transition academy_best comprehensive coverage
DESCRIPTION
A collection of five articles covering the Transition Academy in Redmond, written by Redmond Reporter staff writer Mary Stevens DeckerTRANSCRIPT
8105 166th ST. NE, Suite 102 ● Redmond, WA 98052 ● Ph: 425.867.0353 Fax: 425.867.0784 email: [email protected]
REPORTER .com
REDMOND
Dear WNPA Judges,
The subject of my entry for Best Comprehensive Coverage of a Single Issue has been the Lake Washington School District Transition Academy in Redmond.
The academy serves young men and women with developmental disabilities, helping them learn employment skills and practical life skills such as handling money, shopping, ordering in restaurants and riding public transportation. Although the academy has a small classroom facility in downtown Redmond, the vast ma-jority of the students’ experience is gleaned from activities in the community. This is unique and important because living and thriving in “the real world” requires functioning in the real world and interacting with other community members in the general population.
Through partnerships with local businesses and non-profi ts, Transition Academy students have volunteer positions, part-time jobs or internships in Redmond and neighboring communities. In the beginning, they are escorted by para-educators but eventually, they are given more and more independence as they travel to and from their job opportunities and to recreational activities such as bowling, going to a gym, shopping, etc. The goal, by the time these students graduate from the academy at age 21, is for them to have satisfying jobs and be valuable assets to the community.
Sincerely,Bill ChristiansonEditor, Redmond Reporter
October 2, 2009[4] www.redmond-reporter.com
275709
Join Think Redmond Today
Think Redmond is a brand new buy local, go local and be local campaign. Be part of it today!
Visit thinkredmond.com for a list of Redmond businesses and to obtain your Think Redmond discount card.
Silvermark Insurance Silvermarkinsurance.com 16398 NE 85th St, Suite 100 Discount: Free goodie bag with quote
Design Dayz Event Planning Designdayz.com Discount: 10% off event planning
BFT Counseling Bftcounseling.com 8201 164th Ave NE Discount: 15% off first session
thinkspace thinkspace.com 8201 164th Ave NE Discount: 1-hour free conference room rental with 1-hour paid
Precision Press Precisionpress.com 7635 159th Pl NE Discount: 15% off for new customers R-TRIP GOrtrip.com Discount: Free bus pass for new riders
Local Businesses: Register your business at thinkredmond.com for FREE marketing opportunities & a chance to win a free listing here.
MARY STEVENS DECKER
At its humble headquarters in downtown Redmond, the Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD) Transition Academy o� ers a unique group of young men and women, ages 18-21, resources and encouragement to gain employment, independence and inclusion in the community. � e majority have developmental dis-abilities such as Down syndrome or autism, and mental retardation is a common denominator, according to co-directors Richard Haines and Mark Tornquist.
In most school districts, disabled students, up to age 21, practice life and job skills in high school settings. � at’s a safe environment, but not necessarily the most practical in terms of real-world living.
� e LWSD’s community-based model is di� erent — and it works, as evidenced by the number of Transi-tion Academy students and grads who are active participants at local busi-nesses and non-pro� ts.
“Our students are walking ad-vertisements for what we do,” said Haines.
He and Tornquist, and partners such as Michael Goodwill, a transi-tion specialist from Seattle-based employment agency Provail, go out across Redmond and the Eastside
and forge relationships with organiza-tions which champion diversity and need loyal, committed, hard-working interns and employees.
In spite of their intellectual chal-lenges, these young adults are “en-thusiastic, dependable, great at public relations, can sustain jobs for 10-15 years — there’s not a lot of turnover,” said Tornquist.
But before they prove themselves in the workforce, “we immerse them, from day one, in safety, using public transit and applying functional knowl-edge,” Tornquist noted.
Haines agreed, “Rather than read-ing, writing and arithmetic, the em-phasis here is pedestrian and Metro safety, work skills, shopping at grocery stores, recreating in the community.”
Only part of each school day is spent in the Transition Academy’s classroom on Cleveland Street. More o� en than not, the students have “people to see and things to do,” whether it’s a trip to a � tness club, a bowling alley, the library or a job.
“� e goal is to manufacture for them and their family the kind of life they want to have when they leave school,” Haines explained. “His-torically, people with disabilities have been excluded because they couldn’t ride the bus, couldn’t count money. It’s not enough to look at � ash cards. It’s learning by doing.”
Tornquist compared the process
to “the moment you have when your toddler takes � rst steps. We take � rst steps and change minds. Not just the students’ minds but change the minds of the parents.”
It’s frightening for many parents when a developmentally disabled son or daughter reaches the age when they’re traditionally expected to spread their wings and � y. Par-ents worry what will happen to this vulnerable adult who is still — and always will be — their beloved child. Who will protect and provide for them in the future?
