About

The Spot

A Very Special Coffee Shop!

Rankin County School District Special Education Transition Program

The Spot Coffee Shop serves as an employment training lab for students in RCSD’s Special Education Transition Program. The Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities awarded RCSD a start up grant to improve students’ opportunities for competitive employment through this working classroom in 2012. Now The Spot Downtown continues to run through support from the district and community.

The shop is located at 223 Tamberline Street, Brandon, MS. The Spot Downtown is run by students from across the district from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm daily.

The students serve their very own The Spot coffee blend, hot chocolate, and packaged baked goods. The front of the coffee shop is set aside as an art shop that features original student artwork.

The hope is that the students not only gain the necessary skills to become competitively employed, but also increase their opportunities to interact with non-disabled peers and other members of their community. It is the intention of the school district to increase disability awareness and to spotlight the abilities, gifts, and talents of all our students.

Community involvement is essential to the success of the students and this endeavor. Your support is greatly appreciated. We would love to hear any ideas or suggestions you may have for becoming involved. Please remember every little bit helps: from purchasing a cup of coffee or a piece of original artwork to offering future employment opportunities for our students. 

For more information or to give suggestions for improvement please contact Summer Lewis (slewis@rcsd.ms).