Welcome back to the 2025-2026 school year! We welcomed many new faces into the building, both students and staff. We also welcomed a second class from our district's New Bridges program, so we have a very busy building these days!

Even though it's the start of the year, our students are already out and about most days of the week. Ms. G's class is back to their regular community outings with HealthBarn, SideKick Martial Arts, and DDA Dance. Ms. Stacey returned to the Transition Center after spending the last few years in another district program and we are happy to welcome her with open arms. She hit the ground running with three group internships and a weekly trip with Ms. G's class either to the Garfield House or ShopRite. Mr. Jason's students are back in action at their four group internship sites, plus sprinkling in some fun social trips including going to Wendy's for lunch this month.

At ShopRite, our students not only completed the grocery shopping for school cooking activities but also made purchases to stock our School Store, run but our wonderful occupational therapists and her students. Students can earn Wood-Ridge Bucks for displaying great behavior and then get a chance weekly to purchase items at our in-house store. At ShopRite, students had to find items on the list, used the aisle finders/department signs to locate specific items, checked expiration dates, and practiced weighing items on the scale before bagging everything up to bring back to school. Upon returning, they discussed where certain items need to be stored and organized our pantry so ingredients could be located easily when needed. 

At HealthBarn this month, Ms. G’s students harvested vegetables in the garden, made a tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad (my favorite!), zucchini muffins, and fresh fettucine pasta. They also composted, did laundry and took a nature walk. The students also started with their first DDA Dance class of the year and have been working up a sweat at SideKick martial arts. We rounded out the month with our first school-wide bowling party of the year! This is a favorite day in the building and the students had a great time.

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag. You can customize the items with logos of your choice so make sure to see what's available!

Happy fall y'all! See you after the Spooky Season is over!

Can you believe the school year is already over??

June was jam packed with events. We started the month with a special outing to Dave and Buster's where the students got to enjoy tons of video games and delicious grub. Then our students danced the day away for our annual prom at The Fiesta! Students were dressed in their finest. This is the best day of the year - make sure to check out the pictures and get a glimpse at the great time had by all.

On June 11, we celebrated our 2025 graduates with our graduation ceremony. Families and friends clapped and cheered for our eight graduates as they get ready to move on from their school experience. We are so proud of our students and the hard work they have put in over the years, and while we are sad to see our graduates go, we know there are great things in their future. 

We finished the month with a BBQ, a visit from Clyde's Ice Cream truck, and our yearbook signing party. While the weather was way too hot, everyone had a great time.

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag.

Happy summer all!!! See you in the fall!

The Transition Center was BURSTING with excitement this May! In addition to all our regular community exploration trips, group and individual internship sites, and monthly partnership with the Apple Store, we had some very special events on deck.

As we wind down the school year, the students have lucked out with lots of extra fun events and  we kicked off May with a school-wide trip to MEDIEVAL TIMES! The students (and staff) cheered loudly for the Yellow Knight. While he didn't win, the students loved to see the horses and the battles. What a fun day for all!

Our Spring Concert was held on May 8. Ms. Hannah put on another fabulous performance with many students singing solos, duos, and trios to show off their musical skills and newfound confidence on stage. The show ended on a perfect note with a group performance of "We're All In This Together" from High School Musical.

Ms. G's class continues with their parternship with Pony Power in Mahwah. This month, the students had the chance to work with the donkeys at the farm. They are so cute! Student cared for, fed, and walked the animals. They also planted seeds and cared for the plants growing in the greenhouse. We just love Pony Power!

We've been so lucky to partner with the Becca's Closet chapter at Pascack Hills High School for the last three years. Becca's Closet is a non-profit that collects formal gowns to donate to those in need for events like prom. The students at PHHS helped select gowns for our students to try on and take home in preparation for our prom in June. This is a truly special event for our students and the students at PHHS. Big shout out to Ms. Katelyn, Ms. Jenna, and Ms. G for chaperoning!

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag.

Can you believe it is already June?? This school year went by in a blink!

Even with a week off for Spring Break in April, the Transition Center managed to pack A LOT into this month!

We had a special school-wide trip to Rockland Bakery this month where the students got a first-hand look at how a large scale commercial bakery works. They got a chance to see the many different jobs and how the various bakery items are made. Best of all, students had the opportunity to purchase some treats and enjoy the hard work!

Ms. G and Mr. Frank's class had a great horseback riding trip with our district's therapeutic recreation program. Students had the oppotunity to ride or lead the horses and enjoyed a nice day out in nature. Ms. G's class also returned to Pony Power this month after taking a break over the winter. The students were excited to see all the animals again! In addition to the work they are putting in, they are engaging in lessons focused on ecosystems, animal rescue, farm to table gardening, and farm animal care.

At HealthBarn this month, Ms. G's class made a healthy version of Spaghetti-Os, a homemade asparagus and potato soup, lemon blueberry muffins, and celebrated Cinco De Mayo a little early with homemade guacamole. They also learned about different types of soil for growing plants and produce, compared traditional pesticides with organic growing, and started planting a new garden. To celebrate Earth Day, the students cared for the brand new fruit and nut tree garden and did a lesson on conservation.

At the Apple Store, students explored new products and used Keynote with Image Playground to create animated artwork.

Mr. Frank's class is trucking away at their group internships and thriving at the Garfield House. They've also enjoyed trips to Walmart and Barnes and Noble to practice their purchasing skills in the community. Mr. Jason's class officially added Darlington Park to their rotation after a break for the winter. This site is a perennial favorite in the Springboard class. In addition to their regular internship sites, the students also took special social trips to Walmart and Wendy's.

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag.

See you next month!

Spring has finally arrived at the Transition Center!  

Mr. Jason's class had some great trips this month while waiting for Darlington Park to reopen for the spring. The class took community trips to the Garden State Plaza, Wendy's, Walmart, Bergen Town Center, and Ya Asian for a special lunch. They also continued with their group internships at REI, The Williams Center, Dollar Tree, and individual internships at the Central Office, Montesano School, and Applebee's. This is a busy working bunch!

Ms. G and Mr. Frank's class had some epic events this month, most notably their visit to High Exposure indoor climbing spot! Make sure to check out the pictures of our students high up in the air. These kids have no fear! The staff were blown away at how brave they were. The two classes also visited Stop&Shop, the Garfield House, the new Lidl grocery store, Burlington, HomeGoods, Walmart, and the Dollar Store. While these trips are fun, they serve a very important purpose which allows the students to better learn the shopping process and help each other with problem solving along the way.  At the Garfield House, the two classes worked together to make pancake and sausage muffins. They also did a whole group lesson on maintaining friendships, interpersonal skills, and inclusion.

At HealthBarn, our high school students made homemade bread bowls with broccoli and cheese soup, crustless quiche, and veggie stir fry. The students learned about organic versus conventional farming, how to plan a garden, composting, and seed inventories. After HealthBarn's renovation is complete, our students will have a role in helping to redo the new garden space.

Ms. G's students also did lessons on healthy habits and were encouraged to take care of their bodies and their minds while at Health Barn. Ms. G brings these lessons back to TCWR with relaxation sessions in our Zen Den, teaching the students various ways to calm down their nervous systems. In their Martial Arts class, the students learned to be cautious but not afraid out in the community. They tried new challenges with Master Joe and tested their abilities. They also took part in circuit training - they are getting quite the workout at SideKick Martial Arts! They are also loving learning new steps and sequences of their dance routine while at DDA Dance. You wouldn't believe the moves they have!

The whole school got together for our St. Patrick's Day party and our bowling trip to wrap up the month. Who says you can't have fun at school??

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag.

See you next month!

February is the shortest month of the year and was made even shorter by President's Day Break and a snow day this year!

Two of our classes took a fun trip to the Barnes and Noble to practice some shopping skills in the community. Students browsed books, toys, and games before deciding on a purchase. This month on their visits to the Garfield house, Mr. Frank did a large group lesson on emotions before the students completed their cooking lesson. Back at school, Ms. G taught the students how to make healthy fruit and yogurt sundaes, which was a big hit! At HealthBarn, students took part in a science lesson to better understand our environment and how important recycling is. They also made a healthy version of some Super Bowl snacks by recreating pizzas and twice baked potatoes.

The students in Ms. G's class hosted the Valentine's/Super Bowl joint party this month by making veggie plates, pigs in a blanket, and various dips such as buffalo chicken, ranch, and onion. For dessert, they prepared strawberry shortcake cupcakes. The students are getting better and better at locating items in grocery store, checking expiration dates, and weighing produce when on their shopping trips.

Our TCWR job coach took a small group of our 18-21 students to tour the local Wegman's and learn about the different departments and jobs where people work in the store. Wegman's also treated the students to lunch on their visit. It was a great way for the students to learn more about how a grocery store works and what skills are needed for each individual department.

We wrapped the month with another great trip to Lodi Lanes for our monthly bowling party for the students. While the students were knocking down pins, TCWR partnered with the CAPE Center's own Nicole Fried for an Open House and professional development opportunity for area case managers. Districts from all over New Jersey visited TCWR and got the chance to check out our new Maker Space and Zen Den rooms before discussing the process of school transition with Nicole. Big thanks to Nicole for her presentation! The CAPE Resource Center offers a wealth of information for families and professionals - please make sure to check out their website at www.bergen.org/cape and sign up for their emails!

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag.

See you next month!

The students are back in action following the Winter Break with a very busy January. This month, Ms. G and Mr. Frank's classes collaborated on a handful of trips to places like Stop&Shop, the Dollar Store, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Marshall's, McDonald's, and the Garfield House. They are growing their independent home making skills by taking on a variety of tasks at the Garfield House, from prepping to cooking and cleaning up with less supervision required. On their community trips, the students worked on identifying survival signs, prices, and sales. They also ordered and paid for various items on their own. Students were tasked with locating stores on the mall directory and navigating the very large Garden State Plaza. Nothing completes a mall trip like a stop at the food court!

At HealthBarn, Ms. G's class celebrated the New Year with 2025 resolutions and made lentil soup - did you know lentils traditionally bring luck for the new year? They also learned about chemical reactions related to how yeast makes dough rise. They celebrated the Chinese New Year by making chop chop turkey dumplings and creating Good Luck wishes for the new year. 

Our wonderful job coaches arranged for some more AccessLink trips for our individual students who are registered with the service. This month, two students used AccessLink for transportation to the awesome Barnes and Noble in Paramus. It was a fun trip with an important purpose - making sure our students are familiar and comfortable with using AccessLink to navigate the community. The students have a blast!

