Community Based Experience

Community-based Experience is a 1-2 year training program that provides training opportunities for students with disabilities to perform job and community skills in preparation for community employment with supports 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 Senior Center, Head Over Heels Gymnastics and/or Seven Hills City Hall.

Skills practiced at the job sites include washing, rinsing and sanitizing tables, setting the tables, and dusting. Skills also practiced include vacuuming, mopping, cleaning counters, windows, and mirrors. While learning these various tasks, students are also learning how to follow multi-step tasks, work collaboratively in a work setting, self-advocacy skills, daily living skills, socialization, communication, etc. In addition to job sites, students are provided with community experiences. Possible community locations are the grocery store, mall, recreation centers, adult service providers, bowling alley, etc. During these community opportunities, skills practiced include money management, functional reading skills, self-advocacy, social skills, communication, etc.

During the time in the classroom, the skills practiced may include functional life skills, communication, socialization, running the Patriot Perks Coffee Shop every Friday 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 an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decision. The class is 3 credits each year of participation. This class is normally taken in the last 1 or 2 years of high school.