Syllabus

Program Description and Objectives

Students who are enrolled in the Employability Credential Program will be prepared to gain employment immediately upon graduation. Math, English, Social Studies, Science, and Intensive Reading classes are taught with an emphasis on how these subjects relate to careers and everyday life skills. Transitional and self-advocacy skills are also incorporated throughout the curriculum.

Upon entering the program in ninth grade, freshman students will focus primarily on academic requirements. They may also practice the use of effective social skills, interviewing techniques, and completing job applications as part of their preparation for job training.

Sophomores will have the option of applying for one of the programs at the Career Center if they are interested in a specific area. If they are accepted, they will attend Donaldson for 2 periods in the morning or afternoon. They will be transported by bus to and from the career center from Greenville High. Those who do not attend the career center will be enrolled in all their academic classes for the Employability Credential Program.

Juniors may follow one of two tracks. If they have done well at the Career Center during their sophomore year, they may be invited to return to the Center in order to pursue a vocational field of study for their remaining two years. The second option requires juniors to work with a transition specialist who will assist them in shadowing several different jobs within the community.

Seniors will attend class at Greenville High School when they are not on a job site. During the senior year of high school, they will work the majority of the school year on a selected job site in an area of their interest. The transition specialist continues to monitor their progress. These students will receive both classroom credit for the training and a salary from their job. Students will collect samples of their best work, receive job performance ratings, and copies of any licenses or certificates they have earned in a portfolio.

Course Description and Objectives:

Access English

Access English helps students develop communication skills that are essential for deciding upon a career, obtaining a job, maintaining a job, and being prepared for promotions.

This text is designed to be practical and relevant. Activities and exercises are patterned after situations in the working world and are designed to develop better reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

Access Sciences

These ideas provide a framework around which students organize what they learn. Students then make connections and establish relationships among core ideas, connecting their ideas to everyday experiences. Understanding these views provides students with the ability to make predictions and more scientifically accurate interpretations as they apply their scientific knowledge to real issues.

Intensive Reading

This course is designed to improve upon the reading skills of our students. Student will either be enrolled in the System 44 or Read 180 class. These classes are conducted using a specific layout and software that comes along with the programs. Students participate in whole group literacy instruction, small group differentiated instruction, and independent software literacy instruction.

Access Math

This course focuses on learning and applying practical math skills to every-day life situations. Each lesson is short and concise and emphasizes how these skills may be applied in practical situations. Students will review and practice math concepts which are followed by related practice problems using calculators, and problems-solving exercises. Topics of interest include whole numbers, fractions, counting money, percentages, telling time, measurements, and introductions to algebra and geometry.

Students are expected to apply math skills through realistic word problems that reflect a situation in everyday life. Students are taught various strategies to use when solving problems. Students are expected to add, subtract, multiply and divide whole numbers, fractions and decimals. They will compute percentages, solve money and time problems, read charts and graphs to obtain information, and calculate simple geometry problems involving area and perimeter.

Employability Education

This course focuses on teaching students necessary employment skills to be successful in the world of work. The majority of the skills are learned through operating the school based business, "Simply G." Through this embroidery and vinyl business, students learn to not only work with the machines and materials, but also how to market, count inventory, work in software programs, sales, customer service, money skills, and the responsibility of producing quality product for a customer.

Evaluation

An Employability Credential requires students to earn a grade of 60% on each subject. Classes and quizzes account for 40% of a student’s grade with tests composing the other 60%. Students who are unable to maintain a 60% average may be at risk for not passing necessary classes toward their Employability Credential.

Grading Scale

A = 100 - 90

B = 89 - 80

C = 79 - 70

D = 69 - 60

F = Below 60

Discipline

Students in the Employability Credential Program are expected to follow the Dress Code and Attendance Policies as specified in the Greenville High School handbook. Please refer to the handbook that was given to each student at the beginning of the school year for more detailed information.

Classwork completed during an excused absence should be made up as soon as possible. Students will receive a zero for any work missed due to an unexcused absence or suspension. Homework will be kept to a minimum, but students would benefit from studying their texts, handouts, and class notes for tests.

Discipline Policy

The classroom is expected to be orderly as any employer would expect an orderly and disciplined working environment. Class rules, consequences, and rewards will be strictly kept to train students to follow rules both in school and in any working environment they might enter. Please see the attached behavior plan for specifics of the classroom discipline policy.