Bow School to Career Partnership Meeting Minutes

26 September 2007

 

In attendance:

 

Mary Ann Gaschnig

Harold Keyes

Karen Moynihan

Mara Olisky

Tara Payne

Sean Skabo

Colleen Snow

 

The meeting began with a welcome and introductions.  A special welcome was extended to Ms. Colleen Snow from Bow Elementary School.  Colleen teaches Grade 1 and will represent Bow Elementary School on the Partnership.  Welcome, Colleen, and many thanks to Lois Ambra, Grade 2 Teacher, for her many contributions over the years!

 

Summer highlights included the following:

 

Ms. Marcia Trexler, Family and Consumer Science Teacher at Bow Memorial School,  participated in a Faculty/Business Externship at the NH Attorney General’s Office this summer.  She met with leaders at the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau to learn about consumer issues which she plans to integrate into her classes.  The Faculty/Business Externship is a unique professional development opportunity in which educators can learn firsthand how their curriculum is applied in a work setting. 

 

Students participated in a wide variety of work-based learning opportunities over the summer including internships at Lonza Biologics (biotechnology), Concord Hospital Center for Sports Medicine (physical therapy), NHTI Child and Family Development Center (early childhood education) and Northeast Delta Dental (accounting).  The Nashua Pride also hosted a BHS student for a job shadow in Sports Management.  Lonza Biologics offered a paid internship to our student typically reserved for college students.  Harold mentioned that a BHS alum participated in a paid internship in mechanical engineering at PSNH – Merrimack Station over the summer.   

 

The Bow High School 10th Anniversary Celebration took place in June.  It was a great success with community members, alumni, students, and parents in attendance!  The program featured past, present, and future student perspectives of Bow High School.  

 

The new Internship Course is off to an excellent start!  This semester-long course is co-facilitated by Mrs. Mary Ann Gaschnig, School to Career Coordinator, and Mr. Jason Zecha, Dean of Students.  In addition to the internship placements, students participate in a weekly seminar designed to address their work-based learning experience as well as relevant career development topics.  Students earn .5 credit for successful completion of the course.  This course is unique in that the internship lasts the entire semester, thus offering an in-depth, work-based learning experience for the student.  The following businesses are hosting internships: 

 

Bow Physical Therapy and Spine Center  (Physical Therapy)

Concord Substance Abuse Coalition  (Social Work)

Creative Dance Workshop of Bow  (Dance Studio Business)

Granite Restaurant at the Centennial Hotel  (Culinary Arts)

Holiday Inn  (Marketing, Sales and Event Planning)

NHTI Athletics Department  (Sports Management)

P & N Automotive  (Automotive Technology)

Society for the Protection of NH Forests  (Environmental Science)

 

Bow High School is offering four Chinese courses this year after a pilot mini-course in the spring.  Ms. Yi Huixia is a visiting teacher from China who teaches Chinese at Bow High School.  This was made possible with a grant from the College Board written by Ms. Robin Steiner, Dean of Humanities.    

 

International Baccalaureate training took place over the summer.  Bow High School will prepare an application to offer the IB Diploma in 2009.  This rigorous diploma is recognized  internationally and includes six subject areas as well as two core areas including Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS).

 

The Bow School to Career Initiative was recognized with a Great Neighbor Award by the Birches of Concord, an assisted living community for individuals with memory impairment.  The award reflects the volunteer work our students have done through Senior Projects, Intersession, and Community Service.  They have truly enriched the lives of the residents at the Birches! 

 

The Bow School to Career Partnership 2007-2008 Goals and Objectives, Advisory Board List, and a Business NH Magazine article were distributed.  The feature article from the August, 2007 edition about international trade mentions Bow High School’s International Business course and work-based learning opportunities in international careers.

 

An interesting discussion about the changing dynamics of the workforce took place.  Topics such as workplace culture, giving and receiving feedback, and electronic communication were discussed.  Generational differences are presenting challenges for businesses and reinforcing the need to address workforce readiness education at all levels. 

 

NEXT MEETING:   Wednesday, November 28, 2007

                                    3:30pm