Work Readiness Academy
March 2024 Newsletter
Message from the Director
I hope everyone enjoyed some time off to renew and recharge during our Spring Recess!
Please enjoy the rest of this month's newsletter including more detailed updates about our instructional program from Ms Richer and the latest from our Project SEARCH program!
Sincerely,
Josh Bornstein, Director
UCESC Work Readiness Academy
Dates to Remember
Month of April - Autism Awareness Month
Monday, April 8, 2024 - 1pm Early Dismissal (solar eclipse)
Friday, April 19, 2024 - Schoolwide Community Trip to IKEA (Elizabeth, NJ)
Monday, June 17, 2024 - Project SEARCH Class of 2024 Graduation Ceremony (10am)
Tuesday, June 18. 2024 - WRA Graduation & Recognition Ceremony (10:30am)
How to Contact Us!
As a reminder, in the event that your child will be absent, arriving late, or picked up early, please call our main number at (908) 633-2704 and speak with our secretary Maureen Wakeman. If it is before 8am, please leave a message. You can also email Maureen at mwakeman@ucesc.org
March Spotlights
Meet Maureen Wakeman, WRA School Secretary
How long have you worked for UCESC?
I've been wish the Commission for 11 years, previously working in the central office in Westfield!
What do you love best about your job?
I enjoy helping our wonderful WRA Staff and Students with any questions or needs that they may have!
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, my husband and I love to take day trips on the weekend to visit different towns in New Jersey and New York State.
What it something that people would be suprised to know about you?
I am a die hard New York Mets fan and enjoy going to baseball games. I've been collecting Mets' Yearbooks for years. For my birthday, my husband gave me the 1962 New York Mets Yearbook.
This month we shine the spotlight on Overlook Medical Center's Union Campus. Located in the heart of Union, New Jersey, Overlook Medical Center's Union Campus houses an emergency department and a variety of outpatient services and physician practices. Their full-service emergency department has been recognized with a Lantern Award for exceptional and innovative performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research by the Emergency Nurses Association since the award’s inception in 2011.
While UCESC's Project SEARCH program launched in 2016 at the main campus of Overlook Medical Center in Summit, New Jersey, we are thrilled to have recently expanded this partnership to include new work-based learning opportunities for students from the Work Readiness Academy. In February of 2024, we launched our first two internships with the Emergency Department and the Rehab Department (PT & OT). These experiences have been rich in high quality learning tasks for our students. We are excited to continue to expand to other departments in the coming year.
Director's Award
Supervisor's Spotlight on the Classroom
March certainly has come in like a lion at the WRA! We have been attacking a variety of new skills such as commitment and dedication, and discussing how demonstrating these concepts at work can benefit us in the future. Just as the earth is blooming each day, we too continue to grow and blossom in all aspects of our lives. Our classrooms have been buzzing with resume writing, comparison shopping, nutritional exploration, growth mindset and circle of control lessons and activities! To honor and celebrate Women’s History Month and all of the fierce and powerful women both in our lives and throughout history, students have been given the opportunity to explore a variety of influential women presented in the book She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton. Students are reminded that finding your voice, self advocating and taking on difficult and challenging situations can help shape not only your life, but the lives of those around you. Be sure to ask them all about it! I hope all of our Work Readiness & SEARCH families have enjoyed a restful and happy spring break that allowed for time together to relax and recharge, connect and celebrate the joys of spring!
Rachel Richer
Supervisor of Instruction
Snapshots from March Work-Based Learning
What's Happening at Project SEARCH?
During the month of March the students at Project SEARCH completed their second internship rotations. Students learned transferable skills that they can bring to their next internships. In the classroom the students have been working on interview skills, learning about entrepreneurship, and emotional intelligence. The students enjoyed taking a day off and celebrating their hard work with a trip to the Cranford Movie Theater where they watched Kung Fu Panda 4 with the WRA students. They also walked into Summit to visit TD Bank. The students learned about financial literacy and got to tour the facility. During Workshop Week the students got a beautiful view of NYC when the Safety and Security Department brought them to tour the helipad on the roof. They also got to participate in Healthcare Career Day. The students are looking forward to Spring Break and then to beginning their final rotations. They will also continue to work with Abiola Daniels, our job developer from Project Hire.