To help these young people achieve independence, “we believe in pushing a reasonable risk on the shoulders of the students,” Haines acknowledged. Sta� members are there to model life skills. But eventually, students at the Transition Academy must learn to handle problems or surprises on their own. A� er all, that is what real life entails.
“One of my favorite sayings is ‘You make plans and then life happens,’” said Tornquist. “We are � exible here, coming out of a very structured envi-ronment, the high school campus.”
� roughout the 2009-10 academic year, the Redmond Reporter will visit with students from the LWSD Transi-tion Academy, observe their progress and give readers a glimpse into their world. Please follow along and let us know what you think.
● L W S D T R A N S I T I O N A C A D E M Y : Below is an introductory article for an ongoing series about this unique, Redmond-based educational facility that assists developmentally disabled young people. Go to page 5 for Part 1 of the ongoing series.
Richard Haines, co-director of the Lake Washington School District’s Transition Academy, welcomes students on the morning of Sept. 21. Each day when students arrive, they share a bit of news and then go over their “pencil schedules,” individualized plans for practicing job and social skills out in the community. MARY STEVENS DECKER, Redmond Reporter
Learning the ropes of lifeProgram provides assistance to young people with developmental disabilities
[5]October 2, 2009www.redmond-reporter.com
After cleaning Carpets commercially for more than 11 years, Rocket Science Cleaning is bringing cutting-edge carpet cleaning to eastside residents! Rick Norheim has been an eastside resident for 35 years and now lives in Sammamish with his wife of 13 years, Sunny Norheim, and their son Sigurd and daughter Annika. Rick points out that carpet cleaning has changed very little in the last 50 years, given the progress of science and technology. Steam Cleaning has been the most popular carpet cleaning method in the United States for several years. This method uses a van mounted engine
Carpet cleaning is Rocket Scienceto heat water which is sprayed into your carpet with soap that is then extracted through long hoses. The engine is loud, the hoses are like long snakes- winding through your property and home, and your carpets can be wet for up to 24 hours. Another type of cleaning made popular in the 70’s is using dry chemical compounds. The compounds are worked into your carpet so they bind with the dirt and are then vacuumed up. Rocket Science Cleaning, however, uses a machine that was designed by several German engineers whose goal was to create the best carpet cleaning machine ever! The three big problems to overcome were the long
invasive hoses, loud truck mounted engines, and the excessive use of water and chemicals. Using the best technology in electric motors and the latest available materials they created a machine that is superior at cleaning carpets while using 90% less water and chemicals making it a green way to clean. After pretreating the carpets with a light soap, two counter-rotating brushes softly massage every dirty fi ber, while a small amount of clean water rinses the carpet fi bers clean. The dirt, grime, hair and dander are collected and deposited into the dirty water well. There is no need for hoses and the carpet is dry in
Removes• Pet Stains & Odors• Dander & Hair• Food & Beverage Spills
Green, Green, Green!50% less $$than traditional methods
Drying time 1-3 hours
Rocket Science Carpet CleaningTechnologically advanced - eco-friendly carpet cleaning
Call Rick Norheim 206.794.6887
The Invisible Inhabitant of Your
Home-The Dust Mite
90%LESS
chemicals
90%LESSwater
only 3 hours! This system removes the hair and dander that contribute to dust mites infestation- helping to relieve allergies and asthma. Why settle for old, less effi cient and more intrusive methods when a superior alternative is available in your community.
275185
WOW!WOW!
MARY STEVENS DECKER
Monday mornings are jubilant at the Lake Wash-ington School District’s Transition Academy.
� ere’s no yawning or whining as students pile into the academy’s headquar-ters on Cleveland Street in downtown Redmond — just excitement to dive into the day’s activities. It’s humbling and upli� ing to behold.
As their former class-mates tackle new adventures at colleges and universi-ties, these developmen-tally disabled young adults remain under the watchful eyes of Transition Academy co-directors Richard Haines and Mark Tornquist and a passel of para-educators. It’s not their intention to re-strict or coddle the students. Rather, it’s to foster personal management, employment and social skills that will help the students graduate at age 21 and be functional and comfortable in the community.
In a series that will run throughout this academic year, the Redmond Reporter will occasionally check in with Transition Academy stu-dents and share their stories.
On the morning of Sept. 21, like at countless other schools and o� ces, the water cooler chatter at the Transi-tion Academy was all about the Huskies, the Cougars and their weekend football victories. � e students knew the big games’ scores, the teams’ standings — and that Will Smith’s kid had played in the football game at Sky-line High School.
As the small talk dwin-dled, Haines asked Jake Simmons, who works at the Redmond Fred Meyer store, how his latest job evalu-ation went. It went well, Simmons reported, eliciting a round of applause.