Our Springboard class has an extra chance for community outings while their internship at Darlington Park is on hold for the winter and they are taking advantage of that by visiting local malls and shopping centers. This month, they visited Walmart, Bergen Town Center, Garden State Plaza, McDonald's. While this class typically focuses on their group internships and getting more work experience under their belts, they enjoy a good social trip into the community to practice their skills.

Finally, we wrapped the month with another great trip to Lodi Lanes for our monthly bowling party. You should see these kids on the lane!

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag.

See you next month!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! December was filled with lots of fun celebrations for our students. We started the month with a school-wide trip to Teaneck Cinemas for a mid-day movie. The students shared popcorn while watching Moana 2. This group gives the movie...TWO THUMBS UP! 

Students did lots of cooking and baking this month to account for our many holiday celebrations both at TCWR and at the Garfield House. Students worked on their independent living skills by prepping, cooking, serving, and clean-up tasks in the kitchen and exhibited great teamwork together. At HealthBarn, Ms. G's class got the chance to make and decorate gingerbread cookies - my favorite holiday treat! At the Apple Store, the students used musical instruments to create their own holiday songs using the Garage Band app.

The highlight of December is our Winter Concert, which was held on December 12th. The students put on a spectacular performance under the guidance of our music teacher, Hannah Elarmo. They have been practicing for this event since the start of the school year and their hard work paid off with a great show for our families. The students also enjoyed their monthly trip to the bowling alley which was a nice way to unwind from all that concert prep the next day. 

Staff and students were treated to a holiday pizza and salad luncheon on December 19th. It was a nice way to wrap up 2024 in great company.

Make sure to check out this month's photo album for peak at this month's fun!

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag.

See you in February!

Can you believe we are already through November? This year has been flying by! While November is a short month for schools with two breaks, our students sure packed in the fun.

Our fantastic job coaches Judy and Athena have been working on AccessLink with the students who are enrolled with the service. They took another trip with some of our students to Hobby Lobby. The eligible students learned how to ride the bus, pay for their trip, and got off at their stop with the assistance of our staff.  We highly encourage all of our families to get their student registered with AccessLink so we can give all our students the opportunity to practice using the service before graduating.

Ms. G and Mr. Frank's classes were busy at Stop&Shop this month, particularly when they were given our Thanksgiving order! There were lots of items to hunt down in a busy grocery store. The classes also took a trip to the Garfield House together to practice their homemaking skills. They had a fun lunch at Wendy's together as well. 

At the Apple Store this month, Ms. G's students had STUDENT CHOICE DAY! They got to demo the new Apple Vision Pro VR sets, created music in Garage Band, and made some fun art projects using the Procreate app. At HealthBarn, the students planted daffodil bulbs, made pear pie seed pudding, and followed a recipe to make homemade chicken nuggets (always a fan favorite!). They also played a fun game comparing sugar in various popular cereal brands and learned how marketing campaigns encourage kids to eat unhealthy foods.  Mr. Frank's class were busy with their three group internship sites, plus threw in a few trips to local Walmarts and a visit to Hobby Lobby. Mr. Jason's class had a few small breaks from their busy week of group internships where they got to visit Bergen Town Center and Walmart. The whole school enjoyed a great day of bowling during our monthly bowling party! 

We wrapped the month with our Thanksgiving luncheon, where students enjoyed all the trimmings for this great holiday meals. Ms. Dimitra's famous potatoes were a huge hit! Students also loved the extra creamy mac and cheese and Mr. Frank's specialty - chocolate pudding pie! It was a great celebration for all. I'm thankful for such a wonderful school, students, families, and of course, our staff.

With the holidays coming up, don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag!

Don't forget, our Winter Concert is December 12 at 10am! We hope to see you there! 

With such amazing fall weather this year, we really took advantage of our outdoor events in October!

The whole school enjoyed this gorgeous month with a trip to Demarest Farms for pumpkin picking! Students returned to school with their gourds and spent time painting and decorating them for the season. Our fabulous job coaches have also begun training individual students on using AccessLink for transportation, starting with a trip to Abma's Farm. We are planning more fun trips to get our eligible students used to this wonderful service. If you haven't applied for AccessLink yet, I recommend you do so to take advantage of individualized training!

Ms. G's class are loving their time at Pony Power where the students are learning to care, walk, and feed different animals at the farm. They are getting really good at leading the horses for their exercise! All of the students have stepped up to the challenge and are working productively at the job tasks, including tending to the garden, where some of the produce is donated to the community. What a great organization! The students are super active during the day, especially with their classes at SideKick Martial Arts and DDA Dance Academy. At SideKick, they continue working on their self defense and endurance skills while also building strength. At HealthBarn this month, the students learned about unrefined vs. refined grains, enjoyed a nature walk, carved pumpkins, baked pumpkin spice donuts, and made healthy snack treat bags and air popped popcorn. During their monthly trip to the Apple Store, students used Keynote and Safari programs to select backgrounds of their favorite pictures and objects to animate and color.

Mr. Frank's class took over the group internship at the BCSS Central Office this month and the students are hard at work on the MANY tasks there. They are busy with group internships three days a week, plus social trips. They took trips this month to Walmart, Hobby Lobby, local stores near the school, Stop&Shop, and visited the Garfield house with Ms. G's class.

Mr. Jason's students enjoys the fall delights at the Rutherford Farmer's Market where they visited each week following their group internship at the Williams Center. The apple cider donuts were to die for! They also started a brand new internship at REI this month which has been a big hit for the students. They are working on the floor at the retail location, as well at continuing with their internships at the Dollar Tree and Darlington Park.

October wrapped with our famous Halloween party! The students put on their best costumes and enjoyed a variety of games, dancing, and some spooky treats. They played a fall themed version of the ever popular "Pass the Chicken," this time with a pumpkin. The party was filled with lots of laughter.

With the holidays coming up, don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag!

See you next month!

Welcome back to school for the 2024-2025 school year!

We are thrilled to have some new faces around the building as we welcome Mr. Frank Bassillo, Ms. Jenna Curtis, and Mr. Josias Sanchez Oviedo to our program. Mr. Frank is the teacher for one of our 18+ classes and joins us from Project Search, having been in the BCSS district since 2000! Ms. Jenna and Mr. Josias are two new assistants and we are excited to have them at TCWR. Some of you may remember Mr. Josias as a long-term substitute in our 18+ class last school year and we are so lucky to have him back full-time. Ms. Jenna will be a floating aide and will spend time with each of our classes through the year.

As usual, our classes were up and out in the community from the very start. Ms. G's class has returned to HealthBarn where there was a lot of work to do, particularly in the vegetable garden which is bursting with produce. They have also added a special 6-week program at Pony Power where the students are learning about the animals on the farm and assisting with their care. This is a great opportunity to increase their prevocational skills before they start attending group internships at age 16. The class also continues with their community partnerships with Sidekick Martial Arts and DDA Dance Academy. This year they are also adding monthly trips to the district-owned Garfield House where students can practice daily living skills in a real house-setting.

Mr. Frank's class took some great trips to Stop&Shop, the Dollar Store,  McDonald's, and local stores near the school to start up their community outings. They have returned to their internship at Burlington but will be adding tasks for the students to complete with staff support. They are also attending a weekly internship at the Williams Center and visited the BCSS Central Office, where they will be taking over for Mr. Jason's class come October. 

Mr. Jason's students are a busy bunch, with four students starting their individual internships as we get the school year under way. We have students with individual internships in office settings, a custodial position, a restaurant, and a local florist, all of which are attended with the support of our fabulous job coach, Judy Purcel. In addition to these individual internships,  the class returned to Darlington Park to enjoy the fall weather while completing their park cleanups.  They now have the chance to go to the Farmer's Market in Rutherford after they complete their group internship at the Williams Center, which has been a really cool experience, and continue with their much-needed cleanup at the Dollar Tree. The class is starting a new group internship in October so stay tuned next month to hear all about it!

As usual, we wrapped up the first month with our monthly trip to Lodi Lanes bowling alley for a bowling party! Students love the chance to socialize with their peers in a fun environment. We have some stellar bowlers here!

With the holidays coming up, don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag!

See you next month!

We did it! We made it to the end of the 2023-2024 school year! June is a month of celebrations at the Transition Center. We kicked off the first week of the month with our amazing Prom at The Fiesta! Students and staffed raved that it was "the best party ever!" We had a day filled with dancing and a delicious catered meal. We always have a blast at The Fiesta - chicken fingers and french fries are still a big hit and don't forget about the ice cream station! In preparation for the Prom, our students had the chance to visit the Bergen Tech's cosmetology program for some pampering. The students had a great time!

On June 12th, we got together to celebrate our graduation class of 2024. The four graduates have been with BCSS for what seems like their entire lives. This is a very special group of students who have a special place in all our hearts. We wish them the best as they enter the adult world!

We wrapped up the short month with a trip to the bowling alley - always a big hit for our students! - and our annual End of Year BBQ and Yearbook celebration. Students enjoys burgers and dogs along with some fun games and activities. They also each received the 2023-2024 TCWR Yearbook and spent the afternoon reminiscing about the many MANY things we did this year.

Our summer program begins on July 1st and runs through July 26th - the teachers have been planning TONS of trips so the kids will have lots of fun to share! Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag!

Enjoy your summer! See you in September!

May flew by for our TCWR students and staff! With lots of fun trips and a spectacular Spring Concert, we had lots to share!

Ms. G's class wrapped up their year at Martial Arts by earning their yellow belts! The students are so proud of their hard work. The final task was the break a wooden board. At the Apple Store this month, they were learning to use various apps to create music and layered portraits. They celebrated Cinco de Mayo at HealthBarn with some homemade guacamole and chips. This month at HealthBarn, they also had the opportunity to taste test herbs and veggies they grew in the garden,  harvested chamomile for tea, and baked lemon blueberry muffins.

Ms. G and Ms. Walsh's classes had an epic outing fishing with the therapeautic rec staff. They were even joined by the wonderful members of the Hudson River Fisherman's Association who were of great help to our students in catching and unhooking the fish. They've also added a stop at the Dollar Store when they make their trips to the grocery store. Ms. Walsh's class is very excited to return to Pony Power through the end of the year and were thrilled to find out the farm added donkeys to their menagerie.  These classes wrapped up the month with a trip to the Royal Hibachi Grill for a delicious buffet lunch. While Mr. Jason's class is often busy at their internship sites and can't always join on the extra fun trips, they filled their schedule with trips to Walmart, Bergen Town Center, and the Garden State Plaza in addition to their work at Darlington County Park, the BCSS Central Office, The Williams Center, and Dollar Tree on top of  individual internships some of our students have. They're a busy bunch!

