Hamilton Southeastern School District is in the midst of a multi-year national program designed to better prepare students for whatever career path they choose.
The HSE Board of Education heard an update on the Ford Next Generation Learning Program process from Steve Loser, Director of K-12 Initiatives, during the Board of Education's mid-work session on April 24. Ta.
Loser said the program is a five-year process to develop a master plan to transform education. The district is about halfway through its process, incorporating input from educators, students, parents and other community members. The most recent community input meeting was held in February.
“One thing that was notable was the increase in student participation in this event,” he said. “Student voice was an important factor in moving this process forward. We want student voice to be at the forefront of what we’re creating, so we frequently engage with student voices. I try to listen to opinions.”
During these meetings, participants devised a “transformation statement,” which Mr. Loser read aloud to the board.
“Through continued collaboration with our community, HSE Schools fosters each student's passion, ensures future readiness, and provides all students with a diverse, personalized learning experience that provides authentic, relevant “We strive to create a culture of high-quality learning,” he said. “This was a commitment from everyone in that room about how we are going to transform the student experience through this process.”
A team was formed to work on various concepts to develop the district's master plan. These concepts include forward-looking experiences and environments, professional development practices, work-based learning and post-secondary coursework, community connections, and student empowerment.
Additional meetings are planned in the coming months to continue the process.
Loser said the results of those meetings will become a master plan, which HSE Schools plans to submit to the Indiana Department of Education in June. The plan includes a three-year implementation framework and a process to evaluate progress.
Ford NGL's educational model includes interest-based “academies” that focus students on specific career paths.
“Ford NGL recognizes that today's most skilled jobs require a foundation of academic, 21st century, technical knowledge and skills, and that these knowledge and skills are acquired in high school. and additional education beyond high school is required,” the Ford NGL website states. “We believe that the most successful approach for high schools is one that infuses the high expectations and academic rigor of a college preparatory academic program with the real-world relevance and rigor of CTE. Such an integrated approach facilitates, supports and accelerates a smooth transition to post-secondary education.”
In an email exchange after the meeting, Loser said: This process was funded by an Indiana Department of Education grant awarded to HSE through the Central Indiana Educational Service Center.
“The HSE School, in collaboration with Ford Next Generation Learning, received just over $630,000 to complete two years of a five-year transformation process with the community,” said Loser. . “Six other school districts (rural, urban, suburban) also benefited from this grant. The total grant amount for all seven districts to work with Ford NGL was $3,931,800. ”
For more information on the national program, visit fordngl.com.
