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Daily Class Schedule
Students participate in instruction, job training skills, obtaining employment and independent living activities which varies by student needs and schedule. Classes and activities led by school staff are held at the Bridges or Pathways site as well as in a variety of community locations. Community sites include work and volunteer experiences that are built into student schedules for a full trimester or year at a time.
Period 1: 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. (Advisory)
Period 2: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Period 3: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Period 4: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Period 5: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Lunch and Makerspace)
Period 6: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Period 7: 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (Advisory)Bridges Course Descriptions
A student’s coursework at Bridges includes the three transition areas of post-secondary education and training, independent living, and employment. Classes provide a variety of educational experiences to meet the needs and ability level of all students. Classes are selected based on the goal and objectives written in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and input from the IEP team. Students may have the opportunity to participate in some elective coursework during the time they are enrolled at Bridges.
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Post Secondary Education and Training Courses
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Current Events
In this class the students will have the opportunity to learn, discuss and use technology to research current events. Students will learn about important dates in history, how events impact our daily lives and practicing safe online consumerism. Students will engage in small group discussions and activities while also building peer relationships.
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Functional Skills - Academic Skills I, II, III
The Academic Skills class focuses on functional academics. Topics covered include counting and adding dollar amounts, counting coins, making change, using the calendar, budgeting, tipping, using a calculator, reading comprehension, solving real life word problems, telling time, using the computer, reading a newspaper, and a variety of other skills that are based on Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals and objectives.
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Intro to Writing with Technology
The class will explore a variety of assistive technology tools to help generate various products. Students are provided opportunities to improve their computer keyboarding skills, learn how to create and organize file folders, and improve their basic communication skills related to interviewing, reading, typing, writing and working as part of a team. In addition, students will develop organizational strategies to meet deadlines, conduct interviews using the Wh-question strategy and design collage layouts.
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Independent Living Courses
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Community Living
Students enrolled in the Community Living class will primarily focus on home living and community participation skills. Topics may include personal care, relationships, effective communication, accessing the community, cooking, a variety of home living skills in addition to other relevant topics.
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Creative Recreation I
This class focuses on activities that will enhance the student's knowledge of lifelong recreational hobbies and allow them to obtain skills that will benefit and enrich their lives. Students will gain exposure to activities such as photography, textile arts, indoor/outdoor recreational activities, woodworking, paper crafts, music, and related topics.
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Fine Arts
Students will have the opportunity to gain exposure to art and activities that correlate with each time period throughout history. During the year the students will begin with ancient art, move forward through time periods such as the Renaissance, and finish in the more modern areas such as pop art. The activities within each time period are meant to meet the student’s individual needs and varied learning preferences. During this class students will learn how to work in a cooperative setting with their peers in order to obtain the common goal of a large group performance. They will also have the opportunity to create individual art pieces for display.
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Fitness
Students will learn lifelong skills to promote healthy living through physical activities and exercise. Students will be exposed to physical fitness opportunities such as cardiovascular activities, strength training, mobility, and stretching exercises.
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Independent Living Skills I
Students have the opportunity to work on skills needed to increase their independence in the area of home living. This course offers a unique hands-on opportunity for students to practice everyday household cleaning tasks, basic planning and preparing of food items, and basic hygiene routines.
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Independent Living Skills II
Students have the opportunity to work on skills needed to increase their independence in the area of home living. Students will be able to practice these skills in school and/or at the district apartment site as it relates to his/her Individual Education Plan (IEP). Skills developed in this class setting include kitchen skills, cooking, safety, problem solving, cleaning and home living planning.
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Independent Living Skills III
Students in this class have the opportunity to work on skills that relate to living as independently as possible. Students will be able to practice these skills in school and/or at the district apartment site as it relates to his/her Individual Education Plan (IEP). Areas covered, but not limited to, will include cleaning, cooking, accessing the community, personal safety, technology/phone skills, money skills, and volunteer opportunities.
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Lifelong Learning
This class is designed to meet the needs of students at a variety of levels. The emphasis of Lifelong Learning is to focus on a variety of skills that will be useful in their everyday lives moving forward. The students will be actively engaged in self regulation activities, arts and crafts, current events, physical activity and social engagement. Classroom instruction will include individual, small group and some community - based experiences.
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Self Advocacy / Relationships I
The activities in this class are designed to enhance the social skills of our students. Students will learn to identify and express their feelings in a socially acceptable manner, resolve conflict, understand how to begin, maintain and end meaningful conversation with peers, recognize personal boundaries, interact with people they encounter in a number of environments, build relationships, and celebrate diversity.
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Social Communication
Students will learn to determine expected and unexpected behavior for an environment or situation. They will be taught to use social detective skills to make determinations about what a person is thinking or feeling. Students will also learn to identify their own emotions and learn skills to regulate their emotions so they can demonstrate expected behavior. Students will practice natural conversational skills, breathing and mindfulness activities to encourage positivity and optimistic thought processes in their lives.
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Employment
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Bridges Work Program
The work program provides a variety of vocational experiences to meet the needs and ability level of all students. Students may start in TEAM or an unpaid community work site either at Bridges or within the community that may be supported by a job coach. While at these sites, students will learn new job skills and appropriate work behavior. When students have the necessary ability and work ethic to meet the requirements at a job site community employment opportunities will be sought.
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Community Experience
Students enrolled in Community Participation class will engage in a variety of on the job training scenarios along with community volunteer experiences that enhance the students' ability to be independent in these settings. Students will use school transportation to participate in the community volunteering opportunities with staff to guide and support them. The community opportunities may differ from year to year, however, the job training and community skills will remain similar.
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Introduction to Manufacturing
In the Introduction to Manufacturing course, students will use common woodworking tools to manufacture and design projects. The class is intended to provide theory and practice in safety, use of basic hand tools (tape measure & square) and machine operation (planer, miter box, power sander, drill, power nail gun). Some projects will be completed collectively as a group - others will be done individually. Students will have the opportunity to explore woodworking, while obtaining practical skills.
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Vocational Seminar I
This class offers a vocational component for students who do not participate in the Bridges Work Program. The curriculum for Vocational Seminar I will introduce, cover, and explore work-related information about understanding the importance of work, work readiness, safety, soft skills, and worksite exploration.
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Vocational Seminar II
This class provides a framework for students to develop the attitudes, skills, and work habits necessary to enable successful transition to post-secondary programs, employment and careers. The curriculum for Vocational Seminar II will introduce, cover and explore work-related information about: understanding the importance of work, work readiness, safety, soft skills and work site exploration.
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Work Experience Seminar
This class provides a framework for students to develop the attitudes, skills, and work habits necessary to enable successful transition to post-secondary programs, employment and careers. The curriculum for Work Experience Seminar addresses work related information and topics about employment sites, safety, work readiness, career exploration & guidance, foundational knowledge and skills.