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Transition Newsletter January 2023
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JANUARY 2023
Change
Happy New Year families and friends!
The start of a new year brings about the idea of change. This time of year, we are commonly setting goals for any changes we intend to make in our own lives. Perhaps there are even bigger changes we hope to see happen in the world this year.
For some, the new year brings a transition to increased independence and additional responsibilities. Transition isn't always easy. It is helpful to have the support of family and friends in order to accept a new routine and also to let go of what was once comfortable. Change is very necessary for growth. We can all get too comfortable and stuck within our old routines, and we may try to avoid the stress and anxiety brought about by the idea of change. However, it is change that helps us to become stronger, more resilient, and better able to face adversity in the future.
As challenging as it can be to face the new changes in our lives, hopefully we can find gratitude for these opportunities to learn and to grow. For our first issue of the new year, we focus on things we can do to help our students adapt to change so that they may experience new fulfilling friendships, relationships, successes, and joys.
An exciting change for us has been recently welcoming two new students to Transition! This photo shows JJ and Cristhian jumping right into a fun basketball game with Luke and Max.
Conversations about Change
John, Alex and Tyler have been practicing communication skills using their AAC devices. Nice work answering this month's question, guys!
Questions for Students
We asked the students about their goals in 2023. Here are their answers.
Tyler: I would like to play football and watch the Chicago Bears in 2023.
John: I would like to dance, read and play in 2023.
Alex: I would like to play football in 2023.
Nicolette: I would like to see Bob and work at Midtown Athletics in 2023.
Hannah: I would like to swim in my pool and go to Lake Forest College in 2023.
Tommy: I would like to go to the playground and Target, and I'm looking forward to learning and swimming in 2023.
JJ: I am looking forward to getting a job and making new friends in 2023.
Max: I want to get a job and work out in 2023.
Luke: I would like to be more independent at work in 2023.
Emerson: I would like to be more patient in 2023.
Cristhian: I would like to learn how to ski in 2023.
Quinn: I would like to be better at managing my devices and staying on task in 2023.
Upcoming Calendars
IMPORTANT DATES FOR JANUARY
January 2nd and 3rd
- Winter Break. No school for staff and students
January 4th
- First day back after Winter Break.
January 16th
- Martin Luther King Jr Day. No school for staff and students
IMPORTANT DATES FOR FEBRUARY
February 17th
- Tri District Day. No school for students
February 20th
- President's Day. No school for staff and students
February 21st
- Built in Emergency Day. Potentially no school for staff and students
Psychology with Poladian
Changing Feelings
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had a fun and restful holiday season and a great start to the year 🙂
January is all about the word change. I wanted to focus this month on self-care strategies that we can all benefit from when we want to change how we are feeling.
It is normal to feel down or low once in a while - Everyone feels that way every now and again, and feeling down or low is often more prevalent in the gloomy, cold winter months. One way to feel better on those days is to carve out a little bit of time for self-care. Indeed, a little bit of time spent doing something that you know can lift your mood can make a huge difference in your day. Some simple, at-home self-care ideas to engage in could include:
- Listening to upbeat music
- Going for a walk
- Dancing or working out
- Stretching or doing some yoga
- Having a healthy snack
- Cooking or baking
- Talking to a friend or family member on the phone
- Drawing or making some kind of art
- Watching a favorite movie or reading a favorite book
- Playing with your pets
- Styling your hair or doing your nails
And so much more…!
Speech Tips with Sherry
During social language group, we work on the concept of being a flexible thinker. Flexible thinking helps us to build positive relationships with the people around us at work, in the community, at school, and at home.
Flexible thinkers are able to handle change by using these strategies:
Demonstrate positive self talk
Think about choices
Model a positive attitude toward unexpected changes
Think about the other people in the situation
Listen to the perspective of others
What are some situations where you had to be a flexible thinker and show that change can be good?
1.
2.
3.
How did others feel about you after you accepted the change?
😀😐🙁
How did you feel about yourself after the situation ended?
😀😐😠
Did the way you responded to the change or situation make others want to be around you or be friends with you? Yes or No
Why?
Vocational Spotlight with Diana
Positive Changes
“If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.”
~Jack Dixon.
This quote about change connects with our Transition values and services to coordinate and set appropriate activities to help students grow into responsible, and goal-achieving independent adults.
This month, I want to highlight two students from the Lake Forest Transition Center that have aimed high and achieved great outcomes this semester.
