ABC CREATE L.E.A.D.S. Partners: School, Business, Community

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ABC CREATE L.E.A.D.S. is working with the Consortium of Public Education to convene and engage stakeholders in professional development explicitly designed to address school-business-community partnerships. This L.E.A.D.S. initiative will provide school districts with three, CPE-led professional development opportunities: School-Business Partnerships Training, Project Based-Learning (PBL) training, and Educator in the Workforce training.

Our first event was held in December 2022. In total, 45 individuals—17 school district representatives and 28 business and community representatives—came together for a School-Business-Community Partnerships Training. (Info from March 2023 Quarterly, page 4)

In June 2023, six organizations invited educators to their facilities to showcase relevant careers as part of CPE’s Educator in the Workforce program. Participants visited the Entertainment Technology Center at CMU University, Cook Medical, Aerotech, the Elliott Group, Western PA Operating Engineers, and the Health Careers with Westmoreland County College. Participants learned what skills employers are seeking and how the content they teach in the classroom is directly applicable to jobs across industries, from engineering to healthcare. (Info from September 2023 Quarterly, page 3)

The CPE also led nearly 30 ABC CREATE educators through a two-day Project-Based Learning training in June 2023. Those who attended the training learned new skills, and had time (with the support of their peers and the session facilitators) to begin planning a project of their own for the new school year. (Info from September 2023 Quarterly, page 4)

School-Business-Community Partnership Training

Educator in the Workforce Training

Project-Based Learning Training

 

School-Business-Community Partnership Training

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School-Business-Community (SBC) training will help the educators and business partners to establish shared understandings, to strengthen relationships, and to bridge the gaps between siloed efforts. Participants will walk away with an action plan for starting, expanding, or strengthening a school business partnership including a timeline for implementation and action items for both the school and the business. Learn more about School-Business-Community Partnership Training.

 

Educator in the Workforce Training

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Educator in the Workforce (EIW) training immerses educators in workplaces to learn about the region’s key industries and employers. It provides opportunities for employers to showcase their careers and the pathways that lead to them. EIW is designed to expose teachers, counselors, and other educators to employment opportunities and the job market into which they’ll be sending students. Through it, educators learn what skills employers are seeking, and they see how the content they teach is applied in real-world situations.  Learn more about Educator in the Workforce Training.

 

Project-Based Learning Training

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Project-Based Learning (PBL) training provides educators with an in-depth understanding of the key PBL design elements, and the knowledge and confidence to implement portions of PBL or full PBL projects in their classrooms. As part of this training, educators engage with and practice instructional strategies for implementing PBL. These strategies are based on the principles of human-centered design (HCD), ensuring equitable and inclusive practices in the classroom. Throughout the training, participants will work through a project-planning document to help them visualize and plan their project. Learn more about Project-Based Learning Training.