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 in English, Spanish, and Somali. 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.

• October 3: No School - Rosh Hashanah (Thursday)
• October 11: Hispanic Heritage Celebration
• October 15: International Potluck 5:00 - 7:00
• October 15: Caregiver Conferences 5:00 - 7:30pm
• October 16 - 18: No School - MEA break
• October 16: caregiver conferences 8:30am - 1:30pm

Looking Ahead

• November 4: Picture day
• November 5: No School - Voting Day (Tuesday)
• November 22: American Indian Cultural Celebration
• November 27-29: No School: Thanksgiving Holiday

Transition Plus is hosting conferences for caregivers on October 15th & 16th. Sign up on www.MyConferenceTime.com/Tplus or reach out to your teacher to schedule a conference.

October 15:

• Conferences 5:00 - 7:30
• International Potluck: 5:00 - 7:00 (bring food to share that represents your family heritage)

October 16:

• Conferences 8:30 - 1:30

Spring conferences: February 13, 5:00 - 7:30; February 14, 8:30 - 1:30

On October 15th, from 5:00 - 7:00, our Tplus community will come together to share a meal and celebrate our diverse backgrounds! Please bring food to share that represents your family's heritage.

• Please attach a list of ingredients to your dish
• chat with other Tplus families to build community
• walk around TPlus to see our space
• meet with teachers to learn about your student's progress

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
• American Indian: November 22
• Winter Spectacular: December 20
• Asian 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)

All families enrolled in Minneapolis Public Schools need to complete the Educational Benefits Form.

Applications completed by our families...

• generate millions of dollars in funding for MPS and our schools, students and families.
• determine benefits for students and families like free bus cards and discounted internet service.

The income thresholds are higher than for some programs, so many families are surprised to find they DO qualify for benefits. If you wish to decline benefits, do so on the paper application, or email info.cws@mpls.k12.mn.us with their student's names.

Picture day at Transition Plus is on Monday, November 4th. We will share picture purchasing information once it becomes available.

Retakes are scheduled for Wednesday, December 4th.

Project SEARCH was developed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, which is still the administrative headquarters for the organization. Project SEARCH is a business-led, one-year internship program for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Most participants are enrolled while transitioning from high school to work. The hallmark of Project SEARCH is total workplace immersion, which facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, hands-on training leading to acquisition of marketable work skills. Project SEARCH's goal is to secure competitive, integrated employment for every program participant. For more information, visit www.projectsearch.us.

After picture day (November 4th) student may receive their updated student ID.

If students need proof of enrollment to retain participation in community benefits, please contact the main office 612-668-4100.

SCHOOL MESSENGER

Transition Plus and MPS send messages pertaining to the whole school via text, email, and phone throughout the year to keep families informed.

Transition Plus families often find that their messaging has been turned off, so please take a few minutes to log into School Messenger to opt-in to messaging and to ensure your contact information is correct.

Options: log in or sign up in the upper right corner, download the app, or watch a tutorial under the app buttons

TALKING POINTS APP

Teachers use the Talking Points App to communicate with their students' caregivers. Please download the free app now to communicate with your teacher.

Community Based Instruction is unique to Transition Plus! We firmly believe that by the time students get to us, they need to start transitioning to a community mindset. CBI helps with that by connecting with the community every Friday. By sending your student to Transition Plus, you are allowing us to take your student into the community with proper supports and safety precautions. We do not use permission slips.

Monday through Thursday: students are learning skills needed to be successful adults in a classroom setting and/or at jobsites supported by Tplus staff.

Fridays: students join 5-week cohorts to dig deeper into a topic related to their IEP goals, classes, and interests. These cohorts meet on Friday mornings for 2.5 hours for 5 consecutive weeks to meet at community locations, engage with a community member at TPlus, or otherwise engage in a topic as a hands-on extension of their classes or as an IEP goal. We do not send home permission slips for community trips at Tplus because community trips are a consistent integral part of our programming.

When possible, students walk or take public transportation to access the community to practice these independent modes of transportation, but when these methods don't make sense, we take school buses.

Friday Afternoons:

Students are encouraged to practice social relationships by engaging in an interest-activity that they get to self-select with their peers. Students may lead the activity or engage with a staff-lead activity.

MPS School bus information will be sent to families via email and Robo call in the second half of August.

Caregivers & students can track MPS school buses through the free Here Comes the Bus app.

Download the Here Comes The Bus App

To activate your account, you will need:

• MPS District Code: 87018
• Your student's school ID # (also their lunch #)

• 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: www.transplus.mpls.k12.mn.us
Location: 2015 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone: 612-668-4100
Facebook: facebook.com/transitionplus.mps
Twitter: @MPS_Tplus