L.I.N.K.S.’ student-run café continues to evolve

L.I.N.K.S. High School, a specialized school within the English Montreal School Board serving students with diverse learning needs, continues to develop initiatives that foster autonomy, responsibility and real-world readiness. One standout example is the student-run Pause for Positivity Café, which operates every Tuesday and Thursday in the school cafeteria. Now in its third year, the café has steadily expanded its services, menu offerings and use of technology.

 The café is coordinated by teacher-manager Sara Gurreri, who has led the initiative for the past two years. This year, 12 students from the Work-Oriented Training Path (WOTP) class make up the café’s staff. The WOTP program emphasizes social development, life skills and employability, and the café provides an ideal environment for students to apply these competencies. Their responsibilities include dressing appropriately for work, collaborating with peers to prepare the café and kitchen for service, following hygiene protocols and independently notifying the school secretary in the event of an absence.

Preparation for working in the positivity café begins in the classroom, where students learn the workplace expectations. They watch hygiene and safety videos, review visual guides on proper attire, practice using kitchen equipment and even make their own uniform aprons. These hands-on  experiences help build confidence before students transition into their café roles.

Recent innovations have strengthened the café’s alignment with real-world employment. An iPad ordering system now allows their customers to select items using visual menus and calculates totals and change. The addition of a mobile payment machine, alongside traditional cash payments, exposes students to working with different payment methods. On Thursdays, the café operates exclusively in French, offering valuable language practice in an authentic setting.

The menu has grown to reflect current trends among teens, featuring home-made cookies and snacks prepared in the school kitchen, matcha lattes and beverages crafted with a new espresso machine and milk frother. The goal is to create a full café experience that mirrors what students would encounter in the community.

Proceeds from the café are planned for the purchase of a new coffee cart. Funds will also help cover community outings where student employees, accompanied by staff, can enjoy recreational activities and restaurant meals – outings that further their social and life skills.

The Pause for Positivity Café benefits the entire L.I.N.K.S. community. Students gain practical experience in math, communication and customer service, while also developing independence and responsibility – skills essential for life beyond school. With warm greetings and delicious homemade options, the café has become a valued and uplifting part of daily life at L.I.N.K.S. High School.

To watch the café in action: facebook.com/ reel/651698474670038

Tania Piperni is an autism spectrum disorders consultant at the English Montreal School Board. She has a Master of Education in Educational Psychology from McGill University.