Transitions Program featured in magazine

New Richmond Exempted Village School District’s Transitions Program, which provides students with disabilities in ages 18-22 a functional curriculum including life skills and employment skills, will be featured in the January edition of Ohio’s Salt Magazine.

Salt Magazine's Beverly Draalik (left) interviews
Transitions teacher Lisa Martin.

The cornerstone of the New Richmond Transitions Program is The Brewhaus Bakery Company located on the first floor of the Market Street School where Salt Magazine journalist Beverly Drapalik visited in December and viewed the process of baking and marketing Brewhaus Dog Bones made from spent whole grains sourced from local Cincinnati microbreweries.

Salt Magazine is published six times a year by the Wilmington News-Journal. The magazine is available online at www.thesaltmagazine.com.

Teacher Lisa Martin and job coaches Bobbie Perry, Gaylynne Robinson, Michelle Flood and Shelley Glenn are providing job and living skills for eight students through the age of 23 while saving the district $100,000 a year.

Transitions Program associates market their Brewhaus Dog Bones at November's Cincinnati Holiday Market at the  Duke Energy Center.

Transitions Program associates enjoy a social outing at a Cincinnati Reds game.

“Beverly Drapalik interviewed our coaches and associates and followed the entire process of producing dog bones from picking up the grains at two local microbreweries, mixing the grains with peanut butter, eggs and rice flour, molding, baking and packaging the bones for delivery to local vendors,” said Martin.

In Ohio, students with disabilities can forgo accepting their high school diplomas and receive training in life and employment skills by their school district until they reach the age of 23. Formerly contracted out to another district, the Transitions program was moved back to the district in 2014 at a savings of more than $100,000 per year due to the number of students involved.

Lisa Graham, a local parent and entrepreneur, worked with the NREVSD to establish the Brewhaus Dog Bones Company which is managed by the Associates and provides a real business experience for the Associates.

Students participate in all aspects of the program from planning/forecasting demand, making, baking, labeling and weighing bags, processing orders, attending community sales opportunities, calculating costs, counting money (both cash and credit) from sales and then making bank deposits.

“The associates are involved in selling the Brewhaus Dog Bones at a variety of events in the Cincinnati area,” said Martin. “Beverly asked an associate what he liked most about the business, he replied, ‘All of it.’ Brewhaus provides many future employment skills and self-confidence in a variety of setting for the associates.”

One recent event the Transitions class participated in was a booth at the Cincinnati Holiday Market at the Duke Energy Center in November.  Associates produced thousands of small dog bone treats to sell at this event.

 “The goal is to eventually have our own freestanding ‘Brew Bakery’ for supported employment and to continue as a vocational training site,” said John Frye, New Richmond’s director of pupil and staff services. “It’s 100% non-profit and all proceeds go back into growing our program for others to participate. Best of all, your dog will love you for giving a Brewhaus Dog Treat.”