Independent Living Skills
WSD has implemented an Independent Living Skills (ILS) program for junior and senior students. The Academic ILS Coordinator, SLCs, Deans and Residential Program Supervisors work together to provide students with information on available services and programs, opportunities to gain practice in daily living skills and to interact with Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing and Hearing role models, all of which facilitate the process of becoming independent.
1. Goals for the ILS program
. To provide students skill development opportunities and information needed to help them live independently.
. To provide a variety of opportunities to make choices and decisions and to practice new responsibilities.
. To provide role models showing how Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can lead productive and rewarding lives.
2. Program content
. Self-care and daily living
. Food preparation, food shopping and nutrition
. Personal management
. Accessing community resources
. Health care and medical issues
. Housing
. Transportation
. Financial management and budgeting
. Employment, education and vocational
. Recreation and leisure activities
. Self-help and personal
. Communication
3. Student "pay"
Students will be "paid" pretend money for going to school. They will be "paid" $7.00 per hour for 7 hours of school each day. Students will punch in on a time clock when they come to school in the mornings and they will punch out in the afternoon when leaving school for the day. Students will also punch in and out when going to appointments not related to school, when they go to the nurse and when they leave the school building for unrelated activities.
4. Student "bills"
Students will pay the following "bills" each month using the pretend money in their checking accounts.
taxes/social security
rent
food
electricity/heating and cooling
phone
water/sewer
garbage
cable TV
transportation
laundry
checks
Students are expected to follow all WSD rules, polices and procedures. If students do not follow rules they may receive may a Behavior Referral Form (BRF) which will cost them a fine. Fines for rule infractions are listed below.
Level 1 behavior referrals-$5.50 fine
Level 2 behavior referrals-$10.95 fine
Level 3 behavior referrals-$20.00 fine
Any WSD staff person may write BRFs for ILS students. The graveyard Dean keeps track of all BRFs issued and sends a list of students who owe money for BRFs to the ILS Coordinator and SLCs.
5. Level System
The ILS Level System is designed to encourage students to earn their privileges and freedoms while learning how to be responsible. Students may move between three levels depending on their behavior and level of responsibility. The three levels are:
Gold Club
Silver Club
Bronze Club
At the beginning of the school year or upon enrollment to the ILS program students will begin at the Bronze Club level. To better evaluate student readiness for level changes, students will remain on a level for at least one level movement period. Generally, level movement periods are Sunday through Friday.
6. Gold Club Expectations
. Follow all academic and residential rules.
. Follow all WSD's policies and procedures.
. Use good time management skills.
. Have an alarm clock and get up on time every morning.
. Go to school on time. No unexcused tardiness.
. Have good attendance in school. No unexcused absences.
. Complete school work and homework assignments on time.
. Must be passing all classes with a C- or better.
. Clock in and out daily in school
. Participate in scheduled ILS activities
. Pay a $50.00 refundable damage deposit
. Pay all WSD "bills" on time
. Plan and cook one meal a month for his/her WSD "family"
. Keep bedroom neat and clean at all times
. Do assigned chores daily
. Use own bed linens and towels and launder or change his/her bed linens every two weeks.
. No Behavioral Referrals (BRFs) in a week.
. Students will follow all sign out expectations.
. Students must be in cottages by 9:30 p.m.
7. Gold Club Privileges
. Independent study time (no required study time)
. Independent bedtime in bed and lights out by 12:00
. Movie social once a week
. May have visiting privileges on Sundays
. Sign out anytime you want between 3:30 and 9:30 (areas 1, 2 or 3, Monday-Thursday only)
. Students may go to one cottage and cook dinner any day with approval of SLC. (Must give 24-hour notice.)
. May use laundry room at any time
. May go to school 5 minutes early in the morning
. May go to lunch 5 minutes early
. May go out for lunch from 11:00-11:40. (Must give 24-hour notice to the Academic Supervisor.)
. May participate in special field trips
. May have a "sleep-over" in same gender cottage
. May be unsupervised in outside play areas
. Eligible for snack bar certificates weekly
. Will be eligible for Quarterly Performance Awards
8. Silver Club Expectations
. Follow all academic and residential rules
. Abide by all WSD's policies and procedures
. Use good time management skills
. Have an alarm clock and get up on time every morning
. Go to school on time
. No unexcused absences
. Keep up with daily homework assignments
. Can not be on Academic Probation (AP)
. Clock in and out daily in school
. Participate in all required ILS activities
. Pay a $50.00 refundable damage deposit
. Pay all WSD "bills" no more than two days late
. Plan and cook one meal a month for WSD "family"
. Keep bedroom neat and clean at all times
. Do assigned chores daily
. Use own bed linens and towels and launder or change bed linens at least two weeks
. One Level 1 in a week
. NO Level 2 or Level 3 BRFs in a week
. Students will follow all sign out expectations
. Students must be in the cottages by 9:00 p.m.
9. Silver Club Privileges
. Independent study time (no required study time)
. Independent bedtime in bed and lights out by 11:30.
. Movie social once a week
. Sign out up to four times a week (areas 1, 2 or 3 - Monday-Thursday)
Days and times that sign out is allowed:
Non-elective days 3:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Elective days 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
. Can do laundry from 3:05 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
. Students may go to one cottage and cook dinner once a week. Do not have to go to the cafeteria. (Must have SLC's approval. Must give a 24-hour notice.)
. Students may go out to lunch from 11:15- 11:40. (Give a 24 hour notice to Academic Program Supervisor) Mon- Thurs only
10. Bronze Club Expectations
. Follow all academic and residential rules.
. Follow all WSD's policies and procedures.
. Use good time management skills.
. Have an alarm clock and get up on time every morning.
. Go to school on time. No unexcused tardiness.
. No unexcused absences.
. Complete schoolwork and homework assignments on time.
. Student cannot be on the AP list more than 2 times per quarter.
. Clock in and out daily in school
. Participate in all scheduled ILS activities
. Pay a $50.00 refundable damage deposit
. Pay all WSD "bills" no more than one week late
. Plan and cook one meal a month for WSD "family"
. Keep bedroom neat and clean at all times
. Do assigned chores daily
. Use own bed linens and towels and launder or change his/her bed linens every two weeks
. No more than two level 1 or 2 BRFs in a week
. NO Level 3 BRFs in a month
. Students will follow all sign out expectations
. Students must be in the cottages by 9:00 p.m.
11. Bronze Club Privileges
. Independent study time (no required study time) if student is not on AP. If student is on AP the student must have 1 1/2 hours of study time during the day.
. Independent bedtime. In bed and lights out by 11:00.
. Can do laundry from 3:05-10:30
. Movie social once a week.
. Sign out 3 times a week (areas 1, 2 or 3, Monday through Thursday only)
Days and times that sign out is allowed:
Non-elective days 3:30 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Elective days 5:30 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
For more information, Email:
Bill Newell