“What’s our goal by June 1st?,” Haines prompted. Sea-soned students immediately responded, “To have jobs.”
Many of the academy’s students already do have jobs, and others are begin-
ning to learn new skills that can make them employable.
Next, sta� and students reviewed the day’s “pencil schedules” to determine where each student would be headed and what they’d be doing.
“We call them ‘pencil schedules’ because life hap-pens — things change. We need to be � exible,” Tornquist noted. Changes can be rough for people with developmen-tal disabilities. � ey crave structure and familiarity. But indeed, adapting to change is part of life in the job market and the community.
On Sept. 21, a few students were scheduled to hang out in the classroom with Haines, practicing skills such as typ-ing and � ling. Others went out in small teams to jobs or internships at the YWCA, Redmond Elementary School, the Lake Washington School District Resource Center and elsewhere on the Eastside, either walking or riding public transit.
We tagged along with para-educator Pauline Fuentes and students Jason
Grager, Carly Hursh and Bryan Groscost, as they jaunted to REI at Redmond Town Center and signed in for a two-hour work shi� .
Grager and Hursh are both 21 and expected to graduate from the Transition Academy this June. Groscost, 19, is a “newbie” in the program. But he wasn’t shy. With a beam-ing smile, he bounded ahead of the others, while Fuentes implored him to slow down and make sure cars would stop before the crosswalk.
“� ey’re supposed to yield, but they don’t always,” Fuentes reminded him.
Inside REI, the students
knew just how to get to the o� ce where they’d clock in and grab the supplies they needed for their jobs.
Groscost was assigned to cleaning mirrors. Hursh wiped down telephones and counter tops with antibac-terial cleaner.
“Jason does six di� erent tasks,” Fuentes marveled, as Grager meticulously dusted row a� er row of shoe shelves. “He’s very diligent, needs little supervision, has a great attitude,” she said. “He dusts, cleans and waxes railings and racks, moves baskets and carts around. I only showed him once. He
picked it up just like that.”Haines later told us that
REI is just one of many won-derful community partners, providing a “work lab” envi-ronment to help Transition Academy students become valuable contributors to the community. As well, com-munity members get to see developmentally disabled people in a di� erent light.
“� rough outreach, edu-cation, advocacy, we see a big change,” said Haines.
For more information about the LWSD Transition Academy, call (425) 861-3452 or visit www.lwsd.org/school/ta.
Academy fosters job skillsStudents excited to challenge themselves in the workforce
Jason Grager, a 21-year-old student at Lake Washington School District’s Transition Academy, and para-educator Pauline Fuentes chat while walking from the academy’s downtown Redmond headquarters on Cleveland Street to REI at Redmond Town Center. Grager is one of several developmentally disabled young adults employed to perform housekeeping duties at the store. MARY STEVENS DECKER, Redmond Reporter
[9]November 27, 2009www.redmond-reporter.com
www.tbcs.org 425.898.1720
Experience the Bear Creek DifferencePreschool–Grade 12 • Christian • Classical • College Prep
Open House Preschool–Grade 6
December 9, 9:00 AM
Four-Year Tuition Scholarships
for New Ninth Grade Students
Early Childhood Education Free Seminar
December 5, 9:00 AM
295608
SCHOOLS
RE
DM
ON
D● L W S D T R A N S I T I O N A C A D E M Y : Below is the fourth article of an ongoing series about this unique, Redmond-based educational facility that assists developmentally disabled young people. To read the � rst three articles, go to www.redmond-reporter.com
BEAR CREEK STUDENTS EARN ALL-STATE
MUSIC HONORSFive Upper School students
from The Bear Creek School in Redmond have been selected
by a state-wide audition to participate in the Washington
Music Educators Association All-State High School
performing groups. Almost 2,500 students auditioned for
this honor. These students will travel to Yakima in February
2010 to perform with their All-State groups during the WMEA
State Conference. The Bear Creek students are as follows:
• Collette Sackman, senior, oboe, All-State Wind Ensemble.• Kira Geiger, junior, soprano II,
All-State Treble Choir.• Cameron Kesinger, junior,
tenor, All-State Mixed Choir.• Andrew Benson, freshman,
violin, All-State Symphony Orchestra.
• Katie Gomulkiewicz, freshman, � ute, All-State Wind
Symphony.In addition to their All-State
Honors, Kesinger and Sackman were selected by audition to participate in an honor choir
at the Northwest Regional Convention of the American
Choral Directors Association. Students from Alaska, Oregon,
Washington, Idaho and Montana will be gathering in Seattle in March 2010 to sing
at this convention.
MARY STEVENS DECKER
On Oct. 2, the Red-mond Reporter launched a series of stories about the Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD) Tran-sition Academy, where developmentally disabled young adults learn skills for employment and inde-pendence. We began by following three students — Jason Grager, Carly Hursh and Bryan Groscost — to their internships at REI in downtown Redmond.
