School-to-Work
by Mandy Plog
December 05, 2005
Hemingford High School
School-to-Work Class
Mandy Plog, Brigit Harris - CoTeachers
The School-to-Work program is designed to offer an arena to apply the skills learned in class to actual on-the-job experiences. For those students who are unsure of what career they would like to enter, the class offers inventories that will help a student narrow down the many choices open to them. The students will be able to try out a career that interests them in a relatively low risk situation. Some of these jobs will be paid experiences and some will be unpaid, volunteer experiences. All jobs will conform to the Fair Labor Standards laws. Students are required to sign contracts concerning behavior, liability, and activity issues. While at the job site, students will be required to fill out time sheets. During the work experience, students are to observe and participate as fully as possible in accordance with state and federal laws. This class is aimed at all students. Students who will be entering the work force immediately after high school or shortly after attending a training program or trade/tech school, as well as students with plans of further schooling at a college or university are encouraged to sign up for this class.
Hemingford High School currently offers many classes aimed at preparing the students for life after high school, whether that be college bound or directly to the work force. The variety of classes we offer try to meet the needs of the various student abilities and interests. We have a College Prep Senior English class, as well as an English 12 class. The English 12 Applied Communications class works with resumes, applications, cover letters, and the basics of on the job writing, while the College Prep English class focuses more on preparing students for the writing they will encounter in a university setting. We have applied math classes that focus on problem solving involving real world situations as well as upper level advanced math classes. We have a strong vocational agriculture program, which focuses on different aspects of the industry. Business Math focuses on the practical aspects of math in business situations. Professional Development encourages proper techniques for working in and running an office.
School-to-Work is an elective class that students may take during their senior year that focuses on many different life skills. The students learn about job skills, references, interviewing tips and techniques, how to write a resume and cover letter, how to fill out job applications, in addition to many other topics. The students do an in-depth study of two jobs of their choice, resulting in a job analysis and college research. The students are required to put the information they have learned into a presentation portfolio highlighting their best work. The students also learn how to fill out tax forms based on different simulations. Money management and living expenses are also covered in this class, including paychecks, take-home pay and deductions.
The Hemingford curriculum currently offers numerous opportunities for our students who are planning to attend a four-year college after high school, and offers applied classes for the students who will need more practical applications of the skills. After looking at all the academic, vocational, applied, and life skills classes offered at HHS, the only thing missing about eight years ago was a chance for the students to put the classroom experiences to actual use, through work-place experiences in our community. The school-to-work class is a chance for the students to actually try out the job that they would like to pursue, or a similar job, and see if the experience meets their expectations.
In order to qualify for the class, the students must have successfully completed enough credits to graduate on time with their class, including the credits taken the Senior year. The students� behavior during their regularly scheduled classes will have an impact on the amount of time and participation in the work place setting. Also, the students must keep passing grades in their required classes in order to continue in School-to-Work.
From speaking with community members and parents at various events such as the open house, parent-teacher conferences, and in the work place, Hemingford definitely sees a need for this type of program offered through our schools. Hemingford is a community of very hard working businessmen and women, and our students should be afforded the chance to learn these work skills so they may also become productive members of the community.
Course Outline:
Unit 1 - Why People Work
Unit 2 - Interests, Aptitudes, and Skills
Unit 3 - The Job Market
Unit 4 - Choosing an Occupation
Unit 5 - The Armed Forces
Unit 6 - Finding Job Openings
Unit 7 - Applications, Resumes, and Interviewing
Unit 8 - The Paycheck Puzzle
Unit 9 - Money Management
Unit 10 - Getting along with your Employer
Unit 11 - Safety on the Job
Unit 12 - Work Ethics
If you have any questions about Hemingford's School-to-Work program, please let us know. Mandy Plog's email address is mplog@panesu.org. The phone number at school is 487-3328.
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