Help us celebrate colleagues' successes!

This week we would like to highlight classrooms and programs utilizing MITTIN, an interactive, digital platform for bridging the gap between classroom instruction and community application.

WISD Programs and classrooms

Classrooms teachers: Jasen King at Chelsea Young Adult, Terry Weaver, Maggie Valle, Claudia Dowdney, and Matelyn Yarbrough at Red Oak Young Adult.

Ann Arbor School District Staff

Ann Arbor teachers: Summer Duel (SCI) and Erika Daman (ASD) at Forsythe Middle School, as well as Mary-Rayford Palmer (MOCI) and Colleen Colegrove (Resource) at Clague Middle School are utilizing MITTIN resources in their classroom with their students. These teachers along with Jessica Lucke, Secondary Compliance/Transition Coordinator are all participating in MITTIN's PLC.

Best Buddies-University of Michigan states that 15-20 new WISD Young Adult students have joined Best Buddies this year! Thank you Young Adult Staff for your efforts and persistence to connect students with peers and opportunities outside of school.

This week our transition tip will feature MITTIN. MIchigan Transition To INdependence is a dynamic collection of interactive digital modules and curricular resources which foster the development of independent living skills in the home and community. Designed to support special education transition-related instruction, these resources are free and available for all parents, schools, educators and learners in Michigan. MITTIN is a partnership of the Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education (MAASE), Michigan Council for Exceptional Children (MCEC), Great Lakes Reality Labs (GLRL) and Public Policy Associates (PPA).

MITTIN’s Vision: Strengthening a learner's transition to independence.

MITTIN’s Mission: MITTIN provides innovative digital content supported by curricular resources to bridge gaps between the classroom and the outside world.

Benefits of MITTIN
The many benefits of using MITTIN instructional resources include:

• Supporting learners in need of more instructional time;

• Preparing learners that may not have as much access to the community to learn and practice transition skills;

• Creating connections between community experiences and the classroom to increase generalization of transition skills; and

• Scaffolding tasks from guided to independent practice to promote safety in the home and community.

What Can Learners Experience?

MITTIN brings real-life experiences to learners who are working to achieve transition-related goals. The resources provide learners with the ability to practice independent living skills with varying levels of complexity. Currently there are 13 modules which support the development of safety and independence in the home and community. These skills may be used individually or as proficiency develops, modules can be sequenced to create more complicated, interconnected tasks.

Interested? https://www.maase.org/mittin

• https://wisd.zoom.us/j/99008912734?pwd=9GGUDbr0jOWNkX4SRVu5n0uKsVXaLk.1
• Meeting ID: 990 0891 2734
• Passcode: 669019

This Tuesday’s Transition Tip is a review to some and introduction to others. It is important as special education providers/case managers that we create structured and detailed postsecondary transition plans for our students. The Washtenaw County Post-Secondary Transition Manual is a guide to assist special education staff with creating complaint post-secondary transition plans. This guide contains a table of contents to help locate information quickly. The manual also gives insight on how not only to build a complaint transition plan but a quality transition plan. It includes links, videos, and an appendix to assist. Please take the time to read and review the Washtenaw County Post-Secondary Transition Manual.

Washtenaw County Post-Secondary Transition Manual

Don't forget our monthly Countywide Transition Coalition Meeting for Washtenaw County Transition District Designees, WISD teachers, consultants, and service providers is held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month from 9am-11am at the Teaching and Learning Center.

March 13, 2025 6pm-7:30pm

Hosted by:

Washtenaw Intermediate School District

1819 S. Wagner Rd., Ann Arbor - Vogels B & C

Join us for discussion of the following topics:

• A Household of One
• Assisted Decision Making
• Securing Government Benefits
• Supplementing Government Benefits
• Community & Government Agency Supports & More!

Dates:

• October 8. 2024 9am-11am (at 1819 S. Wagner Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 in Seminar 1)
• November 8th, 2024, 12:30-3:30pm at the WISD
• January 15, 2024 11am-1pm (virtually)
• March 18, 2024 1pm-3pm (at 1819 S. Wagner Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 in Seminar 1)

Register via the WISD Workshop Link on the WISD website under staff

Need some assistance writing compliant IEP and appropriate PLAAFP statements and goals? Here is a great opportunity for you to receive training on these topics.

Professional Development you can attend:

· Interactive IEP Training: How to write a compliant IEP

· Creating PLAAFPs and Measurable Goals/Objectives

Transition Agencies and Community Supports Upcoming Events

The WISD Transition Services website has an assessment library with FREE electronic forms/materials. Check it out!

Also the WISD has a lending library of assessment and curricula resources using the WISD Destiny Library.

Submit your student/staff/program/district Transition Triumphs to Joy Taylor or Kelly Higgins for possible inclusion in future Newsletters.

*When using student photos be sure to included photo release permissions.