Program Description:

TTIP is designed to serve the needs of young people transitioning from a high school setting to the adult world.  As part of our therapeutic program, TTIP is an integration of special education and clinical case management.  The public school districts refer all TTIP students. The program model is strength based, seeking to identify and build upon interests and skills that will maximize each student’s success.  Specific aspects of the program include the following:

• Students attend the regular school year from September to June.
• TTIP is housed in Building 3 across the parking lot from Serendipity’s therapeutic school in Building 2.  TTIP students have access to the dining room, library, and computer lab within building one.
• TTIP students spend a minimum of one school day in the community gaining skills and experience that build confidence and self-reliance, as well as promote self-care.  Two days are spent on campus, addressing vocational topics in the morning and life skills in the afternoon.  Fridays are devoted to specialized independence-building projects (such as food preparation, basic sewing) and often include guests from the community.
• An individual transition plan is developed for each student, which entails job shadowing, volunteer placements, and/or paid employment as readiness permits.

Population Served:

TTIP students are between the ages of 17 to 21 years who qualify for special educational services. Many TTIP students will have completed their modified high school diplomas.  Others will be older high school students for whom a more traditional academic setting is no longer productive.  Many, but not all, TTIP students may be challenged by developmental delays.  Because of the highly individual nature of the planning and content of TTIP, a variety of student profiles and needs can be addressed.

Curriculum Objectives:

TTIP curriculum prioritizes employment, workplace skills (job search, career exploration, human relations on the job), and life skills (relationships, accessing health care, housing, money management, nutrition and food preparation, etc.).  TTIP curriculum is intended to ready students for programs into which they may transition (voc rehab, job corps, etc.).  Each TTIP student maintains a Transition Portfolio, documenting achievements within a range of competencies.