Appleton Career Academy

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Appleton Career Academy

• How do students learn at ACA ?
• How is learning measured?
• How is each students story shared?
• Why have a small school design?

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ACAs interdisciplinary, rigorous curriculum

• ACA is proud of its innovative curriculum where
  students will learn through
• Foundation Courses I and II
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Job Shadows
• Internships
• Independent Projects and Research
• Students will be able to complement the ACA
  curriculum with courses from Appleton North
  and/or Post-secondary organizations.

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Off-campus learning opportunities

• ACA students benefit from the greater Appleton
  community through innovative learning
  opportunities.
• Example students will teach seminars to
  Touchmark residents
• Community businesses and organizations, along
  with community experts and elders, partner with
  the ACA Faculty and students. This vital
  relationship makes the ACA curriculum relevant,
  rigorous, and related to the professional
  capacity evident in the Design, Health, and
  Business Professions.
• Hoffman LLC (architectural design firm)
• Touchmark (retirement community)
• Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin - Fox Valley

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6 Ways ACA students learn

• 1. Interdisciplinary Foundation Courses
• Standards from several subjects woven into a four
  week small learning community (40 students 2
  faculty).
• Community based learning in Health, Design,
  and/or Business
• All students demonstrate professional aptitude
  through leadership, communication, and ethics
  development.
• Field based learning, Job Shadowing and/or
  Internship Components

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2. Seminars

• Seminars are focused short courses of 3 or 4
  weeks duration that exemplify integrated studies.
• Led by one or sometime two faculty.
• Community experts often serve as adjunct faculty.
• Examples
• Atomic Rock and Roll
• Pathology of Body Systems
• Entrepreneurship
• Design for Health Care

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3. Workshops

• Workshops are skill based and usually of short
  time duration. A bringing together of expert and
  students to gain a specific skill set.
• Examples
• College Application Process
• JA Titan Computer Simulation
• Design and Biology
• Volunteering in the Community

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4. Job Shadows, Internships and Apprenticeships

• Students are expected to take their learning into
  the professions of Design, Health, and Business.
• Job Shadowing are planned immersion visits where
  the student follows a profession through his or
  her workday(s).
• Internships can be short-term ( a week) or
  long-term (every Wednesday for an entire year.
  The student provides value to the organization
  and learns firsthand skills and capacity needed
  in the particular profession.
• Apprenticeships are mentoring opportunities that
  are focused in a particular skill set development.

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5. Independent Projects and Research

• Each ACA student has the flexibility to create an
  independent project and/or research effort to
  customize their learning.
• Examples
• Creating and coordinating an art show
• Assisting with a veterans publicity project
• Managing a retail store
• Designing a respite program for Childrens
  Hospital
• Designing an active aging seminar
• Each effort is proposed to the ACA faculty and a
  community expert for review and approval.
• The student creates a realistic action plan for
  its completion.
• Often highly visible presentations/demonstrations
  are part of the assessment.

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6. Courses

• To complement ACA learning, students may take
  courses from Appleton North and Appleton Area
  higher education organizations like the Fox
  Valley Technical College and Lawrence University
  that fit their ACA 3year plan.

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Common Learning Themes

• Leadership, Service, Ethics, and Communication
  Skills make up the professional package of life
  long learning skills that permeates the ACA
  curriculum.
• Creative thinking skills will be addressed and
  how they relate to Business/Marketing, Design and
  Health Careers.
• Continuing discussions and development about the
  role of leadership and ethics in Health, Design,
  and Business Careers.
• Presentation, Writing, and Research skills

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How is learning measured?

• At ACA the many ways of learning are all tied to
  AASD Academic Standards.
• Students will have both electronic and hardcopy
  portfolios to demonstrate this efficacy.

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How is each students story shared?

• Student portfolio presentations with parents and
  faculty will also be held twice a year for the
  student to articulate these achievements.
• Various opportunities for presentations of
  learning will be available on a monthly basis.
• Project Foundry will be used to document and
  manage student learning and achievement

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What is an IMT?

• Interdisciplinary Management Team
• Made up of 1 ACA staff member and 20 ACA students
• The IMT structure will provide ACA students with
  a supportive professional learning environment

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What is the Purpose of an IMT?

• Critical thinking and Problem Solving
• Collaboration and Leadership
• Agility and Adaptability
• Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
• Effective Oral and Written Communication
• Accessing and Analyzing Information
• Encourage Curiosity and Imagination

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ACA Senators

• ACA students will provide leadership for the ACA
  and represent each of the strands (Design, Health
  and Business)
• In addition, one senator will serve as the ACA
  Webmaster and another senator will serve as the
  Service Learning Coordinator

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The ACA Senators for 2009 -2010

• Mia Russell Design
• Kayla Johnson Business
• Kayla Miller Health
• Lenae Fahrenbruch Service Learning Coordinator
• Parker Dougherty ACA Webmaster

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Minimum credits ACA students will earn

•                 Sophomore
•                                 1 Com Arts
•                                 1 Biology
•                                 1 Elective
•                 Junior
•                                 1 Com
  Arts         
•                                 .5  U.S. History
•                                 1.5 Elective
•                 Senior
•                                 1 Com Arts
•                                 .5 U.S. History
•                                 1.5 Elective
• Credits will be determined according to each
  students individual ACA plan

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ACA Faculty

• Dave Mueller Principal
• Rita OBrien Governance Board
• Kelly Camber
• Cyndi Dechant
• Joel Edler
• Lori Krueger
• Dave Meixl
• Gus Maves
• Kristie Moder
• Julie Prudom
• Mark Ropella
• Renee Ulman