The DLS program is designed specifically to address the individual needs of each student. Parent input is sought at IEP meetings so that skills can be taught and practiced at school, and then transferred to the home environment or the dorms for continued refinement and confidence.

In general, Elementary students work largely on personal self-help skills such as zipping, buttoning, tying, table manners, making simple snacks, and doing age appropriate household chores. Middle School students spend more time learning the skills needed to cook simple foods and learn to do more advanced household chores such as ironing. At this age we also focus on social skill development and learning body language. Besides refining what they have already learned, high school students plan menus, cook full meals, and learn to budget and manage money. They learn the importance of time management and personal organization as they think about where and how they would like to be living after they leave school.

Students who choose to continue to further their education in the Transition program at CSDB find another challenge in transferring what they learned in DLS classes to the dorm and college environments. Here students are fully responsible (with appropriate support as needed) for their own living areas and bedrooms and managing their own laundry. Planning and preparing meals, from the market to the table, and leaving a sanitary kitchen is an activity that is worked on during the time a student is in our program. With good time-management they do their studies for higher education, share responsibilities of apartment life, and have time left over for  fun and feel proud of their accomplishments.

Ms. Unwin Watson is a resource for students and parents alike and can be reached by telephone at 719-578-2174 or via e-mail at wunwin@cdsb.org