Transition Plus Newsletter

Transition Plus sends out monthly newsletters to keep you informed about what is happening in our Tplus community, actions you need to take, and to make helpful information easily accessible to you. Past newsletters are also found on our website. We are so excited to partner with our students and families to make a robust year of learning and growing!

🔶¿Le gustaría traducir el boletín en español? Haga clic en el botón "translate" en la parte superior del boletín.🔶

💠Ma doonaysaa in aad ku akhrido warsidahayaga af-soomaali? Guji badhanka "tarjumo" ee ku yaal qaybta sare ee warsidaha. 💠

Please click above to access the MPS calendar. Print it and hang it somewhere handy. Transition Plus follows the MPS calendar.

• March 28-April 4: No School for Spring break
• April 11: African Cultural Celebration
• April 17: Career & Resource Fair 3:00 - 5:30

Looking Ahead

• May 2: Talent Show 1:30 - 3:00
• May 16: Tplus Student Art Sale
• May 26: No School - Memorial Day
• May 30: Tplus graduation 11:30 @ Pantages Theater (last day of school for graduates)
• June 6: Last day of school

We hope your Ramadan was blessed and that you have a beautiful Eid celebration with your family and friends.

MPS is changing GPS systems in all school buses starting in April. This means your Here Comes the Bus app will no longer work to track buses until the end of the school year (April - June 6)

Starting with Summer School (ESY) the new GPS tracking system will be up and running. Please download the new parent app called My Ride K-12 for Apple or for Android to track your buses.

Learn More

School staff will still be able to assist with bus questions.

Every 2 years Tplus hosts a career and resource fair to help our students and their families connect to jobs and community resources they need. Mark your calendars and plan to come to the fair on April 17 from 3:00 - 5:30

What: Career & Resource fair

When: Thursday, April 17 from 3:00 - 5:30

Where: Transition Plus, 2015 E Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55407, enter through door 6

Who: Employers and resources are selected for their accessibility to students and families with employment challenges and who benefit from connecting to community resources

Why: Do you have solid plans for what your student will be doing once they graduate from Tplus? Will they be connected to Day Programming? Residential services? Will they be connected to recreational services/acivities? Vocational Rehabilitation Services(VRS) to acquire/maintain supported and gainful employment? It is really helpful to know your options before the last minute so come on over and make some great connections with people who work diligently to care for and create opportunities for your students!

Interpreter Note: We will have several interpreters on site to support family communication. If you have a bilingual family member who can help bridge the gap, it may be a good idea to bring them.

2025 Teen Teamworks Summer Program Applications will be open March 17th – May 5th, 2025

• Only paper applications are accepted for summer positions in 2025.
• Applications can be found at any Recreation Center in the city, or at the Mary Merrill Headquarters building at 2117 West River Road. You can also print a copy of the PDF below.

You can return your application one of two ways:

• Via mail to our offices at 4001 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55409
• In person to any Rec Center, the Mary Merrill HQ Building, or to our offices (drop it in the secure mailbox if the office is closed)
• Emailed copies of applications will not be accepted.

All Park Care Crew positions are assigned through a lottery. Positions are NOT first-come-first-served. Positions will be offered after May 5th.

• Spark’d Studios, JD Rivers’, and Recreation Center placements are interview-based, with interviews taking place after May 5th.
• All lottery and interview updates will be sent to the email address on the candidates’ applications.

Click--> Link to application

https://www.minneapolisparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TeenTeamworksApplication2025.pdf

Students DO NOT need their diploma to apply.

Interested students must apply soon! Application link: https://www.tfaforms.com/5059103

Students could earn up to $4,800 in ten weeks, enjoy free daily transportation to work, earn industry certifications, and we will even help those interested in getting a driving permit or license!

Tree Care and Landscape Construction paid employment program running Mon – Fri, 9am – 3pm, from April 8 – June 19, 2025

Students who have already done Tree Trust are still welcome to apply.

The next cohorts will be:

• April 8 – June 18 – Spots Available
• June 24 – August 28 – Spots Available
• September 3 – November 12 – Spots Available
• November 17 – January 30 – Spots Available

This year MPS charged its schools with the daunting task of adequately providing instructional and developmental services to students next year while facing a historic 72-million-dollar deficit. This unprecedented financial shortfall undoubtably will affect many schools, including Tplus. Given our budget for the 2025-2026 school year, like many, we were faced with having to make cuts, but I am pleased to announce that these cuts will not prevent us from providing the high-quality services that Tplus is known for. With a bit of creativity and a little extra work, we will be able to offer the same effective instruction and experiences that will help your student reach their independent living, post-secondary, and employment goals. Although the period for budget allocations has passed, I will continue to advocate for any additional funding that may be available. Our students deserve the very best of what MPS and T-Plus has to offer. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and most of all, trusting Transition Plus with your most precious gifts.

