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Pomona High School
(Pomona, California)
Summary: Overview of the Strategy
School-based Strategies
Excellent school-based strategies that set Pomona High's Business Technology
Pathway apart from the traditional secondary school curriculum include the
following.
- Parents, students, and business mentors assisting teachers to adapt
instructional strategies to individual needs
- Teachers articulating with feeder schools and post-secondary educational
institutions to plan integrated courses
- Students using vocational testing, skills assessment, and interviews
to develop learning plans and set goals
- Students developing individualized career portfolios using multimedia
computer technologies
- Students gaining career awareness through guest speakers, field trips,
and Internet investigation
- Students learning career skills through job shadowing, work experience,
community service, and mentoring.
Pomona High's school-to-career curriculum is designed to mirror the changing
needs of our students, business and industry, and our local community. Pathway
courses feature integrated performance activities and employ criterion-referenced
performance standards. School-wide expected student learning results have
been developed and act to guarantee that all course content is relevant
for students. Students work together in cooperative groups on projects and
share their completed work with their peers and others.
Work-based Strategies
Excellent Work-based Strategies engage students in critical thinking
while using appropriate technology to research, design, and complete projects
relevant to their chosen career areas. Curriculum and instructional activities
model SCANS skills and competencies. Job-shadowing, simulated interviews,
and work experience give students opportunities to prepare for meaningful
employment in business and industry. Students learn basic skills for making
wise career choices and developing career plans.
Pomona High has a student population that is over 50% limited English
proficient (LEP). Along with the development of basic workplace and interpersonal
skills, the acquisition of both English language and technological skills
is a fundamental component of our Pathway curriculum for all students. All
classes integrate reading, writing, and speaking in English to teach our
students to be effective communicators.
Ninth grade students in our Orientation class learn to work cooperatively
to set goals, resolve conflicts, and solve problems. Students research a
variety of careers, write resumes and letters, prepare a career portfolio,
and practice interview techniques in their tenth grade World of Work class.
Based on their individual interests and career goals, upper class students
select elective courses and schedule job shadowing and work experience with
a business mentor. Mentors, counselors, teachers, and parents all meet to
evaluate progress and assist students in meeting their goals.
Connecting Activities
Excellent Connecting Activity Strategies in Pomona High's Business Technology
Pathway program include course offerings at other educational institutions.
Teachers meet regularly with parents, students, and the Vocational Education
Advisory Committee to guide the development of the career pathways program.
Teachers post information and lessons on the school Internet site and from
links with other networked teachers and schools.
All students and parents have access to the Pomona High School Career
Center and Work Experience Advisor for assistance in the development of
career plans. The Pomona High Parent Center provides career information
and English language and computer training for parents The San Antonio Regional
Occupation Program (ROP) offers training and internships in specific job
skills. These services are aligned with the Pomona High School-to-Career
Pathway program.
The Need
Over seventy percent of students graduating from high school in Pomona
Unified School District do not attend a four-year college. Pomona High school
developed a strategy to address the needs of these students by offering
career pathways that enhance opportunities for student success after graduation.
The Business Technology career pathway is the first to be developed. This
pathway provides for inclusion of all students, integrates academic and
vocational curricula, includes performance-based accountability, features
school and work site learning and guidance, and offers students a choice
among a variety of career paths.
The city of Pomona, with more than 140,000 residents, has been identified
as one of the poorest cities in the United States in per capita income (the
median household income in Pomona was $37,292 in 1995). Many of our students
live at or below the federal poverty level. Access to technologies common
in many areas of the nation is very limited in households within Pomona
High's service area. Pomona High School curricula must focus on the needs
of students and their families and community employers. Our students need
to effectively use technology to learn career skills and enhance literacy
and English language development.
Pomona High School serves an ethnically diverse, highly transient student
population. Over 70% of Pomona High students receive free/reduced lunch.
Recent assessment of student work reveals basic deficiencies in reading,
writing, and math skills. The city's high unemployment rate is closely linked
to low education levels among the adult population. The majority of Pomona
High students are English language learners (over 58% declare a home language
of Spanish).
Meeting the Need
In March 1997, Pomona High formed a Career Pathway Planning Committee
composed of administrators, teachers (Business Education, Special Education,
English, Mathematics), and the Work Experience Advisor. Teachers and administrators
participated in workshops and training on job shadowing and integrating
curriculum standards conducted by Los Angeles County Office of Education,
Citrus College, and San Antonio Regional Occupational Program (ROP). A Vocational
Education Advisory Committee was established with members representing local
businesses and colleges. The Pomona High Parent Center assisted in gathering
input from parents. Students met with teachers and counselors to plan their
studies based on career interests.
Business Technology is the first career pathway developed. Our goal is
to assist students to learn employable skills. The School-to-Career curriculum
offers a unique opportunity for all students to learn about and experience
new and exciting technology-driven careers. All tenth grade students enroll
in our World of Work class. The class combines regular and special education
students to assist all in setting goals and preparing for careers. Students
enroll in Pathway courses to prepare for career opportunities either directly
after high school, following additional technical training, or after a college
or university education.
