Career Prep Office

Unpaid Work-Study Program

Program Overview
The Community Classroom Program is an opportunity for seniors to spend one or two semesters as intern assistants for professional personnel in a career field that they have chosen.  The focus of the program is exploration and discovery.  Students are encouraged to become independent learners who can define their own challenges and find solutions.

While interning, students will gain insight into an organization and the career fields within the organization.  Through the experience, interns will learn new concepts and skills.  The program enhances the classroom lessons by making learning more meaningful.  It allows the student to apply the knowledge and skills learned to a work setting.

Students report to their work site between 6 and 12 hours per week, depending on the amount of credit being granted.  Community Classroom can take the place of up to two classes in a student’s schedule.

Placement must match the student’s Career Pathway choice as identified in his/her E.D.P. (Educational Development Plan).

Rules and Responsibilities
Community Classroom interns are not paid since they are enrolled in the program as a learning experience.  They are expected to report to their sites daily, be on time, and be responsible for assignments they are given.  Interns are expected to dress according to their intern assignment and follow all worksite policies and procedures as well as all school policies and procedures.

Interns must maintain enrollment in at least three other classes.  They are encouraged to be active students and are expected to keep up with schoolwork, school activities, and graduation requirements.

Community Classroom interns are not expected to report to their sites when there is no school (such as on snow days or vacation days) but they should always inform their sponsors as soon as possible that they will not be at the work site on these days.  If interns are absent for illness or other acceptable reasons, they must inform the following:

            Holland High School Attendance Office  -  494-2241

            Sponsor at the work site

If school activities are scheduled during internship hours, interns must inform their sponsors and the program coordinator well in advance.

Sponsor Rules and Responsibilities
Sponsors are expected to provide interns with a positive work experience.  They are asked to share insights into their jobs and their organization and requirements of their career field.  Sponsors should make students aware of expectations and responsibilities, explain all policies and procedures and provide assistance or training when necessary.

Sponsors are asked to involve students in as many aspects of the job as possible, including meetings, problem-solving, and decision-making.  Sponsors will be asked to complete a performance evaluation each semester which will be factored into the student learner's final course grade.

Enrollment Procedures
To enroll in the Community Classroom Program, students must:

1. Complete a Community Classroom Application. Download Community Classroom Application
2. Obtain recommendations from two teachers on application form          
3. Obtain recommendation from their counselor
4. Interview with the career prep coordinator
5. Interview with the potential sponsor

After these procedures are complete, the program coordinator, along with the sponsor, will decide whether the student meets requirements to intern at the site in the desired position.

Credit Requirements 
(½ – 3 credits)

Students in the Community Classroom program can earn up to 1.5 credits per semester (up to 3 credits per year) for meeting the following requirements:

Attendance

• Attend all meetings with the program coordinator when scheduled
• Report to assigned site at least 5 hours per week for ½ credit per semester,  at least 10 hours per week for 1 credit per semester, or 15 hours per week for 1.5 credits
• Call in all absences immediately to:
  • High School Attendance Office – 494-2241
  • Site Sponsor
• Maintain enrollment in at least three other classes

Agreement and Consent Forms

• Return signed Training Plan/Training Agreement by the due date
• Complete Emergency Information form for sponsor        Download Emergency Form

Time Slips

Time slips verifying hours at internship must be completed and turned for every week of experience

Assignments

• Complete and return Safety Confirmation and Internet Search (OSHA) assignments
• Download Workplace Safety Training Confirmation
• Download OSHA Internet Safety Assignment
• There will be a special assignment each semester (ex. Daily Journal)

Evaluations

• Participate in an evaluation process each marking period
• Complete a self-evaluation at the end of the program

Program Overview

Cooperative Training is a school-to-work program that involves the schools, students, parents/ guardians, and the business community.  It matches a student’s class work and career interests with work-site based learning opportunities.  The Cooperative Training Program is not a job placement service; it is an enrollment program which enables students to receive training/career exploration and supervised work experience under actual paid employment conditions, while also continuing their academic studies. 