Principal Joe Groves

The talent show, on Friday, May 2nd, is a social and fun event that we look forward to each year. Students who wish to be in the talent show will have to participate in their classes, worksites, and CBI classes each day they are at Tplus.

Students will start signing up to show off their talents after Spring Break, so check in with your student to see if they are performing. Caregivers are welcome to attend this afternoon event. It usually runs 1:30 - 3:00

Our Transition Plus graduation will be held at Pantages Theater, 710 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55402 on May 30th at 11:30. Guests plan to be seated by 11:15. Anyone who arrives after 11:15 will have to wait until after the graduate processional to be seated.

Students who graduated earlier this year are welcome to participate in the graduation ceremony.

LOCATION

• Pantages Theater, 710 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55402
• Friday, May 30 @ 11:30

PARKING/BUS LINES

• Parking options near Pantages Theater

• The Metro Transit bus lines C, D, 5, 22 also get passengers to the Pantages Theater area.

CAPS & GOWNS

• Students may pick up their graduation gown from the main office starting May 12.
• Gowns will be labeled and kept in their case manager's room, then returned after the ceremony in exchange for your diploma.
• Students may keep their caps and tassels.

GRADUATE PORTRAITS

• Graduates may get formal graduate portraits dressed in caps and gowns in room T309 at Tplus on Friday April 18 and Friday, April 25th between 10:30 -12:30 and 1:30 - 3:30.
• Special Arrangements will be made for Project SEARCH graduates to get their portraits
• If a graduate can't get to Tplus for the scheduled portrait dates and times, the graduate should contact Benjamin.Drewelow@mpls.k12.mn.us to schedule a time that works.

FAMILY & FRIENDS

• Graduates may invite up to 6 guests to graduation
• Invitations and ticket information will be shared soon
• Guests must be seated by 11:15. Anyone who arrives after 11:15 will be seated after graduate processional.
• Please allow ample time for parking and entrance - at least 15-20 minutes
• Information about livestreaming will be available closer to the date

RECEPTION & DIPLOMAS

• From 1:00 - 1:30, Transition Plus will host a graduation reception in our school cafeteria. Graduates will pick up their diploma and grad gift bag during the reception.
• At 1:30, normal classes will resume. Graduates will sign out and leave with care givers. They are now high school graduates!!!

RETURN CHROMEBOOKS

Graduates must return their Chromebooks by Thursday, May 29

AFTER GRADUATION
Graduates are finished with school! School buses will no longer pick them up and if graduates arrive at school on their own, we will greet them warmly and move them along toward home. We are so proud of them for completing their high school journey!

MPS High School Graduation Schedule

ESY runs Monday - Thursday, from June 23 - July 31 this year. All interested families should reach out to their school case manager or to the ESY coordinator James.Menke@mpls.k12.mn.us with questions.

As we plan our cultural celebrations throughout the year, we look for families to help guide us in the right direction. We would love to connect with you to create celebrations with authentic learning about a culture. Caretakers can be involved as much as they feel comfortable - from taking a leadership role in the celebration to sharing recipes or thinking of ideas. Reach out to Christina.Brantner@mpls.k12.mn.us or Colleen.Knuth@mpls.k12.mn.us

Our celebrations are on the following dates:

• Hispanic Heritage: October 11
• Native American: November 22
• Winter Spectacular: December 20
• Asian American Pacific Islander: January 31
• African American: February 21
• Disability Awareness: March 21
• African: April 11

(exact dates may change in response to Tplus community needs)

Hey Families! We need your input and feedback! Filling out this form helps us understand if you feel we are missing something important in our program that better supports your students and reflects your family!

• Transition Plus Office: 612-668-4100
• Tplus Transportation: 612-668-4103
• Tplus Nurse line: 612-668-4071
• District Transportation Dispatch (before 8:30, after 4:00): 612-668-2300

Mission Statement

The mission of Transition Plus is to provide services to students with differing educational abilities & assets. We focus on meeting transition needs in post-secondary education and training, employment, and independent living to promote a successful transition from high school to adult life.

Our Vision

To provide experience and learning that will assist students to have meaningful, satisfying work and home lives as family members, leaders, employees, and citizens.

We offer students:

• Access to learning environments that help students develop their skills and confidence.
• A positive school environment characterized by peace, compassion, and the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.
• A structure of support and collaboration with our community, students, and families
• A team of highly qualified professionals with a passion for learning and sharing.

We offer:

• Continuing high school support after 18-21 years of age
• Lots of hands-on options
• Extensive learning & training in the community
• Additional resources available for individual needs
• Support the growth and maturity of each student

Transition Plus provides services for students with learning disabilities and transition needs.

Website: https://transitionplus.mpschools.org/
Location: 2015 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone: 612-668-4100
Facebook: facebook.com/transitionplus.mps
Twitter: @MPS_Tplus