Former FUHSD students are selected to participate in this FUHSD-sponsored post-secondary program held during weekdays in a classroom at the district office. Students in this program learn to develop life, vocational and community social skills through activities including riding community buses to downtown San Jose, volunteering at community centers and learning how to do taxes. By practicing such skills, the Bridges teachers hope that the students will lead more independent lives after participating in the program.
In addition to teaching the students appropriate behavior in the community, Bridges teacher Alla Schneider and para-educator Laurie McClelland work closely with them in community settings such as grocery stores to encourage interaction with the community.
“They don’t go into the community by themselves. We go with them everywhere they go. We’re kind of like their job coaches,” McClelland said. “[Because] ultimately, we would like them to get a job when they’re done with our program.”
But interaction experiences don’t just end with community immersion — the program also focuses on helping the students collaborate with another. According to Schneider, the students have also learned teamwork through utilizing their different abilities when assembling and packaging the cards from scratch.
“A lot of times they just want to be by themselves and not interact,” McClelland. “So having them do different steps of the process encourages them to interact with one another. Whereas they might not get that at another job site where you’re working one-on-one with the job coach.”
The teachers hope that by engaging the students in such activities, they will be able to develop cooperation skills, which could later prove beneficial in their career endeavors. In addition to seasonal holidays, the students have made cards for other occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries and illnesses.
“Initially the staff had to do a lot to help [the students] make the cards,” McClelland said. “But the cards are turning out very cute.”
In the process of making the cards, the Bridges program also submitted a proposal to FUHSD to create a business called Cards by Creative Students to sell the cards. Cards are currently sold in the Special Education offices at Homestead, Fremont and Lynbrook High School in addition to small businesses in the FHS area. The profits generated from selling these cards go toward funding the program.
Those interested in purchasing cards, which cost $2 each, from the Bridges program may contact Laurie McClelland or Alla Schneider through e-mail.
