Announcements

Transitions throughout a child’s school career, and into adulthood, can be among the most daunting times for families, especially for those with a child with an IEP. As students move through middle school and high school and become adults, families need to have systems in place to ensure that their child’s needs are met in life after Green Chimneys. Transition planning, however, is not something families have to face alone.
The Green Chimneys Transition Team can be your family’s guide between what is often felt to be two very separate worlds: school and community. We help to bridge the gap between services in the community that can assist your child, such as Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), and Office of Mental Health (OMH). In preparation for life after Green Chimneys, our Transition Team offers workshops and trainings for our students and families. We assist in navigating the transition planning process and provide connections to ParaTransit, public transportation, and recreational services.
A collaboration between Green Chimneys’ transition coordinators, social workers, teachers, and school and vocational counselors accomplishes the important work of transition planning by empowering you—the family— while helping your child develop the tools needed to overcome the many challenges of young adulthood.
Transition planning at Green Chimneys typically begins in middle school and continues throughout high school:
Below please find resources for your convenience. Please note that not all activities or organizations may apply to your child and/or may occur at different times. Please speak with your child’s planning team for specific information.
Transition Planning Resource List
Donkeys Gracie and Reba have been residents of the farm since 1996 and are particularly valuable partners for the children because they offer immediate feedback on behavior. They are patient, shy and headstrong but because donkeys only acknowledge humans who appear calm, this pair helps children learn the skills necessary to approach them gently and quietly. Gracie and Reba also have an extraordinary bond and have difficulty being apart so students must keep this in mind, even for basic tasks such as walking them. If the donkeys lose sight of each other they will start calling to one another so students work together to make sure the pair can see each other for their entire journey outside.