Work Readiness Academy
Fenruary 2024 Newsletter
The month of February seemed to fly by in a flash! This month students rotated into new Work-Based Learning experiences in the community. The rotation will provide them with the chance to learn and practice new tasks and explore new job pathways. It also allows our staff to observe and assess them in a different environment.
Earlier this week we sent our students, parents and staff an email informing them that our school is participating in survey data collection using the New Jersey School Climate Improvement (NJ SCI) Survey to help obtain multiple perspectives on aspects of school climate. Collecting data is important for understanding strengths and needs in our school and how it feels to be a member of the school community. Your voice is important to us, and your opinions will help us to address current priorities. The survey is anonymous and it is voluntary. The results will be used to help create a plan to address school climate needs and make improvements to the school. You may submit a separate survey per child in the school building if you feel their experiences are different, but you do not have to.
The email we sent out included a link and password for you to complete the survey. Thank you in advance for your participation and feedback. We appreciate your ongoing support and look forward to exploring new ways to continue working together to create the most supportive and engaging learning environment for your child.
If you have any questions about the survey, or need it resent to you, please feel free to reach out to me or Rachel Richer, our Supervisor of Instruction.
Please enjoy the rest of this month's newsletter including more detailed updates about our instructional program from Ms Richer and the latest from our Project SEARCH program!
Sincerely,
Josh Bornstein, Director
UCESC Work Readiness Academy
How to Contact Us!
As a reminder, in the event that your child will be absent, arriving late, or picked up early, please call our main number at (908) 633-2704 and speak with our secretary Maureen Wakeman. If it is before 8am, please leave a message. You can also email Maureen at mwakeman@ucesc.org
Meet Betty Mack, Teaching Assistant (Part-Time)
How long have you worked for UCESC?
I just started in January, but everyone has been so welcoming and helpful it truly feels like I’ve been around much longer than 2 months!
What do you love best about your job?
My favorite thing about working at WRA is undoubtedly the focus on community-building and creating an uplifting and positive environment for the students and the staff. It’s really special to be a part of a program that genuinely encourages everybody involved to be the best version of themselves and bring new ideas to the table both on the job and as part of the community. There’s so much heart and happiness, it makes coming to work a joy!
What do you like to do in your free time?
I’m a creative-type by nature so I spend my time doing all kinds of artsy stuff! I have a children’s edu-tainment series on YouTube called “Betty, Set, Go!” that’s a lot of fun to make and work on in my free time. I also really enjoy creating miniatures, trying out new craft projects and making custom gifts for friends and family. Also, my evenings are often spent in rehearsals for a musical at one of the local theaters - recently I was the Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz at the CDC Theater!
What it something that people would be suprised to know about you?
Well I’m pregnant and due with a little girl on the 4th of July! (Although the baby bump is making that a bit less surprising these days) I think people might be surprised to know that my bachelor’s degree is in Musical Theatre and before moving to Cranford 3 years ago I lived and worked in the city as an actress and comedian!
This month we shine the spotlight on Walgreens, an American company that operates the second-largest pharmacy store chain in the United States. Walgreens has been a long-standing partner with our program hosting Work-Based Learning experiences for our students at three different local stores! Thank you to Erica and her team at the Cranford store, Debbie and her team in Westfield, and Christian and the team at the Union store for always being so welcoming and supportive to our students and staff!
Walgreens specializes in filling prescriptions, health and wellness products, health information, and photo services.
The company was founded in Chicago in 1901, and is headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Deerfield, Illinois. As of June 2023, the company operated almost 9,000 stores in the United States!
Our hard working students at the Work Readiness Academy have been exploring, creating and demonstrating a wide variety of new skills this month! Our career readiness classes have been taking a closer look at their communication skills and applying new ideas and concepts learned to their internships. While in class they have begun to practice the use of effective communication while interviewing as well as analyzing real real-life situations for opportunities to improve their communication skills.
During our life skills classes, students have been learning all about navigating their communities independently with the use of public transportation and ride share options. Students are learning new strategies for how to plan for travel by reading schedules, and maps, as well as learning to budget for upcoming trips they have planned. Throughout the month our students have also been learning all about incorporating cooperation and friendship into their everyday lives. Students took the time to send positive messages to one another with our candy grams activity and brightened each other's days when they were delivered and exchanged as part of our Valentines day celebration.
To honor Black History Month at Work Readiness Academy, we have dedicated time each week at community meetings to discuss influential African Americans throughout history and have constructed a “Timeline Of Greatness” display in our cafeteria. Students have been expanding on their knowledge and understanding of these individuals and have created posters with information and visuals that they have shared while in class, be sure to stop by and take a look at all of their hard work!
Rachel Richer
Supervisor of Instruction
In February the students at Project SEARCH participated in their third Employment Planning Meetings. The students and staff shared important information about their current internships, their strengths and areas for improvement. The team also discussed the students’ goal for competitive employment. In the classroom, the lessons focused on taking initiative, problem-solving, workplace accommodations, and self-advocacy. The students also researched important contributions that African Americans have made to history, culture and society for Black History Month. We look forward to visiting TD bank in March where we will tour the facility and learn more about financial literacy.
- Jourdan Spencer, Project SEARCH Instructor for UCESC
Project SEARCH Application Now Available
The online application for the Project SEARCH at Overlook Medical Center Class of 2025 is now available and can be accessed by clicking the link below:
https://forms.gle/JJmq3rnpPeV1zXA97
Interested students and their families must attend one of our upcoming virtual information sessions:
Upcoming Dates:
Tuesday, March 12th at 7pm
Tuesday, April 16th at 7pm
Please email Josh Bornstein at jbornstein@ucesc.org with your preferred date and we will send you the Google Meet link for the requested session.
About the Work Readiness Academy
The Work Readiness Academy serves students ages 18-21 with disabilities and provides a comprehensive employment training experience that incorporates both classroom-based instruction and community-based work-learning experiences. While in the training classroom, students work cooperatively with similar aged peers to learn critical skills related to employment and socialization. Students also work on career exploration and planning, including the development of a person-centered, post-secondary vision and plan with clear goals and action steps. Program staff remain on-site during the internships to provide and fade support and assistance as needed. Students also participate in field trips focused on career discovery, independent living skills, recreation and independent travel training.
For more information or to make a student referral, please email Josh Bornstein at jbornstein@ucesc.org
Email: jbornstein@ucesc.org
Website: https://www.ucesc.org/schools/the_work_readiness_academy
Location: 970 Suburban Road, Union, NJ, USA
Phone: 908-633-2704