Ms. Hannah and the students pulled off "the best concert yet" on May 17th - according to the rave reviews! The students played the drums, sang, and signed their hearts out. Students and staff worked tirelessly all semester and their hard work truly paid off. We are so proud of our students and their musical talents!

In preparation for the Prom, Ms. Katelyn again arranged for our students to take a trip to the Becca's Closet chapter at Pascack Hills High School. Becca's Closet is an amazing organization that collects and donates formal gowns for girls to attend their proms in style. Ms. Katelyn first connected with the organization last year and after an extremely successful first visit, we decided to make this an annual trip. The students at PHHS have been such wonderful hosts and we could not have a better outing! Students left with dresses to wear on our big day along with bags, tiaras, and other accessories. Most importantly, there were smiles all around!

We have LOTS of fun coming up during the short month of June.  June 7th is our Prom at The Fiesta and students will be getting pampered by the Bergen Tech Cosmetology Department on June 6th. Our Graduation Ceremony is on June 12th, the End of Year BBQ on June 18th, and the last day of the 2023-2024 school year is June 20th.  Before the school year ends, don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag!

See you next month!

Spring is in full swing at the Transition Center this April! Here's an update on what our classes have been up to this past month.

Ms. G's students had loads of community trips this month, visiting TJ Maxx, Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace, the Garden State Plaza and everyon'e favorite - the food court! They took a tour of Uncle Giuseppe's to check out the specialty departments. At Garden State Plaza, the students practice reading the directory to locate various stores and navigated throughout the very large mall. At HealthBarn this month,  the students helped replant the ENTIRE garden after the barn was demolished. the students learned about planting different seeds for veggie plants, helped dig a trench, and used their hard earned compost. They made a rainbow quinoa and veggie salad (a big hit!) and also mac and cheese with edamame for some extra protein! They joined forces with Ms. Walsh's class for a trip to therapeutic rec as they had the chance to go horseback riding at Echo Lake Stables. Students had opportunities to ride and lead the horses by the reins. Mr. Jason and Ms. Walsh's classes returned to their group internships at Darlington Park and the students were thrilled to be back working outdoors. There are lots of sticks and branches that need to be cleared from the paths for their regular visitors. Mr. Jason's class took some great shopping trips to Bergen Town Center,  Walmart, and the Garden State Plaza. Did you know we have four students in that class with their own individual internships?? They are interning with our job coach at a Volvo parts department, in the office at the Central Office building, with the custodial department, and at the Teterboro Animal Shelter. The students are so proud to work independently as well as attending their group internships. A few of Mr. Jason's students also got to visit Ethan and the Bean this month in a special trip set up by our job coach. Ethan and the Bean is a coffee shop with the express goal of hiring Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled individuals. 

Our students have been practicing long hours in preparation for our Spring Concert on May 17. Mark your calendars! In the meantime, don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag on!

Can you believe the school year is almost over already?? Stayed tuned to check out all the fun we have coming up in May. See you next month!

The Transition Center sure had a lot on our plate in March! We are slowly coming out of winter and enjoying more time outdoors, whether on class trips or in gym class. Here's an update on what our classes have been up to this past month.

Ms. Margaret and her class had a slew of great community trips this month, visiting Paramus Park Mall, Walmart, and Bergen Town Center along with some Stop&Shop trips and their regular internship sites. Ms. G's high school class explored Hobby Lobby and Marshalls, Wendy's,  the Apple Store and Garden State Plaza food court, and wrapped up the month with a great trip to IKEA for shopping lessons and breakfast.  At IKEA, students identified the various departments, practiced reading information signs and prices, located sale items and used the store locator map to find what they were looking for. Mr. Jason's class is so busy with their internships but managed to sneak in additional trips to Target, Walmart, and Bergen Town Center. We had a busy day when we packed our monthly bowling trip AND the St. Patrick's Day party all in one! They started off the day with some homemade Irish soda bread and partied all the way through dismissal.

Our students were thrilled to end the month with our long delayed Dave and Buster's trip, earned for their hard work at the bistro! Students loved playing a variety of video and arcade games and also enjoyed a meal with the whole school. Make sure to check out all the pictures from our outings using the link on your left!

Two of our classes will be returning to their Darlington Park internship now that the weather is getting better and we have some extra special outdoor activities coming up in April. In the meantime, don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag on!

We are so ready for Spring around here! See you next month!

Happy Leap Year! TCWR packed some extra fun into the short month of February and really took advantage of that extra day. We packed in not one but TWO parties this month, celebrating both the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day. We also fit in our bowling party where students had a chance to kick back and have a little extra fun with their peers. The Super Bowl party was a blast with lots of game challenges such as giant tic-tac-toe, mini ping pong, and flick football. The Valentine's Day Party included a dance and social games, as well as delicious snacks including pizza bites, veggies and dip, and an ice cream sundae for dessert, all prepared by our students to share. 

Ms. G's class took special trips to Wendy's, Bergen Town Center, the Garden State Plaza and the Apple Store. They continue to hit the grocery store pretty regularly and are becoming great grocery packers with all this practice. Ms. Margaret's class joined for the trip to Bergen Town Center and Stop&Shop, visited Walmart, Five Below, and Hobby Lobby for some shopping lessons,  and continued with their great internships at the Williams Center and Petco/Burlington. They also had the chance to visit the Career Crossroads program on our Paramus campus where the students enjoyed lunch at their bistro (the original inspiration for our own!) and the Crossroads store, both run by fellow BCSS students. Mr. Jason's class had a great visit to the Bergen County Maker Space and got to do some hands-on STEM projects, just like Ms. G's class did last month. They had a blast! They made a few trips to Garden State Plaza, Bergen Town Center, Walmart, and the Apple Store while also continuing with their group internships at the BCSS Central Office, the Williams Center, and Dollar Tree. 

Ms. G's class hosted a Macaroni and Cheese fundraiser to round out the month. Students go to count orders and the money raised, shop for the ingredients, prepare the food, and deliver orders. We raised over $250! Way to go!

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag on!

See you next month!

January went by in a flash!

Ms. G's class and Mr. Jason's class got to visit the Bergen Maker Space this month. If you don't know about the Maker Space, it's a community space with TONS of STEM projects for students of all ages and abilities to test out. The Transition Center is soon-to-open our own Maker Space room, which will allow our students to take part in more hands-on STEM activities and use their creativity to create fun projects. The students used the 3D printer as well as the wood-carving machine to make their own wooden magnets. They also took part in various lo-tech activities including building a tower out of index cards that could hold stuffed animals on top without collapsing. Students were encouraged to work with their peers and test out different approaches for better success. 

At the Apple Store this month, Ms. G's class created videos on the Cmaera app and then used the Keynote app to create fun scenes. At HealthBarn, they had the opportunity to explore the hydroponic garden. They also went to Stop and Shop with Ms. Walsh's class to purchase the food for a special Taco Tuesday and Fruit Smoothie afternoon. Ms. Walsh's class is happy to welcome back Ms. Margaret as a substitute teacher for the next few weeks - Ms. Margaret worked at the Transition Center for a number of years and she's thrilled to be back with our kids on a temporary basis. Students took trips to Bergen Town Center, Walmart, Costco, Garden State Plaza, and the Paramus Park Mall this month on their various community trips.

We were excited to unveil our new water fountain and water bottle filling station! Students can now bring their own refillable water bottles to school and have access to fresh filtered water throughout the day. Make sure to send in your student their a labeled water bottle.

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag on!

See you next month!

Happy New Year everyone! December was short but filled with lots of fun.

Our Springboard class has been enjoying some fun shopping trips while Darlington Park is closed for the winter, visiting the American Dream Mall where they checked out the fun holiday decoration. They also visited Target and Walmart. At the Williams Center, they had the chance to get on the stage while getting ready for the weekend performances. 

Ms. Walsh's class continues with their new internship at Burlington and Petco and the students are really enjoying these opportunities. They are breaking up into two smaller groups and working with staff in these two retail stores. The class loves their monthly trips to the Apple Store. They also wrapped up their 6-week program at Pony Power which was a big hit with all the students!

Ms. G's class visited the Apple Store this month  where the worked on self-portraits using the ProCreate app. They made a day of their trip by visiting other stores at Garden State Plaza and had the chance to order at the food court! At HealthBarn this month, the class made "sensational salsa" and learned about their tastebuds with a taste test matchup game. 

For their hard work in the bistro, Ms. Walsh and Ms. G's classes enjoyed a celebratory lunch at Applebee's. They did a little shopping at the brand new Barnes and Noble store and socialized during a fun lunch outing. The two class also took a shopping trip to Bergen Town Center.

On December 15th, our wonderful music teacher, Ms. Hannah, led our students in the annual Winter Concert. Our students performed a number of individual and group songs, as well as some whole-school performances. It was a lovely day for all! Thank you to all parents and case managers who were able to join - our students are so proud of their hard work and we love to show it off! We wrapped up the last few days before break with a pajama day and enjoyed some holiday movies.

Don't forget to Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag on!

See you next month!

With lots of breaks in November for the Teachers' Convention and Thanksgiving, the month flew by! We were excited to have the New Bridges class join us for our monthly bowling trip this month and are so happy to have them join in!

Mr. Jason's class had a trip to the Apple Store, Garden State Plaza, Walmart, and Target now that they are finished with Darlington Park for the season. They'll be returning to the park again in the spring but this break opens up some more community trips for the class. At the Apple Store, the students designed a booklet about themselves using clip art and design techniques. Each student worked on their own iPad. They continue on with their internships at SoFive, Central Office, and the Williams Center. They'll be back at the Dollar Tree to prep for the holiday season.

At HealthBarn in November, Ms. G's class harvested vegetables to make a Harvest Farro Salad. They worked hard in the garden to clean up for the winter and composted.  They continued to build their skills at DDA for their dance class and at Sidekick Martial Arts. 

Ms. Walsh's class began their six-week program at Pony Power to kick off the month. The students are learning about the care of the animals located at Pony Power, which not only means horses but also goats, chickens, and pigs! The class also wrapped up their internship at Darlington this month and started a new internship at Petco and Burlington, where the class splits into two smaller groups. They rounded out the month with a trip to the Apple Store.

Ms. G and Ms. Walsh's classes took a few trips to Stop and Shop to purchase the ingredients for the Bistro. The classes also prepared apple crisps, pumpkin bread, and a lasagna luncheon for the students to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag on!

December is a short month with the holiday break - what kinds of things will our students be up to?? Check back soon!

October is always full of activities at the Transition Center.  October marks the Week of Respect for New Jersey schools where our students took part in a Theme Week where they were invited to wear pajamas, sports jersey, and color themes to celebrate respect in school and out in the community. Each class had lessons about respect and bullying and discussed ways to keep our positive school attitude going! October also marks School Violence Awareness week where we continued to talk about ways to keep ourselves safe.

