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The Yosemite Joint Union High School District has begun a series of
roundtable discussions with local businesses.
The purpose of the discussion is to find out how those in the business
community view the school and what improvements are needed. The roundtable
is the idea of Trustee Bert McSwain who sees it as a way to share
information and ideas with businesses.
The first roundtable was held in August and featured discussion with
businesswomen from the community. In October, businessmen will be
invited to share their views. Other discussions will include those
in the food and hospitality industry, real estate, and YJUHSD graduates
who are in business.
The first roundtable featured Kim Anderson from the MET Cinema; JoAnn
Weston from Community Hospitals of Central California; Sherry Colgate
and Sandy Brinley, Sierra Tel Communications Group and Dr. Karen Lauterbach,
Kaiser Perman-ente.
They told district trustees and administrators that the school has
a positive overall image but it should more actively market the school
district. Suggestions included brochures for real estate offices and
information packets to parents of eighth grade students.
The businesswomen said students need more information about proper
business attire and job seeking skills. They need to know it is important
to turn in an application that is neat, complete and with correct
spelling. “If you live in Ahwahnee,” one person said, “you should
know how to spell it.”
It was stressed that the first impression is important when seeking
a job. Students need to know that it is important to be well groomed
and dressed appropriately. They need to know what it is the business
does where they are applying to work. One of the businesswomen said
students come in to apply for a job and then ask “what do you do here?”
They were sorry that Yosemite High School no longer offers a business
course where students learned to write resumes, fill out applications
and go through a job interview. That class was discontinued when the
teacher retired.
Some wondered why there is not more emphasis on training students
for the world of work instead of placing so much emphasis on everyone
going to college. School officials explained that the new standards
set down by the state leave very little time for anything other than
the work mandated by the standards.
It was pointed out, however, that YHS still has a very strong career
- technical curriculum through the Regional Occupational Program (ROP).
YHS Principal Steve Raupp told the group that approximately 70 percent
of the YHS graduates go on to higher education, most at the community
college level.
YJUHSD Superintendent Bill McCabe said he was very pleased with the
first discussion and he looks forward to others throughout the year.
“It is so meaningful to us to hear those in the business community
express their needs,” he said.
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