Transition Plus Newsletter
November 2019 Edition
Getting Connected!
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CALENDAR
November Calendar
November 4: 2nd quarter begins
November 8: American Indian Family Celebration 1:30 - 3:30, all families invited!
November 27,28,29: No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
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STUDENT BRAGGING RIGHTS
Hirings
- 8 students hired at Cookie Cart!
- Students hired at Chipotle, and Gap
- 7 students hired at TreeTrust paid training program, for which they alternate weeks attending Tplus classes and working at Tree Trust gaining building trades experience.
- 10 students gaining first-time work experience in our Tplus Cafe, keeping things sanitary and tidy, serving customers, preparing food, training as a barista, and managing financial transactions
Congratulations to these students! We look forward to many more in the coming future. We also have many students working at our 10 job sites where they are gaining a variety of work skills that may lead to gainful employment in the future.
Project Search Highlights and APplication INfo
Project SEARCH helps students make the transition to adult life via participation in at least 3 unpaid internships in a professional environment at either Hennepin Healthcare or Children’s Hospital during the school year. Students also utilize public transportation (city bus or Metro Mobility) and bring (or purchase) their own lunch as important elements of Project SEARCH.
Students must commit to actively pursue competitive employment upon completion of their Project SEARCH experience. A Transition Plus instructor and two Skills Trainers provide instruction and support at both hospitals to promote success for interns. As a result, the Project SEARCH experience typically leads to excellent outcomes for our students. Approximately 90% of those who complete Project SEARCH are employed within a few months at a job they like.
To participate in this unique partnership, students must apply and interview in the spring prior to the year they wish to participate. Please contact Trish Praus for more information about Project SEARCH or the application process. Trish.Praus@mpls.k12.mn.us Applications for Project SEARCH are expected to be available in early February.
Project Search - Hennepin Healthcare Site
Project Search - Children's Hospital Site
Southside Services at Transition Plus!
Southside Services works with individuals with disabilities to support them in becoming more active, engaged members of the community. Southside has two new activities! Tuesday Soccer Club and Thursday Yoga are getting started this month and will be held in the Tplus gym from 10-10:55. If your student is interested, you can get more information from the school social workers or by contacting Stephanie or Adam at Southside Services. 612-721-1696 or visit our website https://southsideservices.org/school-based-connections-2/
3 Strings
A group of TPlus students are part of this band!
The 3 Strings Band, one of Southwest’s many guitar ensembles, has been selected out of hundreds of applicants to perform the keynote address at the National Association of Music Educators Conference in Orlando, Florida this November. The group, under the direction of guitar educator, Ruth LeMay, will demonstrate innovative inclusive music education. The group must raise $58,000 to take 54 people, including 16 students with special needs, parents, staff and student support to Orlando in the two months. They are working on raising the final funds for this trip.
A concert and fundraiser will take place in the Southwest High School Commons on Wednesday, October 9th, at 7:00 p.m. and feature many Southwest guitar ensembles, including The 3 Strings. Fundraising will include a silent auction, homemade bake sale, ice cream truck, and pizza. Requested donation is $10.
If you're not able to attend but would still like to donate please visit their gofundme page.
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FAMILY RESOURCES
Attendance
Here Comes The Bus App
Wondering when the school bus will arrive at your house? Download the free "Here Comes the Bus" app on your phone's app store and follow the set up instructions in the following links to get a notification when the bus enters your neighborhood.
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TRANSITION PLUS NEEDS
Feed The Need
Donation Needs:
- Shelf-stable foods
- CLEAN New or gently used clothing
- Soft, stretchy material pants for men and women
- new undergarments for men and women SIZE: small - 4XL
- clean stylish or plain hoodies
- clean jackets in great condition
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EMPLOYER OF THE MONTH
Cookie Cart
In order to be hired at Cookie Cart, students must apply and interview successfully with the Cookie Cart manager. In addition to earning a paycheck and gaining skills in Food Service, students are building their resume and improving their future employability. Transition Plus provides transportation to Cookie Cart and a Job Coach to support the student’s success at work. Interested students may also participate in Customer Service Training and learn to use a cash register.
We appreciate our wonderful 10+ years of partnering with Cookie Cart and look forward to many more valuable years of working together. Please contact Work Coordinator Trish Praus for more information about opportunities for Transition Plus students at Cookie Cart.
If you know of any employers who would be interested hiring students or groups of students, Transition Plus is always looking for partnerships to expand vocational opportunities.
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UPCOMING EVENTS - PLEASE RSVP
American Indian Family Event
American Indian families, contact us if you would like to display/explain artifacts, help prepare food, or be a part of the planning. 612-668-4103, colleen.knuth@mpls.k12.mn.us
This is a monthly event to highlight and celebrate many of the cultures represented at Tplus. We need families to help plan, prepare, present, bring interesting artifacts, and/or prepare foods for every 2nd Friday of the month.
Friday, Nov 8, 2019, 01:30 PM
Transition Plus High School, East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Student Opinion Editorials
The New Video Game Death Stranding is to Release November 8th
The new game created by Kojima Productions, studio behind Metal Gear Solid Franchise is about to release in November 8th, 2019 this year. This game is said to be a new genre different from the action games that we all come to know and love, and will be called “strand game” a game based around the concept of “connection”. This game will different from the stealth action genre which he also helped originate in the gaming industry Metal Gear in 1987.
This game is going to feature real-life actors such as, Mads Mikkelsen, the actor who played Hannibal Lector in the show Hannibal by Bryan Fuller and Kaecilius in Marvel’s Doctor Strange. Norman Reedus, the Actor who played Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead. Lea Seydoux who was an actor Skyfall and Beauty and The Beast. While it’s still enigma what the game has to offer. It leaves fans of Kojima’s game in speculation and excitement as the clock is ticking for another pieces of Kojima media to release, exclusively PC and Playstation 4.
by: Amadeus Magee-Robinson
Sources: https://twitter.com/HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN
Party Room Fridays
By Enrique Vivas-Vaquero
Highlights of our Latino Family Celebration!
Alex Santos leading Salsa dancing
Cookie Decorating Station
Our Student Leader Enrique
Transition Plus Services
Email: transitionplus@mpls.k12.mn.us
Website: transplus.mpls.k12.mn.us
Location: 2015 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone: (612)668-4100
Facebook: facebook.com/transitionplus.mps
Twitter: @MPS_Tplus