arc of onondaga life skills program marketing booklet

8/14/2019 Arc of Onondaga Life Skills Program Marketing Booklet

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Life Skills ProgramS Y R A C U S E C I T Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T

Prpaing fo Lielng Succes


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Overv

20% of students in the Syracuse City School District receive Special Education services.For many of these students there are few opportunities to learn important skills tohelp them succeed after leaving high school. Classes, tutors and teachers preparethe students academically but what about learning to manage their money? Makinga budget? Finding out what it takes to succeed at a job interview? What types of

employment are out there? Future educational opportunities?

The Life Skills Program is a cooperative effort between several leading agencies in theSyracuse area designed to help these students succeed once they leave the comfortzone of high school. Students are engaged through a combination of classes from

subject matter experts,field trips and hands-on work.

The Life Skills Program helps each individual plan for what he or she would like to doafter leaving school and gives students the opportunity to practice the skills they arelearning in class through real world experiences. It promotes movement from schoolto post-school activities which includes post-secondary education, vocational training,integrated competitive employment (including supported employment), continuingand adult education, independent living, and community participation. It is an award-winning, innovative, unique and active program in the Syracuse City School District.

Brian Pulvino

Director of Special Education, Syracuse City School District

Students build the nskills to succeed bot

out of the classroom

What is the Life Skills Program?


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Photo ra


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Photograph: Michael Kieloch


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Vocational Training Ar f n n

Bob Murphy (left), at General

Super Plating, shows a

manufacturing procedure totwo Life Skills students on the

factoryfloor

Arc of Onondaga Supported Employment staff assist Life Skills students with prinformation on joining the work force. Instructors explore the reasons why pwork and how working can help people reach their goals. Students matchvalues and income needs to help them find rewarding employment. Class

topics include strategies for finding career opportunities as well as investvarious career fields.

Field Trips are also an integral part of this component. Students go on five fielto local employers and meet face-to-face with employees and management tout what its like to actually pursue a career in that field. Students take tours businesses and have opportunities to ask questions.

Arc of Onondaga is a non-profit organization that primarily serves individual

intellectual and other developmental disabilities and their families. Opened inArc of Onondaga is the largest private provider of these services in OnoCounty, serving thousands of people at 37 locations.


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Financial Education Coo erative Fede

The Financial Education portion of the Life Skills program is providedby Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union. The curriculum forthe course was developed and tested with students in special needsclassrooms in the Syracuse City School District. The program helpsprepare students to make smart financial decisions on their own.Lessons are interactive and hands-on and cover a range of topics including settingfinancial goals, banking and investment basics, how credit works, consumer rightsand predatory lending awareness.

Students learn through real life lessons how to save their money that they earn, how

to open and maintain an account, how to buy a car and even howto plan on getting out of their parents house. All of the topicscovered during the program raised the students awarenessof their finances and helped them begin to plan for theirfuture. - Jennifer Long & Jill Porter, Special Education Teachers,

Henninger High School

Students build the nskills to succeed bot

out of the classroom

HONESTLY, I LOVE YOUR CLASS. I LIKE WHAT YOU TEACH.

I LOVED LEARNING ABOUT THE BANK AND HOW TO SAVE

MONEY.

17 year old student, Nottingham High


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8/12Photo ra h: Jim Cooke


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Job Readiness LDAC

Students at Nottingham

High School learn about the

dynamics of a successful job

search (at left).

Learning Disabilities Association of Central New Yorks missto enhance the quality of life for children and adults with leadisabilities by providing advocacy, programs and educaresources. The Life Skills program is an opportunity for the LeaDisabilities Association of Central New York to assist high sstudents with the daunting task of transitioning from high sto the work environment. The areas that the Learning Disab

Association of Central New York concentrates on will equip students with the tooknowledge necessary to succeed in the work place.

Support in order to determine students strengths and weaknesses with a foc

strengths.Teach students to develop and apply their strengths to the work environment.Instruction on the proper methods of obtaining and retaining a long-term poin competitive employment. This includes the proper completion of applicationinterview process, workplace culture and strategies specific to individuals disabili

Assistance for the student to understand their disability and how it may manifestin the workplace.Explanation of the ADA and how it affects individuals with disabilities inworkplace.Proper communication skills and interaction with authority figures is a key

throughout the program with the hope that the lessons instilled in this program wused throughout the students lives.


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Community Support Fund

ContaFor more information on Life Skills,

Thom Dellwo, [email protected], 315-471-111Peggie Keib, [email protected], 315-476-7441,

orKatherine Teasdale-Edwards, [email protected], 315

or visit www.arcon.org/life-sk

Funding Partners

Support of the community is vital to the success of students transitioning from high school. The success of these staffects the entire community and encourages development of the local workforce and economy. Contact a Lifprogram advocate to learn how you or your organization can support the Life Skills mission. Current funding comethe four partner organizations and the below funding partners.

Design: Michael Kieloch. 2008, Arc of Onondaga. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Names, logos, seals and photographs are copyrighted by their respective owners.


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Arc of Onondaga Cooperative Federal Learning Disabilities Association of CNY Syracuse City School Dist

Life Skills Program

arc of onondaga life skills program marketing booklet

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