Larc student Darnail proudly and adeptly makes scrambled eggs while classmate, Kyle, observes, ready to lend a helping hand.
With three months to go until graduation, all across the country high schools are preparing their students for their futures…and so is Larc School.
“What sets our secondary program apart from others is that it is student-driven,” explains Susan Weiner, Larc School Executive Director. “While the range of physical and cognitive abilities is very broad among our students, we focus on their strengths and personal interests to give them a choice in the skills they develop. It’s about respecting our students as individuals.”
In addition to the educational curriculum, Larc provides students ages 14-21 with a Work and Life Skills Curriculum to build skills that will benefit them in their adult lives. As Larc gets ready to celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 2018, they remain steadfast in their commitment to their mission to help students achieve their greatest level of independence.
“We give every student a voice and choice,” says Ms. Weiner. “It’s what we all want for ourselves, control over choices—even when that choice is as simple as what you would like to drink or who you’d like to sit next to.”
The Work and Life Skills Curriculum includes Community Outings, Activities of Daily Living, and Work Skills. Students have opportunities to do office tasks like copying, stapling, assembling packets, and delivering mail. Larc has a School Store where secondary students work greeting customers, keeping inventory, handling cash and making change.
They have opportunities to expand their personal hygiene skills with instruction in brushing their teeth and hair, washing their hands and face, shaving; life skills may include making a bed, doing laundry, creating a shopping list, cooking and cleaning up after themselves. Social interactions are developed as well with a focus on eye contact, appropriate volume levels, and politeness when conversing.
The coolest thing about Larc is that our programs never limit our students… Larc always gives students opportunities to grow.
“These are important skills we all take for granted, and we can only talk about them so much in the classroom. Our students need these opportunities to go out into the community to practice a wide range of skills,” explains Secondary Teacher Stacie Halscheid. “For example, we went to a diner to help the students learn how to order at a restaurant. The skills they learn in the Secondary Program give them greater confidence to be out in public and comfortable in crowded environments. This benefits the family as well as the student.”
Darnail, a student in Ms. Halscheid’s classroom who will be graduating later this year, says of the program, “I like learning here! I like the School Store because it has to do with math and money. After I graduate I’d like to be a cashier at Game Stop.”
Ms. Halscheid explains that Darnail is good at making change so he handles the money at the store. Another student who may not be as adept at handling money but enjoys being social would take the role of greeter.
When asked about putting his skills to work at home Darnail proudly said, “I make my own bed at home all the time.
I vacuum and help around the house. Sometimes I cook food at home, like toast and cereal. Today at school I learned to make scrambled eggs!”
Just as Darnail’s goals speak to his abilities, another student who has more limitations physically or cognitively may have a goal of following one step directions like putting an item away. Another student with even more challenges physically may have a goal of holding up his/her head when communicating.
“The coolest thing about Larc is that our programs never limit our students,” says Ms. Halscheid with passion. “We never say what a student can do today is all he or she can do. Larc always gives students opportunities to grow.”
