Strategies for Marketing/Developing Big Sky Pathways

1. Strategies for Marketing/Developing Big Sky Pathways MACTE Fall Conference 2009 David Strong, CTE Coordinator Helena School District

2. “The decisions you make about your work life are especially important, since most people spend more of their waking lives working than doing anything else. Your choices will affect, not only yourself and those closest to you, but in some way the whole world.” —Laurence G. Boldt

3. "There are costs and risks to a program of action, but they are far less than the long range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.“ - John F. Kennedy

4. Implementation of Big Sky Pathways - Considerations • Create a Vision and Direction that’s Simple and Clear • A strategy may be fairly complicated at the highest level but the closer it gets to the front line the simpler it should be. • Good Planning • A good plan is one that is well thought out and is created with input from sources inside and outside the school. • Great Execution • Requires commitment from the very top. This commitment must be demonstrated through behavior, investment, communication and accountability. • Communicate, Communicate, and Communicate! • Communicate continuously using different forums and formats.

5. Supporting Data for Change • Dropout Data (GED Demographic Survey) • #1 reason – Relevance • #2 reason – Boredom • #3 reason – Didn’t feel part of the school • Local Business and Industry Surveys • Post-secondary data • Senior Exit Survey – Example: Life Track • Parent Organizations • Chamber of Commerce

8. Preparing for Change • What are the questions you need to be prepared to answer: • What are Big Sky Pathways? • Why do we need pathways? • Aren’t pathways a ‘CTE thing’? • Aren’t pathways another name for tracking? • My kid is going to college - why would they need pathways in high school?

9. Building the Foundation • Who in the district will need to have essential understanding prior to implementation: • Administrators • Counselors • Teachers • Parents • Students

10. Communicating the Vision • Presentations – formal and informal • Staff Meetings • Parent Organizations • Community Events • Counselors • Academic/CTE Advisory Committees

11. Involving Academic Teachers • Clear communication that pathways are for ALL students • Involve academic teachers in planning • What are the obvious connections between core academics and pathways? • How can pathways support and enhance academics?

12. Strategies for Academic Integration • Develop model plans of study with representation from all content areas – centered around Knowledge and Skills • Create a process so that all curricular areas are involved in developing plans of study (Pathway Teams) • http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/web/ks.php

13. Strategies for Academic Integration • Consider using assessments to tie in foundational knowledge needed by all students to career pathways • Example: ACT WorkKeys

14. Job skills assessment system developed by ACT • Measures “real world” foundational skills • Skills that employers have identified as most important for any occupation • Locating Information • Reading for Information • Applied Mathematics

15. WorkKeys uses a common language and measurement system to communicate: • the basic skill levels necessary for careers and post-secondary training, and • the skill levels a person actually has, based on objective, standardized skill assessments.

16. Three basic parts of WorkKeys: • Job Profiling – identifies the skills required for a job • Assessment– identifies students current skill levels • Skills Gap Training – helps students strengthen skills in weak areas • http://www.act.org/workkeys/index.html

17. Benefits for teachers/students • Helps identify gaps between student skills and employment needs • Gives teachers a chance to align curriculum (English, Math, Social Studies) with job skills employers need • Gives students a reason to take academic coursework seriously (relevance) • Helps teachers connect academics and CTE

19. Skills Gap Training for WorkKeys • WIN Curriculum – FREE to all Montana schools for the next 2-years through DLI and Gov. Office • Web Based • Students take pre-assessment and begin at their current skill level • http://montana-mt.wincshost.com • Contact:Barbara Thomas bthomas@w-win.com 615-225-8497 – wk 615-631-5576 - cell

20. Career Guidance/Planning • Who’s responsible for pathways implementation – counselors, teachers, administrators? • Paradigm shift from “counselors job” to “everyone’s job”. • Schools need comprehensive systems • Career awareness, exploration, planning

21. Career Guidance/Planning • Components should include at a minimum: • Career Awareness • Career Exploration • Career Planning (4-year plan) • Portfolio Assessments with standards • Access to model Plans of Study (Big Sky Pathways) • Access to labor information • Access school information and financial aid

22. Career Guidance/Planning • Examples include: • MCIS • Bridges • Kuder • Career Cruising • www.careercruising.com

23. Career Guidance/Planning • Considerations: • Does it have necessary components • Ease of implementation • Ease of management/administration • Cost • Customization features (Big Sky Pathways) • Longevity

24. Questions/Comments? Contact Information David Strong, Helena Public Schools 815 Front Street Helena, MT 59601 406-324-2133 dstrong@helena.k12.mt.us