PA Transition Tidbits
Updates and Events - December 2022
NEWS
PATTAN/PDE - GRANT AWARDEES ANNOUNCED
Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Transition Discoveries:
Designing Pathways to Competitive Integrated Employment Awardees
Youth Ambassador Spotlight
Meet Will Gruver, Pennsylvania’s first Youth Ambassador (YA)! Will is a senior at Clarion-Limestone Area High School in Strattanville, PA and has served as a YA with OVR at the Riverview Intermediate Unit (IU) 6 in Clarion since the end of June.
His OVR Counselor and IU worksite supervisor partner with him on work-readiness goals and expectations. Some specific duties have included job shadowing and informational interviewing with IU staff; observing/assisting with the Summer Program classrooms including the Multiple Disabilities, Life Skills and Autism Support classes; career exploration through the PA Secondary Transition website curriculum; and coordinating transportation. He will engage in public speaking/presenting on this project and his Youth Ambassador experience to the IU and his home school district. He also attends monthly IU Secondary Transition Coordinator meetings and is planning to form an affiliate group of students as part of the PA Youth Leadership Network (PYLN).
Additionally, Will has had the unique opportunity of learning how to operate a drone from the IU’s Lending Library, with the goal of training staff on its use. He attended the PA Secondary Transition Conference at Penn State in July. Will began working his fall schedule, which is 5 days a week onsite at the IU. He has initiated a project designing a survey gathering information regarding disabilities and education. Future plans include engaging in public speaking/presenting on this project and his Youth Ambassador experience to the IU and his home school district.
When he was asked to describe his experience as a Youth Ambassador, he said: “This has been an amazing experience getting to work with OVR and Riverview Intermediate Unit; getting to see some of the behind the scenes of the IU Headquarters and several classrooms over the summer and into the school year. I have met and worked with a ton of the staff here including the Director of Educational Programs here at IU6. I have also worked with the Information Technology staff here. Not only have I worked in several classrooms this past summer, I have also helped to set those classrooms up and worked with the students in those classes. While working here at IU6 I have been able to work with the PIMS Technician. In addition to that I also had the chance to work in the business office with the Payroll/AR Technician. I have met the members of the TaC (Training and Consultation) Team here at the IU as well as the Behavior Specialist to discuss some information that I could use in my Disability Awareness and Education project that I plan to share with the 17 schools within our 3,200 square mile range.” Recently, Will created a flyer for Spina Bifida month on the Riverview IU6 Facebook page and is excited to see how many likes the post gets.
Everyone on his support team is confident that participating in the YA program is a huge step toward his goal to transition from high school to post-secondary education, where he plans to study English Education and Social Studies!
Thank you to Will, IU6, his OVR Counselor Melody, IU6, and the Erie District Office! We are excited to see Will accomplish his goals, and look forward to expanding the YA program. If you’d like to learn more about the OVR YA program, please reach out to Krista Sloan at krsloan@.pa.gov.
TRANSITION TIP: DID YOU KNOW?
What are Transition Services?
IDEA 2004- 300.43 Transition services says:
“Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that—
Is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation”.
Think of transition service and activities as a way to close the gap between where a student is now (skills a student already possesses) and where the student wants to be (skills a student needs to move closer to postsecondary goals.) This should be discussed in the present education levels related to transition through a summary of progress monitoring data, transition assessment results, academic and behavioral input, and community-based experience data. It is important to remember that service and activities must be individualized and align to a student’s postsecondary goals. Each postsecondary goal should have services that link to skill improvement meant to close the gap. By connecting at least one measurable annual goal to each postsecondary goal, an IEP team can measure and see the progress of skill attainment each year. When connecting services and activities from one year to the next, a coordinated set of activities and services is aligned.
Based on the student’s individual needs, interests and preferences, IEP teams should consider services in all areas listed in IDEA:
- Instruction;
- Related services;
- Community experiences;
- The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and
- If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
Transition services for children with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Employment First Community of Practice Webinar Recording Link and Meeting Materials November 9, 2022
Understanding Community Engagement Part 2: Work Learning Activities as a Pathway to Competitive Integrated Employment
Recently, members of the PA Secondary Transition Community of Practice were featured on an Employment First Community of Practice webinar to discuss collaboration between agencies to support competitive integrated employment.
Below you can access the meeting materials:
Did you miss Community Engagement Part I?
The Role of Non-Work Activities in Developing Critical Skills for Competitive Integrated Employment
National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C)
Check out their Training Resource Library.
If you're new to transition, be sure to check out Transition 101!
UPCOMING TRAININGS & CONFERENCES
Transition Assessment and Goal Generator (TAGG) CERTIFICATION TRAINING
There is one sessions left in a free webinar series to become TAGG Certified. These sessions are designed to provide in-depth information on our transition assessments, goal implementation, and resources to teach transition skills. Click below to register:
Click on the date below to register:
Webinar: Preparing Transition Students and Young Adults for the Workforce, and to be Financially Successful
Dec 6, 2022 10:00 AM ET
Spring Offering: The Nuts and Bolts of Job Coaching
PA SECONDARY TRANSITION EVENTS CALENDAR
This newsletter is brought to you by: The Pennsylvania Community on Transition
The Pennsylvania Community on Transition is a group of various stakeholders from across Pennsylvania who work collaboratively to ensure appropriate transition outcomes for Pennsylvania youth and young adults.
The Pennsylvania Community on Transition is a state leadership team consisting of representative from: the State Departments of Education, Health, Labor and Industry, and Human Services; Various Serving Agencies, Young Adults, Parent Organizations, Advocates, Higher Education, and Employers.
The shared vision and common goals of the Pennsylvania Community on Transition is achieved when all PA youth and young adults with disabilities:
- Successfully transition to the role of productive and participating adult citizens
- Are empowered to recognize their talents, strengths, and voice
- Have equal access to resources that will promote their full participation in the communities of their choice.
Email: pasecondarytransition@gmail.com
Website: https://www.pasecondarytransition.com/
Phone: 4128266878
Twitter: @hmangiskuntz