At+Risk+Students

Project oriented introduction to multi pathways......

Who are the at risk kids

and what do they want to do.....what is relevant to those at risk.

Power and energy


 * small engines
 * alternative energy
 * solar car

Food Production and Preparation


 * farming
 * baking

Outdoor Resources

Project Orientated Education

Fort Fairfield - Kids started a bakery

Remove the walls and do something totally different

Summer program where students have a garden

Storefront downtown to show/sell products they create

Community volunteerism (Humane Society, etc)

Tour the programs spend a month in each of the programs to see where they might want to go.

Options Program had one of the classes as a Exploration type program.

Growing Pathway. Growing Pathway.

Horticulture, Agriculture, Silviculture CTE program integrated with the high school.

Rationale:

To reduce dropout rate and engage disenfranchised students. Fulfills a need in the community by training skilled workers in a career pathway that is growing in Somerset County and in the nation.

We need to involve disengaged students in meaningful, relevant learning.

We also want to involve students who are interested in agriculture.

This is the first of several pathways that could work for students.

This is a process of design to create experiential learning projects and career pathways between SRVC, SAHS and the community.

Career connections

With the greenhouse, floral, maple, orchard industries and Skowhegan Farmer’s Market growing here in Central Maine there is a need for people who have skills in horticulture and marketing.

This type of project meets a community need and therefore invites community involvement.

Connections between tech and academic programs

Science credit would be offered with this program. The program at Belfast offers a credit in biology to students involved in the program. This would be a basic biology course taught by Science teachers as a part of the course of study.

21st Century Skills

We need students to be “work ready”. We need them to engage in school and feel that it is relevant and that they are doing something that will make them employable in the 21st century. They need a place to belong to while at school, and through this program they will learn:

Global Awareness is gained from connecting with the community and the Greenhouse and Floral industries that have worldwide connections.

Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy will be fostered by students running a booth at the Skowhegan Farmer’s market every Saturday.

The students will learn how to be responsive to customer needs through foreseeing which products will be produced for the market and producing them including advertising and packaging these products for sale.

Short-long term action steps

Short term:

We need to take trips to places like [|Belfast] where this is being done and connect with industries such as Backyard Farms and community partners such as the Skowhegan Farmer’s Market.

Long term goals:

Start to create an advisory board, talk to the school board and the CTE director.

We need to connect to the academic departments, get state approval for a new CTE program and find funding,

We need to be part of the process to implement academic standards for the program.

The long term goal is to use this program as a model for other pathways.

This program is to be used to decrease dropout rates and increase aspirations

Major challenges in advancing and implementing.:

Space, money, facilities and staff.

Departmental territorialism

Establishing a summer program with busing, staff, equipment, etc.

Time constraints

Focus Questions:

How to integrate this with the community at large?

How to address standards in academic areas and competencies at the CTE?

How to make this happen, scheduling and funding?