Teachers get down to business and write grant
Two new Tech-Prep business courses will earn local college credits
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - Because of a $229,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Education, township high school students will now be able to earn college credits in two newcourses as part of the Tech-Prep: Pathways to Business program.

"The grant is targeted toward the segment of our population of studentswhomay not see themselves as college-bound but who, with some nurturing, nudging and strong educational support, will move successfully in the post-secondary education direction," said Joanne Kerekes, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Tech-Prep is part of the foundation of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Act, which is the first major federal initiative promoting links between secondary schools and colleges. The grant is for three years and the school can reapply after that.

Kerekes said that this is a great opportunity for the students.

"They will earn their high school credits while simultaneously earning course credit that translates to our partner schools, Middlesex County Community College and Kean University," Kerekes said. "Many other schools also accept the dual credits, so students could opt for other post-secondary sites. Students can earn between nine and 20 credits."

"We wanted to partner with schools that would be affordable to students, because costs are rising tremendously," said business education teacher Annette Galaro, who helped develop the idea and write the application for the grantwithKristin Laskin, the supervisor of business, family and consumer science, art and technology. "We're not targeting the traditional AP [advanced placement] student.We're targeting that student in the middle."

There will be help for the students outside of class, if they need it.

"Through the grant, we can provide the students with tutoring to help them pass," Galaro said.

Earning college credits at the high school is nothing new, and has been going on for 10 years, according to Laskin.

"The grant is allowing the school to develop more courses as well as purchase teaching materials and supplies," Galaro said.Classes already offered at the school as part of the Tech-Prep programareAdvanced Computer Applications for Business, Business

Organization and Management, Financial Accounting, and Managerial Accounting. Galaro said that students currently take these classes for different reasons. Some don't take the classes for credit, some do but don't plan to attend Middlesex County Community College, and others take at least three courses for credit and hope to move on toMiddlesex.

"Just over 50 percent are taking it for college credit," Galaro said.

Two new courses will be developed due to the grant: Concepts of BusinessManagement, whichwill begin next school year, and Small Business Management, which will begin in 2009.

"If they complete three courses, theywill be designated as a Tech-Prep programgraduate," Laskin said. We hope some of them will decide to go on toMiddlesex."

"Students will be trained in some of the most advanced technologies in the business world," Kerekes added.

The classes will carry the same weight as AP classes, even though they have nothing to do with the College Board, Galaro said.

In addition, the operation of the school store will be added as a class due to the grant.

"Students will promote it, decide what productswill go in the store, help stock stuff and work the cash register," Galaro said of the school store, which is run by two business teachers. "The grant provides resources for us to decide on a curriculum and to pay the teachers for staying after school."

Galaro and Laskin hope that students who take financial accounting and business organization andmanagementwill take the school store operations class.

"Students can finally put what they've learned into practice senior year in the school store," Laskin said.

All of the Tech-Prep courses are collegelevel courses, using the curriculum that is taught at the program's partner colleges.

The grant will also help other students as well, including those with special needs.

"It will provide an option to give services to studentswith special needs,"Galaro said. "It will provide tutoring for them."

Students will be signing up for the program over the next six weeks. Galaro said that a video has been prepared for recruiting students into the program.

As part of the grant, the high school will receive about $153,000, while Middlesex Community College will get $36,000 and Kean University will get $38,000.

The grant was presented to the Board of Education on Monday and the members were thrilled about it.

"Tome, this is a 'Wow!' " said board President Martin Abschutz. "This showed just how much teachers care."