This 2015-2016 school year, Colonia High School is mandating freshman to take a new business course called Freshman College and Career Readiness.
One section of the class is taught by Mrs. Cynthia DiChiara, the Head of the English Department and Mrs. Nicole Liguori, the Math and Business Department Head. These two teachers helped create the course curriculum.
College and Careers Readiness Academy (CCRA) is to introduce freshman to Colonia High School, the high school experience in general, GPA, ranks and more. It mostly focuses on what the students need the most to get through high school. Guest speakers come in to talk to the students sometimes rather than a teacher speaking for the majority of the class. Ms. Cheryl Galvin, head of the Guidance Department, spoke to them on the topic of a four-year plan which basically is a plan on how the students want their four years of high school to go. Mrs. Ann Dinicola, another Guidance Counselor and Bullying Specialist for Colonia High, talked on bullying and how it is not tolerated in CHS. Another teacher spoke on sexual assault in high school and outside of high school.
CHS implemented this class for freshman mainly because they need it the most. Mrs. Galvin said, “Many seniors have told me that their freshman grades are really bad and they are trying fix it now. The freshman need it, hopefully we can get them early.”
CHS’s Student Assistance Counselor Ms. Giordano speaks to the freshman CCRA students.
The freshman CCRA course has shown the students how to access their school google drive and the google classroom. Students submit assignments electronically through the google classroom.
CCRA is different from other business classes because it is tailored to student growth, information on the sophomore careers class and to make students better prepared for when they leave high school.
The sophomore careers class is taught by Mrs. Karen Kenney, computer teacher and Mrs. Jacqueline Nyers.
“The class consists of the students taking surveys, mock interviews, going over the job/field you would like to go into and the money it pays. We also go over the education required for that field,” Mrs. Kenney said.
It is of course a fear that these students will discard what is being taught to them in this class. It is only there because the school wants to lead the freshman on the right path.
“You can only give them the tools, I really hope that they will use all this information in the future, it will help,” said Mrs. Galvin.
According to ed.gov In the school year 2011-2012 school year, some 3.1 million public high school students graduate on time with a regular diploma. This shows that CCRA was put into the school system based of wanting the students in the class of 2017, 2018 and 2019 and after, to succeed greatly and surpass the students of the years before them. It will make sure they are ready for when they leave for college and even after when they are all on their way to get jobs, have businesses and live the life they’ve always dreamed of without hassle or problems.
