Gateway Blueprint Project
Jasper, Florida

Contact:

Sheila D. Gritz
Transition Project Manager
FDLRS/Gateway Associate Center
Route 4, Box 1387
Jasper, FL 32052
Phone: 904-792-2877
Fax: 904-792-3273
Email: gritzs@mail.firn.edu

Mission

The Gateway Blueprint for School to Community Transition is designed to assure that students with disabilities and their families in rural North Central Florida in Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, and Suwannee Counties have access to a model school to community transition system. Hamilton and Madison Counties will be the developmental sites for the first two years of project implementation.

The intent of this five year project is to create a community transition system that results in meaningful outcomes for all students with disabilities and empowers these individuals, their families, and communities to meet their own needs. The Gateway Local Transition Development Team composed of persons with disabilities, their family members, business personnel, school personnel, and agency personnel, will be catalysts for systems change necessary to achieve the desired outcomes. Anticipated outcomes include an increase in the high school completion rate, employment rate, post-secondary training and education rate, and earning rate for youth with disabilities.

 Organization

• Student-focused Planning and Development
• Career Pathways and Contextual Learning
• Family Involvement
• Structures and Policies

Description

The major activities of the Gateway Blueprint Project included developing a video, an informational packet, and brochure to heighten awareness of the abilities of youth with disabilities; increasing public and private resource pooling and accessibility to resources; conducting trainings for students for students and their families on such topics as self-advocacy and self determination, person-centered futures planning, and disability awareness. Other initiatives included class, club, and postsecondary education shadowing days; and mentor and job clubs.

One of the most exciting activities implemented by the Gateway Blueprint Project was Self-Directed IEP/Self-Determination training. Trainings were conducted at five high schools, with three of the high school including middle school students, and at two middle schools. Trainings were conducted by project staff in half day or one-day sessions with groups of approximately 20 students per session. Two teachers infused the training into their curriculum. Over the life of the project, 600 students received training.

The curriculum included the Self-Directed IEP, Choosing Employment Goals, Become Your Own Expert, Career Quest Interest Inventories, and project developed transition assessments and materials on diploma options. These trainings targeted all students with disabilities.

An additional Self-Determination module was developed and implemented for all 6th grade students at one middle school. Over a two-year period, 597 students were trained. Students received training for one period per day, for four days, through their Physical Education Classes.

The curriculum was derived from New Hats and Syndistar Videos. Items covered included identifying self-esteem builders; goal setting and evaluation; conflict resolution; and listening and communicating.

Evidence of Success

Over 5,000 students in Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, and Suwanee counties benefited from the project through trainings, shadowing opportunities, clubs, and Vocational Rehabilitation referrals. Key outcomes of the project varied from district to district, and school to school, based on the type of activities requested. Preliminary outcome date reflect the following:

• Schools participating in class/club shadowing reported an increase in the number of students with disabilities participating in regular vocational education courses ranging from 18% pre-participation to a high of 76% post-participation.

• Students participating in Self-Directed IEP/Self-Determination training were twice as likely to participated in their Transition IEP meetings. Pre/Post Student Questionnaires and IEP Reviews reported an increase in participation rates for students, parents, and agencies; an improvement in the number of students expressing knowledge of their IEP goals; and in at least one school, a significant improvement in the high school completion rate.

• In post-training interviews with 6th grade students, training participants indicated that they had fewer behavior referrals, were better able to control their emotions and tempers, were better able to set goals and carry them out, and felt better about themselves.
• Other significant accomplishments included the development of an awareness video, employer brochures, student/parent brochures, the continuation of myriad activities such as sensitivity and career awareness by FDLRS/Gateway; and the continuation of many activities by the local schools.
• Systemic changes at the local level included the use of interest inventories and career awareness materials for all youth with disabilities; the use of waivers at the local Vocational/Technical Center to enable students with disabilities to enter and complete programs; the dissolution of college boundary barriers for the purpose of transition services; improved sharing of resources; improved global awareness; and a Vocational Rehabilitation Transition Liaison position, co-funded by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, FDLRS/Gateway, and local Exceptional Student Education.

Success Story

Wayne Gribbs of Jasper, Florida suffered an accident at the age of ten that left him with quadriplegia. Despite Wayne’s disability, he was determined to attend school and graduate with his peers. During Wayne’s senior year, he served as a member of the Gateway Local Transition Development Team and was instrumental in identifying project activities. Wayne also served as a presenter for the project at numerous functions, including Disability Awareness and ADA trainings. Wayne graduated from high school in 1994, and obtained his Associate of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Lake City Community College. He is currently attending Valdosta State University where he has switched his major to secondary education. Why the switch? Wayne indicated that he would like to remain in his home community where business related careers are seldom an option. Also, Wayne said he would like to give something back to his community. During Wayne’s college years, he continued to serve on the Gateway Local Transition Development Team, and was instrumental in the project’s ultimate success.

Narcarter Seymore participated in numerous activities of the Gateway Blueprint Project such as Self-Directed IEP/Self-Determination Training, Class/Club Shadowing, and the Job Club. Narcarter was one of the first students from Hamilton County High School to benefit from dual enrollment at the Suwannee Hamilton Vocational, Technical and Adult Education Center during her senior year. Narcarter continued her program upon graduation with the assistance of Vocational Rehabilitation. She received her certificate in Culinary Arts and is awaiting job placement in a related career. Narcarter was also trained as a co-trainer in the Self-Directed IEP and assisted with numerous trainings for secondary education students

VISIONS Video • A 13-minute video featuring students with various disabilities and diverse outcomes. • Appropriate for use with employers, parents, students, educators, and community members.

Student/Parent Brochures

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