First, we specially recognize Lucas Cohen. He purchased his very own truck this 2022-2023 school year. Lucas had set goals to earn a paid job, get a drivers license, and save money to make this amazing purchase. We are super proud of Lucas and his huge accomplishment of buying his first car. Congratulations Lucas!!
Secondly, we highlight Irving Ocampo for registering for his very first class at College of Lake County. He will be taking Art 124, Drawing 1. Irving began coming to our program in the fall semester with the goal to be college bound and college ready. We are super excited for Irving to change and transition from his academics from the Transition team to academics at the college level.
Congratulations, Lucas and Irving, on these fantastic changes in your life!
Transition Highlights
Photo op on
the track at LFC
Morgan and Emerson
reviewing the holiday
cookie recipe
Luke, Max and Jane
excited for their day
at LFC
Nicolette and Tyler playing
a numbers sorting game
Luke and Jane reading
a current events article
Elliana driving
her power chair
John and D'Anna
practicing math skills
Alex celebrating
his birthday!
Hannah and Tyler
eating lunch together
Group with Sam
Hannah enjoying leisure
time in the gym
Jane completing
her fitness goals
Morgan and Max working
in the Voc Lab
Emerson finishing
an assignment
Max working out at
Lake Forest College
Pete and Luke holding a plank
Fun at the track
Walk and talk with Ani
Dana and Hannah in
the West Campus gym
Nicolette, Tyler, and Hannah playing basketball
John and Hannah working
on Star Assessments
Alex working on math
Hannah sorting pictures
of staff members
Tyler practicing an
important life skill
Shopping for spaghetti ingredients
Emerson with the sauce!
Having fun cooking in
the West Campus kitchen
Preparing the
spaghetti lunch
Eating lunch together
Tyler finishing his
lunch at Panera
Helpful Resources
Services for People with Disabilities (SFPD)
presents a free* Community Education Workshop
PUNS- The Basics
When: Wednesday, January 25th, 2:00pm-3:00pm
Where: Online via TEAMS- please note we will not be using zoom
The PUNS list, Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services, is the database that the Department of Human Services (DHS) uses to understand how many individuals in Illinois want or need Developmental Disability Waiver services.
Join guest speaker Ruth Aguilar, Ligas Family Advocate, from The Arc of Illinois for an overview of PUNS. Learn more about qualifications, requirements to enroll, prioritization, the benefits of being on the PUNS list, and steps to help in the process. Q&A will be available. This presentation will be helpful to people with disabilities and their families, as well as professionals.
*Registration Required
VFIN Research Study
Has your family member with intellectual and/or developmental disability (IDD) talked about what they want for their future? Not sure on how to prepare your family and loved one with IDD for their future?
If yes, you might be eligible to join the Virtual Future is Now (VFIN) research study, which consists of an online & interactive training program offered by the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois Chicago. The VFIN training program is for adults with IDD & their family members residing in Illinois to help them initiate the future planning process. This training will consist of weekly 1-hour Live Zoom classes and self-paced materials on Google Classroom for 8 weeks in Winter 2023.
To screen for eligibility, click the button below, call (312) 996-1002, or e-mail kkeiling@uic.edu.
IATP WIPA Training Events
Illinois Assistive Technology Program (IATP) Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) serves Social Security Disability beneficiaries in Illinois. In cooperation with the sponsorship of Illinois DHS - Division of Rehabilitation Services, IATP WIPA will be hosting 10 WISE events from January through May 2023. In an effort to make WISE events more convenient for beneficiaries and their families, they are hosting them multiple times a month both during the day and the evening. Please see the dates / times and Zoom links below to register in advance:
National Disability Institute has prepared new tools to help individuals with disabilities, family members and those who provide support make informed decisions while using financial service products. These resources are available as downloadable and accessible PDFs and sharing is encouraged.
ILLINOIS COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES FINANCIAL WELLNESS WEBINARS & BLOGS
National Disability Institute’s Financial Wellness for Persons with Developmental Disabilities initiative is supported by the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities. The goal of the Financial Wellness for Persons with Developmental Disabilities initiative is to increase awareness, understanding and utilization of an array of financial education, financial capability and financial stability strategies through collaboration with both financial stability partners and disability organizations to benefit individuals with disabilities.
As part of this initiative, below are archives of a three-part webinar series, with blogs for the corresponding first two parts.
Robert H. Farley Jr. offers workshops and seminars to parents, organizations, and agencies on a wide variety of topics related to disability advocacy and disability services.
300 S. Waukegan Rd.
Lake Forest, Illinois 60045