This month at Cedar Hill Elementary School the school’s LIFT Program Launched the LIFT Café. Headed by Briana Carey (Speech-Language Pathologist) and Jillian Mazza (Case Manager), with support from Caitlin Stanford (Occupational Therapist), this program offers students in the LIFT classroom a hands-on opportunity to develop essential life and social skills in a real-world setting. LIFT stands for Learning Independence For Tomorrow.
The café offers items like coffee for the Cedar Hill community to purchase. Each month, LIFT students take on different roles in running the café, from greeting customers and engaging in conversational exchanges with teachers, to handling money and making change. Students also practice following multi-step directions to prepare and serve coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, all while refining their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and strengthening their independence.
Beyond the practical skills gained, the LIFT Café fosters meaningful interactions between students and staff. Teachers enjoy connecting with students in the program in a relaxed and engaging environment, while students gain confidence and communication skills through these positive social experiences.
“The LIFT Café has been met with enthusiasm from both students and staff,” said Carey. “We look forward to seeing the LIFT Café continue to grow each month!”
Cedar Hill Elementary school is one of five elementary schools in the Montville Township Public Schools district. MTPS serves 3,500 students in PreK to grade 12. Nearly 325 PreK to grade 5 students attend Cedar Hill.