L-R: Catalina Claussen, ALCS Director Wayne Sherwood, and Madeline Alfero (Courtesy Photo)Silver City, NM: On January 7, 2019 Aldo Leopold Charter School (ALCS) was awarded a $60,000 Work Based Learning Initiative (WBLI) grant from the Public Education Department to support and develop Career Technology Education programming in the southwest region of the state by strengthening a consortium of industry leaders and secondary and post-secondary learning institutions. The WBLI grant team includes Dave Chandler, Catalina Claussen, and Madeline Alfero. They will consult with Western New Mexico University and area industries to determine how to prepare students for further post-secondary vocational and technical training or job placement upon completion of high school education. The award is anticipated to renew for two additional years.
The Public Education Department tasks the team at Aldo Leopold Charter School with assessing the current Career Technology Education programming in nine regional school districts and working to develop strategic improvement plans aimed at better preparing students for job placement and/or post-secondary vocational and technical training with our regional post-secondary partner, Western New Mexico University. The team will reach out to the following area schools: Cobre Consolidated School District, Silver Consolidated School District (2), Deming Public Schools (2), Aldo Leopold Charter School District, Lordsburg Municipal Schools, Animas Public Schools, Reserve School District, Magdalena Municipal School District, Quemado Independent School District.
In addition to assessing and supporting these districts, the grant team will provide technical assistance with WBL program design, identify opportunities that support students in non-traditional roles, provide technical assistance with PED/WBLI application process, provide technical assistance with individual school/community partner outreach, help schools identify local workforce development agencies (DWS) and existing programs, and provide technical assistance with program/curriculum linkages.
Dave Chandler states, “It was an unexpected award. We initially requested funding to support our current internship program and instead the Public Education Department recognized the long-standing success of our internship program and community outreach with this award.”
Catalina Claussen says, “I look forward to working with the schools in our region to deepen partnerships that will better prepare students to enter the workforce.”
“Having gone through the internship program at ALCS, I can attest to the program’s integrity and how it has helped me. I am very excited at the prospect of helping bring this and similar programs to students across southwest New Mexico.” Says Madeline Alfero, alumna.
Aldo Leopold Charter School is a tuition free public charter school that provides an engaging and challenging educational program for grades 6 through 12 emphasizing direct experience, inquiry learning, stimulation of the creative process, and stewardship of our community and natural environment.