NYC Delegations Present at National High Schools that Work Conference

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NYC Delegations Present at National High Schools that Work Conference

During July 2003, staff members from Ralph R. McKee High School, Harry Van Arsdale, Jr. High School, and the School to Work Alliance traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to network with educators and administrators involved in the High Schools That Work (HSTW) initiative. This marks the third year that representatives from New York City have participated in the annual summer conference.

Since 2000, McKee and Van Arsdale High Schools (both career and technical education high schools and located in Staten Island and Brooklyn, respectively) have been active parts of HSTW. High Schools That Work is a school improvement initiative established by the Southern Region Education Board in 1987 to raise the academic achievement of high school career/technical students. The two high schools are part of a network that has grown to more than 1,100 sites in 27 states. All of these participating schools are joined in their goal to prepare students for careers and further education by improving curriculum and instruction in high schools and middle grades.

One of the benefits of the HSTW model is access to literally thousands of like-intentioned educators all across the country. While interactions and exchanges occur year-round, the annual summer HSTW Staff Development Conference is a high point, inspiring and informing over 6,000 administrators, teachers and counselors who are seeking ways to raise standards and achievement.

This year, 16 people from McKee, Van Arsdale and the New York Citywide School to Work Alliance comprised the New York City delegation, including administrators, teachers, staff developers, and even students. In fact, led by Mr. Paul Presti, Van Arsdale's Virtual Enterprise Advisor, four Van Arsdale juniors and seniors professionally presented their award-winning business plan for Nation's Rent, their virtual office furniture enterprise. More than 50 educators from around the country listened and asked questions at a break out session about how the program empowers and motivates students to demonstrate excellence as they run their own company. Students conduct research, use technology, problem solve and develop business skills that significantly enhance career readiness.

Joanne Pezzolo, a teacher and McKee's HSTW Coordinator, also led a breakout workshop on the school's first-year successes and results incorporating a 9th grade academy. The 9th grade academy was created as an integral step toward increasing both teacher collaboration and student success as well as being an integrated preparatory year for more targeted 10th – 12th grade career and technical clusters. One especially innovative element of McKee's Ninth Grade Academy was Pathways to Success, which was designed by the 9th grade faculty and incorporated an array of academically and career oriented subjects and skill-building techniques.

Suzanne Tillman, the School to Work Alliance's Director of Organization and Leadership Development, has been working with these schools since the Alliance was selected by the New York State Education Department two years ago to provide ongoing support for implementation of the High Schools That Work model and related initiatives – such as New York State's Career Plan Initiative and the Regents' Career and Technical Education (CTE) Guidelines – in New York City high schools. "These dedicated educators who come during the summer get so much out of the HSTW summer conference, especially from the sessions led by peers from around the country who are struggling with similar challenges. Every one of us comes back with ideas for new approaches to persistent problems. What better time to have one's imagination and energy refueled?"

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Fall 2003 Issue

> Municipal Bond Industry Trade Association Hosts Student Interns for 11th Summer

> Career Zone: Helping Students and Faculty Explore Occupations Online

> Summer Highlights

> NYC Delegations Present at National High Schools that Work Conference

> The School to Work Alliance Welcomes Two New Board Members

> New Staff Member at the School to Work Alliance

> Alliance Offers Training Workshops on Partnership Development

New York City's Virtual Enterprise International is part of a worldwide network of over 3000 practice firms in 20 countries. Initiated in 1996, today there are 52 firms in forty high schools within New York City. Virtual Enterprises, International allows students to experience, in a simulated business environment, all facets of being an employee in a firm, including research and marketing, commerce, trading, human resource development and administration. The program provides students with an interdisciplinary applied learning and in-school work experience that develops career readiness skills.

The program is based on the European concept of practice firms, in which students run simulated offices in their schools and engage in virtual trading with other practice firms across the country and around the globe. Through hand-on applications and tangible results, the VE program improves students' skills in problem solving and written and verbal communications, and conveys the expectations of the workplace. Each enterprise has a corporate partner who serves as a mentor to the firm as it is building and developing its enterprise. For further information, contact Iris Blanc, Director, Virtual Enterprises, International, New York City Department of Education, 122Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023 or you can visit their website at www.veinternational.org.