Executive Summary. Atterbury Job Corps Center. Mr. Redford Salmon, Director 1025A E Hospital Rd Edinburgh, IN

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1 Mr. Redford Salmon, Director 1025A E Hospital Rd Edinburgh, IN Document Generated On January 22, 2014

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School 2 School's Purpose 4 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement 6 Additional Information 8

3 Introduction Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way a school stays faithful to its vision. Many factors contribute to the overall narrative such as an identification of stakeholders, a description of stakeholder engagement, the trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that a school implements to support student learning. <br><br> The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis. Page 1

4 Description of the School Describe the school's size, community/communities, location, and changes it has experienced in the last three years. Include demographic information about the students, staff, and community at large. What unique features and challenges are associated with the community/communities the school serves? is located 35 miles south of Indianapolis and just 5 miles west of Interstate 65 in the town of Edinburgh, Indiana. The Center is located on a picturesque campus in a semi-rural setting with over 200 stunning acres and 25 active buildings. The Center provides training services to approximately 410 residential students primarily from Indiana, but also from Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The Center houses 410 residential students in five on-campus dorms and offers career technical training in 14 vocational trade career areas. Many of the trade programs are Union Construction Pre-apprenticeships taught by Union Instructors. The Construction Trades include: Glazing, Carpentry, Painting, Cement Masonry, Brick Masonry, Heavy Equipment Operator and Heavy Equipment Repair. Many non-union trades are offered as well, such as Electrical, Welding, and Facility Maintenance, which are taught by the Home Building Institute. The Center offers Service Trades in Office Administration, Certified Nursing Assistant, a Culinary Institute and a Security/Military prep program. The Atterbury center also provides educational attainment through its GED/High School Diploma program. Atterbury Job Corps is located across the street from Camp Atterbury Maneuver Training Center, the major National Guard training facility in the state and one of five Army Mobilizations sites in the country. Job Corps was created in 1964 and was modeled on the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC provided room, board and employment to thousands of unemployed young people, and was discontinued after World War II. Job Corps built many of its methods and strategies based on the CCC. The first Job Corps center was opened on January 15, 1965, at Camp Catoctin, Maryland. The first women's center was opened in Cleveland, Ohio on April 9, Co-education was introduced at Tongue Point, Oregon in Over the past 48 years, Job Corps has opened 125 centers in 49 states through bi-partisan efforts on Capitol Hill. The is one of the nation's original Job Corps centers and is located on the historical site of what was at one time the world's largest hospital, Wakeman General Hospital. Some of the original buildings remain but almost all buildings used by Job Corps are much newer. The Center has two female, and three male dorms, a beautiful academic building, and a conveniently located Wellness Center in the midst of the dorms and adjacent to the campus cafe. also has an all-female satellite center called IndyPendence, which is located in downtown Indianapolis in the historic Wulsin Building. It is within walking distance of Monument Circle. It helps a student population of over one-hundred young ladies, ages 16 to 24, attain their GED or High School Diploma and complete a vocational trade as either a Certified Nurses Assistant, or Office Assistant. Close to IUPUI and within commuting distance to other colleges, our student-employees can tour campuses and consider what options they have after completing Job Corps. The is operated by Adams and Associates Inc. In addition, Adams and Associates operates 12 other Job Corps Centers across the nations. Page 2

5 The center has had some organizational changes that include a new director team. In addition, the center has hired new staff throughout the center, including instructors, residential advisors, recreational advisors, and support staff. Finally, a major center-wide renovation construction project has just completed. The project included a new Welcome center, outdoor running track, soccer field, softball field and new utility infrastructure. In addition to academic and career technical training, the center has a Work-Based Learning program. This program provides opportunities for students to: 1) develop a further understanding of career opportunities, employer expectations, and the impact of postsecondary education in the workplace; 2) apply their newly acquired skills in the workplace, learn new career technical skills and workplace competencies. The center has incorporated work-based learning (WBL) as a primary instructional approach to the delivery of applied and contextual training. The center has implemented a structured WBL program that involves students in work experiences related to the career field for which they are preparing. One primary focus of the center is ensuring that our students demonstrate the Career Success Standards of the Job Corps. The purpose is to provide students with a center culture that regularly fosters opportunities to learn and practice a set of behavioral expectations that support employability and social development for career success. The center will ensure students leave Job Corps with proficiency in the following eight standards: Workplace Relationships and Ethics, Interpersonal Skills, Personal Growth and Development, Independent Living, Career and Personal Planning, Communications, Multicultural Awareness and Information Management. In addition, Atterbury has established behavioral expectations that promote a safe, respectful, and goal-oriented culture that fosters personal responsibility and mutual growth. Due to the rural setting, one of our challenges is obtaining a sufficient amount of work based learning (internships) opportunities for all of our students in the 14 different vocational areas. Another challenge resulting from our location is finding qualified applicants in a timely manner. Many qualified applicants come from the Indianapolis metro-area where there are more employment opportunities. Page 3

