Resource students celebrate Halloween

JOHNSONVILLE—Students in Donnell Mace’s class at Johnsonville Middle School learn by doing as you listen to her explain their classes and the work involved.

They, Mrs. Mace and the students, are very fortunate to have the support of all the faculty and staff, including the custodians and the cafeteria workers. Their biggest project is assisting in the cafeteria every day, and to that point, they were honored Thursday of last week with a “Super Halloween Party”, provided by the cafeteria staff. Special refreshments were prepared, including “swamp juice (wonderful lime iced punch), decorated cupcakes and other cookies, plastic gloves filled with popcorn and ghosts made from lollipops among other delicacies. Their punch cups held a plastic hand in the bottom and miniature plastic rats played in a bowl of cheese squares.

Before refreshments were served, the students were divided into two groups. Each group was given three rolls of white toilet tissue. They raced to see who could wrap one student from each group into a mummy using the tissue. This proved to be a fun contest.

Students from Mrs. Mace’s class assist and are mentored by the classroom teacher, custodians and cafeteria staff on the school campus. They develop their interpersonal communication skills and learn basic household/work skills through daily practice and activities. These assigned supervised jobs around the JMS campus give students the hands on opportunities to learn skills that will aide them in performing task for employment opportunities.

Parents are aware of the job skills program. The students volunteer to do these simple jobs if they choose to. The jobs are simple and Mrs. Mace is there to assist them when they need help. The students that work are each rewarded with special functions and treats. Their lunchroom activities include such things as putting milk and juice in the cooler, wiping the tables after breakfast, putting out napkins and cups, getting the dishes washed and put out for lunch, taking the food from the freezer for lunch and taking out the trash, all under supervision. They also work outdoors with yard maintenance and other outdoor opportunities.

Mrs. Teresa Humphries, cafeteria manager, said, “We appreciate these students. They are a huge, huge help to us. They are dedicated and show pride in their work. They make the lunchroom progress more smoothly. Because of their help we were able to reduce our lunchroom staff from four fulltime employees to three. This saves the district in the long run. We are glad to have their help and we do not have to go behind them to check their work. They are diligent in what they do.”

Transition skills (from students to the outside work force) begin at 13 with interest in jobs, then goals and placements in the field are specifically added to the curriculum for students 16 and older. Skills are introduced in the school setting to aid in making students successful in the work place and introduce them to the job “setting”.

There is a big push from the State Department of Education to get students in all areas of self-contained and resource classes become more self-sufficient, help them seek employment and live independent lives a functional way.
The high school builds on to the skills students take from the middle school. They are significantly involved in job skills and placement.

Mrs. Mace said, “At JMS we strive to teach students a sense of responsibility, honesty, dependability, job ethics, character and positive supervision/relationships.”

These students, as they progress, will be able to identify appropriate dress for successful self-presentation at job interviews. They will be assisted in the study of the S.C. Drivers’ Handbook and complete the on-line practice test and necessary paperwork for obtaining a SC Driver’s license.

Mrs. Mace couldn’t be more proud of her students and the achievements of each one. She refers to them affectionately as “My children”. She has them in her classroom the entire school day except for such as music, art and Physical ed. She said, “That is an awesome responsibility, but one I accept every day of my life. I couldn’t be more happy when I see one of “my children” succeed at their given task.”

Mrs. Mace is JMS and Florence County District Five “Teacher of The Year” for 2009.