What's the plan?
Dakota Ridge Seniors:
Career Explore students will still attend and graduate from DRHS but will have a individualized schedule tailored to student's chosen career field.
Fall Semester
First 6 weeks - Education
- Attend core classes at Dakota Ridge High School specific to skills needed in career field
- Example: Geometric Principals for construction students
- Time and opportunity to complete credit recovery classes online
- Career Explore class for soft skills
- Examples: resumes, interview skills, financial literacy, field trips, guest speakers from industry
Second & Third 6 weeks - Training
- On-site training through industry partnership
- 2-3 days a week on-site (dependent on career)
- 1-4 days a week at DRHS working on Capstone project
- Industry required training's
- Registration, classes, fees and certificate
- Examples: OSHA 10 (Occupational Safety and Health Administration through U.S. Department of Labor), First-Aid/C.P.R., CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), Servesafe.
Spring Semester - Internships
- 2-4 days a week at work site
- 1-3 days a week at DRHS
- Opportunity to interview for a paid internship
- Internships will be during school hours
Final - Presentation of Capstone Project
- Students must demonstrate and explain learnings to a panel of experts
Rationale:
Rationale:
- Our world is changing and more students do not see the relevance of traditional schooling.
- College is not for all students, but a career pathway is realistic.
- In 2016 - 520 youth dropped out of Colorado schools
- costing taxpayers $13,900/year
- a societal cost of $37,450/year (estimated, Opportunity Youth Report, 2017).
- Our current system does not provide enough opportunities for students who desire a hands-on, interactive real-world education.
- Collaborating with our industry partners in the community, we can prepare these high school students for the future tailored to their goals and dreams.
- Students will be better prepared to engage in the work world, while still graduating from high school.
- Upon graduation, students will have earned:
- A high school diploma
- Industry training certificate
- Paid internship
- More experience and expertise in chosen career field than other students with equivalent high school diploma.