Branford Public Schools

Turning Ideas Into Action

Yandel Morales makes calls to reserve a bowling lane while reading a script he wrote and practiced with staff to plan a few group activities from ideas they generated. Organizing recreational activities is a great way for our clients to work together to iron out details and turn their ideas into events that both interest them and enhance their participation in community outings.

By Jackie Dunn on May 3, 2023

The most recent, Spring months in the Access Program have centered around planning outings for both daily living and recreational and leisure activities. Clients have each taken on a job in the planning process to ensure everyone has equal roles and responsibilities for carrying out the planning of events that they generated in group meetings. The groups have collectively decided on a bowling trip and an outing to tour Stony Creek. We are also collaborating with a local Transition program to enhance new relationships with peers. One of the Access clients' jobs was to email the teacher of the Transition program in North Branford, where we plan to have a group field trip activity to Stony Creek. Clients made a list of things they would like to do such as see a play, go to the beach, have lunch, and play in a sports game. The group discovered many of these activities could all take place in Stony Creek, CT. Each member of Access took on a planning role such as making calls/emails to The Legacy Theater to inquire about a tour, reviewing the local eateries and the menus/pricing and payment options, generating the rules and equipment needed for a group kickball/baseball game, and other details associated with these community outings.

Clients are also preparing gift lists in honor of the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday and a shopping event that will take place to purchase items on their lists. Clients do much of their shopping through the program for things like breakfast foods, lunches, holiday gifts, work clothes, or other needs and wants.

MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT

FEATURED CLIENT: Jeremy Tourangeau
FEATURED PARTNERSHIP: Branford Townhouse Family Restaurant

The Branford Townhouse Family Restaurant is a local, family-owned establishment that has been around for years, serving local patrons 7 days a week.  They are known to be “a great restaurant with a great group of people that work together and have some of the best customers around.”

Townhouse Restaurant was one of the first partnerships our program established when we started doing vocational training as part of our Special Education programming for young adults receiving transaction services. Owner Nauntis Groumousas has been an integral part of our partnerships assuring our students get a wonderful work experience and always welcomes new student workers on board. Regardless of the student's level of work experience or level of need, Townhouse allows our job coaches to provide training to potential future employees, and the staff are always supportive and appreciative of the help.

Having many students who have the desire to work in a restaurant setting with entry-level job duties such as bussing tables, The Branford Townhouse Family Restaurant has become a popular established site among students and clients of Branford Public Schools.

We are proud to feature first-year student of Access Jeremy Tourangeau as our featured quarterly employee. Jeremy has been working very hard at Townhouse Restaurant this quarter, and his efforts have been noticed by many. He has improved his independence in the workplace and has really established a routine while on the site. Jeremy is always friendly and kind to the employees at Townhouse and has the utmost respect for his job coach and his natural workplace support. One of his recent job coaches Leslie reported that “Jeremy was initiating tasks on his own independently without prompting and using all of the proper equipment to clear the tables.” This is a huge level of growth for Jeremy, and we could not be prouder of his work ethic and overall job performance at Townhouse. Keep up the great work, Jeremy! We cannot wait to continue to watch him grow throughout his meaningful experiences in the community job site settings.

For more information on The Branford Townhouse Family Restaurant, click below:

https://www.branfordtownhouserestaurant.com/

Access Transition Program
12 Melrose Avenue  Branford, CT 06405