Pathways to Success

Garden Spot High School

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Prospective Cooperative Education Students

This page is for high school juniors who are interested in participating in the Pathways2Success Cooperative Education Program during their senior year.  Please use the resources on this page to learn about this program.

What is the Pathways2Success Cooperative Education Program? Cooperative Education gets students ready for life through work-based or internship-based learning programs in a customized setting that is learner-focused.  It is designed to provide Garden Spot High School students the opportunity to earn credits while gaining the skills for 21st-century careers.

What is the goal of the Pathways2Success Cooperative Education Program?  The goal is to help the student achieve a high priority occupation.  A high priority occupation is defined as a job that has high pay, high demand, and high skill.  The Pathways Coordinator will assist the student with job changes and reaching career goals.  In addition, the Pathways Coordinator will help the student with the transition from high school graduation to the next step which may include some type of post-secondary education (short-term or degree-based training).

What does a schedule look like in this program?  During senior year, a student’s schedule will look like the following:

  1. A student will take the remaining core credits needed to graduate either in the traditional classroom or online environments. Core credits include math, science, English, and social studies.
  2. In addition, during the 1st semester, the student will participate in a Cooperative Education class that meets during block 1 or 2 of the 1st semester only. In this class, the learning will be customized to meet the needs of the group and the needs of each individual.  The Pathways Coordinator will customize the learning environment and provide diverse in class and off-campus experiences that may include job tours, college tours, career fairs, etc.  These off-campus experiences will be determined based on each student’s individual interest areas.
  3. Lastly, the student must maintain a job while in the Pathways Cooperative Education Program. The student will earn credit for working in a job.  The grade for this credit will be determined by the student’s supervisor at their job.

Semester 1:  

Block 1:  Pathways2Success Cooperative Education Class (1 Elective Credit)
Block 2:  English (1 English Credit)
Blocks 3 -4:  Out at a job (2 Elective Credits)

Semester 2: 

Block 1:  Math (1 Math Credit)
Blocks 2-4:  Out at a job (3 Elective Credits)

How many hours can I work at my job?  The number of hours that a student can work in a job depends on the age of the student.  If the student is 16 or 17 years old the employer must follow child labor laws.

Do I earn class credit for the Pathways2Success Cooperative Education Program?  Yes, you will earn 1 elective credit for participating in the Cooperative Education class and 1 credit for each block working in a job.  For example, If a student is able to leave school after the 2nd block, then the student will receive 2 elective credits for working during blocks 3 and 4.  Please see the schedule above for an example of a student schedule and the number of credits that this example student would earn.

What is the role of the student on the job? The student and business will determine the job duties/responsibilities that the student will perform. This will be agreed upon and placed on the work agreement document (provided by the school).

What is the role of the supervisor and business? The supervisor will guide the student with job responsibilities and soft skills in order to be successful in a career. The supervisor will be required to evaluate the student’s work performance two times per semester by using the provided evaluation form. The supervisor will also be required to have their clearances if the student is under the age of 18.

Can the job be a paid position?  Yes.  It is required that every student hold a job where they receive compensation.

When can I leave the HS campus to go to my job?  The student may leave campus after they take the classes that they need to graduate.  Please see the example schedule above.

What are the required clearances? If the student is under the age of 18, the supervisor is required to have their clearances. The required clearances are the FBI Federal Criminal History Background Check and Fingerprinting, Pennsylvania Criminal Background Check, and Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Check.

How do I get Pathways2Success Cooperative Education on my class schedule for my senior year?  

  1. The first step is to talk to your guidance counselor and Mrs. Hackman, Pathways Coordinator.
  2. Next, you will add Pathways2Success Cooperative Education to your schedule during course selection.
  3. Lastly, you need to get a job. You need to start the school year with a job.  If you would like to change your job throughout the school year, the Pathways Coordinator will assist you with this change.

Who do I go to for questions?  Please see Mrs. Hackman in the Career Center or send her an email @ jill_hackman@elanco.org for more information.

Image from:  Lisa Ouellette via Compfight

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