Career Day
Career Day Co-Coordinator
Overview
Career Day creates a critical link between the classroom and the workplace by allowing students to explore various career options so that they can make informed educational and career choices.
Career Day is intended to benefit students by:
- Introducing them to careers: students gain exposure to different careers.
- Connecting learning: speakers give students background on the type of education required for specific careers.
- Sharing the relevance of schoolwork: students observe how English, math, problem solving, teamwork, and other basic skills learned in the classroom are used on the job.
- Creating a career pathway: students discover which college majors or technical programs feed into different career paths.
Role as a Co-Coordinator
As a committee we met several months in advance to determine the careers that would be represented at career day. We’ve reached out to the community and professional organization for presenters. In order to confirm participating presenters we collected proper contact information. We then created a roster of confirmed presenters and sent a memo out to teachers explaining the assignment of presentations.
The day before the event we set up the library for a welcoming breakfast. We reached out to a local Starbucks for donations of coffee and pastries. The day of the event we set up presenter parking.
In the auditorium there was a special assembly for fifth grade students only to be introduced to each presenter. Each presenter presented for three different sessions. Students chose presenters based on their interest and took notes and participated in a Q & A.
Learned
Coordinating Career Day is one of my favorite things to do. The event is so rewarding to me. I enjoy the expressions on student’s faces when they decide, “I’m going to be a _______.” I’ve learned that coordinating events may take a long time to work out all the details, but they end rather quickly. In all the hardest part of being the coordinator of this event is reaching out to community partners for presenters. Everyone is so busy! Luckily, over the years we have created relationships with professionals that enjoy being part of Career Day. In addition to reaching out to presenters, reaching out to Starbucks for donations was a challenge as well. With persistence we were provided a donation and I hope to develop the relationship by possible field trips and of course more coffee!
CPSEL Connection
Standard 4: A school administrator is an educational leader who promoted the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
4.1- Incorporates information about family and community expectations into school decision-making and activities.
4.2- Recognizes the goals and aspirations of diverse family and community groups.
4.3- Values diverse community stakeholder groups and treats them with fairness and respect.
Standard 6: Understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.
6.2-Influence and support public policies that ensure the equitable distribution of resources and support for all subgroups of students.
6.3-Ensure that the school operates consistently within the parameters of federal, state, and local laws, policies, regulations, and statutory requirements.
