The Functional Life Skills (FLS) students at Father Bressani Catholic High School in Woodbridge, Ont. have been busy helping their classmates get into the Christmas spirit with handmade festive gifts, while also developing important skills.
Thanks to a partnership between the school’s FLS program and the Construction Technology Department, these students with exceptionalities were gifted scraps of wood, which were transformed into figures of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. Students then sold the nativity gifts to their peers and teachers in the school.
FLS teachers started the project last year when they found it increasingly difficult to find job placements for these students in the community. So, they took it upon themselves to create jobs for the students.
Based on their abilities, the students could paint the wood, attach wood pieces together, tie twine rope around the head for a halo or glue the figures together. The students were then responsible for selling the nativity gifts, which included interacting with customers, counting money and documenting the sales. This was definitely an excellent learning opportunity for the students!
“I felt happy when I painted and when I was selling Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus,” said FLS student Jessica Porcasi.
The project made the Father Bressani community proud, and all proceeds will support the school’s FLS program.
“I am honoured to be part of Father Bressani’s Special Education Department as I see how hard everyone is working to bring opportunities such as this to our FLS students,” said Ms. Melissa Vitta, Department Head of Special Education. “A big thank you to our Workplace Teacher, Ms. Sinopoli, for her hard work spearheading this initiative along with Ms. Stanevicius, our FLS Teacher, and the Education Workers who were instrumental in working alongside our students to bring this beautiful Christmas gift of Christ’s birth to our school community.”
Merry Christmas to the Father Bressani FLS program!
