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MILLCREEK TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT : BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR LIFE !
Technology , Social Skills , Communication , Presentation Skills , Interviewing Skills , Money Management , Health and Wellness , Job Search Skills , and Keeping a Job . Internships / Worksite Rotations Through a series of three unpaid internships , the students acquire skills to enable them to apply for a related position . Students also build communication , teamwork , and problem-solving skills , which is important to their overall development as a young worker . Potential student worksites are identified through a continuous collaborative process involving the teacher , job coaches and business liaison . Students are required to interact with their supervisors via telephone and written communications to arrange a job interview to secure each rotation . A department mentor is identified at each site . The mentor interacts with the instructor , job coaches , and the student as a consistent source of guidance and feedback . Students spend approximately five hours each day at the internships including a thirty minute lunch . Working from a task list , they acquire the core skills necessary to be hired in an entry-level position at the host business site or in the community . The Project SEARCH staff delivers the training and develops job accommodations and standard work procedures . Once the students master the core skills , additional skills are added to improve their marketability . Job Placement and Community Connections During the last few months of the program the emphasis is on refining skills , achieving the career goal , and carrying out individualized job placement . The Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor becomes an even more important part of the team as the job search process begins . Job development and placement occurs based on the student ’ s experiences , strengths , and skills . Community services are identified that provide assistance with necessary adaptations required to perform a specific job . Job coaching and long-term follow up are usually arranged through the local Developmental Disability organization . Upon satisfactory completion of the program ( 95 % or better attendance , good attitude , successful skill acquisition at each job site ) students receive a Career Portfolio .
The Millcreek Township School District is excited to be part of this program which provides an outstanding base for Building Foundations for Life .
McDowell to Unveil Distinctive Scholar / Advanced Placement Capstone Program
Beginning with the 2017-18 school year , students attending McDowell High School will have the option of pursuing the highest level of academic rigor and programming available during their high school experience . The McDowell Distinctive Scholar Program will be a more rigorous component of the high school ’ s existing Honors College Program , and will provide its members with the opportunity to receive the Advanced Placement ( AP ) Capstone Diploma at graduation .
AP Capstone is a program from the College Board that helps students develop the independent research , collaborative teamwork , and communication skills valued by colleges and universities . Developed at the request of the College Board Higher Education membership , AP Capstone is composed of the following :
• AP Seminar : AP Seminar provides a sustained practice of investigating issues from multiple perspectives and cultivates student writing abilities so they can craft , communicate , and defend evidence-based arguments . Students are empowered to collect and analyze information with accuracy and precision and are assessed through a team project and presentation , an individual written essay and presentation , and a written exam .
“ Our Honors College Keystone data verifies that McDowell High School provides the highest level of academic rigor in the area . Initiating a Distinctive Scholar / AP Capstone program for our highest achieving students signifies our continued commitment to providing a world class education for our students ,” said Superintendent William Hall .
• AP Research : In AP Research , students develop the skills and discipline necessary to conduct independent research to produce and defend a scholarly academic thesis . This second course in the AP Capstone experience allows students to deeply explore an academic topic , problem , or issue of individual interest . Through this inquiry , students design , plan , and conduct a yearlong mentored , research-based investigation . The course culminates in an academic thesis paper of approximately 5,000 words and a presentation , performance , or exhibition with an oral defense .
• Additional AP courses of a student ’ s own choosing , including a new AP course for the 2017-18 school year , Human Geography . The application process for acceptance into the Distinctive Scholars Program begins with the traditional Honors College application during the student ’ s eighth grade year . Selection into the Distinctive Scholars Program will not occur until after the first semester of a student ’ s freshman year . District officials are currently refining the more rigorous entrance requirements and will soon unveil an AP Capstone course mapping guide for students and parents . It is estimated that no more than 40 students will be admitted into the new program .
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MILLCREEK TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Millcreek | Spring 2017 | icmags . com 27