Teacher proposes Falcon’s Nest café and unified club to boost students’ life and work skills

Megan Bashland, the district’s high-school autism life-skills teacher, updated the board on classroom work that gives students hands-on experience with inventory, money counting and customer service and proposed expanding those activities to a student-run Falcon’s Nest Cafe and an afternoon snack cart available to students.

Bashland described the Falcon’s Nest teacher snack program (students check inventory and count money weekly) and said the student-run Falcon’s Nest Cafe operates monthly; she proposed expanding to a student snack cart for sale between classes at prices of about 50¢ to $2 to promote healthy choices and additional learning opportunities. She framed these enterprises as instructional: students practice reading orders, counting, labeling and delivery logistics, and the work supports transition goals in students’ IEPs.

Bashland also proposed creating a unified club (a Special Olympics–supported inclusive sports club) for students with and without intellectual disabilities and described two grant opportunities: the TANF program (temporary assistance for needy families) for career exploration and the Department of Education APR (Attract, Prepare, Retain) initiative aimed at recruiting and supporting future special-education educators. She asked to work with program partners (OCR/OER) and district staff to pursue grants and logistics. The board responded with offers of help on grant-writing and noted existing partnerships including Best Buddies and Special Olympics activities in the district.

Bashland introduced her student teacher, Kyla (who described how a high-school service-learning program inspired her career choice), and the board thanked Bashland for the practical proposals, with staff noting that some equipment (a cafeteria cart and existing pin-pad) is already available and that staffing is the main remaining hurdle.

Next steps: Bashland and administrators will coordinate on grant applications (TANF and APR), finalize logistics for a snack cart pilot and return with specifics for board consideration.