Academics: C.A.S.E.

West Sioux's Career and Self Exploration Class

by Kim Buryanek

December 30, 2006

In the fall of 2004, West Sioux was notified that they had been awarded a State of Iowa Improving Transition Outcomes grant to fund the C.A.S.E. project. The grant had been submitted in cooperation with Hope Haven, Inc.

The Career and Self Exploration (CASE) project involved several components. The primary component of the CASE project was the development of a curriculum to be used in a high school classroom. After two years of development, the CASE curriculum was approved by the West Sioux school board at the November, 2006 board meeting.

The CASE curriculum focuses on the student's discovery of their interests and aptitudes, developing and exploring a career choice. The ultimate objective of the CASE class is for each student to complete the class having developed a concrete career goal and a solid plan to achieve the goal. During the class, guest speakers from the community are invited in to explain their careers, job shadowing experiences are arranged that align with the student's interests and field trips are arranged to explore additional career opportunities. The class is offered to high school juniors and seniors.

Another component of the CASE project was using the "Train the Trainer" model. Hope Haven, Inc. practitioner Melanie Pottebaum worked and trained West Sioux teacher Arlys Cauwels as they taught the class together for the first semester. The next class was taught by Cauwels with support from Pottebaum. Pottebaum offers consultative support for the CASE project as needed.

A third component of the CASE project is the entrepreneurial component. "Falcon Joe's" is the student ran small business that is housed within West Sioux High School. "Falcon Joe's" serves lattes, coffee, steamers, and smoothies daily from 7:30-9:30am. Students arrive before school starts to operate the business. Students, teachers and community members are frequent customers of the coffee shop. Students decide on all aspects of the business, such as the work shifts, ordering products, prices and marketing. "Falcon Joe's" gives each student in the CASE class an opportunity to explore the career option of running a small business and to decide if this is a career field for them.

Another component of the CASE project was to strengthen West Sioux's community connection. Guest speakers are invited to the class frequently. Students are making connections with community members through job shadowing experiences, also. HAPP had a ribbon cutting ceremony for "Falcon Joe's" soon after it opened. The Red Hat Society had coffee at Falcon Joe's during the first year of operation. There are many community members that stop daily for a latte or coffee.

The CASE project has been presented at the Iowa School Boards Association conference, the Parent-Educator Connect conference and the Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa conference. The CASE curriculum developed by West Sioux is being used at MOC-Floyd Valley High School. Two training sessions have been held in the state of Iowa for other teachers and school districts to use the CASE curriculum.

The State of Iowa Improving Transition Outcomes grant project is administered by Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services with funding through the US Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Services. Three competitive grants in Iowa were funded, which included the CASE project.