Our Gift To Young Students

Zack

 Students at Transition 18-21 program made from scratch play-dough holiday baskets for elementary special education classrooms through out the district.  Zack, Dylan, Tony and Jerred delivered
the play-dough baskets and holiday cheer.  Our students worked hard to prepare enough baskets that we could provide at least one basket per elementary school in the district.  Money used to pay for the supplies to create the play-dough was donated from our student run business LiftBridge Industries. 

Thank you notes are coming back to the students from the various elementary classrooms.  A wonderful way for our older students to give back to the younger students in the district. Have a happy holiday break! ~ Transition Staff

Tony 

Donations At Transition Oak Park

Enjoying Reading Time In Sensory Room
Colin, Jordan, Para Kim & Bailee

We would like to send a BIG THANK YOU out to Susan Bol and Midge McLaughlin for their rocking chair donations to our sensory room!  Students enjoy reading and music time in the comfortable chairs.  Therapists that work with ASD students have found that vestibular motion helps students diagnosed with Autism settle and focus. Rocking chair therapy can be used as a sensory integration therapy for ASD and ADHD students. In the sensory room, students can destress, calm and relax in a secure distraction free setting. Students feel secure, in a safe space that allows the movement they need to adjust and perform repetitive calming behaviors to better concentrate and to relax. Thank you both for caring about all kids in our community and your donation!  ~Transition Staff

Candyland & SkillsUSA Team Up

At Transition we have a student run organization called SkillsUSA.  We have teamed up with
Candyland in downtown Stillwater to help our chapter fundraise. We will use the money earned from popcorn sales to help students pay for trips to state and national competitions. In the past
our chapter has earned over $1,000.00 for students to compete in SkillsUSA.
By Chazz Massey

2018-2019 SkillsUSA 

Oak Park Transition Program

Bailee & Caitlyn Willis

Students at Oak Park Transition Program decorated the main office entrance area and windows this week to add a little holiday spirit to the season.  A special Thank You to students for creating the decorations with Jacki, Gina & Holly assisting them with the process.

Assistant Director of Student Support Services Caitlyn Willis also assisted Jordan & Bailee in posting the decorations. The front office looks wonderful & festive for the season!  ~Transition Staff

Jacki & Jordan

Trinity & Transition Community Partnership

Tony 

Trinity church needed a small work enclave crew of cleaners to help sanitize all the activity bags for children and to wipe down tables, and chairs as well as, a variety of building tasks.

A group of student volunteers go once a week to assist Trinity in cleaning tasks.  The student are learning to perform job tasks in a work enclave in the community.  This training site is a step in the Transition programs employment training process.  For students to have the opportunity to work in a quiet environment in the community, under supervision of a job coach.

A Work Enclave is a supervised work training program for students receiving special education. The enclave provides a transition step between school and independent work for those who need a higher degree of support or supervision.

Joe

Zach

Transition Program Perkins Grant

 Transition teacher Jon Matel saw a need in the program for a popcorn machine for students to practice job training skills.  Past student Tyson Kerr worked at Candyland in the community for the past 2 years as a job training site with our program.  Jon wrote a grant for job training and was awarded the Perkins Grant!!!  Thank you Jon Matel for your dedication and hard work for students in the Stillwater community!

Jerred, Mary and Joe assembling machine

Bailee working hard

Transit Link Cards Available At CUB

Mackenzie purchasing a Transit Link card for ride to work

Transit Link is a curb-to-curb minibus or van service for the general public that operates on weekdays throughout the seven-county metropolitan area. It is a shared-ride service, which must be reserved in advance. You may reserve a ride up to five days in advance, or call at least two hours in advance for same-day trips. Rides are subject to availability, and fares are based on the distance traveled. The base fare is $3.50, one way.

Transit Link customers can transfer to a Metro Transit bus without paying a separate fare. Ask the driver for a para transit transfer.

Please Note: Transit Link service is not available where regular transit routes are operating. Call 651-602-LINK (5465) for more information or to reserve a ride.

Exercise Equipment at Oak Park Transition

Bailee on the Treadmill

The staff and students at Transition Oak Park would like to thank community member Greg Thueson for the donation of the Treadmill.  THANK YOU GREG ~WE LOVE IT! 


As well as the PAC Center supervisor Jodi Loeblein-Lecker for sending us a recumbent bicycle.  We are putting the equipment to good use!
                                    The Transition Students

Jordan on the hand desk cycle

Dylan on the Elliptical

Collin on recumbent bike

Graduation Celebration 2018-19

Tyson Kerr Angelina's Kitchen

The Transition Program celebrated a fabulous year!!! Here are some of our graduates and where you can them working in the community.

