Our progressive transition program at our Parlin campus begins with an Introduction to Careers, then moves to the New Road Square On-campus experiences, Community Based Instruction, and finally to participation in our Structured Learning Experiences.
Introduction To Careers includes assessments of student's skills, capacities, and interests, and introductory activities integrated into their academic curriculum that are designed to improve a range of critical skills they will need for transition.
Students participate in Community Based Instruction, where groups of four or five students are taken out into the community to observe a variety of businesses and to discuss potential interests and job possibilities.
This introduction is followed by on campus job experiences in the New Road Square, our own micro community, followed by numerous positions throughout the building, all of which offer hands-on training in a range of services that include retail, office, culinary and production services.
Click here to learn more about the New Road Square micro community at New Road School of Parlin.
As the students increase in grade levels and their readiness skills progress, they participate in our off campus internships experience. New Road enjoys strong community relationships with a variety of local businesses and non- profit organizations that support our transition programs and students. These SLE-Structured Learning Experiences allow our students an opportunity to apply skills they have acquired in the classroom in community placements and develop relationships and contacts with potential employers for the future. Students participating in off-campus partnerships are accompanied by a job coach. The job coach is familiar with the student, encourages task completion and completes a performance form daily that assists in identifying strengths and area of need.
Advanced Careers
Students involved in advanced careers work three days a week in ShopRite in our Supermarket Careers Program. This program offers students the opportunity to run a small ShopRite grocery store. Half of their time is spent in the learning lab, and for the rest of the time they run the store. Students learn to organize items on the shelves, put away new order stock, price items appropriately, and operate the cash register for transactions.
Students in advanced careers also work in the Provident Bank. Here they learn career-skills and basic financial literacy, balancing checking accounts, making a budget, and opening new accounts. Students are also in charge of the New Road School Bank, where they manage student accounts.
Hands-On Fulfillment Center
Students who work in the Fulfillment Center work together to complete orders given to the school by local business. For example, Kastle Kreations, a local fundraising company, provides our students with its larger orders to work on. Students label items, organize them into bags and other packages, and assemble the items needed for the company's distributions.
Recently, the New Road School of Parlin entered a partnership with the Pop-In Café. Students in the fulfillment center complete popcorn orders by producing their labels and literature, and filling tins.
Click here for a list of our partners in the community.
This practical, realistic and sequential hands on learning approach guides students to reach their full potential, while developing a positive work ethic, and becoming confident adults. We encourage our students to identify their interests as part of becoming independent young adults.