Transition Plus hosts Halloween dance
Special Education program attends multi-district gathering
Photo used with permission from Alaina Martin
Sophomores Monica Smigleski and Edan Cherrill partake in the Halloween festivities at a dance hosted by Transition Plus Oct. 27. Transition Plus hosts two dances a year for the Special Education programs in the districts it serves.
November 8, 2017
Dressed as Cleopatra, sophomore Hailey Martinson said her favorite part of the Halloween dance the Special Education department participated in was listening to music, dancing and playing games.
“We had pizza for lunch, lemonade and water and snacks,” Martinson said. “(My favorite part) was listening to music and dancing and playing games and it was fun. (My favorite song was) the Whip and Nae Nae.”
According to Special Education teacher Alaina Martin, the Special Education department attended a Halloween dance Friday Oct. 27 in the afternoon.
“Transition Plus (hosted the Halloween dance),” Martin said. “(The dance was held) at Cedar Manor and I think it was from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.”
Martin said the students paid for a five dollar ticket that covered the cost of the dance.
“The students pay five dollars to go, so that covers the cost of food and decorations and stuff,” Martin said.
According the Transition Plus website, Transition Plus serves to provide post-secondary education, training and employment for students with special needs.
“Transition plus is a school for students 18-21 in St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka,” Martin said. “It is a school that our students go to after high school.”
Martin said because the dance is hosted by Transition Plus, it provides the opportunity for current students to see their friends who graduated high school in years prior.
“I think the students are excited because they get to see some of their friends who graduated last year and the year before,” Martin said.
Martinson said she enjoyed meeting the students in Transition Plus that she will join after graduating high school.
“It was cool (to see kids who had already graduated) and they were nice to me,” Martinson said. “I made new friends (at the dance), so when I go to (Transition Plus), I will see them there.”
Martin said most of the students in the Special Education program attended the dance. She said the Halloween costume theme gives the students the opportunity to have fun dressing up in costumes.
“Some of them like dressing up in their costumes and just seeing their friends and having a fun time, dancing,” Martin said.
