Vocational Community Program
MISSION STATEMENT
The Harwich High School Vocational Community Program is an inclusionary program whose mission is to provide students with special needs equal opportunities to receive academic, vocational and life skills instruction within their school and community.
Our program serves students 14 to 22 years of age with moderate to severe special needs. Students have below average cognitive functional I.Q of 70 or below with no current severe emotional disorders.
PROGRAM GOALS
Help students develop the skills to prepare them to live and function as members of their school and community.
Help students develop functional academic skills in reading and math through individual and small group instruction.
Help students develop vocational skills through volunteer community service and paid community work sites.
Help students develop life skills including cooking, meal planning, shopping, laundry, banking, and money skills.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Staff includes one teacher, support staff, a speech therapist and an occupational therapist.
Our program has its own vehicle to transport students to and from work and community activities, for example, grocery shopping, library, post office, etc.
Our classroom has a fully equipped kitchen and laundry area. As part of our Community service Program we have developed a partnership with the Harwich Council on Aging that is now in it’s fourth year. Each week our students prepare and serve a meal to 20-30 senior citizens. Students work on appropriate social and communication skills such as welcoming and seating people, serving food and drinks, talking with senior citizens.
Our students participate in a weekly swim program at the YMCA in Hyannis. Three of our students participate in Special Olympics swim meets at the local and state level.
INCLUSION CLASSES
Students from our program currently take part in these regular ed. Classes. Students choose classes according to their own interests
Art/Pottery
P.E/Health
Film Class
ACADEMICS
Functional Academics-Reading
We currently use the Edmark Reading Program which is a sight word reading program.
We also use the Edcon series of books reading levels 1-3 which are a high interest /low vocabulary series.
Bring the Classics to Life
Classics such as White Fang, Heidi, Swiss Family Robinson, Treasure Island, Call of the Wild etc. are written at a grade level 1-3.
We also use the Super Readers which are exciting easy to read stories about true historical events such as ,The Hindenburg, The Titanic, The Ididerod dog sled race etc.
From Home to School - Short stories and workbook activities written at a first and second grade level. The program helps adult learners to develop reading fluency and comprehension skills. They provide activities following each story that check comprehension, encourage critical thinking, extend vocabulary, and strengthen listening, speaking and writing skills.
News for You - Written at a level 4th grade reading level. A weekly newspaper which presents current events in an easy to read format. Each issue includes articles that are relevant to students interests and lives.
Don Johnson Start to Finish Books on the Computer – The computer reads each chapter aloud to the student followed by ten multiple choice questions which reflect main ideas and build understanding of the material.
Functional Academics - Math
Real Life Math including:
Check writing program - a step by step guide for learning to write personal checks.
Students take turns reading a real life one paragraph story. Following the story they write a check to make their purchase.
Basic Menu Math
Helps students to figure the cost of meals when eating out.
Includes : Traditional Menus
Fast Food and Cafeteria Style Menus
Supermarket Math
Students use supermarket flyers with pictures to find prices for common items. The program focuses on basic addition skills. Students are allowed to use calculators to total purchases.
Money Math
Students count and roll money from soda machines and fill out deposit slip each week.
Computer Programs for teaching money skills
Attainments - Making Change: This program teaches money skills by using a cash register to collect payment and give customer change. The student becomes the cashier and must select the appropriate change to return to the customer. This program not only teaches money skills but is fun for the students as well.
Attainments - Spending Money: This program is a simulated shopping trip in the "Money Mall" with eight stores to buy from. In Shop Mode the program displays a list of items to purchase and a wallet with a specific amount of money to spend. Shoppers move through the stores, find items and pay for them.
Attainments - Basic Coins: Students practice buying items from a computerized vending machine.
Attainments - Dollars and Cents:
First Money : Teaches identification and value of coins and bills for beginners.
Money Names : Teaches the names of individual coins and bills.
Equal Value : Teaches an equal value of a single coin or bill with a multiples of a single lesser coin or bill.
What is it Worth : Teaches the value of combining a variety of coins and bills.
Early Math
This program is designed to help students identify and compare shapes and sizes, complete a pattern, learn numbers to 30, practice addition and subtraction, and develop problem solving skills.
The program helps students learn number line concepts and counting, counting money and making change, addition and subtraction facts, and early 3D geometry.
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