Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center

Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center serves students with autism, intellectual disabilities, and varying exceptionalities. This year’s theme is, “We may all be different fish, but at the Palm, we swim together.” Families should know that we take pride in building relationships with our students and creating opportunities for them in the community.

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Community-Based Vocational Education

Through CBVE, students volunteer at various worksites within the community (Publix, Zaxby’s, Goodwill of Northeast Florida, and Chartwells). Job coaches attend the CBVE sites with students,  provide coaching on the tasks students are to complete, and advocate for employment opportunities. We hold a job fair at the school with business partners where students practice interview skills and seek employment opportunities.   

Project SEARCH and School-Based Enterprises

In this program, students rotate to departments (hospitality, laundry, radiology, dining, etc.) within UF Health Shands Hospital to learn various work-related skills. At the end of the school year, a skills trainer seeks employment opportunities for students within the hospital or at other businesses within the community.  In our School-Based Business Enterprises, students learn skills in horticulture, wood shop, office work, and dining. In Palm Avenue’s Paw Treats, students with autism make dog biscuits to sell to the community. 

DCPS/FSCJ Transition Program

Students in this program attend courses at FSCJ to obtain a work certificate or technical certificate. Upon completion of their program, students receive certification in the following areas: auto and collision, HVAC, cosmetology, CNA, culinary, office assistant, welding, etc. Students have to interview to be accepted into this program.

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