Transition Services

What is GoodSTEPS?

GoodSTEPS offers paid work-based learning experiences in combination with classroom preparation to in school transition-age students with disabilities. The program aims to provide students the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills needed to obtain competitive integrated employment as authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

How does GoodSTEPS work?

Classroom Experience
Prior to the work-based learning experience, students will participate in classroom work preparation and career exploration activities including the JumpStart Success curriculum.

Work-Based Learning Experience
As the students complete the classroom experience, eligible students will have the opportunity to apply and develop their career readiness skills in a 90 hour paid work-based learning experience. Competitive community-based work environments will be chosen based on the student’s location, skills and interests. Students will be supervised by GoodSTEPS staff to ensure progress and safety.

Job Exploration Class

• In addition to instruction in the PAES LAB, students participate in at least one period of Job Exploration
  • Provides more independent practice in job skills throughout the school environment
  • Students address functional reading, functional math, appropriate communication and social skills
    • 341 Catering: kitchen, deliveries, clerical tasks
    • School library
    • Delivering interoffice mail

What is LeboSTARS?

• Formerly known as Best Buddies, LeboSTARS brings students with disabilities together with non-disabled students for friendship and fun.

How often do LeboSTARS activities happen?

• Group events are planned every month. Some will involve just our chapter; some will involve similar groups from other high schools

3 Levels of membership:

• Friend: attend monthly events only
• LeboSTAR: attend monthly events AND meet with your group outside of school throughout the year
• Captain of Friendship: serve as the leader of your LeboSTAR group

What is the PAES lab?

Practical Assessment Exploration System

• Research-based assessment/teaching tool of vocational potential and employability skills
• Identifies aptitude for community-based employment, functional skills, interests, and work behavior strengths and barriers to success
• Simulates a work environment as much as possible
• Students are constantly assessed on all facets of their performance

Goals of the PAES lab

Students who participate in the PAES LAB will…

• Better understand their strengths
• Better understand their work-related problem solving skills
• Will have repeatedly practiced appropriate work behavior
• Will develop a better sense of which kinds of jobs interest them

As students work through the PAES program, teachers and parents will know…

• What skills a student can actually perform
• If students are competitively employable
• Which appropriate work behaviors a student exhibits independently
• Which work behaviors students need to develop

Data is collected on every task a student attempts in the PAES LAB in these areas:

• Assistance required
  • Verbal, Gestural, Demonstration
• Performance (number of errors)
• Work Rate
• Number of trials needed to complete the task
• Student interest in the task

Bocce is an Italian game. The basic principle of the sport is to roll a bocce ball closest to the target ball, which is called a palina. Bocce as a Special Olympics sport provides people with special needs the opportunity to have social contact, develop physically and to gain self-confidence. Next to soccer and golf, bocce is the third most participated sport in the world.

Special Olympics is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability. That makes practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having sport in common is just one more way that preconceptions and false ideas are swept away.

Starting in 2016-17, Mt. Lebanon School District is proud to announce the formation of a Special Olympics Unified Bocce Team. Our Bocce team will compete in three matches - at home against Avonworth on January 30th, at Moon on February 21st, and finally in the Allegheny County Interscholastic Unified Indoor Bocce Championships at Baldwin High School on March 7th - six schools from Allegheny County will be present for a chance to compete and advance to the championship tournament held in Hershey, PA.

For more information on Unified Sports, visit www.playunified.org.

Young Leaders Academy

Young Leaders Academy is a school to work partnership. In addition to Mt. Lebanon School District, our partnership includes Giant Eagle, Baldwin Whitehall School District, and South Fayette Township School District. The Young Leaders Academy meets for different in-school activity sessions at various locations four times throughout the academic year. Additionally, a job tour, career shadow day, and program graduation are also part of the program.

The mission of the Young Leaders Academy is to develop, enhance, and sustain soft skills necessary to pursue competitive employment.

In order to accomplish this mission, the following goals are built into the partnership for student development:

• Interviewing Skills
• Resume Writing
• Post-Secondary Goal Planning
• Dress for Success

AN OVERVIEW OF OVR INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES

An OVR Counselor can assist you in planning your job search. You will receive ideas, practice, and advice on finding job leads, filling out job applications, getting interviews for a job, and how to interview for a job. Your counselor may also give you job leads or contact employers to explain available tax credits and other hiring incentives. The more contacts with employers you make, the better your chances are of finding a job. Your Counselor can help you explore employment trends, your capabilities, and possible job accommodations, so that you are better prepared to make informed vocational decisions and effectively look for a job.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

You will be eligible for OVR services if:

You have a disability that is, a physical, mental, or emotional impairment which results in a substantial impediment to employment, and you can benefit in terms of an employment outcome from services provided, and, Vocational Rehabilitation services are required for you to prepare for, enter, engage in, or retain gainful employment.

OVR COUNSELOR INFORmation

Mr. Andrew Rossi

androssi@pa.gov

OVR PRE-APPLICATION

OVR RELEASE