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Making The Transition High School to the “Real World” is Elementary at BAC Chances are that if your son or daughter is still too young for high school, you haven’t thought much about what he or she will do after graduation. But you should. Exceptional Student Education (ESE) high school students enrolled in Brevard Public Schools have a variety of programs and resources to help them prepare for the transition to community-based employment upon graduation or, if work is not an option, a day program. Brevard Achievement Center (BAC) offers programs and services that can assist you either way. Through BAC’s Practical Application of Career Exploration (PACE) program, ESE students enrolled in Brevard public high schools’ Learning Strategies class learn valuable career readiness skills. Resumé writing, completing applications, dressing for success and interviewing techniques are all part of the PACE program’s curriculum. Students are thus better prepared for obtaining and maintaining employment upon graduation because of this program. Students with disabilities unable to transition into a community-based work environment can enroll in BAC’s Adult Day Training (ADT) program that’s housed within its Rockledge headquarters. Here daily life skills classes are taught and, if applicable, work opportunities in BAC’s Production Center are available. Participants can choose to attend the required two-day minimum, or come up to five days a week, Monday-Friday. Opportunities to work also are available in the Production Center if program participants desire to earn a paycheck. Tasks like preparing NASA media kits for rocket launch days, assembling the City of West Melbourne’s water bills for mailing or packaging products for state 6 www.BrightFeats.com/SpaceCoast agencies through RESPECT of Florida are just a few examples. Enrichment opportunities are seen as an integral part of the ADT program, too. Special events, speakers and volunteer opportunities at places like the Sharing Center of Central Brevard are available to participants. In addition, Cogswell Street Studio is the art program at BAC. The Studio contains three kilns so artists with disabilities can create unique clay items like dishware and decorative pieces. Artists also make fused glass jewelry and floor mats from recycled tires. All items are then sold in-house, at local arts and crafts fairs, as well as a few businesses in the community. Proceeds from art sales go back into the program. Years before the transition age is reached, you and your child’s guidance counselor need to discuss the best funding options for your family. Because of BAC’s long history working with transitioning high school students, we know that families cannot plan too far in advance. Years before the transition age is reached, you and your child’s guidance counselor need to discuss the best funding options for your family, especially if you know that, realistically, paying for services out-of-pocket is not going to be an option. High demand and shrinking budgets have caused state agencies like the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) to put those needing services on a waitlist: Today, that list is almost 10 years long. That means


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