Transition Program - Lyons Township High School District 204

What is Transition?

Transition is an IDEA mandated Special Education program available to students ages 18-22 who have met graduation requirements and continue to work toward individual goals in deficit areas. Transition goals may include the following areas:

Vocational Training
Independent Living Skills
Transportation Training
Community – Based Training
Functional Academics
Employment / Education

Simply put: Transition is a coordinated set of activities designed to move students from high school into adult life.

Mission Statement: The LTHS Transition Program prepares young adults with disabilities, ages 18-22, for post-secondary success and independence. Essential skills are developed through individualized planning and collaboration with the student, family, school, and community partners.

Vision Statement: The LTHS Transition Program supports each student’s passion and purpose in life while promoting progression from school to post-secondary activities in the areas of education/training, employment, independent living, and community participation.

Additional Information

How are students recommended for Transition?

As a student progresses through their career at LTHS, they will discuss their ongoing transition services and goals each year at their annual review meeting. As graduation approaches, students and staff may decide that additional training services are necessary to meet transition goals. To help make this important decision, the IEP team considers the following information:

Student / family input
Teacher recommendations (based on observations, task analysis, formative and summative assessments, etc.)
File review including eligibility information which specifies a student’s strengths, challenges, abilities, and adaptive skills
Team collaboration with discussion of the needs of the student and corresponding goals

How do I know if the LTHS Transition Program is right for me?

Students enrolled in the Lyons Township High School Transition Program include diverse learners from all disability categories. Our students were enrolled in one or more of our undergraduate special education programs, including LIFE, Personal/Social Development, Cross-Categorical, and Inclusion. Students within the LTHS Transition Program are at different places along the journey of meeting their transition needs and goals. The Transition Program is able to meet these individualized needs through the variety and flexibility of programming and scheduling which is available for each student.

Program Components

Students enrolled in the Lyons Township High School Transition Program include diverse learners from all disability categories. Our students were enrolled in one or more of our undergraduate special education programs, including LIFE, Personal/Social Development, Cross-Categorical, and Inclusion. Students within the LTHS Transition Program are at different places along the journey of meeting their transition needs and goals. The Transition Program is able to meet these individualized needs through the variety and flexibility of programming and scheduling which is available for each student.

Sample Student Schedules

An individual student’s schedule is customized to that student’s needs and wishes, so he or she receives the maximum benefit from the program. Following are some samples of what a student’s schedule might look like, just for purposes of illustration.

Sample Schedule #1: Full Time Student

Sample Schedule #2: Part time student attending COD/ Day Program/ Paid Employment

2024-2025TransitionSchedule-Sheet141_1 (PDF)

Sample Schedule #3: Part Time Student

2024-2025TransitionSchedule-Sheet142 (PDF)

Vocational Training for Transition

Work-based learning is learning that results from work experience designed to increase the knowledge and skills of the student. The work experience is supplemented with instruction and activities that apply, reinforce, or extend the learning that occurs during work, so that learners develop attitudes, knowledge, skills, and habits that might not develop from work experiences.

Work-based learning links secondary and post-secondary education, business and industry, labor and government to provide high school students with a wide range of career opportunities and experiences, leading to a smooth transition from school to work. Work-based learning students come to realize the connection between school and living productive lives. Both educators and business sponsors provide students with the employability and career-related skills they need to be productive members of the workforce. Thus, work-based learning programs serve as a vital link between education and careers.

Explore potential career options
Learn job specific skills
Foster positive work ethics
Understand the value of teamwork
Exposure to various career opportunities
Hands-on training
Opportunities for quality jobs and leadership development
Potential contacts with employers and post-secondary education
Connection or “link” between school and work
Self-confidence from success at school and work
Develop workplace responsibility, positive attitudes and habits
Opportunity to add experiences to resume
Understand job and work-related requirements

Transition Marketplace

Transition Garden

Since 2011, students have started over 1,000 vegetable, herb and wildflower seedlings indoors, using growing stations they constructed. Seedlings were also planted in a small backyard garden at the Transition House. During the summer, students water, weed and care for a variety of vegetables and flowers. In the fall, they are busy harvesting over 200 pounds of produce which was both donated to local food pantries and sold at the LaGrange Farmers Market, where the students share space and a tent with the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners. You can visit us at the Market on Thursday mornings at the 6th Avenue parking garage.