Andrew Schneider Target

Cece Raleigh Cub Foods

Issac Harrington Menards

Graduation Celebration 2018-19

Austin Monzel ESR in Oakdale

 The Transition Program celebrated a fabulous year!!! Here are some of our graduates and where you can them working in the community.

Hanna Johnson PAI

Chuck Bristow Oak Marsh Golf Club & Cub Foods

Natasha Wofford- Funke Water Street Inn

Local Papa John's Hosts Students For Job Exposure Day

June and John Christopherson opened the local Papa John's Pizza on January 28th, 2019 just in time for Super Bowl Sunday. The location is at 1501 Stillwater Blvd. North. The Christophersons want to run the family owned business to connect and participate with the broader community.  On Monday, April 29th the Christophersons gave students a tour of their business and allowed them to make individual pizzas.  Students were given the experience of what it would be like to work for a pizza company.

It was a wonderful experience for the students and we would like to thank the Christophersons for the job exposure experience, as well as the free pizzas and hats that were given to students.  Thanks for supporting our program!

Pizza Training

June and students

Kelena's First Year

I am a new student at school, the name is Kelena A Tamasese.  For short, call me Kelena or Keke. I'm 19 years old and looking forward on making new friends and a fresh start in a school that I barely know. I have worked at Halloween Express, Minnesota State Fair, and slightly at my other school. I came from a rough past but I'm still kicking it. I want to graduate this year and after I'm officially done with school.... hold it.... hooolllddd itt..... I am headed to the military. You may ask which branch? I am gearing towards.... Army or Marines. Well, I need to go to boot camp first then yeah all that fun stuff. Looking forward to it.

-Kelena A Tamasese, 4/16/2019

SKILLS USA State Competition 2018-19

By Mike Albers Stillwater Chapter Advisor:

 Having just returned from the Minnesota SkillsUSA State Leadership Conference and Championships, I am pleased to announce that the Stillwater Transition Chapter of SkillsUSA had a very favorable showing.  Our chapter competed in the four leadership competitions including Action Skills, Customer Service, Employment Application Process, and Job Interview.

The following students were recognized for their achievements:

·      Christian Finn, Gold Medal and National qualifier in Action Skills, as well as a Silver Medal in Employment Application Process.

·      Isaac Harrington, Bronze Medal in Customer Service

·      Mackenzie Heitala, Bronze Medal in Employment Application Process

·      Kaitlyn Mathaus, Gold Medal in Customer Service, and a Gold Medal in Employment Application Process, qualifying Kaitlyn for National Competition in both areas! 

The SkillsUSA National Leadership Conference will be held in Louisville, KY on June 24^th-28^th.  I am proud to announce that the 7-year history of the Stillwater Transition Chapter of SkillsUSA we have had six State Officers, and 22 National Championship qualifiers!

If interested in additional information about this valuable Career and Technical Education Student Organization (CTSO), check out this link https://www.skillsusa.org/

Metro Transit Bus Training

On Monday April 8th the young adults at Transition had a presentation on accessing public transportation.  Metro Transit provided a guest speaker to discuss and answer questions students had about riding public transportation.  Students then were given tokens and practiced as a large group as we rode the bus in Stillwater and located different city pick up spots.  Students asked a number of questions of our guest speaker.  Topics such as bus safety, social situations, identifying bus stop locations, payment methods and asking for assistance from the driver if needed were addressed.

Bowling & Pool Activity Day

 On Friday March 8th the Transition group went to St Croix Bowl for an activity day with the students from SAHS.

Fun was had by all.  Pool and bowling was offered at a discounted rate.  Plus it gave staff the opportunity to see bowling skills the students have learned through their local Special Olympics Bowling Program. 

Staff also had the opportunity to meet SAHS students that will be coming to the Transition program next year.  It was a wonderful group activity to kick off the start of Spring Break week! 

Austin Monzel's Final Year

Austin Monzel has been in the Transition program for the past 3 years with this year being his final year.  Austin has the gift of truly brightening everyones day with his positive attitude and enthusiastic spirit.  He has worked at Special Products LLC this year and will be using the work skills he learned through the Transition program at Midwest Special Services, Inc. in Oakdale. 

Austin is also a very talented artist who has created numerous paintings we have displayed in the Oak Park building.  Austin likes to go to Courage Center swimming, and attending St Paul Saints games in the summer.   The entire staff will miss you Austin! 

Repurposing Of The Little Library

On Wednesday, January 16th, the Stillwater Transition chapter of SkillsUSA participated in a community service event by repurposing the Little Library in front of ECFC. We spent weeks working hard to ensure that this looked the absolute best it could in memory of little Evie Kiester. We presented it to Karissa and her husband Brian Keister and it was such an honor for us to participate in a project that had such a big impact on us as a chapter. We hope to do something like this again in the future!