Improving Student Success

January 7, 2022

Meet Joshua. Josh recently came to Elim with goals to gain more independence and prepare himself for the “real world” through Elim’s transition program. 

Because Josh uses a wheelchair, Elim’s adapted and personalized educational program is great for him. But because Josh can propel himself around in his wheelchair like a pro, the bathroom facilities don’t always allow him to access the facilities independently. Doors can be too heavy for him to open and some bathroom counters are simply too tall for him to reach. 

For nearly 75 years, Elim has been providing services for people with disabilities. Over those years, many of our students’ needs have changed. When Elim first started in the late 1940s, very few students were using wheelchairs or other large, adaptive equipment. What worked for a student 5-10 years ago might not work today. 

Josh isn’t the only student who would benefit from improvements to Elim facilities. That’s why Elim has engaged its school community to fully investigate other opportunities to improve facilities so that Josh can access his education, and his school building, as independently as possible.