At Oak Grove we help students actively decide where they want to go in the future and provide help to get there. This helps students to move successfully from school to independent living.
Work
Job Readiness Skills
This material is presented in a class where students may earn a .25 Social Studies credit. Job applications, job skills assessment, transferable job skills, resume, interview skills, job search techniques, employer expectations, child labor laws, and interpersonal job behaviors.
On The Job Experience
Students who work on a job during or after school hours may earn .25 - .75 elective credits. To earn credit in any job experience the student is expected to keep the work Experience Coordinator informed about the job experience, turn in copies of all pay stubs, and receive a minimum of a satisfactory evaluation from the employer. The student's IEP Team must determine the student's permission to work and the time of day he/she may work.
Oak Grove does not place students in jobs. The school will work with students of find jobs. The help supplied depends on the student's level of need and experience. The student is expected to perform the required job search skills as part of the learning experience.
Limited Job Experience Opportunities
Oak Grove works to secure short-term introductory work opportunities for students with limited work experience and low job readiness skills. These opportunities are either non-paid or limited training wage jobs. They are designed to introduce students to the actual job experience and real world job expectations. These opportunities are very limited at this time and take place during the school day.
Jobs During The School Day
With IEP Team permission, students may be excused for part of the school day to work a job. This arrangement generally excuses the student from three hours of the school day. For successful job experience a student must take required core classes to keep on track with graduation requirements.
Jobs Outside The School Day
Students may earn credit for working outside the school day. For each ten weeks of successful employment the students may earn .50 elective credits.
Career Planning
Career Investigation
This material is presented in class where students may earn a .25 Social Studies credit. Career self-assessments, identifying career possibilities, investigation and comparisons, training opportunities and availability, required skill acquisition, financial and time budgeting, the 5 year plan. Students, who make excellent progress and demonstrate the capability, may extend their exploration through information interview, job shadows and short internships.
Oak Grove does not limit the range of students choice of validly assessed career choices. Students will have the freedom to investigate a wide range of careers the require preparation from on-the-job to technical school to apprenticeship to advanced college degrees.
Northeast Metro 916
Students who have completed career assessments and have permission of their IEP Team may attend Northeast Metro 916 for 3 hours daily as part of their school day. 916 has over 35 programs that students can take to increase their career specific skills. Students may earn up to .75 credits assigned as .25 Social Studies and .50 electives. Lack of satisfactory academic progress and violation of busing and building conduct rules may result in termination of the student's 916 participation.
916 offers may classes to high school students in which they may earn college credit. Students must complete the 916 requirements to earn college credit. This gives the student the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit.
College Enrollment
Students who have completed career assessments, demonstrate appropriate behavior, and show particular career aptitudes, may be enrolled in Community College classes. Credits the student earns will depend on the college coures(s) taken, however credits will count for both high school and college. In some cases, the college classes present a transportation problem that the school cannot serve. In such cases the student and parents will need to agree to be responsible for transportation.
Job and Career Assistance After Graduation
Minnesota Workforce Center-Rehabilitation Services
The Minnesota Department of Economic Services offers special assistance to Minnesota residents who may need assistance if seeking work and career planning. This service is available to most Oak Grove students upon graduation.
In cooperation with the Work Force Center, Oak Grove works with students to make application for services as soon after their 16th birthday as is possible. The lead-time allows the Work Force Center to determine student eligibility, and if eligible, establish an open file in the student's name, and get to know him or her. This procedure reduces or eliminated wait time for services if the students needs the services after graduation.
Terry Lydell
Oak Grove High School
Career Coordinator
651.639.6091