- Jourdan Spencer, Project SEARCH Instructor for UCESC
Project SEARCH Application Now Available
The online application for the Project SEARCH at Overlook Medical Center Class of 2025 is now available and can be accessed by clicking the link below:
https://forms.gle/JJmq3rnpPeV1zXA97
Interested students and their families must attend one of our upcoming virtual information sessions:
Upcoming Dates:
Tuesday, April 16th at 7pm
Please email Josh Bornstein at jbornstein@ucesc.org with your preferred date and we will send you the Google Meet link for the requested session.
Unsung Hero Award
Congratulations to PWRA student Ian McCormack for his recognitiion as one of Union Couny's Unsung Heroes for 2024!
"Let it Grow!" Enrichment Grant
Under the direction of Teacher Sharlene McQuade, WRA students are learning how to grown and maintain fruits & vegetables hydroponically. The students will track plant growth and develop an understanding conditions necessary to promote healthy growth.
Community Resources/Events
Registration is now open for the Extra Special Prom Night, set to take place on Thursday, May 30th, 2024, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Berkeley Heights YMCA. It promises to be an evening filled with elegance, fun, and unforgettable memories! Spaces are expected to fill up rapidly. To ensure your spot, we encourage you to secure your registration as soon as possible.
Union County Blue Envelope Program
In 2023, the Union County Board of County Commissioners announced the full rollout of the Blue Envelope Program. The Union County’s Blue Envelope Program is geared towards fostering inclusivity and promoting safe interactions between law enforcement officers and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It introduces a simple yet effective tool that contains essential information for drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This includes a copy of their driver’s license, vehicle registration, insurance details, and an emergency contact card. Additionally, the envelope provides clear instructions to drivers on how to navigate a traffic stop and interact with law enforcement officers in a manner that promotes clarity and safety.
The Blue Envelope Program is accessible to all Union County residents on the Autism Spectrum. Residents can obtain a Blue Envelope at their local police departments throughout the county. Similarly, the Union County Sheriff’s Office is participating in Union County’s Blue Envelope Program. Blue Envelopes are available in the Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, located at the 1st floor Security Desk. If you have questions, please email Officer Victoria Smith at vsmith@ucnj.org or call her office at 908-527-4954.
Understanding Supported Employment Options Available AFTER Graduation
Guardianship Resources
At 18 years old all individuals, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, reach the legal age of majority. This means that parents can no longer make decisions legally on behalf of their children. See the attached fact shet from the Arc of New Jersey for more information about Guardianship and various alternative options.
ABLE Accounts
ABLE Accounts provide eligible individuals with disabilities a better way to save money for today's needs or invest for tomorrow. ABLE accounts:
- Do not jeopardize eligibility for most benefit programs, such as Medicaid and SSI.
- Are tax-advantaged, so earnings grow tax free.
- Can accept contributions from anyone: the account owner, family and friends.
- Include online account management tools and a top-rated mobile app.
For more information, click the link below.
Spotted in the Community!
Former Project SEARCH Student Denton Bristol (now working in the Food Services department at Overlook)!
Picture of the Month
About the Work Readiness Academy
The Work Readiness Academy serves students ages 18-21 with disabilities and provides a comprehensive employment training experience that incorporates both classroom-based instruction and community-based work-learning experiences. While in the training classroom, students work cooperatively with similar aged peers to learn critical skills related to employment and socialization. Students also work on career exploration and planning, including the development of a person-centered, post-secondary vision and plan with clear goals and action steps. Program staff remain on-site during the internships to provide and fade support and assistance as needed. Students also participate in field trips focused on career discovery, independent living skills, recreation and independent travel training.
For more information or to make a student referral, please email Josh Bornstein at jbornstein@ucesc.org
Email: jbornstein@ucesc.org
Website: https://www.ucesc.org/schools/the_work_readiness_academy
Location: 970 Suburban Road, Union, NJ, USA
Phone: 908-633-2704