6 School's Purpose Provide the school's purpose statement and ancillary content such as mission, vision, values, and/or beliefs. Describe how the school embodies its purpose through its program offerings and expectations for students. The Atterbury's Job Corps Center's Mission statement is as follows: To provide a healthy, stimulating and safe environment for our students to learn social, academic and trade skills while assisting graduates with employment opportunities and becoming independent contributors to society. To Accomplish Our Mission: We, as staff, directly or indirectly, focus resources and energy so that these objectives are met. We approach these responsibilities with a positive and respectful attitude, and a willingness to listen. Ever mindful of the necessity to clearly understand the facts and the perceptions so we can choose the right course. We accomplish our mission through teamwork and with an open heart, respecting all and embracing the ethnic and the cultural differences of staff and students who enrich our center. We are passionate about our endeavor because we understand the importance of our responsibilities: The Future of Our Students. To accomplish our mission, Atterbury Job Corps assigns each student a career counselor who acts as the student's case manager. Career counselors, as the case manager, act as advocates for our students, ensuring issues are addressed, services are obtained and that barriers are removed. Career counselors work with all departments on center, from academics to residential life, to guide the students through the program to ensure their success. The motto is "every student counts." The center also provides new students a 4-week Career Preparation (Orientation) Program. The Career Preparation Program acclimates new students to center life, provides assessments and guidance to choose the appropriate career path, including shadowing trades, and provides them with driver's education. Students who enter Atterbury job Corps without a high school diploma or GED work toward that certification, and all students participate in TABE testing. The center has been providing trainings and resources for teachers to assist students with increasing their TABE numeracy and literacy scores. Atterbury Job Corps aligns all career technical training areas with relevant industry standards. The training is designed and changed to meet the requirements of today's careers. Job Corps' students at Atterbury participate in one of the following fields: brick, carpentry, cement, culinary arts, electrical, facilities maintenance, glazing, heavy equipment operations, heavy equipment mechanic, nurse assistant/home health aide, office administration, painting, security and welding. The career technical training areas have Community Service Industry Councils that meet annually. The Community Relations Council, consisting of representatives from business, government, and organizations serving Johnson County, as well as, Indianapolis meets quarterly. The annual and quarterly meetings bring together members of the communities to which the students will be transitioning to work and to live. Job Corps relies on the involvement of the community for information concerning employability skills and opportunities in the 14 trades offered. Students work a vigorous program to receive credentials in the field in which they are studying. Each career technical training program has identified credentials appropriate to that career field. The center management encourages students to receive multiple credentials and provides many options to allow them to do this. Page 4

7 The center has increased its goals to provide gains in the overall outcome measurement system that Job Corps utilizes to measure all Job Corps' performances. In addition to career training, Job Corps places a strong emphasis on employability skills. Students learn the importance of being prompt, dressing professionally and respecting authority; working well in teams, practicing good communication skills, and being able to think critically and resolve problems. After the training day, students participate in leisure learning programs. Academics run an after school tutoring program. As part of a national initiative, the Atterbury Job Corps participates in the Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles (HEALS) program. The program is designed to help students learn to live healthy, active lives. HEALS provides structured learning, experiential, and fitness activities that promote lifelong learning, health and physical well being. HEALS relies on the support and collaboration of all Job Corps' departments: Food Service, Recreation, Health and Wellness, Residential Life, Academics and Career Technical Training. The primary goal of HEALS is to improve each student's health, nutrition and fitness status. The secondary goal is to impact positively each student's employability through instilling the importance of healthy habits that last a lifetime. The Atterbury Job Corps' Career Transition Readiness Department works with students as they near their graduation to prepare them for their career. Students attend transition classes, workshops, presentations and seminars as part of the program. In addition each student is assigned a Career Transitions Coordinator who guides their students through the final stages of the program and into their career choice. The focus for our graduates is placement in a Job Corps Advanced Training program, college, trade apprentice program, military or job in their field with a wage over $10 an hour. The expectation for our students is clearly stated in our handbook, and is the focal point of the Center Director's message: "My expectation is that all graduates are better able to enter a career with the potential for advancement and growth, not only in responsibility but in pay." Page 5