The selection of Business Technology for the prototype School-to-Career
pathway at Pomona High was based on the need to build programs that focus
on strengthening the abilities of all students to learn and apply computer
skills needed in business and industry. The business department's three
computer classrooms (totaling over 90 computers) have a combined six-period
capacity for 540 students per day to participate in hands-on learning. To
date, the program has been supported through site-based, Carl D. Perkins,
and Title I funding, mini-grants, and computer donations from NASA and community
businesses. The Business Department has applied for several grants to support
future program growth.
The Results
Results after our first endeavor into developing our Career Pathway system
have resulted in:
- Sequenced courses in computer technology and business
- Enthusiastic students setting goals, selecting courses, and exploring
career options
- More students taking admissions tests and applying to colleges
- Students using technology to prepare career portfolios, employment
documents, multimedia presentations
- Advisory Committee meetings with teachers, parents, and students to
assist with career awareness planning
- Students participating in career exploration, job shadowing, and career
internships
- Speakers from community, business, and educational institutions visiting
classes
Pomona High's Career Day features presentations on a variety of different
occupations. Pomona High students and parents attend College Night to meet
representatives from colleges, universities, and technical institutions.
Teachers and students maintain and update Pomona High's Internet web site
that has links to sites featuring career and college information. All students
are encouraged to utilize their emerging technological skills through peer
mentoring and school and community service learning.
Reflections on Our Strategy
Pomona High's career pathway has been in development for two years. Initial
interest by students has been high. The following areas of concern are being
addressed:
- Teaming computer classes with other business classes and with applied
academic classes will enable more students to have hands-on training in
word processing and computer operation.
- Revision of the school master schedule is needed to allow students
to enroll in school-to-career classes all class periods. Currently most
academic core classes are only offered periods 2, 3, 4 creating scheduling
conflicts for many students. (A 2+2 schedule is under consideration to
meet this need).
- Articulation efforts among the high school, middle schools, and elementary
feeder schools need to be continued. The full support of the school district
is needed.
- Improve promotion of pathway classes and communication between administration,
counselors, teachers and parents.
Examples of Learners
Example 1
Our First Example is a tenth-grade, limited-English learner (primary
language is Spanish) who is also a Special Education student with an identified
attention-deficit disability. During the fall 1997 semester he participated
in a vocational assessment which was used to match his interests with potential
careers. He chose to explore the "Arts" career interests area.
Throughout the remainder of the school year, he studied from career modules
that were designed to increase his English language vocabulary as well as
to provide specific career information. Now in his second year of the career
awareness program, he has refined his interest area to Architecture. He
reports feeling satisfied with his work and exhibits determination to excel
in his chosen field.
Example 2
Our next example is a twelfth-grade student who developed a comprehensive
capstone portfolio featuring a unique project relevant to his career focus
area. This student used multimedia technologies to create a presentation
for a panel of peers, teachers, and business mentors. Evaluations of student
projects are based on the project concept, development, use of interpersonal
and problem solving skills, and on their ability to communicate using a
variety of technologies. This student received "outstanding" marks
on his career interest project and presentation. He was accepted to a four-year
college to continue preparation for a career using computer technology.
Example 3
Our third example is an eleventh grade student who is interested in a
career as a business education teacher. Since discovering her interest in
teaching, she has turned herself around as a student. Once struggling to
maintain a "C" average, she is now much more focused and organized
and has achieved a high "B" GPA and recognition on the school
Honor Roll. She has participated in job-shadowing and mentoring projects
as part of our Business Technology Pathway. She has developed a career portfolio
that she has presented to a panel of teachers.
Recruiting
Pomona High's Business Technology Pathways focus on the abilities of
all students to learn and apply work-based skills. Pomona High students
choose to study in the Business Technology Pathway following interest assessments
and guidance counseling during registration. The Pathway program provides
informative brochures and course sequence planning guides to all students
entering Pomona High School. Pomona High classrooms feature motivational
posters (some created by Pomona High graphic arts students) and displays
of student work, both designed to capture interest and promote enrollment
in the Pathway program.
Pomona High School guidance and career counselors visit the two middle
schools in the Pomona High cluster and administer an interest survey during
registration for ninth-grade. Middle school students receive guidance and
counseling as well as information on Pathway course sequencing and the availability
of complementary courses in other disciplines. Parents and guardians of
eighth-grade students are informed about the purpose of the Pathway program
through Pomona High's Parent Involvement Center and our Internet web site
(www.pusd.org/pomona). Pomona High counselors and career pathway teachers
offer continuing guidance and advisement to assist all students in the design
of their school-to-career learning plans.
For more information on Pomona High School, contact:
Gary W. Wilson
Pomona High School
475 Bangor Street
Pomona, CA 91767
(Phone) 909/397-4498 ext 400
(Fax) 909/629-1410
(E-mail) pomonahigh@email.com or gwilsonphs@aol.com
(URL) Pomona High School
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