The CACC's Mission:

Empowering students to achieve career goals

and become lifelong learners.

Vision:

By continuous improvement, through change and innovation, CACC will become a leading technology center in the State of Michigan.

2010-11 Math Goal:

• The Calhoun Area Career Center will improve student competency in mathematics literacy through the incorporation of instructional strategies to address fractions, decimals, percents, and proportions, and other related mathematical concepts embedded in the program's curriculum.

• All second year students will improve by an overall rate of at least 30% from their initial first year pre-test to their second year post-test and all first year students will improve at a rate of 20% from pre to post test on an internally developed assessment measuring their mathematical proficiency.

2010-11 Assessment Goal:

• To inform and improve instruction, all programs will utilize technical assessments through the use of pre-tests and post-tests. By June 1, 2011, every program will show an average gain of 30% between pre-test and post-test on its internally developed program technical assessments.

2010-2011 Organizational Goal:

• The Calhoun Area Career Center will develop and implement a system for communicating with stakeholders our progress toward our student achievement goals.

CTE Makes CACC a Formula for Success!

Career and technical education is about helping students, workers, and lifelong learners of all ages fulfill their working potential (Association for Career and Technical Education, 2008).

The Calhoun Area Career Center (CACC) integrates academic knowledge with technical skills, providing well rounded educational opportunities for any student serviced by the Calhoun Intermediate School District. We are not just preparing students for jobs after high school. Students today need more than just a high school education, and our mission is to prepare them for their post-secondary journey. Integrating technical and career training gives meaning and relevance to their academics.

The CACC is about preparing students for careers with:

• Academic subject matter taught with relevance to the real world, often called contextual learning.

• Employability skills, from job-related skills to workplace ethics, where career pathways help

students explore interests and careers in the process of progressing through school.

• Partnerships with community, business, and industry to give the classroom real world

relevance.

The Calhoun Area Career Center (CACC) is a public secondary school operated by the Calhoun Intermediate School District, located in Battle Creek, MI. We are an extension of local public and private schools providing career and technical education to primarily 11th and 12th grade students. The CACC accepts and serves ALL demographics of students from special populations to the academically gifted. Students attend the Center for one-half of their school day and their sending school the other half.

Currently, the CACC offers 18 programs following the Michigan Career Pathways model. While attending the Center, students may earn college credits through dual enrollment or articulation. Several student organizations are available that enhance classroom learning. These organizations provide leadership training, team work, and opportunities to network with professionals in their career field.

Our staff in the Student and Career Services Department provides academic and technical support as well as career counseling and student service resources. We employ academic specialists in core content areas to collaboratively work with programs to integrate elements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum into our instruction.

Partnerships with industry and post-secondary institutions have grown over the years. Our longstanding relationship with Battle Creek Health System, Kellogg Community College, public safety departments, Regional Manufacturing Technology Center (RMTC), and others all support student learning and work experiences.

Benefits for students attending the CACC include:

• Dual Enrollment - Many of our programs incorporate a dual enrollment option for those who qualify. This year alone, students earned 585 dual enrollment credits representing a savings of more than $53,000 in tuition.

• Certifications - Students are able to earn professional certifications by meeting industry standards and passing the required industry exams.

• Articulation - Many colleges will award credit for competencies achieved through coursework at the CACC if they are the same as the entry-level college class. The credit is given to the student when they enroll at the post-secondary institution at no cost!

• Work-Based Learning - The CACC develops training agreements with local employers to provide hands-on, real world experiences for students through job shadows, unpaid work experiences, and co-op placements to link theory and practice in the world of work.

• Scholarships - There are many opportunities to graduating seniors that are exclusive to students who attend the CACC. The amounts vary from year to year but range from $150,000 to $200,000.

How does a student take advantage of the opportunities at the CACC?

Enrollment is through their local district. Home-schooled students can attend but must also enroll through their school district. Contact the CACC or your school counselor for more information and discover how academics, technical skills, and collaborative partnerships add up to a formula for success!