18-21 Transition students spend part of their time in the classroom working on real life functional academics. In addition, students are out in the community gaining work skills. They develop knowledge in personal safety, public transportation, and bus protocol. Students may work either on crews with a job coach or at an independent job site.

Work sites

Puyallup Fair Grounds, Ace hardware, K mart, Mother Earth Farms, Salvation Army, St. Johns, Burlington Coat Factory, The Food Connection, St. Anns, Pacific Lutheran University, Parkland Chevrolet, L’Arche, Creative Kidz, Subway, Ricky J’s

Student’s develop work skills through class businesses. The Ladybug Crossing Bakery is nonprofit bakery run by students with developmental disabilities in the Bethel School District’s Community Based Transition program under the direction of Paula M. Luedke, Ph.D.  All transition students working in the Ladybug Crossing Bakery hold a current Washington State Food Handler card.  Students bake a variety of cookies including, chocolate chips, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, sugar cookies and other monthly specialty items. Transition students are actively involved with learning accounting, advertising and marketing skills in running a small business as they participate in the bakery.  A suggested donation is asked for all bakery goods.  Donations from the bakery items provide additional learning experiences.

Students also run GoodEarth Works, where they produce lanyards and greeting cards as a small non-profit business of hand-crafted items.  The cards are made from recycled, hand-made paper, each individually created.  The donations from the sale of these items go directly back to the students.  They enable the program to provide additional community experiences.

Monthly Parent Meetings

The Transition Program offers monthly parent meetings.  These are designed to help prepare parents and students with the information they will need after graduation.  Past speakers have included:  Vadis, DDD (Department of Developmental Disabilities). DVR (Department of Vocational Rehabilitation), Tim Williams (Guardianship Attorney), PC2 (Pierce County Coalition for Developmental Disabilities) and Daniel Gross ( Pierce County Transition Coordinator).

Enrollment

Students New to District

• Students transferring into the district must first enroll in their neighborhood/home school.
• The school psychologist will review the special education file and set a meeting for the team to discuss placement.
• If it appears the student may need placement in a district program, a director or education specialist must be included in the team.

Current District Students

• Placement decisions are made and finalized by the special education teams of the sending and receiving schools. (The participation of district education specialist is required.)

Location / Contact
The building is located behind Columbia Bank and Multi Care Clinic on the corner of 176th and Pacific

Paula Luedke Ph.D. (Dr. L), 253-683-6006

TerriLea Parsons M.I.T., 253-683-6007

Street address:
220 175th St. So. 
Spanaway, WA 98387

Mailing address:       
Bethel School District          
Attn: Transition Program
516 176th St. E.
Spanaway, WA 98387

 

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