Transition Center enjoys more space, amenities in new facility

     After nine years of operating out of the John McDonald Health and Education Center, the Monticello Transition Center has a new home.

     The Transition Center is part of the Monticello Community School District, run by Program Coordinating Teacher Cindy Melchert. The program “provides services for students entitled to special education services who have completed their senior year of high school and have unmet living skills, working skills, and communication skills.”

     The Center sets out several goals for its students:

     • Provide the student with a comprehensive program that provides instruction on life and vocational skills allowing him/her the greatest level of independence possible in adulthood.

     • Allow for meaningful and authentic interactions and experiences within the community and the workplace.

     • Promote self-advocacy and self-determination, which includes self-monitoring, self-reflection, problem solving and goal setting.

     • Give the student experience in recreation and leisure options that might be available to adults in the community and surrounding areas.

     • Respect the student’s right to make choices involving his/her future.

     “Our mission has always been the same,” said Melchert, “to provide students with disabilities living, working, and communication skills to improve their independence in the post-secondary setting.”

     This school year, the Transition Center has five adult students with disabilities, with two of those enrolled as online-only learners.

     Including Melchert, there are three full-time staff members and one half-time staff member.

     “A student’s IEP (individualized education program) dictates the amount of staff support needed,” explained Melchert.

     At the start of the current school year, the Transition Center moved from John McDonald into the former MCSD administration office building near the bus barn. After the new middle school and renovations to the high school were complete, administration staff moved into new offices at the high school, freeing up space for the Transition Center to relocate.

     “Many great additions were added,” said Melchert, offering the program more space compared to where they operated before.

     There is a handicapped accessible restroom, separate laundry room (which used to be located within the kitchen area), a fully-functioning kitchen, a ramp leading into the Transition School, and a ramp inside for ease of access.

     Melchert commented, “It took a little extra time to get the space in order.”

     The program started the school year out online to give an extra week for renovations needed for student accessibility.

     “A few renovations continued for an extra month, as some of the needed materials were back-ordered due to COVID,” added Melchert. “Also, workers had only the weekend and ‘online Wednesdays’ to do work at the Transition School.”

     Above all, Melchert said it’s the additional ADA accessibility that makes this a great fit for the Transition Center.

     “Our classroom is wheelchair accessible and will offer us the opportunity to serve more special needs student needing life skill instruction.”

     Another plus is with so few adult students and so much space, everyone can social distance while wearing facemasks and utilize the entire building.

     “It’s helped to keep the students and staff safe,” shared Melchert.

     Being located within the former district office also allows the Center to be more visible within the community in which it serves, and to feel a part of the MCSD.

     “We are more centrally located to the businesses that host our students for work experience,” continued Melchert. “We’ve already been able to walk to and from work on nice weather days.”

     With the bus barn across the parking lot, they can also easily access handicapped accessible transportation when needed.

     Marveling at their new space, Melchert said the classroom setting is more open, more natural lighting, and temperature controlled.

     “The fact that we don’t need an elevator to get to the classroom is a huge plus,” she said.

     The programming offered through the Transition Center is ever-changing, depending on the needs of the students. For example, during their first year, the MCSD provided lunch for the students. Now, the students plan, shop, and make lunches for their peers as part of the program’s curriculum.

     “Students’ individual needs greatly dictate the curriculum and services provided,” Melchert said.

     The Transition Center, much like the other schools in the community, are also dealing with challenges associated with COVID-19.

     “Imagine teaching life skills and work skills in an online format,” proposed Melchert.

     When it’s difficult for students to gain much-needed on-the-job work experience, they pivot to teaching work readiness skills instead, such as good hygiene, being on time, communication, and being prepared.

     Melchert also had to rely heavily on parental support with her students, more so than ever before.

     “For the Transition School, this is unusual,” she said. “Our adult students should be learning how to be less dependent on their parents.”

     For those learning online, cooking is a big goal. Melchert has to work with the parents on progress monitoring for meal preparation goals.

     “I work with the students to choose and plan a balanced meal and then the parent works in the kitchen with their student and does the necessary scoring to monitor progress,” explained Melchert. “A lot of coordinated teamwork is happening this year.”

     When all of the students have to go online, Melchert and her staff meet in the morning to discuss each student’s needs. A timeslot is then assigned to each student to meet with a staff member one-on-one online.

     “All of my curriculum is being adapted for an online version and an in-person version,” said Melchert.

     She’s thankful the MCSD has dedicated each Wednesday for online learning, as it gives her and the staff a chance to make online learning more successful for everyone.

     However, Melchert said online learning, or switching between in-person and online, does show to impact her students’ learning.

     “To be most successful, our students often require hands-on, repetition of skills in a routine-based learning environment,” explained Melchert. “On-the-job work experience is a valuable tool for the Transition School, and that just isn’t able to happen this year as it has in the past.

     “This year has been an adventure for sure!”