When we recently returned to the Transition Academy, groups of students
had just practiced grocery shopping through-out the communi-ty. Before heading home from
the academy’s headquarters on Redmond’s Cleveland Street, they reviewed the day’s twists and turns. Grager was especially eager to share his observations.
NO TURNING BACKWhile “out and about”
that day, Grager saw several Metro buses run red lights.
“Two 545s, a 253 and a 248,” he reported. “And a car went in a place where it wasn’t supposed to,” Grager added.
� e driver had gone into a lane marked “exit” instead of “entrance.”
Transition Academy co-director Richard Haines praised Grager for spotting the tra� c transgressions. � en he quizzed Grager, “What’s our big theme for the year?”
Grager grinned and shouted, “IT HAPPENS!” His classmates nodded and laughed.
Haines reviewed the
importance of being alert, even when you think you know your surroundings. Sometimes buses run red lights, people go the wrong way on a one-way street — or drive “in” through an “out” lane.
Life is full of surprises, Haines concluded.
For Grager, crossing streets is a huge undertak-ing. But he’s determined to press on toward his goals.
JASON’S JOURNEYA graduate of Juanita
High School (JHS), Grager was born three months pre-mature and is legally blind due to ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity). He also has epilepsy and mental retardation.
His days at JHS, mostly in a special education class-room, included some art and music classes with the general student body. � e experience was pleasant, but “he needed to be out of
the classroom more,” said his mom Lynn Grager, who is a para-educator at Sand-burg Elementary School in Kirkland.
� at said, when her dis-abled son entered the Tran-sition Academy — where goals include teaching students how to ride public transit to work — it was “a little scary,” Lynn admitted.
Another adjustment for Jason is that, “He doesn’t like the early hours. He’s more of an evening person,” she said.
Jason’s evenings are busy with soccer, basketball and bowling practices. He also loves watching sports.
“I’ve been following base-ball playo� s,” he remarked, as his mom shared his story over co� ee.
Michael Goodwill from Provail, an employment agency that partners with the Transition Academy, is exploring a job for Jason at the downtown Seattle REI.
Trader Joe’s or Costco are other possibilities.
“He would love to work with the Mariners or the Huskies,” said Lynn. “� at would be his ideal � t. Maybe not 40 hours a week. Maybe a couple hours a day, a few days a week.”
For Jason’s family, prepar-ing him for a job isn’t about the money, Lynn empha-sized.
“Earning a paycheck gives a sense of satisfac-tion,” she noted. “But it’s more about having a place for him to go where he feels useful and accepted — a reason to get out of bed and out of the house.”
And social connections are as vital as meaningful work, for Jason and his classmates at the Transition Academy.
Lynn said one of the hardest things about watch-ing Jason’s journey through his school years was noticing the ever-widening
maturity gap between Jason and his neurotypical peers.
“When they’re little, kids aren’t all that di� erent,” she pointed out. But around middle school and beyond, it became quite appar-ent that Jason’s one-time playmates were leaving him behind intellectually. � ey weren’t unkind to him, said Lynn. But they had moved on, developmentally.
Now, Jason’s best friend is someone he met through Special Olympics, a student from the Northshore School District’s Adult Transition Program.
“It is a real peer relation-ship with someone at the same level,” said Lynn.
PICTURING THE FUTUREBesides the talk about the
bad bus drivers and other inattentive motorists, Jason showed his classmates, during our latest visit, how his mom helps him make grocery shopping lists using pictures of the foods he wants to buy. He’s also memorizing the aisles where those products can be found, as well as practic-ing how to ask for help if he can’t � nd what he wants.
It’s a lot to learn, for someone with serious health challenges. But Haines and Mark Torn-quist, co-director of the Transition Academy said they don’t allow students to dwell on what they “can’t do.”
When Haines asked, “What is that we want to do with you guys?,” the stu-dents laughed and replied, “Get us out of here!”
Jason expects to graduate from the Transition Acad-emy next June.
In upcoming issues of the Redmond Reporter, we’ll share more about the hopes and dreams of other students from the Lake Washington School District Transition Academy.
