Transition Services

Our work at Connections is targeted towards providing students and families with the practical and experiential skills and knowledge that will assist in a successful transition to adult life.  Connections represents the synthesis and application of skills learned throughout elementary, middle, and high school while simultaneously building the bridge to adult services, community employment, and post-secondary institutions.  We provide services across the following areas: education, training, employment, and independent living skills.  We partner with our students and families to determine which services each student will receive.  Self-determination and social skills drive our work and are threaded across all of the services that we provide.  

Connections' students each have their own unique schedule.  Connections operates on a block-schedule to allow for both classroom and community instruction.  Courses taught at Connections are:

• Functional Academics: The Academics course focuses on developing essential functional literacy and numeracy skills that students can apply in post-secondary and community settings. Instruction emphasizes practical applications such as reading and comprehending a variety of real-life texts and materials, following written directions, budgeting, and engaging in functional writing tasks. Students actively participate in cooking activities and community-based instruction, including visits to grocery stores, libraries, restaurants, and other local businesses. The goal of this course is to support students in applying academic skills to real-world environments in order to gain greater independence.

• Independent Living: This course prepares students for life beyond their time in school by developing a broad range of independent living skills. Some course topics include budgeting, basic home maintenance, using public transportation, grocery shopping, community safety, and post-secondary planning. Students also engage in social planning activities to foster meaningful community involvement, personal connections, and personal development. Learning occurs both in the classroom and through structured experiences in the community to promote independence via real-world application.

• Physical and Social Emotional Wellness: Physical and Social Emotional Wellness supports students in building the skills necessary for personal well-being and healthy relationships. Instruction includes social-emotional learning, self-regulation, interoception (understanding internal body signals), and recreation and leisure skills. Students also work on pragmatic (social communication) skills to support interpersonal success. The course includes both classroom activities and community-based instruction, helping students apply wellness strategies in a variety of settings.

• Vocational Skills: The Vocational Skills course equips students with the tools needed for meaningful employment. Instruction occurs in the classroom, community, on-campus microbusiness settings, and local job training sites. Students gain experience with workplace communication, problem-solving, receiving and using feedback, interviewing, resume writing, completing job applications, and exploring various careers. Emphasis is placed on hands-on learning, with opportunities for job training and skill development tailored to each student’s goals and interests.

• COD Connect: COD Connect is designed for students who are currently enrolled at the College of DuPage (COD) or who are interested in exploring future enrollment. Taught by Connections staff at the college, this course focuses on the executive functioning and social-emotional skills necessary for success in a college environment. Students learn strategies for time management, organization, self-advocacy, and navigating the social and academic demands of higher education. COD Connect allows students to have an authentic college experience while receiving IEP supports that align with their needs.

Connections' students enter the community several times each week as a planned part of their courses to apply skills learned in the classroom, learn new skills in an authentic environment, and engage in experiences that will help them to meet their post-secondary outcomes.