ABERDEEN, S.D. – When Malachi Bratton was a sophomore at Aberdeen Central, his parents suggested he could take a gap year after high school before starting college.
“I found out I could do TLC,” Bratton said, “and decided that would be a good thing.”
Now 18, Bratton started in the Aberdeen Public School District’s TLC Program this fall, and he’s really enjoying it.
“It’s helping me learn stuff I need to know for when I’m on my own,” he said.
That’s one of the main goals of the district’s TLC Program, which stands for Transition Learning Community. The program is open to any special education student up to age 21 who has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and has met all the requirements of high school, said Aberdeen Public Schools SPED TLC Teacher Hannah Davis.
The TLC program focuses on employment skills, vocational skills, independent living, and recreation and leisure. It also focuses on understanding the community and the resources and services available to students as they transition into adulthood.
Currently, about 20 students are enrolled in the TLC Program, which is located in the District Service Center.
Davis said the program is flexible and can be tailored to the needs of each student, whether they plan to head to college or the workforce, or if they need a lot more support.
“The school district can be that team member and connect and guide families, depending on the goal,” Davis said. “It’s a very wide range of abilities and students.”
In the classroom, students work on independent living skills, recreation and leisure, and community exploration. Davis said they take students out into the community, including the library and YMCA.
For the employment side of the program, TLC partners with South Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation’s Project Skills, a paid work experience program for students with disabilities.
Golden Talon Coffee Shop
Another component of the program is the TLC Golden Talon Coffee Shop. Throughout the school year, TLC students offer a pop-up coffee shop in the Simmons Middle School lobby.
“Our coffeeshop is huge because that encompasses so much learning,” Davis said.
That includes grocery shopping, pricing, budgeting, working together as a team, communication, problem solving, customer service and creativity. The coffee shop also does delivery style coffee along with the pop-up style, where it’s more face to face. The delivery style provides a different type of customer service, teamwork and planning.
“It’s really fun,” she said. “I love it.”
Students enjoy the coffee shop as well.
That includes Angel Frey, 19, who is in her second year of the TLC Program and is enjoying it. Some of her experiences have included tours of businesses such as 3M and Horton’s, as well as a fun day at the end of the year going to the Millstone and the Retrocade.
Frey hopes to work in a day care someday, and she said the TLC Program is helping her reach that goal.
What has been the best part of the TLC Program? “Meeting new people and the coffee shop,” Frey said.
Bratton enjoys working at the coffee shop as well. He also enjoys his job through Project Skills working at the Salvation Army Store.
What’s been the best part of the TLC Program for Bratton? “Probably all of it,” he said.
Bratton plans to go to college after the TLC Program, and TLC is helping him get there.
TLC Program is a Valuable Resource
Davis said she’s worked in districts in multiple states, and the Aberdeen Public Schools TLC Program is rare.
“I’ve never been in a district where they’ve had an adult transition program,” she said.
Now, she gets to be an advocate for the program and help parents of high school students realize it’s a valuable resource that’s not offered elsewhere.
Her favorite part of the TLC Program is the community aspect—seeing a group of students come together and work to achieve a goal.
“Some of them find leadership roles,” Davis said. “It really is just an incredible journey that you can see from when they start to throughout the year… especially when they didn’t think they could do something, and they’re able to do it. It’s really rewarding.”
About the Aberdeen Public School District
The Aberdeen Public School District provides a comprehensive educational program to approximately 4,200 students in grades K-12, with a mission of empowering all students to succeed in a changing world. Our students receive the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their potential in a global community through high expectations of academic achievement; diverse educational opportunities; and community involvement in a safe, supportive environment. Learn more at aberdeen.k12.sd.us.