Learning Pathways: Your Educational Roadmap.
“The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life.” – Plato
The curriculum at Jersey Shore Area Senior High School is heading in a new direction. Beginning next year, students entering their freshman year will have the opportunity to development their education through a learning pathway concept. Students will choose one of six pathways to begin focusing their education in a particular career cluster or skill area. The pathways include: Arts and Communication; Business, Finance, and Information Technology; Engineering and Industrial Technologies, Human Services, and Science and Health Technologies. The goals of the new Learning Pathway Model are to provide a student centered curriculum, provide opportunities for skill development align to a career field, improve graduation rate and the drop-out, and provide a comprehensive educational roadmap which aligns the Jersey Shore Area Senior High School curriculum to student educational and occupational goals.
According to Brainpower Task Force, research shows that for every 1 professional-level career position created; 7 high-skilled, technical positions are created. Nationally, approximately 2/3rds of high school graduates continue their education to colleges and universities in preparation for professional level careers. Unfortunately, many of these students incur significant debt, drop-out, and are usually underemployed due to the lack of appropriate employment opportunities. Meanwhile, medium and high-skilled, technical positions go unfilled or outsourced to other countries due to a lack of employees. The YouTube video, “Success in the New Economy” designed by Kevin Fleming, represents this data as well as the need for educational systems to re-think and re-tool our curriculum for student success. The JSASD Learning Pathway Model will begin to prepare students academically and technically for the post-secondary and career directions that interest our students. Along with skill development through the various learning pathways, students will receive core academic courses in English, mathematics, science, social studies, and physical education.
What direction are you going?
Arts and Communication
This pathway is designed to cultivate students’ awareness, interpretation, application and production of visual, verbal and written work. Learning pathways include Art, Communication Technology, and Music Industry. Careers in this pathway could include artists, performers, designers, musicians, and multimedia specialists to name a few.
Business, Finance and Information Technology
This pathway is designed to prepare students in the world of business, finance, and information services. Learning pathways include accounting and finance as well as administrative assistances and marketing. Potential careers through this pathway include: accounting, entrepreneurship, banking/finance, secretarial, business management, and advertising/marketing.
Engineering and Industrial Technology Pathway
This pathway is designed to cultivate students’ interests, awareness and application to careers related to technologies necessary to design, develop, install, and maintain physical systems. Learning pathways include: Automotive, Building Trade Maintenance, Computer Aided Design, Computer Information and Networking, Construction Trades, Electronics and Computer Engineering, and Manufacturing Technologies. This is a broad CTE pathway leading to careers in the automotive industry, building and construction, engineering, CNC machine operators, and computer system development.
Health and Science Technologies Pathway
This pathway is designed to cultivate students’ interests, skills and experiences for employment in careers related to science, health occupations, and agriculture. Some careers through this pathway involve nursing, physicians, environmental conservation, biologists, and sports fitness.
Human Services Pathway
This pathway is designed to cultivate students’ interests, skills and experiences for employment in careers related to family and human needs. These careers include child care, culinary arts, counseling, and education.
With this comprehensive approach, students will be able to combine core academic needs with workplace skills; preparing them for the post-secondary and career direction in which they choose. The Learning Pathway model will provide students with a more generally focused educational roadmap to follow in preparation for the new economy and workplace that they will be navigating.