills.
• Students worked as office
assistance responsible for
photo copies, computer work
and filing.
Business Style Day At The Lawrence County
Career And Technical
Center (LCCTC)
•
•
Students review and receive services in
proper and appropriate grooming for the
workforce from the cosmetology
department at the LCCTC. Each student
is eligible to receive a manicure, hair cut
or style and makeup application (if
applicable) as part of the educational
grooming session.
After the grooming session, students are
provided lunch to discuss appropriate
manners needed for breaks or lunches at
work. Then they attend a trip to WalMart/Sears to review proper workforce
attire. Students must answer (mock)
interview questions and pick out (mock)
interview clothing, shoes, socks, belts,
purses, jewelry, and resume portfolios
during this experience to support
job/grooming readiness.
Career Planning and Staffing Days
With Community Agencies
• Seniors, parents, school staff, the MIU4, Office of Vocational
Rehabilitation, Careerlink, and AHEDD (Social Security
Specialist) discuss detailed transition plans with timeframes
for a more complete and streamlined transition process.
• This staffing confirms follow-up meetings with agencies as
well as begins college tour appointments for appropriate
students.
• This meeting also discusses the importance of FASFA for
ALL students, not only those going on to post secondary
education, but also for those planning to utilize state agencies.
Custom Student Workshops at the
Lawrence County Careerlink
• One-on-one workshop
training and orientation of
Careerlink services.
• Each student registers on the
Careerlink Website, creates
an online resume, views job
postings and reviews the
process of applying for jobs.
• In addition, students may
schedule to attend “RapidFire” job search workshops
to prepare for job interviews.
Lawrence County Careers
Club Hosted By
Mohawk High School
• Lawrence County Community Action Partnership and
Careerlink sponsor the Youth Careers Club offered to 9th-12th
grade learning support students. Enrollees participate in career
workshops and games hosted at Mohawk High School, as well
as out-of-school trips, community service projects, and
monthly YMCA nights to promote social skills.
• Students receive gift card incentives for good grades, behavior
and attendance.
• The major service learning activity our students participate in
each year through Careers Club is Global Youth Service Day.
Fall Promotional Events
With The Walker Farm
•
This involves the ongoing promotion
and planning of yearly fall events
along with community awareness and
servicing. The Fall events include:
1. Fallfest – Students created a flyer for
distribution to the Mohawk
Elementary Students for
announcement of the Fallfest events
which included: Face painting and a
pumpkin decorating contest headed
by our high school students
2. Lawrence County Trunk or Treat
– This event was held at Cascade
Park in New Castle and was
sponsored by Noga Ambulance
Service. It promoted safety and fun
for children who “trick or treat” in
the community.
Christmas Marketing Projects For
The Walker Farm
•
The School-To-Work Program began an
annual Marketing/Community Activity
Campaign for a local business, The Walker
Farm, which encompasses the ongoing
promotion and planning of yearly seasonal
events along with community awareness and
servicing.
•
The Walker Farm Christmas Open House
Involved students creating a business card,
promotional flyer and DVD for marketing,
dressing as Santa and Elves for the local
community children, and collecting
donations for a local family in need. This
connection established a follow-up activity
with the local Head Start Preschool, in which
our students created a Christmas tree
story/activity book and dressed up as Santa
and Elves for the Head Start children. This
is now an annual event.
Annual Service Learning Arbor Day and
Earth Day Event At The Walker Farm
•
The Walker Farm and Mohawk High
School Students annually celebrate Earth
Day and Arbor Day with the Mohawk
Elementary Kindergarten children during a
tree-planting ceremony with the Lawrence
County Commissioners.
•
This event is conducted to further educate
students about the national holidays and
promote community outreach within the
district. The celebration entails a
presentation on Earth Day and Arbor Day, a
tree-planting ceremony, and the distribution
of live seedling trees with tree-planting
instructions and educational coloring
booklets (made by our high school
students) to the children.
