Life and Social Skills
Authentic life and social skills cannot be taught in rows of desks—they must be practiced, experienced, and internalized in settings that mirror real life.
At Joliet Township High School District 204’s Transition Center, the student kitchen reflects modern residential design, featuring warm materials, natural light, and open sightlines. Residential-style suites with kitchens, laundry, and living areas provide realistic opportunities to practice independent living, from food preparation to housekeeping and self-care. Accessible and non-accessible elements allow students to navigate the variety of environments they’ll encounter in life.
Social interaction is also essential. Dining and living areas create natural opportunities to practice communication, while spaces like break rooms, conference rooms, and office suites help students build the interpersonal skills needed for future employment.
At JTHS 204, the use of natural and decorative lighting, warm materials, and open sightlines help create an environment that mirrors the daily life any student would be proud to be in.
Mundelein High School District 210 repurposed an existing administration building, formerly a church, to serve as the new Transition Center for the District. The vaulted wood ceilings serve as a natural setting for a variety of simulated living and common social spaces for students.
At JTHS 204, the use of natural and decorative lighting, warm materials, and open sightlines help create an environment that mirrors the daily life any student would be proud to be in.
Mundelein High School District 210 repurposed an existing administration building, formerly a church, to serve as the new Transition Center for the District. The vaulted wood ceilings serve as a natural setting for a variety of simulated living and common social spaces for students.
Authentic Vocational Experiences
While partnerships with local businesses remain vital, many districts are embedding vocational experiences directly into their facilities. Workshop zones and maker spaces foster skill-building in trades, design, and fabrication—especially for hands-on learners. At T99, Community High School District 99’s transition center, a life skills suite connects to a multi-purpose room where students create crafts that serve the broader community.
Design can also reflect local workforce pathways. At Joliet Township High School District 204, where many students enter the food service industry, the transition center includes a commercial kitchen opening onto the commons, giving students opportunities to practice cooking, customer service, and sales.
Vocational training is most powerful when authentic—not simulated. Thoughtful facility design can blur the line between school and community, integrating micro-businesses such as print shops, cafes, or craft stores. When designed to be community-facing, these spaces provide both meaningful learning and public engagement, signaling pride, openness, and integration.
Conclusion
Transition programs are not extensions of high school—they are launchpads into adulthood. Their design must reflect the dignity of every learner, the practical demands of daily life, and the rigor of real-world work.
For Wight & Company, these projects are an opportunity to shape futures, not just facilities. By embedding purpose, flexibility, and humanity into each decision, schools can move beyond compliance toward transformation. Transition program design is among the most impactful—and underexplored—domains of educational planning. With the right design strategies, we can reframe disability not as limitation, but as a call to innovate, elevate, and empower.