To promote the development of employment skills in a supportive environment, the Student Work Program at Knapp School & Yeshiva provides students in grades 6-12 with supervised work experiences in the school and at community work sites. Students who want to be involved in the program are required to fill out a job application, participate in a job interview and submit weekly timesheets, said Susan Nowinski, Transition and IEP Specialist.

Work opportunities are identified after considering a student’s interests and assessing their interpersonal and vocational skill levels. Students can work within the school by assisting in a classroom, the gym, art room or library, collecting recycling, shredding, managing sales at the school store and working as a barista at School Grounds, the school’s student-run coffee business. Some students work at community sites such as Skokie Public Library, CJE SeniorLife and Will’s Place, a non-profit café in Skokie that creates meaningful jobs for adults with disabilities.

Employed students are evaluated by their supervisor weekly, which provides feedback to the student and informs the work development staff of the student’s progress and need for additional support. Work Development Specialist Dimitra Palaskonis manages the Student Work Program and partners with employers to establish and maintain community-based work opportunities for students. She also provides job coaching, vocational counseling and facilitates job readiness skill workshops.

Students also develop skills to be successful in the workplace through classroom instruction, related services such as social work, speech therapy and occupational therapy, social emotional learning activities and participation in the school’s Enrichment Program.

Transition and career development activities are provided to students in grades 8-12 to help them identify interests, strengths and preferences and expose them to careers, post-secondary options and available supports. “We foster connections to outside agencies, organizations and support services, such as the Division of Rehabilitation Services, that can help students achieve their career goals,” Nowinski said.