Worksite Tours
• Students are invited to attend
worksite tours at local
businesses to learn about
various types of businesses,
human resource guidelines, job
availability, job descriptions
and job skills needed in today’s
workforce. Businesses toured
include:
Adam’s Manufacturing, Grove City
Outlets, IPEC, Classico-Foods,
Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Daffin’s
Candies, Steelite, Ellwood Forge,
Golf Cart Supply, Covelli Centre,
Butler Institute of American Art,
Ellwood Animal Hospital
College/Technical Tours
• Students visit local college/technical schools to view
facilities, compare and contrast schools and learn about
majors, financial services, admissions procedures and
support services. Schools toured include:
ITT Technical Institute
Community College of Beaver County
New Castle School of Trades
Hiram G. Andrews
Butler County Community College
Erie Business Center
Guest Speaker Series
• Students are able to collect
information about careers and
post secondary education from
various sources of interest.
These include:
• Local Professional Business
Men/Women
• Local Employers/Human
Resources
• College Speakers
• State Agencies
Guest Speaker Series
Business Week
Students are invited to participate in Business Week guest
speaker presentations from local community employers
including:
Pizza Joe’s, UPMC, McConnell’s Nursery, Tender Care, First
Commonwealth Bank, Shiderly Construction, Clarks Studio,
Haylett Painting, Computer fields and Graphic Arts fields.
CBI “In House” Work Experiences
• Students are able to work at Mohawk Elementary
School and High School in positions that fit their
class schedules and allow them to experience “real
work” that develops skills, responsibility, timeliness,
organization and professional social interaction.
• These jobs include: office work, retail-school store,
Cricut electronic center, nutrition department
assistance, recycling and library assistance.
The School Store
• School Store
Employment Experiences
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Job Applications, Time Sheets, I-9 Forms and W4’s
Professional Conduct, Grooming Education and
Student Employee Evaluations
Store Mission Statement, Policies and PA
Shoplifting Laws
Marketing and Sales Promotions Projects
Customer Servicing, Inventory and Cash Register
Work
School Store Annual Christmas Cart Event at the
Elementary
Community Service Work
• Our “Warriors in Education
and Business” (WEB Club)
offers students community
service experiences that build
social, communication,
character, and teamwork skills
needed to contribute to society.
Some activities included: Fish
Boxes at Moraine State Park,
Toys for Tots with the US
Marines, and clearing local
land through PA Cleanways.
County Offices and
Transportation Awareness
• Tour of Lawrence County jail,
attendance at a county commissioner
meeting and tour of various
offices/services at the Courthouse.
• Transportation education conducted
through the New Castle Transit
Authority – Students learn to read bus
schedules, handle fees and passes,
review public safety and ride the public
transportation system.
• Transportation education also includes
support in drivers education studies for
permit test and a visit to the driver
license center if needed.
Entrepreneurship Challenge
•
Economics PA - Entrepreneurship
Challenge (business seminar, project and
contest) -Students attend an annual
educational seminar at Butler County
Community College entitled the
“Economics Pennsylvania
Entrepreneurship Challenge.” This
involves several regional schools and the
teaching instruction of facilitator Dr. John
Sumansky, a professor at Misericordia
University. This conference simulates a
professional business seminar that enables
students to brainstorm as a team, present
an idea for a new business, and learn
techniques to utilize and develop an actual
business plan in order to open a business.
The plans are eligible for entry into a
regional and statewide competition each
year for the Pennsylvania Partnership for
Economic Education.
Career Readiness Day At
Butler High School
• This event was created by Career
Opportunities for the Disabled to provide
educational activities for students to assist
them with transitioning into the workforce.
• Activities include: grooming sessions,
retail/attire sessions, hand washing and lunch
sessions, and mock interviews (students have
prepared a resume and completed an
employment application in advance).
Student Self-Advocacy
• Students confidently
speak about their
personal obstacles,
overcoming barriers,
achievements, and their
future goals to educate,
inform and inspire
younger students within
the Mohawk Area
School District.
Parent Training With Achieva
Transition training for grades 9-12
SUMMARY:
This training offers guidance to families and people with disabilities on how to
design a successful transition process for students moving from high school to
adulthood. It focuses on employment, recreational activities, friendships,
communication, continuing education, transportation and rights and
responsibilities, among other topics. It also describes the roles of the Social
Security Administration, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Office of
Developmental Programs, and the Housing Authority in providing resources and
support. Throughout the presentation, the importance of developing a vision and
using person-centered planning along with an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
and an Individual Support Plan (ISP) are mentioned.