Cottage Farm Program
Independence grows at the Cottage Farm Program.
The Cottage Farm Program (CFP) is an apartment-style residence for Ivy Street School students located in Brookline’s historic Cottage Farm district. Steps away from our main campus building in Brookline, CFP supports students who are seeking to develop independent living skills so that they can begin a successful transition to adulthood and plan for a fulfilling life in their community.
CFP students each have private rooms in an apartment shared with three to five other students. Together with their roommates, students cook, clean, build lasting friendships, maintain their home, and explore Boston and the surrounding areas.
Residential programming at CFP is supported by a team of skilled staff, including an Occupational Therapist who supports students with all aspects of skill development.
Skill development at CFP includes:
- Personal care
- Household management
- Meal preparation
- Community access
- Managing finances
- Managing medications
- Communication and social skills
- Executive functioning
- Healthy lifestyles
A day in the life:
CFP students are busy! Click through to see how one student spends their evening at CFP.
2:45pm
After school, I meet with my teacher to get some help with my homework assignment for the community college class I’m taking. We talk through the assignment together and then I walk over to CFP.
3:00pm
I drop my stuff in my room and head out to Target for a quick snack. At the bank, on my walk back, I deposit my paycheck. I’ll be taking the T to go home this weekend, so I take some cash out for my Charlie Card.
3:30pm
I meet with my Occupational Therapist to go over my grocery list and plan my shopping trip for the week. Tomorrow’s my night to cook. I’m planning to make fish tacos.
4:00pm
It’s my day to do laundry, so I put my clothes in the washer. While I’m waiting for the washer to finish, my friend and I play a card game.
6:00pm
I’m folding my clothes when one of my roommates lets us know that dinner is ready. I head to the kitchen to grab dinner and we all eat together, chatting about our favorite superhero movies.
6:45pm
After dinner, I wash my dishes, and then get started on my chore. This week, I’m in charge of mopping the common areas.
7:30pm
I’m feeling pretty good about my college homework after getting some help from my teacher, so I decide to spend a half hour working on it. Afterwards, my friends and I head to the living room to watch a movie and have some popcorn for our evening snack.
9:00pm
The nurse comes over from Ivy Street, and we check in about my plans to pack my weekend meds.
9:30pm
It’s been a busy day and I’m tired! I head to my room to get started on my nightly routine: checking the weather to pick out tomorrow’s outfit, setting my alarm for the morning, and then reading in bed.
10:00pm
Lights out. Everyone at CFP is preparing for big goals. In the morning we’ll walk to school together – rain or shine – to continue our work on the transition skills we’ll use for the rest of our lives.
