Why WD-40 is like a Transition Plan

My friend’s grandfather loves WD-40. He uses it on everything that does not work well: squeaky doors and gates, stubborn bolts, sluggish appliances. He even uses it on his arthritic knees and elbows! He says it helps. I believe him.

I remember reading a WD-40 can one day (yep, I was bored). It was the “Anniversary Edition” of WD-40, and the can was very festive. That particular shade of blue was still the same, and the bright yellow font still stood out as sharply, but in addition, a banner blazed across the familiar product face: “40th ANNIVERSARY.” On the back of the can was a narrative about the origin of the product name. Turns out, WD-40 stands for “Water Displacement formula #40.”

Now, this is not an earth-shattering fact. It’s not up there with “dark chocolate is actually good for us” or “Pluto is no longer a planet.” But it’s interesting.

You are likely wondering how I am going to link WD-40 to Transition. Why am I rambling on and on about some old can of something that gets thrown in a tool box?

Here is the thing: the number 40 in the famous brand name means that the precious stuff in the blue can is Formula # 40. That means that Formulas 1 through 39 were tried, too. I envision stern laboratory workers in white coats, laboring over bubbling beakers while trying to perfect the formula. Here are notes, straight from my fertile and off-beat imagination, on progress from the WD Lab:

Formula #5- Not quite right, but getting better.

Formula #11- Promising results, but not great on door hinges.

Formula #15- Getting closer but need more of Element X

Formula #21- It’s that darn Element X! Leave it out!

Formula #27- What were we thinking? My fingers are sticking together.

Formula #31- Whose idea was it to try mixing in a little Coca-Cola?

Formula #36- I think we may be getting close.

Formula #39- Hey! Almost perfect! Let’s try just one more thing…..

Formula #40- We did it! Put it in a spray can and sell it!

I still have not gotten around to my point. Here it is: Just like the formulas that lead to WD-40, Transition Plans are works in progress. We begin with the end in mind. We start thinking about the end of high school before the student even begins high school because we know that the plan will go through many revisions. Goals will change; new resources will be discovered; family dynamics will shift. All the while, the Transition Plan will be there. Each year, the IEP committee will bring it out, dust it off, and in partnership with the student and the parents, the IEP case manager will review the Transition Plan, add new information, note revisions and deletions, and check to make sure the IEP goals and objectives are keeping the student on track. Just like that team working in the lab, the IEP team works to perfect the Transition Plan.

And hopefully, at the end, we will all be able to look back on Graduation Day and say, “We did it!”