Adjusting to the unexpectedHard-working Jason Grager determined to press on toward his goals despite challenges
Lynn Grager
Jason Grager, a developmentally disabled student at the Lake Washington School District Transition Academy, raises his hand to participate in a classroom discussion about “what if” scenarios. The students frequently talk about unexpected happenings that occur as they are out and about in the community. The purpose is to help them become more fl exible, in accordance with an academy motto, “IT HAPPENS.”MARY STEVENS DECKER, Redmond Reporter
FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
REPORTER .com
NEW
SLIN
E: 42
5.86
7.03
53R E D M O N D˜SPORTS | Overlake’s Trent Halvorson overcomes injuries, mother’s death to lead Owls’ basketball team [18]
ARTS | Student art featured in Re� ections program exhibit in Redmond [21]
BUSINESS | New fast and friendly dining option opens in Overlake [9]
YEAR IN REVIEW: PART 2 OF 2-PART SERIES
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the � fth article of an ongoing series about the Lake Washington Transition Academy, a unique, Redmond-based educational facility that assists developmentally disabled young people. To read the � rst four articles, go to www.redmond-reporter.com
MARY STEVENS DECKER
Carly Hursh had a new out-� t and a “can-do” attitude dur-ing our latest visit to the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) Transition Academy.
Based in downtown Red-mond, the academy helps young adults with devel-opmental disabilities hone skills for employment and inclusion.
Prepping for a job interview, Hursh, a Juanita High School graduate, � elded questions from Michael Goodwill of Se-attle-based Provail, an employ-ment agency which partners with the Transition Academy. Hursh’s classmates joined the conversation about the realities of the working world.
They talked about do’s and don’ts for a job interview: “Do” project a willingness to demonstrate what you can do, which sometimes is easier is than talking about the skills.
Hursh correctly interjected, “� at’s called ‘a working inter-view.’”
And, Goodwill commented, “Don’t talk too much if you’re nervous, because it can be dis-tracting to the interviewer.”
Carly’s ‘can-do’ attitudeHursh learns how to be self-reliant at Transition Academy
EPORTERORTERO
Rewind of ‘09: Rising Redmond
[ more HURSH page 5 ]
MARY STEVENS DECKER
In last week’s issue of the Redmond Reporter, we revis-ited some of the people and events that were on Redmond’s radar in the � rst half of 2009. Here’s a look back at some of the news we brought to you in the latter half of last year.
JULY� e design for a new Fire
Station 17, to be built in North Redmond, was revealed at a public meeting.
A new Metro Transit Park-and-Ride garage opened in downtown Redmond, improv-ing opportunities to commute to work or school in Bellevue, Seattle and elsewhere.
City park plan-ners held a public meeting to get input about a modern pool, multi-cultural center or other de-sired amenities.
� e City of Redmond unveiled plans for a Down-town Central Park to be “the jewel” of community parks.
� ousands � ocked to the 69th Annual Derby Days festival, with parades, carnival rides, arts, cra� s, food and entertainment for all ages.
� e King County Executive race began to heat up. Seven candi-dates spoke at a forum
www.crossroadsappliance.com
Main ShowrooM15625 NE 8th St / Bellevue
ClearanCe Center13414 NE 16th St / Bellevue
425.746.0550425.746.0550
310488
ABOVE: Heather Tarr, right, head softball coach of the NCAA-champion University of Washington Huskies, was honored as the Grand Marshal of the Redmond Medical Center Derby Days Parade in July. Tarr, who graduated from Redmond High School in 1993, is joined by volunteer assistant coach J.T. D’Amico. BELOW: The Derby Days Festival is the city’s largest community event and features one of the longest-running bike races in the nation. Redmond Reporter � le photos
Keeghan McPherson is all smiles at the annual National Night Out Against Crime, held in August.
Lisa Ling was the keynote speaker at Hopelink’s annual luncheon, which drew more than 1,800 attendees and raised more than $1 million in October.
A look back at the events that shaped this growing city
[ more 2009 page 2 ]
MORE PHOTOS ONLINEredmond-reporter.comMORE PHOTOS ONLINEredmond-reporter.comMORE PHOTOS ONLINEredmond-reporter.com
[5]January 1, 2010www.redmond-reporter.com
309481
MBA ProgrAMs
www.uwb.edu/mba
“Getting my MBA at UW Bothell was the best investment I could have made in my education. It’s a fantastic program!”
MBA Open House!Nationally-ranked Technology and Leadership MBA programs:
Wednesday, January 13, 6:00-8:00 p.m.Eastside Leadership Center in Bellevue
orTuesday, January 26, 6:00-8:00 p.m.North Creek Events Center, UW Bothell
RSVP: www.uwb.edu/mba
Melanie Jaeger Product Manager, Radiation Oncology SystemsPhilips HealthcareMBA Class of 2006
310026
� at’s a common stum-bling block for any job seeker, not just someone with a disability.
“It takes practice. Every interview helps with the next one,” said Goodwill.
CARLY’S STORYHursh’s mom, Patti
Mann, shared some back-ground about her daugh-ter’s early years.
“Her disability is mental retardation — I would consider it mild to moder-ate,” Mann explained. “She went through testing at age three and at that time, I believe it was labeled Developmental Delay with the MR label coming a few years later.”
