theVoice rockfordchamber.com
July 2015
College, career experiences for all students
Community volunteers critical to transforming lives College and career readiness doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of experiences that add up. These experiences might be nice in isolation, but in combination they hold the power to transform student lives. Only a few years ago in the Rockford Public Schools, students had to be in the right place at the right time to get these experiences. Today, we are quickly moving toward guaranteed college and career experiences for all RPS 205 students in grades 8 to 12. And, every step of the way, we are doing it with tremendous community support. Here’s a glimpse of what an RPS 205 eighth grader will experience in the five years before he or she graduates: Eighth grade: Every eighth grader takes a seminar course that covers self-exploration as well as career exploration. Students determine what they want from a career and from life, and develop a personal budget to help them get there. They visit a high school. Our community partnerships also allow us to provide a growing number of leadership and horizon-broadening activities for eighth graders, such as the Rock Valley College STEM Summit and the Rotary Leadership Academy. Freshman Academy: The Freshman Academy supports students as they transition from middle school to high school. Teachers collaborate to develop common expectations for students and develop materials, activities and events to support their successful completion of Year One of high school. The team also helps ninth grade students make an informed decision about which College and Career Academy they will enroll in beginning their sophomore year. Academy Expo: Each year in September, our ninth graders attend the Academy Expo, a career exploration event at the BMO Harris Bank Center. It is possible only because of help from 700 community volunteers and the 140 organizations and companies that staff industry booths. We have joined with schools in the region to expand the expo’s reach, knowing that our students live and will work in a regional economy. Sophomore site visits: Students visit businesses or community organizations aligned with their selected pathway and academy. They explore their career interests and learn about a day in the life of professionals. The sophomore site visits this past March were extremely successful, with more than 60 businesses and organizations participating. In a follow-up survey, 93
Every eighth grader takes a seminar course that covers self-exploration as well as career exploration. percent of students said they believed the visits were worthwhile and helped them become better informed about their career pathway. Almost all of the teachers – or 97 percent – said they saw relevance between the visits and student coursework. ACT Prep: High school students have an opportunity to attend six weekly ACT Prep classes that prepare them for taking the college entrance exam. This past winter, 460 students enrolled -- more than triple the number two years ago. We are grateful for First Midwest Group’s generous support of this experience. We are also grateful to teachers who are willing to spend their Saturdays with students. Senior Capstone project: A Capstone project is a deep research and writing experience in an academic or career interest. It is an authentic assessment of 21st century skills — creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving. A committee of teachers, counselors, building administrators and district administrators recently rolled out a Capstone proposal that was two years in the making. As a result, a districtwide pilot is set to begin in fall 2016. Already this spring, students at Roosevelt Alternative High School and Auburn High School piloted Capstone projects. The ultimate goal is for Capstones to change the culture of senior year into one that is highly valued and uniquely productive. Here and across the country, you hear a lot about college and career readiness these days. But we are able to walk the talk in the Rockford Public Schools. We are proud to be in a community where hundreds of people show up and show a commitment to our students. They roll up their sleeves, providing experiences that promise a brighter future for our young people. Dr. Ehren Jarrett is superintendent of Rockford Public Schools. The views expressed are those of Dr. Jarrett’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.
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