MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION PROGRAM

(Ages 14-21)

The High School Students have the opportunity to learn about using Access Link to prepare for a very mobile future.

The Felician School for Exceptional Children is in compliance with New Jersey State Regulations and the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards with regard to the transition policy.

The primary goal of our educational program at this level is to provide varied experiences, which will in turn result in a rewarding post-graduate life for our students.   We are aware that the students now need to begin to transfer those basic skills learned in our foundational classes into daily living, and our focus changes dramatically towards the functionality of those skills which will provide a successful future. At approximately age 14, when students move into Middle School/High School homerooms, there is a major shift from self-contained classroom environment to programs which begins to parallel traditional high school programs.  Students begin working with additional teachers and staff, utilizing a community-based instructional approach, preparing contract work, and working outside the school building with certified Structured Learning Experience Coordinators (Job Coaches).

Our program consists of the following components:

• Academic Component focuses on the continued development and functional use of academic skills necessary for daily living.
• Independent Living focuses on personal care and daily life skills including cooking and shopping.
• Pre-Vocational Component consists of two workshops for contract work and a craft room for preparing and selling crafts.
• Behavioral and Socialization Component focuses on the development of behaviors appropriate for the workplace and life in the community.
• Community-Based Work Component provides a variety of work experiences and job sampling within the community and school environment.  These experiences gradually increase in frequency as the student progresses towards graduation.

"It took us a few years to decide to send Chris (class of 2014) to Felician ...  it was one of the BEST decisions we have made for Chris so far.  Once we decided and then saw first hand how well Chris was doing, we wondered why didn't we place him there sooner.  We have seen Chris grow over the years and seeing the dedication and hard work you all put into the day for my son and ALL the children at Felician is truly no less then AWESOME.  Saying Thank you is in NO way enough to express it all ...but THANK YOU !!"  - Chris' Mom and Dad