Prior to the Transition Academy, Carly had a mix of special education and general education classes, usually modi� ed or with an aide, her mom explained.
Referring to the academy, “I had heard only good things about it,” Mann continued. “As her mother, I tend to be overprotective of Carly and the academy forces her to be indepen-dent. I am certain Carly will be able to get a job.”
What hurdles might stand in her way?
“When she gets excited or nervous, she tends to talk too fast and it can be very di� cult to understand her,” said Mann. “She knows she
needs to slow down and sometimes even her fam-ily members have a bit of trouble understanding her for the � rst time.”
DEMONSTRATING MASTERYWe checked with Good-
will to ask how Hursh’s interview went. He said the two-hour, working inter-
view at the City of Seattle Department of Transporta-tion was a positive experi-ence.
“Carly did about � ve or six di� erent tasks,” said Goodwill. “She and the interviewer talked about a couple of potential tasks and she has a 10-minute or so formal interview. ... I was involved minimally.”
Hursh showed how to prepare rooms for meet-ings, such as testing dry-erase markers, cleaning white boards and arranging chairs. She also stocked and organized printing sta-tions and learned how to scan documents to then be stored on a shared drive.
“Carly had no problems navigating the computer and she le� with a full un-derstanding of the process,” Goodwill noted.
Plus, she organized a supply cabinet completely on her own, recycled and retrieved paper and sorted and sized envelopes for re-use.
� e verbal portion of the interview was also success-ful, according to Goodwill.
“Her answers were appro-priate, clear and to the point,” he said. “Carly came to the interview with a resume and
references. ... In preparing for the interview, Carly and I went over her resume o� en. ... Carly also came with pre-pared questions to ask (the interviewer).”
Besides bringing the right paperwork, “she was dressed professionally, she was con� dent when introducing herself and throughout the interview, listened, kept direct eye contact and ... maintained an interest and a focus on each of the tasks she did.”
Although she wasn’t of-fered a job, “this was a � rst step for Carly,” Goodwill stated.
He described the City of Seattle as “an excellent em-ployer” with opportunities for people of all abilities.
“As a job developer, I will continue to work with the City of Seattle in making this connection for Carly,” he said.
BRIGHT BEGINNINGSWhat would be Carly’s
dream occupation, if she could pick any job?
“Carly loves her com-puter and she can � nd an answer to any question I have on the Internet,” said her mom. “She loves TV shows and movies — prob-ably too much. ... She’d tell
you that her dream job is an o� ce job — but she would LOVE to do something that had anything to do with a TV show. Not necessar-ily acting, but something behind the scenes.”
Goodwill commented, “� e next step for Carly is to continue to put herself out there, explore her interests, apply and meet with busi-nesses and � nd that job. ... When I � rst met Carly, she was interested in only an o� ce job. Now she is enter-taining the idea of retail.”
He said her preference is to work on the Eastside, perhaps at the Redmond Trader Joe’s or Kirkland Costco.
Yet the interview in Seattle was “a boost of con� dence for Carly,” he said. “I have noticed it in how she presents herself and how she talks about her career goals. Carly has a lot of skills and she is going to make a great addition to whatever team and business she decides to work with.”
Employers or others who want to know more about the LWSD Transition Academy and its success-ful graduates, should visit www.lwsd.org/school/ta or call (425) 861-3452.
Hursh getting ‘a boost of confidence’ at Transition Academy[ HURSH from page 1 ]
Carly Hursh, a developmentally disabled student at the Lake Washington School District Transition Academy, enjoys playing games such as UNO with her classmates, while taking a break from community-based activities to learn job and life skills. Hursh’s dream job would be to work in the TV industry. MARY STEVENS DECKER, Redmond Reporter
MARY STEVENS DECKER
In October 2009, the Redmond Reporter began a series about the
Lake Washington School Dis-trict’s (LWSD) Transition Acad-emy. � is unique learning center in downtown Redmond helps young adults with developmen-tal disabilities gain experience and con� dence through work partnerships with businesses and non-pro� t organizations.
Back then, we met a Transi-tion Academy student named Bryan Groscost. � is Redmond
High School grad is an intern at the REI store at Redmond Town Center. And for nearly a year, he has also volunteered at the Redmond Regional Library.
A SOOTHING RETREATGroscost shelves magazines,
DVDs and “hold” requests at the Redmond Regional Library.
Putting things in order seems to please him. Like many indi-
viduals with autism, Groscost enjoys familiar routines and attending to details.
