School store helps students build real-world job skills on and off campus

Dillan Wysocki rings up snacks and counts out change behind the counter at Mattituck High School’s student-run store.

For one period a day, the 16-year-old works a number of jobs — part of a program designed to prepare students for jobs beyond the classroom.

Dillan is one of more than a dozen students in the school’s special education program who get hands-on experience in a vocational setting designed to teach communication, financial and independent living skills.

When asked what he’s taken from the experience, he doesn’t hesitate: “I would say, me, personally, counting money efficiently.”

The store — a go-to spot for students, teachers and administrators grabbing last-minute snacks and gifts — was the brainchild of Caroline Wills, who joined Mattituck High School as an inclusion teacher nearly two decades ago.

In the beginning, Ms. Wills would pack all the materials in a milk crate on a cart and go from classroom to classroom.

But she felt the existing program wasn’t benefiting students enough, so she approached Shawn Petretti — then principal, now superintendent — about opening the school store.

She explained that it wouldn’t be a club or extracurricular. It would become the school’s special education program.

“Now we have, as our old superintendent referred to it, the Macy’s of the East End,” Ms. Wills said.

The store officially opened about 18 years ago, taking up just a part of a room, where students sold pens and pencils. The room was divided in half, and it was really only open to students with more significant needs at the time, Ms. Wills explained.

As the program grew in popularity, the store expanded into a larger space — evolving into both an in-school convenience stop and a hands-on learning environment.

“It’s a full-functioning learning environment, vocational program that we have here,” Ms. Wills said. “There’s a gamut of skills students are developing, from socialization skills to vocational skills to independent living skills. We go through it all.”

For high school students to get a degree, they need to pass Regents exams. For some special needs students, that’s a difficult goal to obtain. Instead, they can go for a skills and achievement credential. Those students are permitted to stay in a school program until age 21.

There are also students in the program who are getting up to an advanced Regents diploma, who come in for a period or two to work on socialization skills or if they feel it’s a better fit for them. Other students use the store as their full school program.

When the store is closed during lunch periods, the students learn accounting. They practice using deposit and withdrawal slips and learn how to handle bills used to pay for inventory. Ms. Wills said their accounting skills are “top-notch.”

The workers also go shopping once a week to big-box stores in Riverhead to restock the shelves, spending up to $1,000 at a time.

The goal of the school store, Ms. Wills said, is to encourage students to branch out. After hitting certain criteria, students have gone on to work in the guidance department, with the superintendent’s secretary, in classrooms at Cutchogue East, and recycling for the district. The program also works in collaboration with the state Department of Labor, so students can also receive paid employment.

Brett Mauro, also 16, spends half of his day in the school store, sometimes going out into the community. The other half of his day is spent at BOCES, learning mechanics.

The program has had a partnership with PetSmart for eight years — and will soon collaborate with North Fork Country Kids. They are also working with Kait’s Angels, a local nonprofit, to offer a variety of prom dresses for students to rent.

Students have also held down summer jobs at the Splish Splash water park in Calverton, cleaning tables, working in the kitchens and in security.

“It’s almost like a 12-month program. Anybody who goes through the school store is given the option of continuing to build their skill sets in the summer with an extended year program. Our extended year program isn’t the usual pen and pencil; it’s a running collaboration with the Department of Labor.”

Sue Hubbard has been Ms. Wills’ assistant in the program for the last 15 years. Through the years, she’s seen it grow and students gain capability and progress.

Mr. Petretti said the program wouldn’t exist without its two dedicated educators. For Ms. Hubbard, the program has been beneficial for her, too.

“I get compliments constantly from other staff members of the changes that they see,” said Ms. Hubbard. “I’ve learned a lot of patience. I’ve learned a lot of skills that I’ve learned through teaching them skills.”

The school’s Best Buddies program — which pairs students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities to build friendships — also works closely with the store, taking field trips and helping connect special education students with the broader student body.

Caden Nieves, a junior, is in Best Buddies and finds it rewarding.

“I make new friendships with the buddies. I incorporate my friendship practices with them,” he said. “I build relationships with not only the buddies, but also the teachers, and it becomes a whole community that I really like being a part of.”

The school store doesn’t just teach life skills. Over the last 18 years, it has given away over $60,000 in scholarships.

Those awards don’t always go to students earning a traditional diploma — they can support students entering the workforce, pursuing trades or continuing their education.

“It’s awesome, for me, to go into Riverhead, go shop and stop in a couple stores, and see some of our alumni working,” Mr. Petretti said. “Some have been in jobs for 10 or 15 years, and came through our program. They’ve made those relationships through this program, and continue to work and thrive. That’s a credit to this program.”