Deer Creek School District Raising Money For Transition House

Folks with the Deer Creek school district are raising money to build a transition house to help students with special needs become independent. They need about $200,000 to make it happen.

The house would be built right on Deer Creek’s campus and would be the only one in Oklahoma, and one of only three in the nation.

Teacher Jeff McMillan heads up the program at Deer Creek High School where special needs students are already learning life skills.

“Just those skills to get you through day to day life,” he explained.

The planned transition house would take it all to the next level, with a bedroom, laundry room, even garage where students would learn to live on their own.

“That’s our ultimate goal, we want our students when they leave here to be able to contribute to society, pay their taxes, and live life like anybody else would,” said McMillan.

In addition, the house would provide additional space for students to learn job and interviewing skills.

James Rose, the District Executive Director of Student Services, has wanted to build the transition house for almost a decade.

“When I came out here to Deer Creek about nine years ago, I thought you know, this is the perfect place to put one together and build it,” said Rose.

He pointed out most people who have disabilities want to live on their own and work, but often get discouraged and end up on public assistance which costs taxpayers about $196,000 a year.

“So, for the cost of one person for one year, we could build this house and create an opportunity for lots of these kids to learn to live independently, to be employed,” said Rose.

For more information including how to donate visit http://www.dctransitionhouse.org or https://www.facebook.com/DeerCreekTransitionHouse.