“Bryan really likes the alphabetizing and has an inter-est in the magazines, as well,” said Kelsey Paasch, a graduate student from University of Washington’s low-incidence special education program and
www.crossroadsappliance.com
Main ShowrooM15625 NE 8th St / Bellevue
ClearanCe Center13414 NE 16th St / Bellevue
425.746.0550425.746.0550
310821
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2010A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
REPORTER .com
NEW
SLIN
E: 42
5.86
7.03
53R E D M O N D˜SPORTS | • The unique sport of curling a lifelong passion for Redmond man [15]
• Bear Creek boys’ basketball team claims third straight league title [16]
ARTS | String music players to attempt to set Guinness World record [9]
NEWS | Republican U.S. Senate challenger visits Redmond [3] COMMUNITY | Redmond girl speaks at star-studded conference [8]
Teacher layoffs loom large for school district
BILL CHRISTIANSON
Expect more multi-million-dollar bud-get cuts by the Lake Washington School District, but this time around, teacher layo� s loom large.
� e Lake Washington School District (LWSD) avoided laying o� teachers during last year’s budget crunch. But this year is a di� erent story, according to Kathryn Reith, LWSD Director of Com-munications.
“We were really proud we didn’t have to lay o� any teachers last year,” Reith said. “We’re just holding our breath if we
can do that again. I don’t know if we can. We may be able to. � ere aren’t any easy cuts le� . � ere’s still lots of question marks.”
Last year, LWSD was forced to cut $7.7 million from its budget, but in the end, there were no teacher layo� s. Hampered by dwindling state funding,
LWSD is facing $7.4 million in cuts for the 2010-11 budget cycle if the current state budget, proposed by Gov. Chris Gregoire, is approved, Reith said.
LWSD plans to begin the public bud-get process in March, when residents can provide their opinion on the LWSD Web site and at upcoming community meet-ings, Reith said.
� e projected budget revenue for 2009-10 is $217 million with $138 com-ing from the state. � e state doled out $150 million to the district for the 2008-09 budget cycle, Reith said.
School districts around the state got a dose of good news earlier this month from King County Superior Court Judge John Erlick.
Issuing a long-awaited judgement in a suit � led in 2007, Erlick ruled that the state is not meeting its constitutional duty to fund basic education in Wash-ington. Erlick ordered the legislature
LWSD facing more than $7 million in cuts for its 2010-11 budget
INSIDE School bond failure casts doubt on grade realignment, overcrowding plans. [2]
[ more LWSD page 2 ]
LWSD TRANSITION ACADEMY SERIES
Bryan Groscost, a Redmond High School graduate with autism, is a student at the Lake Washington School District’s Transition Academy, which helps young adults with developmental disabilities strengthen skills for employment and inclusion. In addition to an internship at the Redmond REI store, Groscost enjoys shelving magazines and DVDs as a volunteer at the Redmond Regional Library. MARY STEVENS DECKER, Redmond Reporter
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the sixth article of an ongoing series about the Lake Washington Transition Academy, a unique, Redmond-based educational facility that assists developmentally disabled young people. To read the � rst � ve articles, go to www.redmond-reporter.com
MOVING UP THE CHARTSMusic enthusiast with autism steadily � nding his groove
[ more GROSCOST page 4 ]
February 19, 2010[4] www.redmond-reporter.com
...obituaries
Rememberyour loved onePlace a paid obituary
to honor those who have passed away,
call Linda at253.234.3506
or emailpaidobits@
reporternewspapers.com
Paid obituaries include publication in the
newspaper and online atredmond-reporter.com
All notices are subject to veri� cation.
REPORTER .com
R E D M O N D ˜
PEACE of MINDComes from knowing
the Air Qualityin your home is GoodExpert Air Quality
Investigations & Testing
Call HBI425.455.2959
www.healthybuilding.comHEALTHY BUILDINGS, INC
PUBLIC NOTICES
To place your
Legal Notice in the
Redmond Reporter
please call Linda Mills at
253-234-3506 or e-mail
Monday thru Saturday Sunday 6:00 AM - 3:00 PM 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
We are honored and we thank you for your support over these last 23 years. We make it our commitment to serve you the highest quality product with the best service, at the most reasonable prices.
16150 NE 85th Street • Redmond, WA 98052
320906
(Across from the Redmond Post Office & Fire Department)
www.cafesinc.com
Serving you since 1986
Where it’s never too late for Breakfast!
Your neighborhood Comfort Food
Specialist
New Year’s Resolution – Eat more Comfort food.
Let us do the cooking for you
■ Crown Molding & Casework Installations■ Custom Closets to
Custom KitchensWho you gonna call?
Estimates are always freeworkmanship, exacting
425 [email protected] Money Live Elegantly319812
326051
18080 NE 68th St, Suite A150, Redmond WA 98052 • 425.867.0353 • www.redmond-reporter.com
DELIVERY TUBESAVAILABLE
The Redmond Reporter is published every Friday and delivery tubes are available FREE to our readers who live in our distribution area.
