Given his love of the natural world, it was a perfect fit for Alex to jump at the chance to work at Flowers By You Floral Bar. Alex loves helping with bouquet making, setting up vases, organizing signs throughout the storefront, and putting the finishing touches on gift bags.
Alex comes to work every day with a can-do attitude, taking on any task that is assigned. Congratulations, Alex, on your new career, and thanks to this community business for not only filling Park City with beautiful flowers but providing Alex with a job he loves.
Students at PCHS got busy this past month with cooking, decorating, and hosting a delicious Thanksgiving luncheon. Teachers, administrators, parents, and even former students gathered together to catch up over a yummy feast.
This luncheon has become an annual highlight for all. Students get to show off their catering skills and attendees get to sample tasty, traditional treats. Best of all, everyone gets the chance to enjoy the camaraderie of this fun-loving group of young adults!
What makes teachers happy at our schools? You guessed it – coffee! Each week, teachers fill out a student-created survey, and voila, the EHMS Coffee Cart rolls right to their classroom door with their personalized hot drink and a special treat.
The coffee cart puts the fun in fundamental skills as students practice effective communication skills, customer service, and food handling practice. Back in the classroom the students organize orders, stock supplies, and chart gross and net profit, just like any thriving small business.
It is these creative activities that give our students real-world application of social, communication, and academic skills. It’s also a great way for students with disabilities to shine in their school communities. Thanks to PCEF for all the funding throughout the years for this amazing program!
“You are officially 27 weeks away from graduation! It is time to put your transition planning into action next week during UCAW”, explained Dara Smith, PCHS counselor, during a Senior presentation to students in Content Link.
Utah College Application Week or UCAW kicks off next week, October 25th -29th. The focus is all about Utah colleges. Students can apply to any of the twenty schools with the majority waiving application fees. And for those colleges that still require a fee, PCHS has grant money available to cover the cost. Counselors and students are busy during UCAW with scheduled college visits, application assistance, and scholarships. According to Dara Smith, “It takes approximately 20 minutes to apply and well worth the effort.”
Counselor Pepper Elliot shared important information on scholarships. “There is a lot of money out there through private and school-sponsored scholarships.” Students can access this information on Naviance, the high school college and career readiness online program, the PCHS website, and individual colleges. According to Pepper, “Every year scholarships go unclaimed. It’s just a matter of applying.”
Scholarships extend to Certified Technical Education or CTE programs too. A field trip to Mountainland Technical College is planned for Friday 10/29. Students interested in specific career preparation programs are encouraged to sign up. Many students can attend CTE programs for no or little cost.
Senior Madie H. has already started the process of college applications, with acceptance to one of the featured state schools, Dixie State University. According to Madie, the application was easy and she received an acceptance letter in about a week. Madie has known her future college plans for a while, to study biology and oceanography. Her current focus is to find a program in her field and a college that has everything she wants for four years. “I want a small campus with the best program, but also an active student life with modern dorms. I am also ready to get out of the snow.”
Val Dyal, the Senior Content Link teacher, also shared information on the importance of researching Disability Resource Centers. Each college has a DRC for students who require accommodations. However, there is a difference in what services are offered. Val provided interview templates for students to use at DRC appointments during college visits.
As UCAW approaches, counselors are available for students and families for any questions relating to the college application process. Appointments can be online on the PCHS website under the Counseling.
Reading is the cornerstone to academic success and a primary focus for many of our students in special education. Traditional reading strategies are often not enough for students with diagnosed reading disabilities, especially students at the younger grade levels. This is the reason behind the multi-sensory approach used by our special education teachers in their instruction.
With the multi-sensory approach, the fundamental structure of language is taught using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways allowing students to capitalize on their strengths while remediating deficits. Our highly skilled special education teachers use magnetic letter boards, high-interest, decodable text with picture supports, auditory cues aligned with reading, and tactile materials like sand or raised lined paper; to meet individual needs. This is where science and artistry meet in the classroom to make reading meaningful, motivating, and ensure student success.
PCSD Special Education is grateful for all of the resources, materials, and professional development from community organizations – Park City Education Foundation and PCReads in support of reading success for our students.
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