Katie Bond has been a SSN (significant support need) teacher at DHS for the past 19 years; Bond helps students who have disabilities. 

When Bond started teaching, the kitchen in her classroom was designed to teach daily living skills in the context of a home kitchen.

“About 12 years ago, our SSN program launched an in-school business called DHS3,” said Bond. The goal of that program was to teach students work-readiness skills to help them transition successfully into the workforce after high school. 

As time passed, the program was renamed to Station 34. “ Students now choose menus, complete grocery shopping, prepare meals, and serve lunch to up to 45 teachers each week,” said Bond. This teaches students basic life skills for after high school. 

“For years, we have dreamed of remodeling our space into a commercial-grade kitchen so we can truly teach the skills required in the industry,” said Bond. After many years of dreaming, now that dream has come true. 

Soon, there will be a remodeling of Bond’s room. This remodeling will include the following: A stainless steel countertop and prep stations, a three-basin sink with sanitation hookups and a sprayer, a commercial dishwasher and refrigerator, a six-burner range with a functional hood, a dedicated handwashing sing, a laundry station, locking cabinets for sanitation, chemicals, and last but not least a removal of carpet and installation of tile flooring for improved sanitation. 

This is going to be a big change for the Station 34 program. Many changes are to come, and with that, new learning opportunities for the students.

“I am absolutely thrilled about the opportunity to grow our program. The possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait to see our students build on the skills they already have while learning new, industry-level techniques,” said Bond