“Give it a try… for you are born to fly high; don’t sit on the shores, don’t wait and sigh.” ― Vikrmn

What is something you like to do that makes you feel proud of yourself?

~Luke: Working at Eggspresso and being in Special Olympics.

~Tommy: Doing math makes me proud.

~Tyler: When I shoot baskets in basketball and make them.

~Alex: I like being a Boy Scout.

~John: When I work at Graziano's.

~Elliana: Talking with my Eye Gaze and making people smile.

~Rayane: Reading makes me feel proud.

~Gillian : Special Olympics Swimming! My disability causes low muscle tone which makes swimming difficult, but my strokes are clean and strong. My best stroke is the butterfly which everyone says is the hardest one.

Tell us an accomplishment of yours that makes you feel proud?

~Max G.: I am proud that I can drive to CLC on my own and I can be independent on managing myself.

~Charlie: I am taking flight by getting a lead in a play and by getting a job at Portillos.

~Quinn: I am proud of getting a new job. I have accomplished my IEP goal work. I am taking flight by getting a new passport over the next few months.

~Charles: I am proud of my job at Party City.

~Jack: I am proud of my job at Fresh Market and I like to work hard at my job, it is fun to work.

~Morgan: I am proud of going to an interview at Mariano's and becoming a bagger for the first time.

~Max R.: I am proud of getting an internship at the Porsche dealership.

~Gillian: I qualified for the state meet in swimming and I came home with a silver medal in the 100m butterfly and a gold medal with my 100m relay team.

This month, the Transition students have each been working to put forth consistent effort and are going beyond setting personal goals to gain paid employment. Each week the students are working with the Vocational Coordinator, Classroom Instructors, and Support Staff to focus on the big picture…Getting a Job!

A special shout out to the following students who rocked their interviews and were successfully hired this fall!

Charlie (Portillo's Hot Dogs, Deerfield)

Mathew (UPS)

Morgan (Mariano's, Bannockburn)

Quinn (Gerhards Bakery, Lake Forest)

Jack (Fresh Market)

Sebastian (Village of Fox Lake)

We can also incorporate unique fringe words related to holidays such as turkey, pie, football, decoration, gift, present, and more.

Social questions and comments are also a great way to incorporate AAC. Students can use AAC to lead or participate in conversations surrounding special events, as well as conversations about favorite foods, sports, teams, TV shows, or something else. Some example questions include:

• How are you?

• What is your favorite part of_______?

• What is your favorite_________?

• What do you like to do for fun?

• What do you think of_______?

Speech and Language Tips for the Holidays:

There are many activities during the holidays that allow you to incorporate language skills. You can plan a meal, make a list of the ingredients you need, budget, discuss where you will go shopping, and anything else you may need.

Cooking and baking can target a variety of skills including receptive and expressive language, problem solving, and executive functioning. It also allows you to practice life skills such as hygiene and handwashing, kitchen safety skills, and following routines/sequences. Enjoy!

1. Positive Self-Talk (a.k.a the Inner Coach): These are positive statements we can say to ourselves to help shift our brains into a place where we feel more confident and optimistic about our abilities. If trying this strategy, it’s helpful to think ahead of time about a personally meaningful statement that can then be used during moments of anxiety or uncertainty. Some past favorites from students include: ‘Say yes to new adventures’ ‘You got this!,’ and ‘I’ll give it a shot.’

2. Previewing and Planning: Knowing as much information as possible ahead of a situation can help us reduce anxiety and feel in control. Some examples students have done this fall include looking at pictures or viewing a short video prior to going to a new community location, practicing interview questions prior to a job interview, talking to peers who have already had a similar experience about what to expect, and doing a ‘trial run’ to see the space/find the location a day or two before the activity.

3. Finding a ‘Happy Place’: This can be anything that makes us feel calm and relaxed prior to engaging in a new or challenging activity. Deep breathing, listening to a calming or energizing song (depending on personal preference), watching a short video for enjoyment, or engaging in a short guided meditation are some promising options to try.

4. Recall Past Successes: This is an especially helpful strategy when we are experiencing self-doubt about our ability to be successful. Reminding ourselves of a time when we used a similar set of skills successfully can be powerful. For our students, it can sometimes be hard to recall a situation independently but they can either think of their own given guided questioning or share the details given an example we’ve observed. Depending on the situation, some questions to think/talk about include: When did you take a chance meeting someone new and it went well? When was a time that you were able to share information about yourself (or a given topic) effectively? What was something you weren’t sure about but ended up trying and liking? What was something that was really hard to do initially but that got easier with practice?

5. Give Yourself a Pat on the Back (and hopefully others will too!): Once we have given the situation our best shot, it’s time to celebrate - regardless of whether the outcome is what we’d hoped for. Depending on the situation we can celebrate courage in trying something new, persistence in the face of challenge, taking a positive, concrete step towards achieving a goal, and/or practice, planning, and preparation. These are the aspects of the situation that are in our control, and the skills we can draw on to face new challenges in the future. It’s always helpful when others in our lives highlight these things too :) Of course, if we get the outcome we want that’s something additional to celebrate!

Cooking is one of the important life skills taught at West Campus. In cooking class, students choose a recipe, budget for the recipe, shop at various grocery stores for ingredients, and follow the recipe while learning about kitchen safety.

Our goal for cooking instruction is to make recipes which are uncomplicated and that most anyone can complete. This month, Nick's class made individual pizzas with pre-made pizza dough. Most grocery stores carry pizza dough in the refrigerator section. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods almost always have it. Top with whatever sauce and delicious foods you want. This can be a fun recipe to make for dinner with the family. Easy peasy!

Students are learning independent living skills at West Campus and out in the community.

Each month we like to share various helpful resources for parents of our transition students. If you have any questions or know of a resource we may share for the next month, please do not hesitate to contact your class teacher or the Transition Coordinator (These events are not sponsored by Lake Forest High School District 115).