Ms. G's class and Ms. Walsh's classes joined together at the start of the month for a trip to therapeutic recreation where students took on an obstacle course.  They participated in a variety of group and individual challenges at the Bergen Academies Field. With the money earned from the Bistro, these two classes were treated to a special lunch at Wendy's where students practiced ordering their meals, calculating the amount of money needed, and counted change. They also enjoyed having a meal out in the community together with all their classmates.  The supervisor at the Wendy's enjoyed having our students so much, they treated all the students to a Frosty!

Ms. G.'s class continued to work on units about respect, bullying, safety skills, and personal hygiene skills. At HealthBarn in October, the students made salads with fresh lettuce, veggies, herbs, and pumpkins seeds all sourced from their garden. They also followed along with recipes for pumpkin muffics, pesto pasta, and turkey stew. On Wednesdays they attend DDA Dance Academy and focused on teamwork and following sequences to perform dances to their favorite music. At SideKick Martial Arts, the students continued to learn about respect and self-defense. In exciting news, the students will be working towards earning their Martial Arts belts this year!

Our classes that intern at Darlington have been very busy with raking this month. There are also lots of branches to collect and move. Ms. G's class had a special trip to Darlington - they were excited and wanted to work themselves! Mr. Jason's class continue to be out every day at their group internship sites. We even had a student in that class start his individual internship and our job coach is hard at work securing new sites for additional students.

We wrapped up the month with a school-wide bowling trip and the Halloween Costume Party, hosting by Ms. G.'s students! They decorated the cafeteria, made snacks and punch. All students were treated to pizza for an extra treat!

Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag on!

November goes by in a flash with days off for the Teachers' Convention and Thanksgiving - we'll be sending the next newsletter before you know it!

Welcome back to another great school year at the Transition Center! I hope everyone had a restful and relaxing summer filled with fun activities. 

This year, we are welcoming a class from the district's New Bridges program to TCWR! This 18-21 class is taking advantage of the many activities located so close to the Transition Center for increased community outings and internship experiences. 

Ms. G's class is up and running, back at Health Barn USA, DDA Dance Academy, and SideKick Martial Arts. At HealthBarn, the students have been busy outside harvesting veggies and herbs for their recipes, including veggie pizzas and apple donuts. They took part in nutritional cooking lessons, made herbal tea sachets, and had some relaxing time following along with a meditation and exploring on a nature walk. The students made some trips to Stop&Shop to practice some of their shopping skills and purchase items to make recipes back in our kitchen, assisting Ms. Walsh's class with the Bistro. Ms. G is leading the students in lessons on respect, friendship, handling their emotions, teamwork, and students' rights and responsibilities to create a positive classroom environment for all.

Ms. Walsh's class has restarted the Wood-Ridge Bistro, where the students select a meal, distribute menus, collect money and orders, shop for the items at the grocery store, and then prepare and deliver lunches throughout the building. It's a fun way for the students to learn about running a small business and work on their customer service skills in a welcoming setting. They've also taken trips to Paramus Park Mall, Costco, Walmart, and IKEA.

Mr. Jason is now running our Springboard class, and boy, are the on the move! They are already back out in the community every day with FIVE group internship sites - Darlington Park, SoFive, The Dollar Tree, The Williams Center, and the BCSS Central Office. They are a busy bunch! We are pleased to have Judy Purcel as an official job coach for our program this year. She's been observing all our students in at their group internship sites and brainstorming some exciting opportunities. 

The students took a school-wide trip the McFaul Environmental Center and enjoyed some outdoor time on a beautiful early fall day. 

Don't forget, you can continue sending in or uploading your grocery receipts to BoxTops4Education. Check out www.boxtops4education.com for more information and to sign up! Also, Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your TCWR swag on!

Have a wonderful October!

Can you believe it's the end of another school year?? The Transition Center wrapped up the 2022-2023 school year with tons of fun activities for the students.

Ms. G and Ms. Walsh's classes celebrated the end of the Wood-Ridge Bistro (for this school year) by taking the students to a buffet lunch at the Flaming Grill for a luncheon celebration of all their hard work. The two classes also took a fun trip to Hoboken's Frank Sinatra Park and enjoyed some outside time on a nice day. 

We were THRILLED to return to The Fiesta for our TCWR Prom on June 9th! The students looked stunning in their fancy attire for the event. We haven't had prom at The Fiesta since 2019. Our students danced the day away to a great DJ and enjoyed the delicious catered meal. A great time was had by all!

On June 14th, we got together to celebrate the Class of 2023 with our graduation ceremony. Ms. Hannah led the whole school in a song and each of our graduates received their certificates. We are so proud of all of our graduates and wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavors!

We wrapped up the last week of school with a school-wide bowling and pizza party at Lodi Lanes and a super fun End of Year BBQ and Yearbook Signing day. We grilled hot dogs and burgers to enjoy with delicious spinach dip, macaroni salad, and fruit salad. Clyde's Ice Cream Truck stopped by so everyone could pick an ice cream or Italian ice to enjoy - we LOVE the Clyde's truck! After everyone was sufficiently stuffed, we handed out the TCWR Yearbooks that Mr. Marty has worked so hard to put together. The students were so excited to see photos from the entire year and reminisce about all the awesome things they did from September until now. We had a very busy year so there was LOTS to include! Finally, the students got together for their End of Year awards, a fun little tradition we have around here to acknowledge our students for another great school year.

Don't forget, you can still earn money for our school by using Box Tops 4 Education and uploading your grocery receipts. Check out www.boxtops4education.com for more information and to sign up! And Check out our ApparelNow site! There are always news styles and frequent sales - don't forget we earn money on every purchase so get your swag on!

The Newsletter will take a break during the summer program but we'll be back in action in September! Enjoy your summer!!

May was an exciting month! We were super lucky to schedule Detective/Sargent James Calaski from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office to present to our students about Internet Safety. As we are all aware, social media use and its impacts have been exploding among teens and our population is at special risk. We are so grateful to Det/Sgt Calaski for covering this very important topic with our students. 

Our students were thrilled to perform in our Spring Concert on May 12. Not only were there fabulous musical performances, the classes prepared Mother's Day flowers and other goodies to sell. All proceeds go directly to more fun activities and events. Additionally, after missing the school-wide bowling last month due to construction at the alley, the students were excited for the chance to bowl and enjoyed a very special pizza lunch. We've got some very impressive bowlers here at TCWR!

In preparation for the upcoming Prom, our educational interpreter Katelyn arranged for students to visit the Becca's Closer location at Pascack Hills High School. Becca's Closet is a wonderful organization that collects and provides prom dresses for girls in need. We took a trip to PHHS where the students selected prom dresses to wear to our outing. A huge thank you to Katelyn as well as the PHHS team who assisted with selecting dresses and making our students feel extra special. You can learn more about Becca's Closet at their website, https://www.beccascloset.org.  

Did you sign up for Box Tops 4 Education yet? Since October, we have earned almost $100 simply by uploading grocery store receipts! You can download the app to upload receipts easily or you can send them in with your student to deliver to our Springboard class where we can upload the receipts for you. Check out www.boxtops4education.com for more information and to sign up!

What better way to wrap up the year then with some new TCWR swag from our online apparel store! Make sure to Check out our ApparelNow site! We earn money on every purchase. 

June will be very busy with our Prom (back at the Fiesta for the first time since 2019!), Graduation, and our End of Year BBQ. Enjoy the early summer weather!

We kicked off the month of April with a very special Fire Safety presentation from Captain Kevin and Firefighter Emily from the Wood-Ridge Fire Department. The students learned how to stay safe and create a plan in the case of an emergency and then they had the opportunity to don the firefighter's gear! We are so grateful to have such wonderful community partners.

Ms. G's class is enjoying their HealthBarn lessons and excited for more opportunities to be in the garden there. They're starting to see the benefits of mulching in the fall and preparing the garden beds for spring and summer vegetables. Ms. Walsh's class has gotten the Wood-Ridge Bistro up and running with three lunch services under their belts so far. The students select two lunch options, create and hand out flyers around the building, collect money, shop for the items, prepare the food, and deliver the purchased meals on Wednesdays. This has been a really great opportunity for our students to better understand what goes into running a business and taking on the many different roles an employee might do for a real-world restaurant. The high school classes also went on a fishing trip this month and had a very successful day catching tons of fish!

Mr. Jason's class is trucking away at their group internship sites. SoFive remains a student favorite and the Central Office has more and more outdoor opportunities as the weather improves. Ms. Lisa's class completed an awesome coding lesson at the Apple Store for their monthly trip. The students are very happy to be back at their Darlington Park group internship and enjoying the fresh air!

Ms. Hannah is preparing the students for our Spring Concert on May 12th. The students are working hard on their solos and group performances and can't wait to show off their music skills!

We still have heaps of ongoing fundraisers. The Springboard class is collecting used sneakers for the GotSneakers recycling campaign. Every pair of sneakers we send them earns us money and keeps them out of landfills as the rubber is repurposed. They are also collecting ink cartridges, old cell phones, and eyeglasses. We wrapped up April with our Spring Fling Party hosting by Mr. Jason's class where the students enjoyed ice cream, games and some music and dancing.

Did you know there are new logos on our ApparelNow school store? You can select from tons of options and rep the Transition Center! Make sure to Check out our ApparelNow site! We earn money on every purchase. Finally, you can add the Box Tops 4 Education app on your phone and upload pictures of your grocery store receipts - qualifying items earn the school money on every purchase! You can also send in your grocery receipts and our Springboard class will scan them for the rewards. For more information, please go visit www.boxtops4education.com. 

Hope to see you all at the Spring Concert on May 12!

Spring is finally here! As the weather is warming up, our Springboard class has returned to their internship at Darlington Park. This is a favorite outing for many of our students who enjoy being outdoors and helping clean up the park. Ms. G’s class has started prepping the ground and planting seeds at Health Barn. Everyone has enjoyed learning about harvesting and trying different vegetables that have been grown onsite.  Ms. Walsh and Mr. Jason’s classes have both spent time at the Apple Store and really like learning how to use different apps on the iPad. 

The Transition Center is excited to announce the start of The Woodridge Bistro. This school cafe will make a weekly lunch for purchase. The students will distribute menus, collect money, shop for all of the menu ingredients, assist in the cooking, and deliver on the set days. Please keep your eyes out for the weekly menu so your child is able to make selections if they’d like to and bring the money into school.  

Our music teacher, Ms. Hannah, is getting everyone ready for the school concert!  We hope you can join us May 12th at 10am for a morning of songs and performances. There will be crafts and treats for sale. The students are putting a lot of work into this event that is surely not to be missed.  

