SANTA ANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT - 2006

Home Browse Search

Given the base of hundreds of internship or "Community Classroom Agrcements" between the Career Development/FOP Department and local employers. the District does not need to enter into any other duplicate agreements, These when coupled with previous work-site agreements between various District sites and the W/O/R/K Center for prior JTPA in-school and summer youth employment programs will provide more than enough internship, job.shadowing, and/or employment opportunities for the Success Bound' participants. ELEMENT #5: Access to an effective program of occupational skills training. The overall approach of the Santa Ana Unified School District's Fegional Occupational Program (ROP) is to maximize community resources, integrate services within the educational and busmess communities and find new avenues to increase the level of employer involvement in the creation of internships and work.based learning. Allied with this activity are the strong work- based programs and the network linking of career pathways and work site experiences of the Central County's Regional Occupational Program (CCROP), local WIA (Success Bound), the Chamber of Commerce, the City of Santa Ana and local business and community-based organizations. The cornerstone of all of this is the ROP as it is the District's vehicle for providing appropriate, timely and effective entry.level training. Many ROP courses have work- based internships as part of the entry career certification programs. These have been integrated into the career pathways at the high schools. Allied with the ROP offerings are partnerships with Santa Ana College and local universities that enable high school students (including Success Bound' participants) to participate in articulated program of sequential courses from high school through college. Selected Success Bound' participants will be guided and counseled into Regional Occupational Program courses related to their career pathways as these courses can play such a pivotal role in their school.to-work plan. These classes will provide participants with the means to prepare for entry-level employment, receive elective credit toward graduation, enter a career pathway, sample various work site experiences, earn money for educational expenses and/or verify career choices. And from a very practical point of view. the ROP Certificates will verify that a program participant has indeed met his/her Ski]] Attainment Rate goal. Operationally, ROP consists of a variety of occupational training programs that lead to entry- level job skills for students age l6 and over. ROP classes, which are funded by the State, include integrated classroom and work-based activities. ROP teachers are experts in their field with a minimum of five years of work-based experience and a teaching credential. Of particular importance to many of the Success Bound' participants is the fact that these courses are offered not only at the ROP's Fitchey Center, but also on high school campuses throughout the District. Transportation is available at no cost for afternoon courses. Courses are also available in the evening and on Saturdays. Participants in Success Bound! will be given priority registration for ROP courses during their time in the program-including the twelve-month follow-up period. ELEMENT #6: Provision of a support plan that affords participants with leadership development activities as an integral part of their total program experience. This element is primarily addressed during the weekly meetings at each high school campus. This program is designed to be a skills.building youth development program that prepares youth to make wise decisions, set goals and gain a sense of self.worth. It is designed to be a very integrated, interactive program that raises awareness about how one's decisions and values have short and long.term consequences and how they influence one's health and well-being. "Smart Choices" is based on youth development programs that have been documented to reduce teen 17