The Cooperative Training Program is a full-year program designed primarily for high school seniors.  Juniors are accepted into the program by recommendation of their counselor.  Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from work.  Students enrolled in the program are also required to take one course each semester related to the training they receive on the job. Students must be enrolled in five classes (Co-op can be one of the five classes).  Students attending Career-line Tech Center must enroll in at least one on-campus class per semester.  Either one-half or one credit per semester is granted for Co-op depending upon the number of courses a student is enrolled in.  Placement must be in the student’s Career Pathway as identified in his/her E.D.P. (Educational Development Plan). 

The student’s job duties are outlined in advance and performance and progress on the job are supervised by their employer and the school Co-op Coordinator.  Co-op students usually work 5-15 hours per week, with a minimum average requirement of 5 hours per week.  Should a student’s school work or performance on the job become unsatisfactory, removal from the Co-op program could result.  The student’s first obligation is to his/her school work.

Rules and Responsibilities
Students are expected to report to their sites as scheduled by their employers, be on time, and be responsible for duties they are given.  Students are expected to dress according to their employer’s guidelines and follow all worksite policies and procedures as well as all school policies and procedures.

Student learners must maintain enrollment in at least three other classes.  They are encouraged to be active students and are expected to keep up with schoolwork, school activities, and graduation requirements.

Cooperative Education students are expected to report to their sites when they are scheduled to work even if school is called off due to weather (such as on snow days or vacation days). If they are ill or have a family emergency, they should always inform their employer as soon as possible that they will not be at work.  If a student is absent for illness or other acceptable reasons for a length of time that will not give them their required weekly hours, they must inform the following:

•             Employer
•             Career Prep Coordinator

If school activities are scheduled during work hours, students must inform their employer well in advance so they can schedule around the school activities. Most employers are willing to work around athletic and other extracurricular events if given appropriate notice.

Employer Rules and Responsibilities
Employers are expected to provide students with a positive work experience.  They are asked to share insights into their jobs and their organization and requirements of their career field.  Employers should make students aware of expectations and responsibilities, explain all policies and procedures and provide assistance or training when necessary. Adequate safety training should be given to each employee prior to the student starting their job. Each employer should be compliant with OSHA standards.

Employers are asked to involve students in as many aspects of the job as possible, including meetings, problem-solving, and decision-making.  Employers/Supervisors will be asked to complete a performance evaluation each semester which will factor into the student learner's final course grade.

Enrollment Procedures
In order for Co-op to be placed on your schedule, the following must be completed:

1. A completed application with parent signature needs to be returned to the Co-op Office.  Download Co-op Application
2. A related class needs to be selected and placed on your schedule. 
3. Your job must be approved by the Career Prep Coordinator.

*If you are a senior, you must decide if Co-op is for one, two, or three hours of credit per semester. (.5, 1, 1.5 credit toward graduation)

*Juniors are only eligible for one hour of credit per semester (.5 credits toward graduation)

After these procedures are complete, the Career Prep Coordinator, along with the employer/supervisor, will decide whether the student meets requirements to work at the site in the desired position.

Credit Requirements 
(½ – 3 credits)

Senior students in the Cooperative Education program can earn up to 1.5 credits per semester (up to 3 credits per year) for meeting the following requirements:

Attendance

• Attend all meetings with the Career Prep Coordinator when scheduled
• Report to assigned site at least 5 hours per week for each ½ credit enrolled per semester
• Call in all absences immediately to:
  • Employer/Supervisor
  • Career Prep Coordinator
• Maintain enrollment in at least three other classes

Agreement and Consent Forms
Return signed Training Agreement/Training Plan by the due date

Time Slips
Time slips verifying hours of work experience must be completed and turned for every 2 weeks of experience. (Time-slips can be downloaded from the main Career Prep Office Page)

Assignments

Complete and return a Workplace Safety Confirmation. Download Workplace Safety Training Confirmation

Complete and return an Internet Search (OSHA) assignment. Download OSHA Internet Safety Assignment 

Evaluations
Participate in an evaluation process each marking period.