Wieting is joined in this endeavor by Lisa Plummer, senior vocational specialist, and Leslie Masterson, high school teaching assistant, who arrange visits to job sites and assist students in applying to the RI Office of Rehabilitation Services. The key to preparing students, the team says, is getting to know them and helping the students get to know themselves.

“Our goal is to help students be successful after high school,” Wieting said. “We want to challenge students, and support them as they learn how to deal with the new responsibilities that await them.”

Education

The vocational program begins in grade nine and focuses on four essential areas: employment, education, independent living and community participation. Students spend one day a week in the vocational program engaging in activities designed to enhance their independent living skills and explore various careers.

Some students grow up already sure of what career they aspire to follow. Some need more guidance, and some may change their minds in the process. TPCS’s vocational program utilizes WaytogoRI.org to help students match up their interests and skills to potential career choices. “A major part of helping students to be successful is working with them to identify their strengths,” Wieting explained.

Seniors focus on college exploration. This academic year, the seniors have visited CCRI and MTTI and learned about applying for financial aid. Past TPCS graduates have attending four- and two-year schools or job corps.

Employment

Job sampling and volunteering at local businesses and organizations allows students to build a résumé and identify potential references for future employment. Students start at supervised sites like the soup kitchen at City Meals or Matthewson Street Church and work up to more independent work sites.

Students sample three to four jobs during the year, which may include community businesses such as Adler’s Hardware, ProMail, Etc., Cookie Place, florists, or soup kitchens. “We’ve been able to match students’ interests, music, for example, with internships that will give them insights into how the industry works,” said Plummer.

Plummer is also the school’s liaison to ORS, assisting students with referrals to ORS for job training and future employment beginning in grade 11. The connection to ORS is essential to helping students obtain and maintain employment after graduation. “It’s my goal to give students access to every opportunity and resource to be successful,” said Plummer. “ORS is a valuable resource for students to achieve their employment goals.”

Independent Living

Reality-based assignments give students a taste of what’s ahead. “We want to put everything we can in a student’s tool kit so they’re familiar with situations and have the skills to respond to it appropriately,” said Wieting. Projects have included finding an apartment, managing finances and basic household responsibilities.

Community Participation

Visits to community businesses provide an additional opportunity for students to experience the workplace and other settings they are likely to encounter in their lives after high school. Accompanied by staff, visits include the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Providence Public Safety Building, art galleries, museums and Community College of Rhode Island. Students learn to navigate the RIPTA bus system during these trips.

For students managing behavioral and emotional issues, the community integration activities give students an opportunity to apply therapeutic techniques in real-life situations. “When we’re out with students on the bus, at the post office or bank, we’re giving them a chance to practice how to present themselves and act appropriately,” said Wieting. For some students, this can mean practicing how they will deal with anxiety of being on a bus, waiting in lines or interacting with others.

The vocational team makes sure that, at the end of four years of high school, TPC School students are prepared to take on life’s challenges.