District Five holds Transition Fair for families of special needs students

Lexington-Richland School District Five held its second annual Transition Fair Feb. 9, offering resources to families of special needs students.

Nearly 100 students, parents and community members attended the event aimed at connecting families to self-advocacy, independent living, employment opportunities and other special needs support. More than 30 providers and agencies talked one-on-one with parents seeking options to help special needs students “transition into careers and life after graduation.”

“The goal of the fair was to make sure parents in our district have every opportunity to be informed and advocate for their children with special needs, and this year’s event did that,” said District Five Director of Special Services Dr. Angie Slatton. “As educators, our goals are to ensure that all students are prepared for the future and ready when they transition out of our schools. We want to thank all the providers and agencies that attended the fair and helped our students be a step closer to transition.”

In addition to resources for transition, this year’s District Five Transition Fair also offered information on recreational, summer and other programs. The event was held at Irmo High School’s Center for the Arts. District Five serves more than 1,200 students with special needs.

Providers and agencies participating in this year’s District Five Transition Fair included: Able South Carolina, Arc of South Carolina, Arc of the Midlands, Babcock Center, Inc., Bright Start, Carolina LIFE, The COMET, Community Options, Inc., Family Connections of SC, PRO-Parents of S.C., Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. (P. & A.), REACH – College of Charleston, SC Assistive Technology Program, South Carolina Autism Society, SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, SC Developmental Disabilities Council, SC Vocational Rehabilitation Department, SC Works, United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolina, Inc., Burton Center, Hope Bridge at the Hollies, Hope Bridge on State, ICRC PALMETTO, Lykes Lane Training and Work Center, Three Fountains Training and Work Center, UCP of SC, Richland County Adaptive Recreation Program, Special Olympics, Midlands Special Needs Foundation, PAALS, Charlie Assey, Mass Mutual, and Project SEARCH.

Educators attending the event said the Transition Fair provided a “one-stop shop” of resources for the families of special needs students.

“A lot of families simply don’t know where to go for help,” said Liz Magee, a teacher for District Five’s Project SEARCH, a school-to-work program. “The Transition Fair allowed families to see what’s out there all in one location, which makes the process a lot easier and smoother in the long run for our students.”

Nearly 100 students, parents and community members attended Lexington-Richland School District Five’s Transition Fair on Feb. 9. The annual event is aimed at connecting families to self-advocacy, independent living, employment opportunities and other special needs support.