You know our students love parties and we happily celebrated both March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day with a fun filled afternoon playing games.  Ms. Walsh’s class supplied pretzels from The Philly Pretzel Factory and some green sprinkled cookies to get everyone into the spirit.  Everyone is already looking forward to our Spring events!

Make sure to Check out our ApparelNow site - we have a new TCWR logo added that you can select! All purchases raise money for our program. And don't forget to add the Boxed Tops 4 Education app on your phone and upload your grocery store receipts - your purchases will raise money for Transition Center programs! For more information, please go visit www.boxtops4education.com. You can also send in your grocery receipts with your child and we can upload them for you.

See you next month! Don't forget, the Transition Center is closed for Spring Break from April 7th through April 16th.

This month, Ms. G’s class hosted a fun filled Valentine’s Day where the students made sweet treats and enjoyed an end of the day dance party.  The cafeteria was decorated with heart shaped pictures of the students and beautiful red and pink paper chains.  After eating the cupcakes they made, and dancing through the afternoon, the students were sent home with some Valentine’s goodies.

Our High School classes continued to team up for various community trips this month. As February is American Heart Month, the students learned about cardiovascular health with the team over at Health Barn.  The group learned about foods that are “heart helpers” and “heart breakers” while making strawberry and banana filled whole wheat crepes. While they are still attending the usual Dance and Martial Arts classes, they spent a lot of time in the kitchen where they made Ms. Walsh’s famous Chicken Parmigiana.

Though they’re super busy with their internships, The Springboard class took trips to The Bergen Town Center, Paramus Park Mall, and the Garden State Plaza. They also had an opportunity to learn about animation at the Apple Store. The students were able to create characters and build villages that they then brought to life.  As a reminder, the Springboard class is still collecting sneakers and ink cartridges for recycling projects. You can send these items in with your child to add to our collection.

The Transition Center is excited to announce that “Sign Club” has officially launched!  Every Friday at 2pm both hearing and deaf students are welcome to join and learn sign variations, discuss Deaf History, how ASL came to be, and learn the ADA Laws.  They will also be working on a signing a song for the Spring concert with Ms. Katelyn and Ms. Suzie (two of our educational interpreters).

Make sure to Check out our ApparelNow site - we have a new TCWR logo added that you can select! All purchases raise money for our program. And don't forget to add the Boxed Tops 4 Education app on your phone and upload your grocery store receipts - your purchases will raise money for Transition Center programs! For more information, please go visit www.boxtops4education.com. You can also send in your grocery receipts with your child and we can upload them for you.

See you next month! Don't forget, TCWR will have a staff professional development day on March 15th so students will have the day off.

Happy New Year! We started off 2023 with a bang at the Transition Center.  We welcomed our new Physical Education teacher, Keith Hartig! The students are thrilled to have Mr. Keith join us. We have also welcomed two interns for this semester - Paul Yun, a physical therapy student working with our fabulous PT Susan Greenwood, and Megan Warshauer, a social work student interning with Ms. Kate. Our students are so friendly and have had a blast with the new faces around the building.

This month, the Springboard class hosted a fantastic Playoff Party to celebrate the wrap-up of the NFL season. Students and staff wore their favorite team jerseys, enjoys tailgate snacks, and played a ton of football-themed games together in the cafeteria. Everyone had a blast!

What are the classes up to? 

Our High Schools classes continued to team up for various community trips this month. While they are still attending  the usual Dance and Martial Arts classes, they also went on a rock climbing adventure, took a trip to Stop & Shop, and did community lessons at local stores including IKEA, Costco, and NJ Exotic Pets. Mr. Jason's class continues to work hard at their three group internship sites. The weekly trip to Walmart is a class favorite as students wrap up the visit with the chance to purchase snacks to enjoy. 

The Springboard class has filled their busy weekly schedule with some great extra trips this month. The kicked off the year with a trip to Rockland Bakery where the learned about the many jobs, checked out the goodies, and had the opportunity to purchase some baked treats to enjoy back at school. They also made trips to the Christmas Tree Shop, Paramus Park Mall, and Walmart. As a reminder, the Springboard class is still collecting sneakers and ink cartridges for recycling projects. You can send these items in with your child to add to our collection.

Make sure to Check out our ApparelNow site - we have a new TCWR logo added that you can select! All purchases raise money for our program. And don't forget to add the Boxed Tops 4 Education app on your phone and upload your grocery store receipts - your purchases will raise money for Transition Center programs! For more information, please go visit www.boxtops4education.com. You can also send in your grocery receipts with your child and we can upload them for you.

See you next month! Don't forget, TCWR will be closed from February 17-21 for Presidents' Day Break.

We really got into the holiday spirit at the Transition Center this December! We were THRILLED to have our Winter Concert in-person again for the first time since 2019! Not only did the students put on a fabulous show thanks to the hard work of our music teacher, Hannah Elarmo, they also made gorgeous holiday crafts, ornaments, and an array of yummy treats to sell. We also hosted our December Holiday party and a last-day-before-break Bingo and Movie day for the students. December was an extra-special month for our regular bowling outings as the students got to enjoy a pizza lunch at Lodi Lanes with their friends.

What are the classes up to? 

Ms. G. and Ms. Walsh's classes had some great trips this month, visiting trip the Newark Museum's planetarium, purchasing supplies for holiday goodies at Stop and Shop, and heading to the Dollar Tree and TJ Maxx for some holiday shopping. Mr. Jason's and Ms. Lisa's classes had another lesson at the Apple Store where they used some more apps including GarageBand to create their own music. The older classes have a packed schedule with their regular internships during the week but they sure do love being busy! All the students helped to decorate the school for the Winter Concert. Our very special artists drew winter scenes and made miles of paper chains to get into the holiday spirit.

Make sure to Check out our ApparelNow site - all purchases raise money for our program. And don't forget to add the Boxed Tops 4 Education app on your phone and upload your grocery store receipts - your purchases will raise money for Transition Center programs! For more information, please go visit www.boxtops4education.com.

Wishing you all a very happy New Year!

November is always a short month with lots of breaks in the school calendar but the Transition Center classes still managed to pack in a busy schedule!

Students prepped for a delicious traditional Thanksgiving meal including turkey, stuffing, scalloped potatoes, and Ms. Melissa's famous corn casserole. Not only did they cook, but they also decorated the entire cafeteria for the holiday with their artwork and made individual placemats. On the shortened day before Thanksgiving break, the students enjoyed a social day with a movie and shared Thanksgiving pies.  We wrapped up the month with another fun bowling party - our students are getting pretty competitive on the lanes!

We also launched our brand new official online Apparel Store in November! Check out our ApparelNow site - all purchases raise money for our program.

What are the classes up to? 

Ms. G's class was hard at work at HealthBarn this month learning about planting garlic, natural mulching, and doing heaps and heaps of laundry! The students really enjoy working in the garden there. Along with Ms. Walsh's class, the high school students continue with their weekly CBI lessons at DDA Dance Academy and SideKick Martial Arts. These classes are so high energy and everyone gets involved! It has been so wonderful participating in those classes in person again after being virtual. The students sure get a good workout on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The classes had a busy trip to Stop and Shop before Thanksgiving to fulfill our extra long shopping lists to prep for our Feast.

Mr. Jason's class got more comfortable at their new internships at SoFive and the Williams Center. They continue with their recycling project at the BCSS Central Office where they set up bins for employees to use and then collect the materials and drop them off for recycling. Mr. Jason and Ms. Lisa's classes had their first trip to the Apple Store for their lesson through our new partnership. Ms. Lisa's students LOVE any trip to the mall and take advantage of not only the lessons but the opportunity to explore different potential job sites (and visit the food court, of course). Both classes also went on trips to Walmart. Ms. Lisa's class finished up their fall internship at Saddle River County Park so have been purchasing supplies to make crafts to sell at our Holiday Concert. While at Walmart purchasing craft items., they've also been doing lessons on selecting appropriate clothing to wear for job interviews.

Another exciting announcement this month - our School Store has officially reopened! The brainchild of our fabulous OT Ms. Christine, the school store had been closed since COVID. Her students receiving services have been hard at work to prepare the store, label items, and stock the shelves. All students have the opportunity to earn "Wood-Ridge Bucks" by exhibiting behaviors aligned with our Six Pillars of Character and then each class has a weekly trip to the Store to spend those hard earned bucks.

Our students are hard at work preparing for our Holiday Concert coming up on December 15th. After our Thanksgiving Feast, they had the rare opportunity to practice all together for our group songs. Each class will be performing a special song and we wrap up the concert with everyone performing a few holiday songs together as a school. The classes will also be making homemade baked goods and treats along with holiday decor that will be available for purchase on the 15th. 

Don't forget to add the Boxed Tops 4 Education app on your phone and upload your grocery store receipts - your purchases will raise money for Transition Center programs! For more information, please go visit www.boxtops4education.com.

See you next month! Don't forget to RSVP to katdob@bergen.org if you'll be attending our Winter Concert on December 15!

Did you know the first week of October is the Week of Respect for New Jersey public schools? TCWR took part in a theme week where students and staff were asked to wear certain items of clothing while discussing respectful behavior. Ms. Kate also did a presentation for the students about the district's Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) policy and discussed ways students can handle bullying situations if they encounter them. The week of October 17th marked School Violence Awareness week which encouraged conversations with students and their families about school violence and prevention. We also started a new partnership with the Apple Store where each class will visit on a monthly basis to partake in lessons on using new technology to help with everyday life.

The Transition Center also welcomed two new staff members - educational interpreters Katelyn and Brenda! We are thrilled to have them join us and provide communication support to our Deaf/Hard of Hearing students.

You know how we love our parties around here and October was no exception - the high school classes hosted a Hispanic Heritage Month luncheon. We also held our monthly Bowling party and wrapped up the month in costume to celebrate Halloween!

What are the classes up to? 

We have a new partnership with the Apple Store where each class will take a monthly trip for lessons on using new technology to assist them in their everyday lives! Ms. G.'s class is excited to be back at HealthBarn for their wonderful partnership (and yummy treats they make!). The students learned about composting and then had an opportunity to take part in turning the compost pile on site. Along with Ms. Walsh's class, both high school groups hosted a staff car wash to raise money for upcoming activities. They also returned in-person to DDA Dance Academy for their energetic dance lessons. We've continued our DDA partnership online during the last few school years so it was great to visit the actual studio in person again. The students are also getting their muscles moving at their weekly Martial Arts classes at SideKick Martial Arts. It's been a great opportunity for students to work on their fitness and also interact with their peers in the community. They also took a trip to the Halloween Store in preparation for our Halloween Costume Party on 10/31!

