Last week, students had a great time during their Community Based Instruction fieldtrip to Palm Springs Mile! While visiting Burlington and Dollar Tree, students practiced real‑world budgeting and independent functioning skills. They located clothing and shoe sizes and selected items that fit their needs and predetermined budgets. Students also made thoughtful choices about healthy and affordable snack options using what they’ve learned in previous nutrition lessons. Throughout the trip, students practiced pedestrian safety by crossing streets safely and following traffic signals with confidence. They wrapped up the day with lunch at Chick-fil-A, where they worked on community dining skills like reading menus, ordering independently, and using appropriate social behaviors.
We are so proud of their continued progress in Budgeting, Independent Functioning, and Social Skills!

The HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. class had a wonderful Valentine’s Day celebration filled with love, learning, and creativity!  Students enjoyed themed activities like reading about the history of sweethearts, completing a math activity, and decorating their own Valentine bags from Target. Students enjoyed a delicious lunch while their teacher and paraprofessionals transformed into a Chipotle ‑style crew, serving up custom bowls and burritos as students placed their orders and chose their ingredients. It was a fun, hands‑on way to build independence, communication, and decision‑making skills—plus the burrito bowls were a huge hit!
Students also took a trip to Michaels to shop for supplies for homemade soap gifts. During the party, they mixed scents and colors, created heart and rose molds, packaged their soaps beautifully, and wrote thoughtful notes for their families.