We developed land adjacent to the Transition House to expand on the success of the Program’s initial efforts. This garden project has been approved and is supported by the Cook County Extension Master Gardener Program. This relationship with the Cook County Extension will foster relationships between the Lyons Township High School Transition Program and the community as a whole. The exposure to gardening, green initiatives, nutrition/healthy living and involvement in the Farmer’s Market is consistent with many of the objectives that Transition students work on for lifelong learning, vocational experience and greater independence.

Given the success of these initial efforts, the Lyons Township High School Board of Education supported our installation of a ¼ acre organic garden just east of the Transition House. The garden includes outdoor classroom space, ADA accessible pathways and raised beds, beautiful wrought iron fencing, six raised vegetable beds, along with decorative shrubbery, flowers and trees.

Upcoming Transition Community Events

9/17/25 Ray Graham Speaker Series
9/17/25 Tackling Transition Topics

9/17/25 Ray Graham Speaker Series

9/17/25 Tackling Transition Topics

2025/26 Tackling Transition Recordings

9/17/25 Making the Most of Transition: Preparing for Life After SpEd Services End

Heather Riggs, a former special education transition teacher and facilitator, blogger, resource creator, and Illinois benefits connector, will talk through the process of preparing your child for life beyond school. Find out how you can be an active participant in creating a successful transition journey tailored to your child’s needs.

View the recording here.

Making the Most of Transition PDF Slides

10/15/25 Options Fair

11/19/25 Post-School Vocational Supports

1/29/26 RTA

2/18/26 Funding Part 1: SSI, SSDI, ABLE

3/18/26 Funding Part 2: Medicaid Waivers

4/15/26 Parent Supports - Respite & Support Groups

2024/25 Tackling Transition Recordings

11/20/24 ABLE Accounts

Illinois ABLE “Achieving a Better Life Experience” Accounts give people with disabilities and their families greater financial independence while preserving benefits. Rosemary Laudani, Manager of Illinois ABLE with the Illinois State Treasurer’s office provides us details about this program.

View the recording here.

IL ABLE-SNT Comparison Chart

IL ABLE Brochure

Folleto de IL ABLE (Espanol)

IL ABLE - What Kind of Investor Are You?

12/18/24 School-Based Services vs. Adult Services

1/15/25 ASPIRE Employment Training Program

Aspire's mission is to connect people with disabilities to ever-greater possibilities for learning, jobs, and safe places to call home. We work alongside people with developmental disabilities to open doors and amplify possibilities. Aspire's NEW Employment Training Program: Distribution equips people with the skills they need to thrive in the distribution and logistics industry.

View the recording here.

2/19/25 Medicaid Waiver Programs

Megan Turner gives an overview about the many Medicaid Waiver Programs in Illinois. Our students generally seek funding from DRS Home Services, DDD Home Based Funding and/or CILA and DSCC-Division of Specialized Care for Children. They are all sources of DHS funding in the State of Illinois. Participants learn the differences between the programs as well as when they can be utilized for people with disabilities.

View the recording here.

3/19/25 SSI, SSDI, Special Needs Trust, ABLE Accounts

4/16/25 Ray Graham Housing and Day Program

During this session, Ray Graham staff will present about programming options they offer for adults and children with disabilities. These programs include: recreational opportunities, housing options, and day programming options, Employment, Family Support and Behavioral Health Services.

Presenter: Catherine Campo

View the recording here.

Contact Information:

Peter Torres

www.Gatewaysra.com

ptorres@raygraham.org

P: 630-325-3857

Gateway, Elevate Adult Day Program

Leah Doweidt

l.doweidt@raygraham.org

Therapeutic Horsemanship

Diaonna Cain