October was an exciting month for Mr. Jason's class as they started two brand new group internships at SoFive in Carlstadt and the Williams Center in Rutherford. With these new sites and their continued internship at BCSS Central Office, the students are out working three days a week and maintaining their weekly visits to Walmart. All three internships have similar tasks that cross over, helping students generalize their activities in various settings. Each also has unique tasks individual to the site which is a great opportunity for students to try out different job skills while at their internship. SoFive is an indoor soccer facility where are students are helping to maintain the common areas and also learning about field maintenance. The Williams Center is an arts center and movie theater complex which allows for the students to take on a ton of different job activities. We are very excited about these new partnerships!

Ms. Lisa's group wrapped up their 6-week program at Pony Power where they received a ton of experience in caring for the various animals housed there.  The students continued with their multiple recycling projects around the school, including the sneaker collection, eyeglasses collection, and specialized recycling of snack bags to be properly recycled. The students wrapped up their eyeglass collection by dropping off the 23 pairs at a designated drop site for the Lions' Club. Thanks to Mr. Jason's hard work in securing internship sites, the Springboard class also started a weekly internship at SoFive and worked their tails off cleaning windows, stocking the coolers, and folding t-shirts. They also made a trip to the bank and completed a lesson on depositing checks while adding money to our school account (thanks to all the fundraising our classes have been doing!).

The Transition Center is now participating in Box Tops 4 Education, a unique fundraising opportunity where you can earn money for our school just by purchasing your groceries. Please add us in the Box Tops 4 Education app on your phone and upload your grocery receipts - twice a year we will earn a check from the organization that we can use for great activities and extras around the school. For more information, please go visit www.boxtops4education.com.

See you next month! 

We are excited to kick off another year at the Transition Center and welcome back our returning students along with some new faces. We are THRILLED to have more restrictions lifted around here, allowing our students and classes to spend more time together to socialize. We are back to starting our day in the cafeteria for breakfast and morning announcements, giving the students more facetime with their peers. 

The classes hit the ground running with their group internships and community-based instruction, including IN-PERSON returns to DDA Dance Academy and SideKick Martial Arts! Since the start of the pandemic, these lessons have been virtual and students were able to take part in classroom. The classes attending these CBI lessons reported much enthusiasm about in-person lessons. We also kicked off the year with a Welcome Back BBQ, complete with ice cream and Italian ices from Clyde's Italian Ice truck! We wrapped up a great month with a school-wide return to our regular bowling parties at Lodi Lanes (our first since February 2020!) and a fun trip to the Demarest Farms pumpkin patch to get into the fall spirit.

What are the classes up to? 

Ms. G.'s class (lower high school) has been out visiting local shopping establishments to practice selecting items, comparing prices, and completing purchases in real-life stores. They've been working on projects in the classroom to build their self-esteem and recognize all the things they can do. They worked together to make a delicious macaroni salad for our Welcome Back BBQ.

Our lower high school and upper high school classes have been joining for the CBI lessons at SideKick Martial Arts as well as a horseback riding trip. Ms. Walsh's class (upper high school) started two new internships for this student group at the Lodi Lanes bowling alley and Darlington County Park. We were so excited to also return to the bowling alley for our regular school bowling trips which have been on hold since 2020. The class also took a trip to IKEA and the Christmas Tree Shops.

Mr. Jason moved up to the 18+ class this year and is working diligently to secure some additional group internship sites for his class. To start the year, the students are returning to BCSS Central Office and continuing with their weekly trips to Walmart. They also arranged for a trip to Demarest Farms where students had the opportunity to visit the pumpkin patch to get into the fall spirit. Be on the lookout for us to announce some new partnerships for this group in October!

The Springboard class (over 18)  went right back into their internship schedule and added a 6-week program at Pony Power where students are learning to care for the animals housed there. Did you know Pony Power not only has horses but also goats, chickens, and pigs? The students worked hard at their Dollar Tree and Burlington internships. They recently switched from Darlington Park to Saddle River County Park where they do a clean up once a week. On top of all that, they are still doing the grocery shopping for the school! Ms. Lisa's students worked together to find all the items on their list. They also hosted an Ice Cream Social for all the students complete with various sundae toppings to enjoy. I told you we've been busy!

See you next month! 

What a year it has been! We did a lot of celebrating in June at the Transition Center, starting off with our LUAU on June 7th. Catered by The Fiesta, students got to show off their newly made tie-dye shirts, enjoy a Hawaiian themed party, and dance the day away with the DJ. We have a few dancing machines around here, and let me tell you, they were working up a sweat! We had a perfect weather day to be outside and celebrate. Our graduates were the guests of honor, seated at a special table for the event. The food was DELICIOUS. Special thanks to Ms. Walsh, Ms. Margaret, and their class for pulling off a fabulous event, the first ever held here at the Transition Center.

In another TCWR first, we hosted graduation at our campus. Graduation and our Spring Concert were combined on June 15th. Students prepared all semester to perform their songs at the concert by class and then joined together for a school-wide performance on the bells. Students in Ms. G's class composed and performed their very own rap! BCSS Superintendent Howard Lerner and Director of Curriculum Tara Bohan joined to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and Dr. Lerner presented the graduates with their certificates. The celebration ended with lots of pictures with families and classmates and everyone enjoyed the bagged cookies prepared by each class.

During the last week of school, we welcomed summer with an End of Year BBQ which gave students and staff another opportunity to celebrate a great year at the Transition Center. Thanks to everyone - teachers and staff, parents, and students - for making 2021-2022 a fabulous school year!

The Transition Center students (and staff!) enjoyed a ton of outside time during the month of May. Ms. G's class hosted our delayed Challenge Games where the entire student body took part in a number of outdoor activities include a frisbee toss and bottle flip among others! The Games party ended with a round of parachute as all the students worked together to keep Ms. G's famous rubber chicken from falling to the ground. Mr. Jason's class also hosted a Memorial Day party with hot dogs, fries, and a school-wide game of Bingo. We are big Bingo fans around here!

What are the classes up to? 

All the classes are getting geared up for our Luau Party coming up soon. Each student made a Tie-Dye shirt to wear to the party, then the classes did lessons on washing, drying, and folding the clothing. 

Two of our classes took a trip to Home Depot to select and purchase plants. They then worked on their gardening skills planting the new items around our school grounds. They look great! 

Ms. G's class took trips to the Dollar Store, TJ Maxx, and CVS to practice their money skills. They also had a great day to visit Frank Sinatra Park. They went for a hike (taking note of functional signs they've been learning about) and then ate lunch in the park. At HealthBarn this month, they planted seeds in the community garden, participated in a nature walk, and followed along with recipes for Texas Caviar, Pizza potato skins, and asparagus and potato soup. Ms. Walsh's class took trips to TJMaxx, the Dollar Store, and Stop and Shop. Each class is getting their recipes ready for end-of-year parties and events. Ms. Lisa's class is stocking up weekly at Stop&Shop for some delicious treats! In addition to their busy working schedule, they enjoyed trips to Frank Sinatra Park and Ross Dock Park and went shopping at Christmas Tree Shop. They also made homemade pizzas in class - yum!

All our regular internships and weekly virtual Community-Based Instruction activities are humming along as they have all year. We are wrapping up those virtual lessons as we near the end of the year but will have lots of fun activities for the students to do during our summer program.

See you next month! We have a boatload of great End of Year activities scheduled, including our Luau, Spring Concert and Graduation.

I guess I was too optimistic about spring considering it is 46 degrees when I write this! Ms. G's class was scheduled to host April Challenge Games for our monthly party but we have rescheduled due to the cold and windy weather at the end of the month. The students in her class worked hard to create posters to explain the task and rules for each Challenge Game. There will be stations set up outside for each class to try the different fun games, all selected, set up, and explained by our students.

What are the classes up to? 

Ms. G's class celebrated Autism Awareness Month completing writing projects and posters about different abilities and celebrating our differences. Students took part in lessons about showing empathy, compassion, and understanding for others while respecting differences. They also celebrated Earth Day by sharing ways each individual to keep our planet healthy and discussing things that people do that make our plant unhealthy. Each student shared what they personally do and brainstormed ways to be Earth-friendly both at home and in school. Ms. G and her class continue to visit local shopping stores on foot to practice their purchasing skills, finding items in stores, and calculating prices, all skills that promote independent living skills. 

At Health Barn, the class practiced washing, drying, and folding clean towels and dish cloths after using them to clean up during the cooking lessons. They continue to work on their gardening skills and use various tools in the compost pile and vegetable garden to prepare for plantings. In addition to their regular cooking classes, they also took part in yoga classes there to practice ways to keep their body physically healthy.

Mr. Jason's class continues with their internship at Central Office. They are hoping for more time outdoors there but so far the weather has not been too cooperative! In addition to their regular cleaning tasks in the building, they have been collecting plastic bags from staff members to bring for recycling at Stop&Shop when they make their weekly trip. This tied in nicely with their Science lessons on reducing, reusing, and recycling. The students are enjoying their weekly Walmart scavenger hunt where they learn to navigate the store, locate different items by section, and then have the opportunity to shop for themselves and their families and make purchases.

Ms. Walsh's class took on projects to beautify our school building. The worked in the garden outside, planting new seeds and mulching. In tandem with Ms. G's class, the students repainted the benches on our outdoor picnic tables to spruce them up a bit in hopes that warmer weather will mean more outdoor fun. The class took a trip to Paramus Park Mall where they ordered lunch and enjoyed eating in the food court. They also had trips to IKEA, Bergen Town Center, and Stop & Shop on top of their weekly internships at Lodi Lanes and Darlington Park.

Ms. Lisa's class returned to Darlington County Park this month after a winter hiatus, which the students love! Even the colder temps can't put a damper on the internship at Darlington. With some windy weather blowing through, there were lots of sticks to collect and move from the paths. They also enjoy taking trips to Bergen Town Center on Wednesdays and exploring the various stores with greater independence. Ms. Lisa's students have been active cooking and made a slew of items, including grilled cheese, pizza, scrambled eggs, and different kinds of deli sandwiches (with the items they order at the grocery store). In the afternoons during the class leisure time, they've enjoyed walks in the community to a local park, visiting local stores, watering the plants in the building, taking part in a Word Search competition, and playing Uno and Jenga with peers.

Here's to warmer spring days arriving soon! See you next month!

Spring is on its way! For Dr. Seuss Day on March 3, our classes hosted a virtual party. Breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and sausage were prepared and shared with all the classes in the morning, then everyone joined together on Zoom in the afternoon for a movie. On St. Patrick's Day, the students had a March Madness Party with hot dogs and chips followed by cookies and jello cups for dessert. Ms. Lisa and Mr. Jason's classes hosted a school-wide Bingo game on Zoom.

