I COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES
Improved communications will lead to better working relationships
Finding ways to share
services and costs would greatly reduce the burden typically placed on the taxpayers
(a) Develop/operate and have all districts utilize one cyber school with the following anticipated benefits:
1) Local
county control
2) Standardized cyber curriculum
3) Reduced costs (Currently, thousands of local dollars are leaving
Fayette County to pay for Cyber School Education.)
(b) Work toward a common curriculum for all county schools to realize the following:
1) Would save developmental costs
for all school districts
2) Input from all six districts would most likely produce a stronger/improved curriculum
3)
Students who must move from one school district to another will have an easier transition
4) Cost savings through bulk
purchasing of textbooks and related curriculum needs, would be realized.
(c) Each county school district could develop a magnet school for a specific discipline, for example:
Albert Gallatin………………Science
Brownsville………………….Technology
Connellsville…………………Math
Frazier……………………….
Art/Music
Laurel Highlands…………….Engineering
Uniontown……………………Language
1) Students within the county would be able to attend any school district, to focus on their particular interest.
2)
This would reduce duplication of expensive equipment and additional faculty,thus resulting in a cost savings.
(d) Develop a uniform truancy and attendance policy for the county schools.
1) This would lead to a better understanding
by all students and residents
2) It would be more efficient for the many organizations and agencies, local and state, that interacts with all six school
districts, i.e. Juvenile Probation, Children & Youth, Crime Victims Center, etc. As students transfer from one school
district to another – there would be no excuses for not understanding the policies
(e) Establish a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Center for Fayette County.
● Operated as a consortium not directed by one school district or post-secondary school
● Utilizing resources available locally as well as the Intermediate Unit, ASSET, PA Department of Education, PA STEM
Initiatives, etc.
II CAREER TECHNICAL TRAINING
• Every student in the county must have the opportunity to be trained in a modem career technical school delivering
cutting edge training matched to employer needs.
• Most jobs today will require skills that are attainable at public secondary career technical schools.
• Career Technical Schools are a needed investment to ensure a skilled workforce for Fayette County.
• Potential jobs in Fayette County have gone unfilled because employers could not find people with needed skill sets.
• A commitment to a new Career Technical School would send a clear message that Fayette County is investing in the
future workforce. This commitment would ensure Fayette County keeps up with, if not surpasses, other counties in competition
for potential and lucrative jobs.
If you do not now value Career Technical Education, think about your furnace failing
on a freezing winter night. Also, think about driving down the mountain and you find that the brakes on your vehicle are not
working properly.
According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor statistics:
40 – 45% of all job openings in the economy will be in occupations requiring Career Technical Education.
The shortage of skilled workers will increase as baby boomers retire.
Fayette County needs a competitive workforce to attract and retain business and industry.
Obtaining skills taught in Career Technical Programs will increase the probability of higher wages.
III STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIP
THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS BETWEEN THE
PRE-K PROVIDER AND THE K-12 SCHOOLS
Longitudinal studies have concluded strong pre-school programs and partnerships have
● Reduced remediation costs
to school district
● Reduced Drop-out rates
● Improve school readiness and help students achieve greater
academic success
Research has clearly indicated great return on investment concerning early childhood education
birth to age five.
1)
Students entering Kindergarten who are at risk are likely to have difficulty in school
● Why not pick one week for all the schools in the county to do kindergarten registration
(a) Would be easy for
everyone to remember
(b) More cost effective for all to advertise the same week – sharing costs and giving
broader
and more frequent media coverage.
● Develop and/or revise Kindergarten registration forms to be the same
(a) Pre-K providers could have the information
completed prior to kindergarten, making it easier for parents
(b) After all the State requires the same information for
each school district
(c) This would involve less paperwork and less time in line during actual Kindergarten registration
● Why not the same age and specifically the same date for kindergarten entry
(a) This would eliminate many disputes
and less hard feelings
(b) Clear, precise message to all parents
(c) No need to compare one district’s cutoff
date to another
(d) Easier to understand and accept if all have the same cutoff date
● Students need much more help in making career selections.
(a) This will improve communication between kindergarten
teachers and the Pre-K community
(b) A better working understanding of Pre-K standards and implications at the Kindergarten
level
(c) School district professional development activities should include Head Start/Pre-K teachers when appropriate
IV DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A FUNCTIONING COMPREHENSIVE COUNTY-WIDE
CAREER GUIDANCE SYSTEM
This plan should have defined career paths for the state’s
identified job clusters.
High priority occupations must also be presented using the
career ladder concept.
It would be helpful and more cost-effective if each school district would adopt the same best practices, i.e., software
career exploration and assessment package (Employer validations of competence at each exit point in the occupation career
ladder are essential)
The validation process would be more efficient if developed as
a county. Employers would only need to go through the
process one time rather than six times.
The same validation process needs to occur for entry into
post-secondary programs, be they a one, two or four-year program.
Guidance Counselors need opportunities to meet countywide
to coordinate career pathways and meet with employers.
A County-Wide College Fair would attract more post secondary
schools than individual school districts trying to compete.
Special workshops can also be offered on loans, scholarships, work experience programs, etc.
We need a person to be working with the Comprehensive
Career Guidance Plan to ensure fulfillment and continuity
with
all school districts/post secondary schools and employers.
Students with a clear focus and a career objective are:
● Less likely to be discipline problems
● Less
likely to miss school
● Less likely to have problems with the law and end up incarcerated
● More likely
to complete high school
● Less likely to have academic problems
● More likely to contribute to society and
their community
Educators In The Workforce – This gives educators actual work experience alongside skilled, knowledgeable incumbent
workers in many careers
● Teacher/counselors need opportunities to explore working in various work sites to have
an up-to-date understanding of various job requirements and opportunities.
● This keeps the faculty and counselors in touch with the reality of the work place.
● Improves communication with businesses and opens up opportunities to work together.
Students need the opportunity to have internship opportunities to fully appreciate and prepare for their futures. Minimally,
at least job shadowing opportunities.
Encourage all residents to help mentor our youth. One easy, safe and time-efficient way is through the internet with e-mentoring.
V POST SECONDARY EDUCATION
(a) We want all students to understand that their personal education and
learning does not stop after high school.
● For career advancement each student should at least consider a pathway to a post-secondary institution.
●
This could be proprietary/private technical schools or one, two or four-year formal college programs.
● Life-long
learning is necessary because of changing technology and career objectives that may change.
● Increase scholarship
opportunities for students using the Pittsburgh Promise and/or Kalamazoo, Michigan as models
(b) Adults who lose their jobs must have access to retraining programs.
● These can be offered by the post-secondary schools
● The Career Technical School Centers can and should
be utilized for adult training.
VI OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE
We must ensure they are given the best educational opportunities
We must elect officials who are willing to support education even if it means increasing revenue to fully fund programs.
Do we all agree that dollars spent on education are
investments in our future?
Childhood obesity & diabetes are at very high levels in Fayette County.
Home and school are the centerpieces to alter our lifestyles.
Emphasis on Education
•Active physical activities in schools must continue.
Studies in Texas, California and Massachusetts have
revealed dramatic links between students physically fit
and positive
test scores and academic achievement.
•Our schools must continue to provide healthy, nutritious
meals as well as changing the eating habits in a positive
manner.
•Establish community-based opportunities for Family walks and activities.
• Collaborative effort between schools, community agencies and parents to reduce childhood obesity which in turn
will reduce childhood diabetes and other related health issues.
Does anyone here not feel that children are our most precious resource?
