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“One part at a time, one day at a time, we can accomplish any goal we set for ourselves.” — Karen Casey
SETTING GOALS FOR SUCCESS
SETTING GOALS FOR SUCCESS
The start of a new school year is a great time for setting new goals or possibly revisiting old ones. Goals, if they are set properly, will keep us moving forward in life, give us purpose, and will hopefully provide motivation when facing a potential setback.
Achieving a goal will not only bring us the experience of success, but all of the positive emotions that accompany it as well. This can build our self confidence and increase our beliefs in our own abilities to learn and grow. Participating in goal setting can also motivate us to look for and attempt new strategies for success.
In this issue of our newsletter, we include advice from our team members and students surrounding the importance of goal setting to achieve success.
In the words of our students...
In the words of our students...
Why do you think it is important to have goals?
Morgan: It is important to have goals so you can achieve your goals.
Quinn: It’s important to have goals because you can have a better life.
Max G: It is important to have goals because you most have things to work on.
Charlie: It is important to have goals because if you have goals you know what you want to achieve in the near future and beyond.
Gillian: A goal helps you get to where you want to go.
Bill: Having a goal will help you get the things you want.
Tyler: Having goals will help me.
Alex: Goals help people.
Have you ever achieved an important goal that you set for yourself?
How did that make you feel?
Morgan: I had a job at Clinical Connections. I also have an interview at Mariano’s tomorrow. At nine thirty a.m.
It makes me happy by achieving my goals.
Quinn: I achieved an important goal that I set for myself by getting a job.
I feel very happy getting started with my job on Saturday.
Max G: I don't think I have yet. The only goal that I have completed is I drove on the highway for the first time and went to CLC.
That made me feel excited because I didn't think I could have done it.
Charlie: I have achieved a very important goal by going to my first job interview.
It makes me feel happy that I have an opportunity to get a job because I know I am ready for a job.
Gillian: I had a goal to be able to work at Wagner Farm independently which I have been doing since summer. This makes me happy and proud.
Bill: I have a goal to work in sports. It felt great to work with the football coach at Lake Forest High School taking care of the equipment. I feel happy.
Tommy: Tommy had a goal of going out into the community with his peers. He has been very successful this school year and we are proud of him.
OCTOBER CALENDAR
OCTOBER CALENDAR
Important Events for the Month of October 2021:
Important Events for the Month of October 2021:
Monday, October 11
Columbus Day. No attendance for all staff and students.
Thursday, October 21
Parent-Teacher Conferences. No attendance for students. (Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held virtually. Details will be sent out in the coming weeks.)
Friday, October 22
Non Attendance Day for all staff and students.
Tuesday, October 26, 6:00 pm
CHOICES - A College Fair and Post High School Educational Options for Students with IEP’s and 504 Plans.
(Look in our Helpful Resource Section for information about this event and the link to attend).
SPEECH TIPS WITH SAM
SPEECH TIPS WITH SAM
There are many ways to encourage your student to improve their language skills. Our Speech-Language Pathologist, Samantha Medland, offers these tips that can be easily used in everyday situations.
There are many ways to encourage your student to improve their language skills. Our Speech-Language Pathologist, Samantha Medland, offers these tips that can be easily used in everyday situations.
Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
Reaching goals one step at a time: Identify a goal area. There are many different goal areas such as employment, housing, personal/social, education, recreation/leisure, and transportation. Once you have identified a goal area, think about a long term goal, long term goals can take 1-4 years or more!
Long-term goals are then broken down into short term goals: Remember short-term goals can be reached anywhere from 3-11 months. For example, a possible short-term goal that relates to a long-term goal of meeting new friends could be “in the next three months I will sit with a new person, at a different lunch table, and introduce myself.”
COPING WITH KAREN
COPING WITH KAREN
Our staff psychologist, Karen Lapinski, offers great advice to help us cope through the many challenges we are faced with every day.
Our staff psychologist, Karen Lapinski, offers great advice to help us cope through the many challenges we are faced with every day.
Setting SMART Goals
Setting SMART Goals
Goal setting helps us to decide how we will use our time and resources. Goals give us a sense of purpose, help us organize ourselves, and give us a sense of pride and accomplishment when we achieve them. However, some goals can be difficult to achieve because they are too vague, encompass too long a time period, or are too daunting. This can leave us confused, frustrated, and discouraged. A helpful framework for writing good goals is the SMART goal framework. In previous school years, Transition students have been supported in creating SMART goals. The start of a new school year is a good time to revisit this framework that can be used in school, work, and home life.
COOKING
COOKING
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.
Gillian's Burger
Bill's Mug Brownie
Tyler's Pancake
Alex's Burger
Charlie making Chicken Fajitas
Max G. and Jill making Chicken Fajitas
Max R. and Charlie making Chicken Fajitas
Cleaning up!
Gillian's Mug Cake
Tommy making his Mug Cake
Recipe of the Month
Recipe of the Month
Each month we will be posting a "Recipe of the Month" from recipes the students have made in their weekly cooking classes. This month, Dana's class made Mongolian Beef. Enjoy!
BERNIE'S BOOK BANK
BERNIE'S BOOK BANK
Bernie's Book Bank in Lake Bluff has opened back up for volunteer opportunities!
We are excited to go into the community and contribute to this great cause. Our students typically spend their shifts at Bernie's stickering and stacking books in preparation for their distribution. Students are reinforcing valuable job skills here by following directions, staying on task, communicating with coworkers, and building stamina.
A great big thank you to Bernie's Book Bank for welcoming us back this month!
KIM THE TRANSITION TURTLE
KIM THE TRANSITION TURTLE
We would like to introduce our current class pet, Kim, the Transition turtle!
Our students identified her as a Pond Slider Turtle and she seems to be enjoying her time here with us. Kim has her very own extra large tank in Nick's classroom where she spends most of her time swimming, eating turtle treats, rearranging the stones and gravel, and of course, keeping her eyes on the staff and students.
Kim is a very active turtle with a big personality. She usually gets her daily exercise in the mornings before the students arrive when she gets out of her tank to stretch her legs. She likes to surprise the staff members at their desks while they work.
This month, Dana's students took Kim on a little field trip to explore their classroom!
Turtle tank
Kim loves a little screen time.We learned that turtles like to watch TV for an enrichment activity!
Going on a field trip
Exploring and socializing in Dana's classroom
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Enjoying time outside
Finishing up at Bernie's Book Bank
Working in the classroom
Job Skills - Luke folding laundry
Job Skills - John shredding paper
Job Skills- Bill stuffing brochures
Job Skills - Tyler practicing sending mail
Quinn staying focused
Gym time
Tech Campus Class
Community Trip - Scavenger hunt at Independence Grove
Morgan and Charlie working hard
Volunteering at Feed My Starving Children
Volunteering at Feed My Starving Children
Volunteering at Feed My Starving Children
Max R. in action at Tech Campus
Playing a game of Uno for Rec/Leisure time
Community Lunch
Community Lunch
Friends at Didier Farms
The Didier Farm camel experience!
Max R. at Didier Farms
Morgan at Didier Farms
HELPFUL RESOURCES
HELPFUL RESOURCES
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).
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