8 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement Describe the school's notable achievements and areas of improvement in the last three years. Additionally, describe areas for improvement that the school is striving to achieve in the next three years. One of the most notable achievements of the Atterbury Job Corps in the past two years has been our involvement and support of our surrounding communities with our students and program. Through our involvement with local Chambers of Commerce in Franklin, Columbus and Indianapolis, Indiana, the center has worked hard to position itself as a community resource. Through participation with non-profit organizations such as Franklin Heritage Inc., Atterbury has created a unique partnership that provides hands on training for students with restoration projects of run down homes in the community. Business leaders and city officials see our students skills on a daily basis, speak to them personally about what they are learning from Job Corps, and we are helping to beautify the downtown of the city. Concentrated efforts have been made to take the Job Corps program into the community and create partnerships with national and local companies to produce "employment pipelines" for our students. These partnerships allow companies to inform Atterbury of specific skills that they would like for our students to have, prior to graduating Job Corps, which would increase the students' opportunity to be hired by that company in their specific industry. Our center is now being viewed as a resource for highly skilled future employees by business and industries in the surrounding communities, and by national companies that have locations outside Indiana that make-up part of our student population. Recently, Atterbury Job Corps was recognized nationally in the United States Department of Labor newsletter for the success of our Advanced Career Training College Program. News media coverage has increased significantly in the last year and a half with Atterbury being featured in local newspapers, such as the Columbus Republic, The Daily Journal, Advocates Magazine, The Southside Business Leader, Center Grove Newsmagazine and a segment on television with Channel 13 Eye Witness News. The center has focused on developing a strong center culture. This goal requires a strong focus with the right programs and resources available to students beginning with the outreach and admissions process, through all phases of development, and providing strong follow through with the transitions phase to create career pathways that our students will see as valuable to their future, and will use as stepping stones to meet their career goals. The admissions process has worked to provide clear, concise information about the expectations of our program to potential applicants. This allows Atterbury to attract career minded students who are seeking vocational job training. The center demonstrates to students that the training and information that Job Corp provides is "real world" information, standards and skills that they will need to find successful opportunities and employment. We utilize outside community resources, partnerships and programming in all phases of our curriculum. Industry experts, elected officials, and community service all play a role in reinforcing the positive norms that students must adapt to be successful in today's workplace. Atterbury has created a pathway to success that is celebrated. Student Assemblies provide an opportunity to celebrate student progress and recognition of student achievement that is documented in our newsletters, and is validated by support from our elected officials who take part in student events, such as Student Government Inaugurations and student graduations, and is promoted to the community through local media outlets, such as a recent spotlight of our Advanced Career training program in the Columbus Republic newspaper. Thorough development of center staff, programs, and processes, the overall student culture has risen to a new level, and students strive to meet center expectations. Atterbury Vocational Trade programs strive to provide the latest industry standard credentials. To do this, the center utilizes strong partnerships through our Center Industry Council, and employment research provided by our participation with Workforce Investment Boards, Page 6

9 through Indiana's Work One program. Students are given the opportunity to achieve these credentials through out their time in the Career Development phase of their training. The credentials provide broad skills that can be used in various career choices, such as CPR certifications or NCCER (National Center for Construction Education Research) safety training. Our certifications are industry specific, such as "ServSafe" certifications for our culinary students, or "Lock out Tag Out" in our Welding programs. Atterbury also strives to work with business to develop new certification opportunities. We have partnered with Conexus Indiana, Cummins Engine and Aspire Johnson County, to examine the future needs of theses industries and organizations in developing a future workforce with "Middle Skills" certifications in Advanced Manufacturing. Atterbury has committed to ensuring our students complete the Job Corps program highly skilled, highly credentialed and job ready. Certain activities at the center have contributed to the success of our students. Men's and Women's programming, a center wide Healthy Living 3k Run, Safety Fairs, and new evening time programming, has provided more one-on-one opportunities between students and staff to meet and interact in fun social settings. In order to give students the opportunity to participate in on-the-job training, Job Corps has a Work-Based Learning program. Students who have completed a percentage of their training are partnered with community businesses and organizations. Over the past few years, the number of partners has increased as the coordinator of that program continues to establish Memorandums of Understanding with area partners for all of our training areas. We are focused on increasing Work-Based Learning opportunities for more of our students. An area of focus for improvement is in our students' Literacy and Numeracy TABE scores. The Center is currently developing an agreement with a local university to provide in-depth training on the latest teaching techniques and strategies for our Academic instructors. The training will provide the latest in-class instruction and techniques. The center is committed to providing ongoing training for all staff to improve upon their professional skills and their commitment to the success of our students. Atterbury Job Corps plans to continue moving up the rankings of the nation's Job Corps. Our current goal is to reach the top ten within the next two to three years. This ranking will mean that we have concurrently raised our students' scores for numeracy and literacy, and have been successful in helping them complete their programs, become employed and/or go on to further education. Page 7

10 Additional Information Provide any additional information you would like to share with the public and community that were not prompted in the previous sections. Atterbury Job Corps will continue to strive to provide our students with the most effective academic, career technical and social skills training to guide them into the future. Thereby providing our graduates the skills they need to compete in today's workforce. Page 8