Fraser Learning Continues Despite Obstacles
Learning within the Career & Technical Education programs of Fraser High School continues throughout this challenging season thanks to a history of innovative leadership, teacher and industry driven curriculum, and a focus on the Universal Design for Learning.
Whileunexpectedchallenges caused us to alter our educational delivery models to meet the needs of the new asks of public schools, we are grateful to have built a foundation that is heavily reliant on leveraging tools within our existingdigitalecosystem, almosta decade worth of 1:1 technology deployment experience, & our staff’s knowledge ofmanaging virtual learning environments to deliver quality educational opportunities to our Ramblers.
With over 70 CTE courses available to FHS students, you can imagine how vast of a challenge it has been to ensure that students continue to be immersed in the professional expectations set forth by industrial demand as is required within any CTE program. Teachers have been working tirelessly since March to generate new methods of interaction and assessment for students learning at a distance.
One tool that has been leveraged to continue to submerge students in professional environments and to allow themto build relationshipswith professional mentors has surfaced through a service called Nepris. This service will help provide mandated Work-Based Learning engagements for every CTE student via a digital format. Teachers are thrilled to be able to continue engaging Ramblers with sustainedWBL interactions relatedtotheir areaof professional ambition.
The Fashion Design program is expanding this year to include Industrial Sewing thanks to the support of our partners at GeneralMotors Global Design & the leadership of instructor Stacie Yokhana. Previously, students had the exposure of working on standard sewing machines along with a variety of other projects and had great experiences. Moving forward, wearegoing to use our newJuki industrial sewingmachines and workstations to craft with leather, plastic, foam,& othermaterials common within the vibrant local automotive trimmarket. We could have never imagined the shift that has taken place in the local textilemarket as a result of COVID-19 and are looking forward to preparing our students to fill these talent gaps.
Intro to Health Science students have practiced wrapping items for autoclave sterilization using dishtowels and eating utensils. They also enjoyed exploring pulse and respiration, developing a sales pitch for a biomedical device, and an occupational therapy skills challenge in which they needed to choose an everyday task, like making a sandwich or getting dressed, and do it with their non-dominant hand only.
Sports Med students were given a scenario, likeapersonwithasuspected fracture or dislocation, and had to find household items tomake a rigid splint, soft splint, and sling. Theyimmobilized the “injured” body part, took a photo of it, explained it, and presented their findings to the teacher. Ramblers also created a rehabilitation program for a fictional athlete with a lower extremity injury.
Med/Health students worked on their safety unit by demonstrating proper removal of PPEequipment using household items. Students also demonstrated proper body mechanics while lifting and carrying a heavy object and demonstrated proper use of a fire extinguisher using a variety of household objects in the simulation. Finally, Ramblers created an Emergency Preparedness Plan for a healthcare facility based on a potentially catastrophic event. These events included blackout, wildfire, hurricane, tornado, blizzard, and flood.
Patient Care students are looking forward toobtainingCPRandFirstAid training via blended learning fromthe American Red Cross. Our HOSA – Future Health Professional chapter has worked hard to organize a Blood Drive on October 23 in the Aux Gymat Fraser High School. HOSA members are excited tobe able to compete inthe annual Regional Convention virtually, although they were looking forward to hosting the event at FHS once again.
For the very first time, all Fraser High School Culinary students will be participating in the ServSafe Food Handlers and ServSafe Allergen national training program with other aspiring young chefs and professionals alike. This course will be administered throughtheNational Restaurant Association. Once the initial certifications have been granted, these certifications will remain with our young chefs and will only require additional recertification if they so choose. This nationally recognized credential will most certainly give our Ramblers the edge in the very completive job market and will assist them as they serve staff a recently developed menu during small group instruction sessions.
While Welding, Electronics, Woodworking, Engine Technology, & Mechanical Design students have been engaging from a distance by using digital texts & resources, teachers are looking forward to hosting small group instruction thismonth to get back to the in-depth processes that can only be served adequately in our labs. These teachers, with a practical understanding of how to leverage PPE safely and the luxury of enjoyingflexible learning spaces, are excited to inspire kidswith the knowledge they need to be confident returning to school safely. In time, all of our upper level CTE courseswill be meeting in small groups to help our students continue to pursue professional purpose in the field of their choosing.
CTE students who choose not to participate in on-site small group instruction, and in programs where no small group option is offered, will have hands-on learning supported through “CTE Lab Bags” containing materials students need to be guided through lessons virtually. These bags are being prepared for distribution to students by the end of October. For example, entry level welding students will receive an electrodeholder, paint brushes,& paint in their first lab bag so they can begin to develop the dexterity needed tomanipulate an arc acrossaweld joint. We believe that these effortswill be appreciated by students & parents as we all strive to provide some type of bridge back to the learning outcomes that we expect from our graduates.
While we understand that the current model of education is not ideal given current circumstances, the Fraser CTE Teamremains focused on every student’s success as we work to develop& provide curricular experiences that can help shape the ambitions of our Ramblers. We are grateful for the support of our community and industrial partners as we work through the challenges before us. Once again, the Fraser Family will answer this calling with the noblest of ambitions.