Employment First Guidebook
service coordinators and integrated health home care coordinators with critical information. It is full of good information about employment for people with disabilities. There are parts of it that are adult system focused, but there is a lot that is very applicable to our work in schools. Kirsten Lane, Secondary Transition Program Facilitator at the DE, pointed out a few key things found in it, but depending on your students, you may want to wander through the entire guidebook. Here are some of the key things you may want to look at:- P 6 – what is Employment 1st – talks about the history of this movement within Iowa and nationally
- P 9 – nice review of all the different services and supports around work in our state
- P 26 – encouraging people to work
- P 28 – WIOA connections
- P 31 – myth busting scenarios about work
- P 42 – FAQs
- P 81 – a nice article in the appendix about high expectations
- P 93 – a nice article about the influence of families and starting early
Graduation Requirements
Our last Vitals for Transition zoom was on changes in graduation requirements that were sent out by the Iowa Department of Education earlier this fall.
The document can be found here: Administrative Consideration for Changes in Definition of Diploma
This change will impact this year’s freshman class, so it is critically important that we ensure that students’ second semester schedules (or second trimester) are well thought through with this new change. Curriculum mapping may need to be done for classes being taught in the reverse consultation model to show alignment with the Iowa Academic Standards in order to fulfill graduation requirements.
Here is the video of our conversation:
It is vitally important to take the time NOW to make sure your freshman (and this year’s eighth graders) schedules are purposefully planned to help them reach their full potential in regards to these changes.
Summer Externship Experience for Teachers
We just got the following information today about Summer Externship Experiences for High School teachers. This could provide some eye-opening work exploration options for teachers! See the letter below to see if this is something you think could be a great opportunity for your hands-on learning:
What is an Externships?
An externship is an unique professional development opportunity for educators to connect the workplace to the classroom. It provides an opportunity for educators to spend time in a business/industry to learn through hands-on experience about practices related to their subject in order to improve and strengthen their teaching by bringing relevance to student learning.
Purpose
The purpose of an externship is for educators to learn how classroom content and learning strategies apply in the workplace by engaging in daily activities of a local business and/or industry. Educators are able to build the bridge between knowledge and skill-based education by being updated about current workplace practices, requirements, and employability skills that meet current industry standards. The experience will be able to bring relevance to student learning by being able to tie real-world application to their lessons.
Benefits
- Provide a fresh perspective about today’s workplace and the skills students need to succeed.
- Increase ability to explain the value of what students are learning and why it is relevant.
- Provides an experience to learn new technology and first-hand knowledge of what businesses need and expect of its future workforce.
- Ability to help students learn employability and adaptability skills in order to be prepared for the workforce.
- Connect basic academic skills to employability skills by constructive conversation with business and industry.
- Opportunity to have any questions answered by a business professional and aid in the design of a lesson plan.
Program Quick Facts
- Educators will receive a stipend of $800 upon completion of an externship and its requirements during the summer.
- Eight externships spots will be offered after being reviewed by the externship committee.
- Educators will present to community members, business partners, principals, and economic developers about their experience.
Important Dates
- February 5, 2018|Deadline for applications
- February 6-13 | Set up interviews & contact administration reference
- Week of February 19 | Applicant interview
- August 1, 2018| Presentation
Externships Guidelines
Application Requirements
- An applicant must be an educator in the high school setting.
- An educator must complete the application fully including the administrator recommendation, externship agreement, and attach a resume.
- Applicants must choose career fields or businesses that are relevant to their current position on the application to be considered for selection.
- An applicant will be interviewed as part of the selection process due to limited number of participants.
- No late applications will be accepted.
- An applicant is ineligible if they have already done an externship the prior year. This gives other educators an opportunity to participate but still encourages past participants to have another experience.
Placements
- Externs will be placed in only one business for one week. There will not be multiple placements given unless a business cannot accommodate an extern for a week.
- There will be an emphasis on placing educators in jobs that are in demand in our area.
- The committee has final say about placement and will use their own discretion on where they see fit for placement.
Extern Requirements
- All required paperwork must be submitted prior to the start date of their externship. If the paperwork is not turned in the externship will be considered invalid.
- If an extern does not communicate after three attempts by the Iowa Central staff, the extern will be dropped from the program.
- The journal must be completed in full and turned in on the date of the presentation.
- The presentation date is mandatory and no exemptions will be given. Presentations need to be completed in order to receive payment.
Presentation Guidelines
- Presentation should not exceed 10 minutes.
- Presentation has to be given on August 1, no exceptions.
- Presentations should answer the following questions:
- How can you help students be prepared for the workforce?
- How can you implement workplace skills and knowledge into every day lessons to provide relevance of textbook learning to the workplace?
- How can you utilize your experience to help students?
- How do you plan to continue to foster your relationship with your business host?
- What is one thing that you will take away from this experience?
- The presentation should also touch on the lesson plan they created in the journal.
If you have any questions, please call Samantha Harms at 515-574-1076 or e-mail her at harms@iowacentral.edu
New Assessments to check out
We hope you are all surviving the year so far! Students, families and teachers alike have officially transitioned into the new school year and are off to a great start!
We have added several new assessments for you to check on out on our Moving Students Forward website:
Strengths, Interests, & Preferences Pictures
This resource can be used with students/children who are non-verbal and/or need pictures to communicate their strengths, interests and preferences. This is just a sample of what could be created for a classroom using a variety of resources. Thanks for sharing this great tool!
Transition Planning – Skills for Life
This survey is intended for use as a guidance tool to generate discussion regarding various careers for students. Depending on your student’s readingStudent Dream Sheet
The Student Dream Sheet is a good resource to help students start connecting the dots to help them reach their dreams. It asks some basic questions that make them start thinking about what they may need to do to reach their dreams/desired outcomes. It addresses the living, learning, and working sections of the IEP.
