OXAC Work-Based Learning Program
2017-2018 employer breakfast, year-in-review
A Look Back
At the third annual Oxford Academy Work-Based Learning Program Employer Breakfast, students and employers met at school to celebrate the program’s achievements in the 2017/18 school year.
The Oxford Academy Program led by certified coordinator/teacher Craig Tefft is a General Education Work Experience Program registered with the New York State Education Department, and is intended to help students’ entry into the workforce through a combination of classroom and work site learning. Classroom instruction includes soft skills that will be useful in any career or workplace, with targeted lessons presented by community leaders.
This year special guest instructors included Tracey Porack who presented Strive®, NBT Bank’s Financial Literacy Program and awarded certificates of completion, Oxford Academy Board of Education member John Godfrey who worked with students on the job interview process, and Mike LaCroce and Stoyana Petkova of the Wild Owl Cafe who talked about goal setting and work ethics.
Since its inception three years ago, Work-Based Learning at Oxford Academy has received support and input from Superintendent Shawn Bissetta, Business Administrator Joe Gugino, High School Principal Mike Waters, the school district’s Board of Education, Commerce Chenango, and IC² (the Innovative Community Collaborative of Greater Chenango County, a local partnership of schools, business, municipalities, and organizations).
Most notably, the Oxford program has benefited from grants from the R. C. Smith Foundation for student wages. The Foundation’s contribution made it easier for new employers to enter the program and serve as mentors to student workers, some of whom were starting their very first jobs through this program.
According to Tefft, this year’s achievements include placements for 18 students in 12 workplaces; they worked across 38 weeks for a combined total of 3,519 hours worked. Not included in those statistics are those students who at the invitation of their employers will be working through the summer and beyond.
This program will resume in the fall. For more information, contact Craig Tefft at ctefft@oxac.org.
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Work-Based Learning Program students earn Strive financial literacy awards
Success Award Winners
Two graduating seniors received the inaugural Work-Based Learning Program Success Awards: Mark Drewniak, employed by BlueOx Energy Products and Services, and Bailee Marotta, employed by the After School Program. Both students received $250 given by an anonymous donor.
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Work-Based Learning Program Employers, 2017-2018
Employer partners for the 2017/18 school year included:
- Canal Street Hardware
- Little Boy’s Shop
- BlueOx Energy Products & Services
- Hoppie’s
- Oxford Village Office
- The Stadium
- Oxford Memorial Library
- Joe & Vinny’s Pizzeria
- Oxford Motors
- Faber’s Home & Kitchens
- Wild Owl Cafe
- After School Program
Students working at these locations successfully completed job interviews, and benefited from both employer mentorship and continued work supervision from Mr. Tefft.