Transition Activities: Flowchart

Transition Activities: Flowchart

This process requires VRC to have a predictable schedule/time to be at the high school

Transition Calendar

Yearly Activities by Quarter

Late August through December (Holiday Break)

Obtain Student List

Work to obtain a list of students receiving special education or 504 services from the high school in August, ideally prior to student arrival at school, so initial planning for the academic year can take place. Especially in your first year with the high school, this may not occur until the first few weeks of school. Also be aware that once the school year gets going, it can be difficult to find guaranteed “free time” of teachers, transition staff, SPED Director, etc.

· Identify juniors and seniors (and sophomores when appropriate) to meet with one on one. These will be the potential VR applicants for the school year, so it is important to identify them early.

· Determine appropriate Transition IEP meetings to attend. Typically these are the sophomore class. Learn from the school if IEPs are scheduled throughout the academic year or are all done in a certain season. VRC attendance provides the ability for the counselor to give VR information to students, family, and transition team, and to meet families and learn more about a student’s strengths and barriers.

This initial early “identification work” with teachers and other school staff helps to get on the same page with the school staff so more work isn’t created for them or the VR counselor.

Send Employment Focused Transition Flyer and Poster

Work with the school to prepare a mailing to SPED/504 Students that:

· Provides introduction to VR being in the school

· Gives an open invitation for students to actively seek services

· Provides contact information for the VR counselor, on and off campus

· Outlines steps to take for following up with an appointment

It is preferable that this mailing be done by school if possible, possibly in conjunction with another mailing they are already doing. If the school is unable to send the flyer in a mailing, hand it out to students in their classes in conjunction with the VR 101 presentation (see below).

Present VR 101 Power Point

Work with teachers to identify a class time to provide to freshman and sophomore classes a presentation that overviews VR services and what a VR counselor does in relation to youth transition. This presentation is beneficial because it:

· Assists in students and school to understand VR presence in the school

· Gives VRC an opportunity to observe the students in the classroom setting

· Gives the school/teacher the ability to help make the connection of the importance of having VR available in the high school. Also allows for further inquiries from the students.

This could also be a time in which the freshman and sophomore classes could complete the Employment Focused Transition Survey (school gets a copy and VRC retains a copy), which provides information relevant to potential transition goals of the student.

Get Schedule of appropriate Transition IEP meetings when available

· VRC can schedule the ones that fit into their schedule

· Provide the student’s case manager/transition staff with VR information if VRC is unable to attend the IEP meeting (Employment Focused Transition Flyer and Poster, Copy of completed Employment Focused Transition Survey if available)

Begin 1 to 1 meetings with identified Students (Juniors and Seniors)

· Provides opportunity to conduct VR orientation/Transition activities so student can make a determination if working with VR is something that would be of benefit

· These may be students that have current cases with VR

· May be potential applicants for VR

· Work with the Employment Focused Transition Survey and Interview

· For students that may be interested work with them on job goal development/exploration. Can do job related interest and preference inventory, career and education plan worksheets, functional/skill based resume, master application, etc. These activities will provide information to the student, VRC, and school. They offer interactions with the student so they can maintain contact with VRC. Do and VR application when student and VRC determine this is appropriate (Send Letter if student isn’t 18 to Parent/Guardian of ______That Chris Developed)

Referrals from School

· If received from school staff, prioritize individual meetings based on staffing that has occurred in late August or early September.

· Meet with the students when appropriate, work through activities outlined in 1 to 1 meetings section

· Take application when appropriate

· Provide activity information done with the students to school staff so they are aware that the referral was addressed

Applications to VR

· Focus on junior and senior class

· Start with the senior class students that haven’t applied to VR to date, reason is time frame to have a Plan for Employment prior to graduation. Typically these students will have met with VRC 1 to 1 already and done some initial activities outlined in the section discussing meeting with students 1 to 1.

· VRC can make the school aware that referrals/student intakes can’t wait until the end of the school year. VRC needs to stager applications to VR so that Eligibility can be completed, Career Exploration can occur, and appropriate IPE developed to meet the student’s transition need out of high school.

· VRC needs to set a target goal for applications based on school size (SPED/504)

Follow-up with current students that are eligible for VR

· Review summer work related activities that students participated in over the summer

· Apply learned skills from summer work experience to career exploration, work towards establishing a job goal area and plan for employment when appropriate

· Outline a targeted activity plan with the student and relevant school staff (transition specialist, WIA coordinator, classroom teacher, SPED Director, IEP team, etc.). This will guide activities such as informational interviews, career exploration, mock interviews, work assessments/experiences, psychological evaluation, basically activities that will lead towards Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) development, meeting transition goals of IEP, and facilitate a successful transition for the student

· This all leads to developing an IPE and the student can maintain engagement, VRC can assess motivation/follow through

January through March (Spring Break)

Review student list (SPED/504) and Referrals received from school staff

· Continue work with current students that are meeting with VRC 1 to 1

· Continue work with current students that are eligible or have an IPE with VR

· Provide update to appropriate school staff related to work with students, request assistance where needed

Start meeting 1 to 1 with sophomore and then freshman class

· Provides opportunity to conduct VR orientation/Transition activities so student can make a determination if working with VR is something that would be of benefit

· May be potential applicants for VR

· Work with the Employment Focused Transition Survey and Interview

Application to VR (Sophomore and Freshman Class)

· Student has shown motivation, follow through, and interest, after ongoing 1 to 1 meetings have occurred with student and VRC

· Parent/Guardian have responded to letter that was sent home (either with the student, mailed by VRC, or sent with student progress report)

· It has been determined appropriate by student and VRC that an application is needed and likely that the student will be eligible for VR

· Examples of why an application is taken at this younger age; VR can assist with summer work experience, testing is needed that the school is not able to conduct related to the student’s disability, the student wants and would benefit from formally being a consumer of VR, etc.

Attending Classroom Curriculum Delivery and Attending IEP Meetings (per school request, suggestion, invitation)

· Provides introduction to VR/VRC

· Links VR/VRC to transition out of high school

· Be in classroom with teacher when delivering relevant curriculum. This is based on school needs, teacher interests, student needs, etc. VRC can check in with teachers throughout the school year about setting time for VRC to assist with transition curriculum delivery

VRC needs to be aware of target goals they set related to applications to VR, development of IPE’s, and current case load management of the students currently with VR

March through June (Graduation)

Continue 1 to 1 meetings with students (seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshman)

· Focus on getting IPE’s in place for students exiting the school system

· Get students Eligible that need to utilize VR services for summer work experience/assessments (note: If everything has gone well during the school year there should not be a large influx of applicants to VR during this time period)

· Continue work with students that have an IPE or are Eligible with VR. Work on the outline of targeted activities or on the IPE activities if one is developed

Plan summer work activities for the students with school transition staff (YTP specialist, WIA coordinators, etc.). These could include work experience, job shadows, informational interviews, etc.

Work with students and school staff to arrange for credit recovery if student is not on track to graduate due to academic difficulties

With assistance of school staff review with students (Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshman) the difference between modified and regular diplomas (this already should have been done with students exiting the school system).

With assistance of school staff work with local business, volunteer agencies, etc. to set up summer work experience possibilities for students

Make connections/referrals to other agencies where appropriate with students and families for Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshman (referrals already should have been made for students exiting the school system) (referrals could be to agencies such as Lane DDS, disability service offices, etc.)

Review SPED/504 list with appropriate school staff for planning purposes next year. If possible have a contact person from the school so contact can be maintained over the summer with students that are currently eligible or have IPE’s with VR.