Summer Camp List
Thanks to ASK Resource Center for sharing this great information on summer camps! Do your families know that they have many great options to send their kids to specific camps? If not, please pass this on! Summer Camp is a fun adventure for everyone!! 🙂
Summer is all about having FUN, and at ASK Resource Center we want to make it easier for Iowa kids with disabilities to access all the summer fun their hearts desire! Whether your family is planning a “stay-cation”, a sight-seeing road trip, or a vacation to Disneyland, planning is an essential component for a smooth-sailing summer. Our annual list of Iowa Summer Camps is here to help by offering travel planning tools and information about the various summer programs and activities available across the state!
Check out these helpful resources as you prepare your child for summer camp!
- Sending Your Child with Special Needs to Camp www.kidshealth.org/en/parents/finding-camp-special-needs.html
- Time Away Preparation: Printable Worksheets www.cshcn.org/planning-record-keeping/time-away-preparation-worksheets
- A Comprehensive Guide to Special Needs Travel www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2012/07/20/a-comprehensive-guide-to-special-needs-travel
- Tips for Family Road Trips with Kids with Special Needs www.kidcompanions.com/tips-for-family-road-trips-with-kids-with-special-needs
- Discover Camp: Sending Your Child with a Disability to Camp for the First Time www.nchpad.org/discover/preparing/index.html
- ADA Q&A from PACER Center www.pacer.org/publications/adaqa/summer.asp
- Ten Tips for Traveling with Special Needs Kids www.myfamilytravels.com/node/11177
ASK Resource Center has more great information on transition under their TRANSITIONIOWA tab too, so check out all of their great tools on their website!
Together We Can Conference – May 6th
Could be a great day of learning!!
Click CONFERENCE AGENDA to see more details.
ASVAB: There’s an App for that!
My, how times have changed! There seems to be an app for almost everything! And, if you happen to know a student who is thinking that the military is just right for them, they can now practice for the ASVAB test with the help of an app! But, unlike the days of old, a high school diploma is required to enter most military branches today.
The ASVAB test consists of eight sub-tests, so taking practice tests helps the student have a better idea of what to expect, which can increase their final test score.
The list of apps is too long to even begin to list, even just for the free ones. There are apps for Android/Google Play or for iPad/iPhones, depending on your need.
Of course, there are also free practice tests online as well, such as ASVAB Practice Test Online or ASVAB Practice Tests just to name a few! And there are many options to purchase various study guides as well.
Bottom line, it is important for students to know that each branch of the military has a required AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test) score. The AFQT score will determine whether they qualify to enlist in their particular branch of service. The ASVAB test also produces several line scores, which are different for each branch of service. Line scores determine which military jobs the students are qualified for, so the higher their score, the more job opportunities they have.
Students who are determined that the military is right for them should meet with the military recruiters when they come visit the school. The High School Guidance Counselor can arrange for a specific recruiter to come, and then the recruiter can explain the requirements and expectations for that specific branch of service.
As students begin to explore post-secondary options, let’s help them understand all the facets involved…. simply by helping them know the steps that they need to take!
Registration link for Special Education Symposium!
The registration link is finally up for the Special Education Symposium! Click here: “REGISTER” to sign up today! See the details on the flyer below for more information.
Registration is under way for the 2016 Special Education Symposium held in Des Moines June 13-14.
The symposium, which is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education and is at no cost to participants, is intended for special education teachers, teacher leaders and mentors, Area Education Agency staff, administrators, and families with students with disabilities.
Breakout sessions will include topics such as enhancements for early interventions, literacy and significant disabilities, improving adolescent literacy, leadership supports in special education, teaching social emotional skills, and addressing Specially Designed Instruction through diagnosis, design, delivery and engagement.
Keynote speakers are Don Deshler, a nationally known expert is Specially Designed Instruction and Todd Whitaker, who specializes in staff motivation for teachers and administrators. Another keynote speaker is Tim Harris, a 26-year-old with Down Syndrome who owns and runs his restaurant in Albuquerque, Ariz. He also runs a nonprofit, Tim’s Big Heart Foundation, which helps people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
In addition to the keynote speakers, there also will be nationally renowned speakers at the breakout sessions.
The symposium will be held at the Iowa Events Center. When making hotel reservations, be sure to mention that you are attending the Iowa Department of Education Symposium.
We look forward to learning and networking with you there!
WIOA what?!?
No… that is NOT Iowa spelled incorrectly! If you have heard the acronym “WIOA” it stands for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.
There are still lots of details to work out as this new process moves forward, so to help you have some basic information, here are several documents that may help you understand some of these changes:
- Memorandum of Agreement notice between IVRS & the DE
- WIOA Webinar Powerpoint – Dec. 2015
- WIOA Webinar – approximately 30 minutes
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
All of the information above may be found on the Department of Education website under Special Education/Secondary Transition.
As more information comes out, we will keep you posted!
Job Interests Picture Inventory & Strengths, Interests, & Preference Visual
The Job Interests Picture Inventory is another great tool you can use with your students that may need a visual cue on possible employment options.
This form was created by a fellow teacher, so a special thanks for both his creativity AND his willingness to share! Helping and learning from others…. now that’s what we want to model for our kids, right? 🙂
So, since he showed us a great example, if there are other careers that you want your students to have to choose from, you now have a guide for creating one on your own.
You could do something similar by using pictures from a computer program like Board Maker, etc. to make a visual representation to help your students determine their strengths, interests & preferences. Click Strengths, Interests, Preferences Picture Options for yet another great sample that was shared!
Keep all your great ideas coming! Together, we can help make our kids/student’s transition as seamless as possible!
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