This month, the Transition Center celebrated the Moving Up of one of our longest attending students! We had a school-wide pizza party and shared cupcakes in her honor, then sent her off with a CLAP OUT where all our students and staff lined the hallways to say goodbye. While we miss her dearly, we can't wait to hear all about the exciting things she will be doing in her adult program.

What are the classes up to? 

Ms. G's class has really enjoyed returning to in-person lessons at HealthBarn USA. The students were put to work to make homemade pasta with peas, dumplings, pita bread with hummus, and cocoa and flaxseed cake pops. They worked in the garden and learned about composting and weeding to prepare the garden space for planting. In addition to HealthBarn lessons, Ms. G's class followed recipes to make sliders and fries, fruit smoothies, and French toast, eggs, biscuits, and bacon. Yum! For their community-based instruction, the class visited Target to practice how to navigate department stores. They are doing weekly trips to CVS to explore the shopping process and practice money skills in a real-world setting.  They even got to take a trip to Wendy's to order lunch! 

Mr. Jason's class was busy with hosting the parties this month jointly with Ms. Lisa's class. In the classroom, they have been learning about Women's History Month. They continue with their weekly trips to Stop and Shop where the students have the opportunity to practice consumer skills while purchasing items for classroom recipes and snacks. With warming weather, the class has been working outdoors at our Central Office building using various tools to collect garbage and maintain the exterior of the building. Mr. Jason arranges for a weekly scavenger hunt at Walmart where the students work in small groups to hunt for items throughout the store. After the hunt is complete, students are allowed to make small purchases for themselves and their families.

Now that the weather is getting nicer, Ms. Walsh's class was able to return to Darlington County Park for one of their group internships. The students loved being back outdoors! The park is beautiful and they were happy to be out in nature walking around and collecting sticks and branches that have fallen. Back at school, they have been preparing our planting beds for spring flowers, which they will plant once it gets a little warmer. The class worked together to follow recipes and cook meatloaf, chicken with peppers and onions, grilled cheese sandwiches, and Cobb salad. They are getting a lot of practice with measuring ingredients and following the steps to properly prepare a selected recipe. Not only that, but they are working on their kitchen safety and food handling skills as well!

Ms. Lisa's class continues with their many great internship locations. To prepare for the March parties, each student had their own shopping list of supplies they needed to locate independently at the Stop and Shop. After finding the items, they double-checked the lists and bagged the groceries. They continue to make returns and keep items in their proper places at Dollar Tree, which always has heaps of returns for our students to go through. The women's shoe section of Burlington looks sparkling clean when we finish our internship there! Bergen Town Center has been a popular location for community trips in Ms. Lisa's class. They've been visiting Target to explore the many different sections and compare prices to other shopping locations. The students also identified a new worksite while exploring the mall! At Garden State Plaza, the class is practicing independent shopping skills. Students are permitted to enter stores on their own to build their confidence in unfamiliar settings with support as needed. Everyone's favorite location is the food court! And upon returning to school, the students have been playing games together as a group (Uno is always a winner) and taking walks outdoors to a local park for some leisure time.

Here's to warmer spring days arriving soon! See you next month!

February kicked off with our Chinese New Year celebration as Ms. Walsh and Ms. G's classes selected items from a local Chinese restaurant to host a buffet-style meal for the entire program. Ms. G's class made "lucky envelopes" and distributed them to each class as one student presented what the lucky envelopes were all about. The classes all joined together via Zoom to watch Raya and the Last Dragon. For Valentine's Day, the classes prepared some sweet treats to share, including cupcakes and hot chocolate.

What are the classes up to? 

Ms. G's class did a "Caught Being Kind" project to promote positive social and behavioral skills in the classroom. Students earned a paper heart with their good deeds written on them to display in the classroom and recognize each student for their efforts in creating a kinder school community. They also started taking trips to a local CVS to practice making purchases. Prior to the trip, the students looked through the store circular to determine what deals were available and make a list of items they might like to purchase. In the store, the students practiced reading signs to locate their items, checking price tags, purchasing the items and receiving change from the cashier. In March, they will be making trips to HealthBarn USA for in-person cooking lessons!

During the virtual HealthBarn lessons this month, the classes took part in lessons with recipes including spinach pesto with crackers, a special Valentine's Day snack (chocolate dipped bananas), green bean fries, and white bean dip.

Mr. Jason's class started weekly trips to the grocery store this month. Students had a list of items to purchase based on recipes they selected to make in class. The students did lessons on comparison shopping before selecting the ingredients for purchase. Back at school, they followed the steps of the recipes to make delicious meals including breaded chicken cutlets, french fries, and Italian meatballs. They also continued with their trips to a local Walmart where they discussed sticking to a budget and selected necessary items by differentiating wants and needs. On Wednesdays, they're continuing with their group internship at the BCSS Central Office undertaking various office building tasks in smaller groups. Back at the school, Mr. Jason's class enjoyed using the tablets in Art class with Mr. Neil as they had the opportunity to create their own designs using this great technology.

Ms. Walsh's class continued with their in-class cooking. They made egg bites with various mix-ins and apple roses. The students also made some trips to the grocery store to do community lessons in the real world while also obtaining the ingredients they needed to make different recipes.

With some changes to the internship schedule, Ms. Lisa's class has had more opportunities for community trips to Walmart, Target, Bergen Town Center, and local stores. In the big box stores, students completed a lesson on selecting appropriate attire for various events, including job interviews, hanging out with friends, and formal events such as weddings or proms. Students had a budget and selected items they would consider purchasing for each of these events and discussed what kinds of dress is appropriate for different occasions. While perusing the grocery section at Walmart, students were learning how to compare nutrition information on packaged items and select foods that are healthy to keep our bodies and minds working well. 

Did you know March is National Disability Awareness Month? We'll be celebrating what makes us great here at the Transition Center! See you next month!

Upon returning to school after the holiday break, TCWR students were temporarily "grounded" from community trips which means our teachers put on their creative hats to keep everyone busy in the building. This meant a LOT of cooking activities! 

Did you know the week of January 17th was "No Name-Calling Week"? Ms. Kate held a school-wide presentation on our district's bullying policy and the classes discussed how to handle a bullying situation or help someone else who is being bullied.

Ms. Kate continues to offer the monthly TCWR Parent-to-Parent Meetings on Zoom. This month's topic was "What is DDD?" and covered the various parts of the DDD system, from application to post-schooling services. Be on the lookout for next month's meeting - what topics would YOU like to cover? Let Ms. Kate know by emailing her at katdob@bergen.org. 

Mr. Sean kept the students engaged in Physical Education lessons while indoors due to the weather. Each class has been working together to enhance movement skills and fitness levels even inside the classroom. They found some great YouTube exercise videos to focus on rhythm-based movements and also learned about what's going on in the Sports world by discussing the NFL playoffs and making their picks for the Super Bowl! Mr. Sean also continues with very important mindfulness and meditation practices to teach the students different ways to cope with daily stressors.

We wrapped up the month with our first LIVE Zoom Winter Concert hosted by our fabulous music teacher, Ms. Hannah. Each class performed a special song that they've been practicing during music class, then all four classes performed the finale together. It was a wonderful performance and the students have been working hard on their different parts.

What are the classes up to? 

Ms. G.'s students have continued to work on their writing skills with daily journal questions. They discussed their New Year's resolutions and goal setting to start their unit on Career Exploration. They are learning about prevocational, communication, and behavioral skills needed for future internship experiences. The class has been working a lot with Mr. Marty during Computer Enhancement class where they focus on money skills, measurement skills, and computation skills using various educational computer resources. Ms. G. and the class staff have introduced a social-emotional learning unit to promote the positive classroom environment and increase self-confidence.

During the virtual HealthBarn lessons this month, the classes took part in lessons with recipes including Popcorn with Brain Butter, a Hydration Salad, Chocolate Banana Strawberry Smoothie, and Crunch Peach Crisp.

Mr. Jason's class enjoyed the opportunity to have some extra Computer Enhancement lessons with Mr. Marty while "grounded." They continued with some great virtual activities and had some interesting discussions about our national government and the various branches.

Ms. Walsh's class focused on various cooking activities during January. Students were given the opportunity to select a meal they enjoy to make together as a class and share. Check out the powerpoint pictures to see the beautiful empanadas they made! They were stuffed with  beef and potatoes and were delicious. They also made egg bites and pancakes to share for breakfast, then also followed recipes for pasta dishes and chili for lunch or dinner.

Ms. Lisa's class hosted our January School Wide party. The students made homemade pizzas to share will all the students and staff. Let me tell you, the pizzas were delicious! Not only were we treated to pizza, the class baked and decorated cookies and jello cups for everyone who wanted to try. They delivered the pizza and desserts to each classroom.

Students in the Springboard class were happy for the opportunity to join our virtual community partnerships with HealthBarn USA, DDA Dance Academy, SideKick Martial Arts, and GymGuyz Functional fitness classes. Due to their typical internship schedule, they usually don't have the opportunity to join these classes. They also did a number of office tasks around the school building, going "shopping" in our supply closet to outfit the staff with necessary materials, hole punching, and shredding.

The Springboard class was excited to return to our community based instruction during the last week of January. They had a major shopping trip to complete at the grocery store and their internship sites had tons of returns for the students to complete. They were sure busy!

Ms. Lisa's students also had the opportunity to hand-delivered the items collected during their December canned food drive to a local food pantry. They collected two large bins of nonperishable items! Thank you to everyone who donated to this wonderful cause. Please look into making a donation to a food pantry near you as they are always in need of supplies.

I'm hoping the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2nd! See you next month!

With all the craziness that a typical December brings, this one sure seemed unique! The Transition Center continued with their holiday celebrations, but modified with the recent increase in COVID cases in the state. Check out Ms. Walsh's section below to hear about the parties her class hosted this month to celebrate the winter holidays before we closed for break.

Ms. G. and Mr. Jason's Classes

During the virtual HealthBarn lessons this month, Ms. G.'s class prepared creamy herb dip, Texas caviar with corn chips, and creamy s'mores. As part of their holiday celebration, the students made gingerbread houses. They got very creative and used their real-life experiences to make their houses unique.

Mr. Jason's class continued with their group internship at the Bergen County Special Services' Central Office. With a few nice weather days (for December!), they were able to do some maintenance work around the building grounds. They continued with their purchasing lessons at WalMart where they selected items, budgeted their money, and completed their purchases.

