LIFE Skills
Learning Independence through Functional Education 

Program Structure

• Self-contained setting with one teacher, one program para professional, and 1-1 para professionals as IEP dictates
• Classroom maximum of 8 students
• Programming offered from Kindergarten through Grade 23 (through 22nd birthday)

Programming for Students

• With moderate/ intensive educational needs, including multiple disabilities, autism, etc. 
• With significant adaptive behavior deficits whose needs require intensive adult prompting and instruction
• Who may have significant barriers to functional communication
• Whose needs are best met in a self-contained LRE with smaller class sizes 
• Who benefit from a community based instructional approach and functional curriculum aligned to Ohio Academic Learning Standards - Extended with significant modifications and accommodations

Specially Designed Programming of LIFE Skills

• Direct instruction of all content areas aligned to the academic learning standards-extended
• Community based instruction embedded throughout instructional units to directly generalize skills
• Systematic and direct instruction of social skills training, internet safety and technology
• Direct instruction in daily living skills, pre-vocational/ vocational skills, functional communication, and adaptive behavior skills
• Direct instruction of strategies/ methods to self-regulate behavior and daily routines
• Integration of school work experiences and community work experiences for students of transition age
• Participation with same age peers in school activities and/ or classes as appropriate
• Collaboration with an expanded IEP team to assist in transition for students who are appropriate for Penta Career Center and/ or the next steps in adult living
• Includes cost of related services as a component of overall programming

Students from Northwood, Lake, Genoa, Eastwood, and Rossford in the WCESC Life Skills Classroom at Northwood and Lake got together to present a Science Fair to each other.