CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Cooperative Education Program

The Co-Operative Education program provides seniors with an authentic learning experience through employment in their Career and Technical Education discipline.  Students enrolled in a co-operative education course will be required to attend a place of employment daily as an alternate to attending their Career and Technical Education discipline.  This educational opportunity will align with existing Massachusetts frameworks and competencies the students have been learning as they will receive course credit towards graduation.  The following eligibility criteria must be met in order for students to be selected for a Co-Operative Education placement.

·         Students must be a grade 12 student or postgraduate student. (Juniors who successfully complete the second term of their second year may be recommended for placement by their assigned instructor.)

·         Students applying for the program must be recommended by their assigned Career and Technical Education instructor or the Director of Career and Technical Education.

·         Students applying for the program must have maintained a “satisfactory” grade average in their academic courses and an eighty average in their technical courses the previous year or at the time of application.

·         Approved and participating students are required to attend all scheduled classes daily prior to reporting to their co-operative employer.

·         Students absent from school must notify both the Career and Technical Education Office and the employer of such absence. (Note: If the student intends to work that day, then it must be after 2:08 P.M. unless approved by the Academic and Career and Technical Education Coordinator.)

·         Excessive absenteeism and/or tardiness to school and/or work shall be cause for removal from the Cooperative Education Program.

·         Failure to follow school rules and regulations, falsifying illness, academic course failure, personal problems which interfere with employment, or other serious problems which negatively affect school and/or employment, shall be cause for removal from the Cooperative Education Program.

·         Participating students who fail to adhere to employer rules and regulations and/or safety rules and regulations will be removed immediately from the program.

·         Students who believe that they are being directed by their employer to operate unsafe work equipment, tools, machinery, or work in unsafe work environment, (eg: equipment without proper safety guards, protective safety devices, emergency shut-offs, etc.), are to refuse such work assignments until corrective actions are taken by the employer to remedy the unsafe work situation(s).  This could mean leaving the job and reporting the problem to the Academic Career and Technical Education Coordinator who will meet with the employer to resolve the problem.  If the employer fails/refuses to correct the unsafe work situation(s), the student will be removed from the cooperative work position.

·         Students failing to comply with company safety regulations or who fail to utilize prescribed personal protective safety equipment on the job will be subject to immediate removal from the Cooperative Education Program.

·         Students who believe they are being sexually harassed or subjected to inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature report to the Academic Career and Technical Education Coordinator immediately for corrective action.  If after notifying the employer, the employer fails/refuses to correct the problem(s), the student will be removed from the cooperative work position.

·         When there is insufficient work available or if the cooperative training schedule must be temporarily curtailed for the student, he or she must return to school and report the circumstance to the Academic Career and Technical Education Coordinator or to the Director of Career and Technical Education.

·         Students whose personal conduct or effort indicates a lack of responsibility may be excluded or removed from the Cooperative Education Program by the Director of Career and Technical Education and or/the Academic Career and Technical Education Coordinator.

·         Students who have been removed from the Cooperative Education Program for cause may re-apply for the program at the end of the next school marking period.

·         Students required to obtain and return to the Career and Technical Education office the “Evaluation Card” (timecard) ate the prescribed time (normally 1^st school day of the week.)  Failure to comply with this requirement shall be cause for immediate removal from the Cooperative Education Program.

·         Students are required to provide their own transportation to and from their work, and are personally responsible and liable for their actions enroute to and from work.

·         Students participating in “Cooperative Education Employment” are subject to all other regulations (school-employer) as may be instituted by the Director of Career and Technical Education and the Academic Career and Technical Education Coordinator.