Ms. Walsh's Class

Ms. Walsh's class kept busy with their internship at Lodi Lanes and took a number of trips to the local grocery store to prepare for our Decemeber holiday celebrations. The class hosted an appetizer party for the school at the start of the month where each class selected a recipe and prepared an appetizer to share. The students were able to gather in our banquet-style seating and enjoy some holiday music while socializing with schoolmates. The increase in COVID cases rearranged the plans for our other holiday celebrations, but classes still took part in selecting dessert recipes and preparing the items to share in each classroom. Ms. Walsh's students took on some arts and crafts projects to make the school feel more festive and helped decorate the hallways in the spirit of the holidays.

Springboard Class

The Springboard class added an exciting new internship opportunity this month - Five Below! The students LOVED working at the store. There are so many fun items for them to shelve and lots of returns that need to be made. The students are learning the layout of the store and keeping the supplies on the shelves for this very busy location. 

The students also held a canned food drive for local food pantries and collected nonperishable items at the school. They will be delivering the items collected in January to keep the food pantries stocked. This is a difficult time of year for food pantries so please consider donating to a location near you.

Ms. Lisa took the students on a few fun field trips as well, including holiday trips to the American Dream Mall, Bergen Town Center, and Mills Bakery.

Here's hoping for a happy and HEALTHY new year! See you next month!

The leaves finally changed color and started falling as November got under way at the Transition Center. This month, our students took part in a school-wide presentation about Internet Safety, Cyberbullying, and Sexting from Bergen County Sheriff's Officer Anthony Iula. Our classes have been discussing bullying and internet safety frequently as everyone is using electronic devices more and more. The presentations were also shared with TCWR parents to review and continue the discussion with their students at home.

As usual at the Transition Center, we can't pass up the opportunity to cook a huge meal and have a party. The classes had multiple days of Thanksgiving meals to celebrate for the holiday. Mr. Jason's class hosted a school-wide Bingo game on Zoom for a little fun activity since it is too cold for everyone to celebrate together outside. Students in each class prepared various dishes, looked up recipes, and did the grocery shopping for all the delicious food they cooked. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, we had a socially distanced dessert party featuring holiday treats prepared by each class which included pumpkin pie, cheesecake, chocolate pudding pie, pumpkin bread, cookies, and apple crumble. Yum!

Ms. G. and Mr. Jason's Classes

Mr. Jason's class started their group internship at the Bergen County Special Services' Central Office. Students and staff broke into groups at the location to work in different areas of the building and completed tasks such as mopping, dusting, and cleaning surfaces. Students were shown how to properly complete each task then worked with classmates under the supervision of our staff. There's lot of work to be done and our students are eager to continue the tasks on a weekly basis. The class also completed community-based lessons at a local Walmart and Target where students got to practice selecting items and making purchases.

During our weekly virtual HealthBarn lessons, Ms. G.'s and Mr. Jason's classes followed recipes to make chocolate mousse, a creamy pumpkin smoothie, cranberry orange relish, delived eggs, and a Harvesters salad dressing. Ms. G.'s class completed a writing project on what they are thankful for, which really got everyone on the gratitude train in time for the holidays.

Ms. Walsh's Class

Ms. Walsh's class continued with their internships at Darlington Park and the Lodi Lanes bowling alley. There was lots of cleanup at the park with the changing seasons so our students were very busy! They also brought along Thanksgiving goodies to share with the staff at Lodi Lanes as a thank you - while we aren't yet able to return to our monthly bowling field trips there, we are very grateful for the opportunity to have an internship at the same wonderful location. The class also took a trip to the American Dream Mall to look for internship opportunities.

Ms. Walsh's class also made trips to the grocery store as part of their preparation for our Thanksgiving Feasts. The students shopped for ingredients to prepare a full Thanksgiving meal, including turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and corn casserole.

Springboard Class

Ms. Lisa's Springboard class continues with their group internships and have been juggling their schedule to get all the sites in. With the change in weather, our internship at Darlington Park has come to a close for the season. During their last few weeks there, there were TONS of leaves and branches to be raked and cleaned up. The Springboard class had some wonderful fall weather days to be working outdoors at the Park and look forward to returning in the spring when the weather is nice again!

They also continued with their Dollar Tree, American Eagle Food Pantry, and Burlington internship sites. They picked a great weather day to visit Ross Dock Park in Fort Lee earlier in the month. The students tested out a new site at a local hotel where they practiced cleaning techniques in the hotel lobby. Next month, the student will try out another new internship location - check out the December newsletter to learn more!

November was a busy month for the program's grocery shopping and the Springboard students were put to work searching for extensive lists of ingredients to prepare Thanksgiving items. With recent grocery shortages, this was no easy task!

During the month of December, the class will be hosting a canned food drive for local food pantries, so please be on the lookout for flyers coming home with more information.

Have a wonderful holiday season and we'll see you again after the new year!

Our classrooms have been very busy this month. We kicked off October with the Week of Respect from October 4-8 and TCWR had a theme week! Students got to represent their hometowns (wear something from your community), stomp out bullying (wear blue), respect the environment (wear green), have a pajama day, and show off their favorite sports teams. Our students and staff LOVED the theme outfits! We also had a wonderful Halloween Party outdoors - the students had some great costumes and enjoyed the yummy themed-snacks provided by each class, including mummy hot dogs and cupcakes.

Our case manager and job coach held another round of Parent-to-Parent meetings in both English and Spanish to assist our families with preparing for adult life. We're so glad to have the parents join for these virtual meetings so they can share the journey with each other - the more knowledge when preparing for the future, the better! Please join us for next month's meetings.

Ms. Angela and Mr. Jason's Classes

Ms. Angela and Mr. Jason's classes did a lot of work in the classroom and took part in all of our virtual community partnerships which now take place four days a week! We recently added a Functional Fitness class where students take part in an exercise class with GymGuyz. Let me tell you, these workouts were A LOT! The students continue to make recipes and learn about nutritious foods from our HealthBarn lessons, practice their moves in our Hip-Hop dance class with DDA Dance Academy, and keep their bodies fit in our Martial Arts class from SideKick Martial Arts. The virtual classes have allowed all students to take part in these partnerships which has been a really wonderful experience. The classes also practiced their functional math skills by measuring ingredients for various class recipes, including brownies and chili (not together!).

Mr. Jason's group is super excited to start their first internship at the BCSS Central Office next month. Students will practice many jobs around the campus, including indoor and outdoor cleaning/maintenance and watering the building greenery. Most of our students in this class haven't had the chance yet to attend a group internship due to COVID so we are very excited to get them out and about!

Ms. Walsh's Class

Ms. Walsh's class baked cookies as a thank you to all those who help us every day, including our custodians, nurse, and program secretary. They were yummy! Her class was also busy with other cooking and baking activities and the students enjoyed pepperoni roses, grilled cheese sandwiches, and special themed snacks for our Halloween Party. 

Ms. Walsh's class started a new internship at Lodi Lanes where students are preparing the bowling balls for use. The students have taken many trips to the bowling alley for our own outings and were excited to return for a new group internship site. They also continued with their outdoor internship at Darlington County Park and enjoyed a wonderfully successful fishing trip as part of our therapeutic recreation partnership with Bergen Tech.

Springboard Class

Our Springboard class added two new locations to their regular group internship sites - Dollar Tree and Burlington. All of the students in this class previously interned at TJ Maxx and loved being back in a retail setting. They continue to work on vocational skills at Darlington Park and the American Eagle Food Pantry. They do all the grocery shopping for our program at Stop&Shop so that each class can take part in the various cooking lessons with the proper ingredients.

Ms. Lisa took her bunch on some fabulous community outings, including to CityGreen in Clifton, MEVO FreshRoots Farm in Mahwah, and the Greater Newark Conservancy in Newark. At CityGreen, the students got to tour the farm and helped separate seeds from dried flowers for future planting. They lugged heavy buckets of woodchips to be spread at MEVO's farm to prevent weeds from growing. At the Greater Newark Conservancy, the students (and staff!) helped with weeding the grounds before being taken on a wonderful tour of their outdoor educational center.

Halloween Party

We lucked out with a gorgeous fall day for our Halloween Party! Our students decorated our outdoor space and prepared the area for themed snacks and a dance party. We had some really great costumes! Make sure to check out the pictures in the slides links at the top of the section. If you want to see the images in the Slides larger, click the button on the upper right hand corner of the images to pop out the presentation in a new window.

October was a great month for the Transition Center and we have so much to look forward to in November! Hope everyone has a great month and a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Our students are out and about!

In our Springboard class, the students take part in our weekly grocery shopping for the entire school's activities. Students have purchased items to assemble sandwiches on site as well as the ingredients needed for each class to take part in our HealthBarnUSA virtual cooking class. Students use these cooking classes to practice their math skills as well as important life skills to prepare food in a safe manner. 

The Springboard class has started a new internship working with the American Eagle Food Pantry of Northern New Jersey. Our Springboard class and Ms. Walsh's class are doing a weekly internship at Darlington County Park in Mahwah where they are involved in grounds cleanup. Our students are enjoying the fresh air working outdoors!

Our Physical Education teacher Mr. Sean had a great start to the school year with the return of all our students in-person. He's been working closely with our physical therapist to tailor exercises to our student needs. The classes have been held outside as much as the weather allows and the students have been enjoying playing basketball in our outdoor space. When the weather is foul, Mr. Sean leads the students in mindfulness activities to make sure our students stay healthy inside and out!

TCWR case manager Kate Dobbins and BCSS job coach Doreen Moran restarted our Transition Center Parent-to-Parent meetings on Zoom with the first held on September 22nd and a Spanish-language parent meeting held on September 29th with the wonderful help of district occupational therapist Casandra Lambert. The meetings focused on the necessary steps families need to take in order to prepare for students aging out of the education system at the age of 21, including registering with PerformCare and DDD, applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and guardianship discussions. Be sure to check out our Resources page for links and handouts and join us for our next round of meetings in October.

Things were a little more normal for our students during our summer program.  Classes engaged in community-based experiences including trips to Stew Leonard's grocery store and  Mr. Cupcakes at the Paramus Park Mall; many visits to local businesses located near our school, including Mills Bakery and CVS, and the Target at the Bergen Town Center. 

Boy, what a school year! At the Transition Center during the 20-21 school year, our teachers were able to pivot their lessons to accommodate students in-person and on remote learning, which is no easy feat when the core of our program revolves around our community-based experiences!

All of our students were able to take part in our virtual Community Partnerships, including weekly lessons with HealthBarnUSA, hip-hop dance class with DDA Dance Academy, and Martial Arts with SideKickMA. We also partnered with ShopRite's Eat Well Bergen County healthy cooking class and Tai Chi lessons hosted by GymGuyz. Our students loved taking part in the activities.