Business partners needed for new school-to-work program

Walla Walla Public Schools Special Education Department is seeking business partners interested in providing work sites for students with special needs. Walla Walla high school students would work at area business sites with a district para-educator serving as a job coach. The students would be volunteers and work one or two days per week for a few hours, according to Special Education Director Libby Thompson.

“We would match students to their job interests,” said Thompson. “Students would need to be juniors or seniors to work in the community.”

Thompson is also developing an internal program for freshmen and sophomores to work at sites within Walla Walla Public Schools. This program will serve as training platform for underclassmen as they prepare for work in the community during their junior and senior years.

Businesses interested in partnering with the district on this school-to-work program should contact Libby Thompson at 526-6726 or lthompson@wwps.org.

PHOTO: New Special Education Director Libby Thompson