Our newspaper tube can be installed on your property at no charge to you. Or the tube can be provided to you to install at your convenience next to your mailbox receptacle or at the end of your driveway.
Pick up your FREE tube at our Redmond of� ce, locatedat 18080 NE 68th St, Suite A150 during regular business hours.(Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
DELIVERY TUBESAVAILABLEFREE!
Show Your Sweetheart You Care!
Seattle•Eastside•Edmonds!(425) 394-0773
www.VasectomyCenter.com
No-Needle No-Scalpel No-PainMost advanced and Most comfortable
Performed by Board Certi� ed UrologistsFriday evening and Saturday morning visits
SWEDISH ISSAQUAH CAMPUS, SWEDISH GREENLAKE CLINIC& EDMONDS FAMILY MEDICINE
VasectomyCenter
309118
intern at the Transition Academy. Paasch goes with Bryan to his shifts at the library and offers support as needed.
“I’ve seen him especially looking at Billboard,” Pa-asch added, referring to the magazine that tracks music charts.
In fact, Bryan’s mom, Stacy Harper, told us he’s a diehard fan of ‘80s pop and rock, which he avidly stud-ies on YouTube.
Bryan confirmed that information.
“My favorites are The Human League and Infor-mation Society,” he said.
Besides allowing him to read up on the music scene, the library’s quiet environ-ment suits Bryan, said Paasch.
“He’s introverted, he likes keeping to himself — and he can do that here,” she pointed out.
Yet preparing Transition Academy students for “the real world” requires taking them out of their comfort zones, at least some of the time, so they can learn to adapt to all sorts of situa-tions.
A WIDE WORLD WITHIN REDMOND
In addition to working with Bryan, Paasch ac-companies other Transi-tion Academy students to positions at Redmond Ath-letic Club and Hopelink.
Comparing notes with other graduate students in the special education field, Paasch said she feels lucky to be involved with the LWSD’s transition pro-gram. The advantage is that disabled students who’ve met high school graduation requirements, with special needs accommodations, are then moved out of a high school setting and im-mersed in community life.
“I’m in awe of seeing the planning that goes into this ... not on a high school campus, but seeing students go out into the Town Center,” said Paasch. “I’ve talked to people in other districts and they’re amazed by how many businesses are having the transition students come in. They have so many re-sources people didn’t know existed.”
DON’T STOP BELIEVINGBryan was first diagnosed
with PDD-NOS (Pervasive Development Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified) at the age of 6. His diagnosis was changed to autism when he was 12.
“When he was 6, I was told a long list of things he would ‘never’ and ‘most likely would not’ be able to do when he was older,” said Harper. “From that moment on, I set out to prove them wrong ... and I think I’ve done a good job of doing so. I have expected
Bryan to go to the Transi-tion Academy since I first heard about it when he was in junior high. It was never a question that he would be there. The program is one of the best I have seen in the country and I have researched many programs. There are not nearly enough of these types of programs.”
Harper was not always so hopeful about her old-est child’s future. Two of Bryan’s five siblings also have developmental disor-ders, by the way.
Children with develop-mental delays often “act out” in frustration, as was the case with Bryan, ac-cording to Harper.
“He was running off, would scream for no rea-son, would hit other kids, wouldn’t follow directions,” she recalled.
“What is somewhat manageable for a 5-year-old becomes dangerous for a 19-year-old. We spent many years driving to therapy (speech therapy, occupa-tional therapy, physical therapy) and that took a toll on the family,” Harper said. “The financial impact was huge,” as were disruptions to daily life, she added.
Harper recently went back to college after 18 years of putting her educa-tion on hold. It’s been a tough journey, getting Bryan to the point where he is today.
“But I wouldn’t change a thing, other than if people had been more aware of autism back then, things might be different,” she said.
Now a polite young man, Bryan still has some difficulties with commu-nication. But the Transi-tion Academy is “helping him learn to use his cell phone, to ride a bus, to take responsibility for himself as much as possible,” his mom said.
“What I love most about the academy is that they set the expectation bar at the top, then lower it as needed, rather than not expecting him to be able to do things and then raise it when he can,” she contin-ued. “It can be a little scary at times, but our job as parents is no different than parents of ‘typical’ kids. We do our best to make them as independent as possible while being there when they stumble and fall, as they will do, just like anyone else.”
SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS
Besides his ‘80s music fandom, Bryan enjoys playing basketball and soccer through Redmond Parks and Recreation, said Harper.
“For his dream job, I think if he were able to work in a music store or a radio station that played ‘80s music, he would be in heaven,” she concluded.
For more information about the Lake Washington Transition Academy and its opportunities for develop-mentally disabled young adults, visit www.lwsd.org/school/ta or call (425) 861-3452.
[ GROSCOST from page 1 ]
Student hopes to work at a radio station someday