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Sustaining an Academy in Tough Economic Times. Stephen Rocco Academy of Finance Director Smithfield High School Smithfield, RI Email: SRocco@smithfield-ps.org. 2009 Institute for Staff Development Students Today, Leaders Tomorrow. Fun & Interesting Resources.
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Sustaining an Academy in Tough Economic Times Stephen Rocco Academy of Finance Director Smithfield High School Smithfield, RI Email: SRocco@smithfield-ps.org 2009 Institute for Staff DevelopmentStudents Today, Leaders Tomorrow
Fun & Interesting Resources • You Tube “Sesame Street Explains Bernie Madoff” • ABC News’ Robert Krulwich Explains the Credit Crunch • Mike Barnacle’s View on College Acceptance/Rejection Letters • Father Guido Sarducci “Five Minute University” • Teacher Tube “Pay Attention – Digital Learners” • Google Docs Let’s Begin Most of us work with so many constraints. We must all learn to think outside our budget, standards, mandates, and union “box”. “See the forest through the trees.” “Perceptual Blindness”
Ground Rules for Session • We Recognize: • Differences in students. • Applied, Mixed, College Bound • Differences in learning styles • Differences in socio-economic standing • Differences in available technology • Differences in monetary resources • Various district and school constraints
Ground Rules for Session • After a brief introduction (10 slides), the session is divided into 10 topics of discussion that I feel are important only because they work for us. As a group you can decide what areas we should prioritize for today’s discussion. After each section we will share ideas and add onto the blank slides that I have incorporated into the presentation on slides numbered below. Slide Handouts – 1, 2, 4, 11, 16, 19, 24, 26, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45, 47, 49, 50
About Our Academy • Smithfield High School Profile • Comprehensive High School • Enrollment 856 • 10 miles NW of Providence • Home of Bryant University and Fidelity Investments Branch employing 2500. • Four Committed Business Teachers (niche) • NAF relationship since 1998 “The Sentinels”
About Our Academy • Current Membership 90 in grades 9-12 (membership almost doubled in past 3 years) • Annual Budget • District funded since 2006 • $2,000 Director’s Stipend • $1,000 NAF License Fee • $3,000 Prof. Dev. Conference Funds • Citigroup • $3,000 Grant (February) • Fundraiser • $3,000 Avg. from Golf Tournament (late June) $12,000 Approx. Total • Carl B. Perkins Grant Award ? (varies)
District Support • We Earn Support of…School Committee, District and Building Administrators, Families (Taxpayers) • How do They Support Us? • Commitment to the Program • Job Retention (4 Business Teachers) • Lower Class Sizes and Priority Scheduling • Funding • Approval of Field Trips • Approval of Professional Development • Allow some Autonomy
District Support • Why do they support us?... • Publicity • Annual Report to School Committee Show Data • Student Achievement is High • Meet Expectations and Standards • Go The Extra Mile • College Articulation Agreements • 100% Post-Secondary Enrollment • Community Outreach • Invitation to All Meetings and Events
District Support • In Reality, Entrepreneurial • Actions Create a Successful • Academy with Financial • Support, Job Security, and • Respect Resulting in . . .
District Support • Embedding your Academy Roots so deep it makes it difficult for the school board and administrators to pull up.
This will be a collaborative project with Industrial Technology. Business, and Family and Consumer Science Departments An Example of "Embedding Roots"
My Recommendations First • This is not about your job security. It is about your entire business department’s security. Create your own “added value” and think long term even if they can’t. • Look for Opportunities – Be Proactive • Be Aware of Threats • Be Innovative & Flexible • Be Patient • Don’t Get Discouraged – Be Perseverant
Most Importantly – Understand that nothing you do is fool proof. There is no true security. You are working to put the odds in your favor. Business Ed. is an elective, but with an academy you can make it a “brand”. My Recommendations First
Like Pieces of a Puzzle . . . Class Enrollments Internships CommunityOutreach Student Achievement Membership Benefits Promotion and Fundraising College Connection Student Recruitment Faculty Effort Advisory Board Building Success!
