The Community Based Experience (CBE) program is a 1-2 year training program that provides training opportunities for students to perform job and community skills in preparation for supportive employment and/or community opportunities after graduation from high school. The students will be at the job sites for about 40% of their course time, they will be out in the community 40% of the time, and in the classroom 20%.
Currently, the job site locations are the Parma Heights Senior Center, Fast Eddie's, Seven Hills City Hall, and Parma Parks and Recreation. Skills practiced at the Senior Center include cleaning, setting tables and dusting.
Besides the job sites, students are provided with community experiences. Possible community locations are the grocery store, mall, restaurants, bowling alley, etc. During these community opportunities, skills practiced may include money management, functional reading skills, self-advocacy, social skills, and communication. During the time in the classroom, the skills practiced may include functional life skills, communication, socialization, running the Coffee Shop and in-house vocational tasks.
The students are provided transportation from their high school to their job/community location. Student participation in the program is a team decision. The class is 3 credits each year of participation. This class is normally taken in the last 1 or 2 year(s) of high school. CBE is currently offered at all three high schools.
