Pre-Vocational, Vocational, and Career Education

The Pre-Vocational Skills Training Program involves a cooperative effort with a variety of professionals.  Vocational areas which may be included are food service training, clerical skills training, maintenance skills training, and packaging and assembly tasks.

All Middle and Upper School students receive pre-vocational services.  The program's focus is to develop appropriate work habits and attitudes, good decision-making skills, problem solving skills, and learning-specific work skills that will assist in the student's transition as s/he moves closer to exiting high school.

At the Middle School level, students begin to attend regular classes in the Work Skills Center, which provides students with a variety of work experiences from within the school community.  Some of the work experiences include clerical tasks, assembly, sorting and packaging, delivery services, basic food services, retail services and maintenance services.

In the Upper School, all students participate in a variety of work experiences. These experiences are in-house jobs that are designed to meet a student's specific vocational goals and help her/him progress in vocational readiness. School-based work experiences take place in and around the school campus and are supported by job coaches.
 
Project Bridges is a program for Upper School students that provides pre-vocational exploration, assessment, and training at a variety of off-campus community work sites. Read more about Project Bridges here.

All components of the Pre-Vocational program use an inter-disciplinary approach. This enables students to be supported in the Work Skills Center, in work experiences on campus, and at community work sites. Individual student needs are assessed and supported by occupational therapy, physical therapy, communication therapy, the school psychologist and guidance counselors.  This team approach allows the students to experience their greatest potential for success as they prepare to enter the world of work.