Alternative Education

Credit: 3 units per year

Open To: Grade 11, 12

Prerequisite: Courses offered at CACC have no prerequisites unless specifically stated

Juniors and seniors may request to attend one of the numerous programs at the Capital Area Career Center (CACC). A full list of all the course descriptions offered can be found at the High School Counseling Office or by going to the CACC website. Students earn three credits for the successful completion of a year course. 

How it Works: 

Students attend classes at Pleasant Plains High School in the mornings for first and second periods, and then leave for CACC. Transportation is provided by the school district, except for Cosmetology students, who must provide their own transportation home. Tuition is paid by the Pleasant Plains School District. Students are responsible for a $30 registration fee, and any required uniforms and basic supplies. Students are expected to pass academic classes at Pleasant Plains High School and have a satisfactory attendance and discipline record to attend and remain in attendance at CACC. A contract is included in the Student Handbook which students sign prior to enrollment in the CACC program. 

Open To: Early Graduates

Pleasant Plains High School seniors have the opportunity to participate in Lincoln Land Community College’s (LLCC) College Now program  The program allows seniors to earn college credit from LLCC by taking morning or afternoon classes at the college during the normal school day, second semester of their senior year.

The College Now program at LLCC is evolving with expanded course offerings. PPHS provides students the flexibility of customizing their course schedules that will aid them in pursuing their desired career path.  In order to enroll in the College Now program, students must be enrolled as a full-time student at LLCC.  To be considered full time, a student must be enrolled in courses totaling 12 or more semester credit hours during the semester. A student is expected to maintain 12 credit hours throughout the semester to remain eligible for the College Now program.

Credit: 3 units per year

Open To: Grade 11, 12

Prerequisite: Courses offered at LTEC have no prerequisites unless specifically stated

LTEC is a program designed to prepare students to be successful after high school. Whether students are entering the workforce, or continuing their education, LTEC has all kinds of career and technical education programs for any junior or senior student. Most of the learning is “hands on” where students are expected to participate, think critically, and work independently. At the completion of an LTEC class, students will have gained valuable job skills while obtaining insight into various rewarding careers. The Workplace Experience training program seeks to develop students academically, economically, and socially.

Academic and Attendance Record Prior to Enrollment in LTEC: 

In order for students to receive permission to participate in LTEC they must meet the following guidelines: (1) cannot have more than ten absences for the preceding academic year; (2) must not have failed more than one subject in either semester for the preceding year; however a student may make up the F in summer school and/or evening class and regain eligibility before the start of enrollment in LTEC; (3) must have a good student discipline record. The administration reserves the right to implement a behavior contract in lieu of not being allowed to enroll in the program.

Concurrent Academic and Attendance Performance:

In order for students to remain enrolled in LTEC, they must meet the following guidelines: (1) students who miss more than ten days per year, will not be able to continue with the program; (2) must not fail more than one class each semester at Pleasant Plains; (3) must receive a minimum of a C in classes at Pleasant Plains High School. Students who have grades that fall below a C will not be allowed to leave for work for an amount of time to be determined by the administration. Whenever any of these criteria are violated the student will not be allowed to continue in the LTEC program. The student will be re-assigned classes at Pleasant Plains High School.

Transportation:

Students are required to provide their own transportation to and from their workplace.

Credit: 2 units per year

Open To: Grade 12

Prerequisite: Must apply online and be selected by Sangamon CEO

 Sangamon CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) is a collaboration between businesses and school districts in Sangamon County, Illinois. It is an accredited, and a dual credit, high school class that connects students to business leaders. This connection allows our students to experience the challenges and rewards of running a business. 

Emphasizing real-world learning, high school seniors meet for class every day from 7:30 am to 9:00 am, at businesses where the business owners share their knowledge and experience. Students utilize what they learn to create a real business with real money, including business and marketing plans, financial projections, logo and brand which they present to bankers. Students then market their businesses, and sell their products or services at a local trade show. 

While emphasizing experience over textbooks, the class is linked to National Entrepreneurship and Common Core Standards. Students are selected for the class through a rigorous application process in the Spring of their Junior year. Their completion of an entrepreneurial profile and letters of recommendation are required for admission. 

Credit: 1 unit per semester

Open To: Grade 11, 12

Prerequisite: Must apply to the program

In 2007, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) Standing Committee on Apprenticeship and Training created a multi-craft training curriculum for use in Building Trades’ Apprenticeship Readiness Programs (ARPs.)  Building Trades ARPs were designed to prepare interested young people and transitioning adults to enter and succeed in registered apprenticeship programs, which are gateways to good middle-class jobs in the US construction industry.  The more than 150 ARPs across the US are sponsored by State and Local Building Trades Councils. Training Coordinators and Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees (JATCs) are in partnership with local community groups, construction contractors, government agencies, and schools. 

The goals of the Building Trades ARPs are to:

1.  Increase the diversity of qualified candidates for apprenticeships across all crafts; 

2. Increase the diversity of apprenticeship candidates by recruiting minorities and veterans; and

3. Increase the retention rate among apprentices by providing them with a deeper understanding of both the industry and the role of craft unions in construction. 

The educational foundation for the Building Trades ARPs is the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3)- a standardized, comprehensive, 120-hour construction curriculum designed to help young people and transitioning adults choose and succeed in an apprenticeship program that is appropriate for them.  In 2012, the US Department of Labor recognized the MC3 with its Registered Apprenticeship Innovator and Trailblazer Award.  The MC3 Curriculum consists of nine units:

1. Construction Industry Orientation

2. Tools and Materials

3. Construction Health and Safety

4. Blueprint Reading

5. Basic Math for Construction

6. Heritage of the American Worker

7. Diversity in the Construction Industry

8. Green Construction

9. Financial Literacy

All MC3 programs must contain a minimum of 120 classroom hours.  The 104 hour core is required for all programs.  Building Trades Council representatives and their partners may add additional hours to the MC3 at their discretion.