Session Objectives Class Enrollments Internships CommunityOutreach Student Achievement Membership Benefits Promotion and Fundraising College Connection Student Recruitment Faculty Effort Advisory Board *Click on a Puzzle Piece to Access Topic of Interest or … Press Here to continue
Faculty Effort – No.1 “Sell - Sell - Sell” (Benefits of Membership) Each Member Teaches “Niche” Classes Get Along With Colleagues – Project Positive Image Commitment After Hours, Weekends Personal Connection to Each Student Constant Communication 7 days a week Attend Community Functions
Attend All Voluntary School Functions Become “Go To” People - Never Say No Support Other School Groups Collaborate With Other Schools When Possible Attend Professional Development Events Join NBEA and Local Business Educators Association Faculty Effort
Teach and model the “Three Bottom Lines”… Economic Bottom Line Social Responsibility Bottom Line Environmental Bottom Line Student Achievement Focus on http://www.bchydro.com/about/three_bottom_lines.html
Proficiencies Achieved Student Accountability and Ethical Behavior Reading and Writing Math Computation and Problem Solving Inter-Disciplinary Requirements Oral and Written Communication / Presentation Independent and Cooperative Learning Applied / Project Based Learning Curriculum Enrichment Student Achievement Focus on
Proficiencies Achieved Technology Use Internet Research MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint Email, Social Networking Global Awareness Financial Literacy Financial Analysis Student Achievement Focus on
Promote “Rigor, Relevance, Relationships” Leadership Civic Responsibility Internship Student Accountability Professional Networking Sense of Family In-School and Life-Long Relationships Student Achievement Focus on
Student Achievement Focus on
Course Sequence and Monitoring Formal Application Process 2 and 3 Year Curriculum Plan Accept Freshmen after 1st Qtr. Monitor Student Progress and Participation Relationship with Guidance Develops 50% - 75% Cohorts Prerequisites and “9/10 & 11/12 Rule” Open Enrollment in Academy Classes Reciprocate (take them all… within reason) “Shmooze” Share Successes Maintain Class Enrollments
Membership Benefits Alumni Connection – (Facebook, Holiday Breakfast, Golf Tournament, Cell Phone, Email) Dual Membership(Statewide Competitions) Public Communication of Successes(In Daily Announcements, Newspaper, School Committee Mtgs., etc.) Stock Market Game Performance Tracking through Active Web Site:http//www.shsaof.org Email List-Serv by Class Year NEW! National Business Honor Society
Membership Benefits Beginning of Year Cookout Field Trips and Guest Speakers Leadership Council (10 & 11 grade only) Monthly Student Meetings Dress for Success Wednesdays Fundraising Event Planning Experience Holiday Breakfast(Administrators, Advisory Board, Students, Community Leaders, etc.)
Membership Benefits General Treasurer with AOF students at Holiday Breakfast Our High School Financial Literacy Program Leaders with Fidelity Rep and Ms. Valentine (AOF Faculty)
Membership Benefits 3 day field trip to NYC Bocce with the “Seniors” at Senior Center 2 SHS AOF Scholarships awarded annually Senior Send-off and Election Dinner at local restaurant AOF Graduation Sashes Annual Golf Tournament 2008 Graduation
Membership Benefits • IRS VITA Basic Tax Preparer • WISE Certificate of Financial Literacy • Serv-Safe • Hotel & Lodging Management
Membership Benefits Certificate of Finance for Completion(Awarded to approx. 80% of membership) Certificate of Honorary Mention (for75% requirements fulfilled) Certificate of Finance - International Business *Additional Social Studies and World Language Components Recognition by Post-Secondary Institutions Life-Long Network Alumni at Golf Tournament
Student Recruitment Be Visible in Cafeteria at Lunches Be Visible in Hallways Impromptu Visits to Classrooms Passive through Fundraisers and Events Post News, Awards in Hallway, Banner in Room Set Up Informational Tables at All Parent Functions
Student Recruitment Student Presentations in 9th and 10th Grade HR’s Mass Mailing to 9th and 10th Grade Parents Annual Open House(Before Course Selection) Formal (Online) Application Process
Active Advisory Board Provides Visible and Background Support Meets Monthly, Provides Networking Business and Community Leaders Involve State and Local Elected Officials Involve Post-Secondary Official Involve Chamber of Commerce Student Member Alumni
Active Advisory Board Provides Visible and Background Support Jumpstart.org Networking Alumni Association Through Facebook
Promotion School Committee Meeting Annually Eat Lunch in Cafeteria with Kids. Visit Classrooms and Homerooms during Prep Attend Graduation and Graduation Sashes Get Articles and Pictures in Local Newspaper “Sell - Sell - Sell” Promotion and Fundraising
Fundraising Annual Golf Tournament Dunking Booth, Badminton, 3 on 3 Tournament School Store / Otis Spunkmeyer / Ice Cream Fall and Spring Music Fests Café Cameroon (Service Project with former Alumnus and S.I.F.E. Chapter at Quinnipiac) Promotion and Fundraising
Post-Secondary Connection Articulation Agreements Bryant University - Night Class Introduction to Business Class Field Trips Guest Speakers and Events University of Rhode Island Financial Accounting EEP Class Rhode Island College Economics EEP Class
Post-Secondary Connection Articulation Agreements Johnson and Wales University Scholarships Articulation Agreement Field Trips Guest Speakers and Events National Agreements with NAF in Development
Attend College Functions Attend All School & Sports Events Holiday Breakfast Attend Graduation (Greet Parents) Annual Bocce Game at Senior Center Junior Achievement IRS VITA Program Join Local Chamber of Commerce Attend Advisory Member Functions Annual Golf Tournament Community Outreach
Internships Paid Internships Student Procured Formal Application Process (Resume and Letter) Creativity (Part Time Job Flexibility) Internship Proposal Form Director Monitoring Internship Report
Visit us at: www.shsaof.org Our Teaching Entrepreneurship Web Site http://www.ezeport.com/NAF%20Institute/Entrepreneurship.htm EZ E-Portfolios http://www.ezeport.com Excellent Business Ed. Resources http://www.sjrbiz.info http://www.ezeport.com/NAF%20Institute/Resources.htm