Admissions Policy

The Windham Regional Career Center (WRCC) is a group of high school districts bound in a collaborative structure under the provisions of the General Laws of the state of Vermont. The Member high school districts include Brattleboro, Leland & Gray, Bellows Falls, Twin Valley and Hinsdale, NH.

The Windham Regional Career Center offers career exploration and vocational-technical training in conjunction with a sound academic program. Students attend their high school or Brattleboro Union High School for academic courses necessary for graduation and receive home high school credit for career and technical education. Upon completing the program, students have academic, occupational and workplace competencies that enhance success in the job market and provide an excellent basis for further post-secondary training. Upon graduation students receive a high school diploma from their home high school and a certificate from the Windham Regional Career Center. To be a successful applicant, a student will have to demonstrate an interest or expressed desire to pursue a particular occupational area.

The Windham Regional Career Center ensures equal educational opportunities, regardless of race, color, sexual orientation, handicap, religion or national origin.

Eligibility

Admission to Windham Regional Career Center is open to students in the region school districts who have reached the age of 16. Brattleboro Union High School students that have been promoted to grade 9, or are eligible for 9th grade placement in a public school are eligible to enroll in the 9th grade Career Exploratory course.

10th graders are eligible to enroll in PRE-TECH (Introductory) courses. 11th and 12th graders are eligible for all half or full time WRCC programs.

Non-resident Admissions:

Students residing in cities and towns not maintaining approved vocational-technical education programs or specific courses in the occupational area desired by the student may apply for admission to Windham Regional Career Center as allowed by Vermont law. Secondary non-resident students shall be subject to the sending districts in accordance with the Department of Education’s nonresident application guidelines. These students must first seek approval from their home school district prior to applying to WRCC. Out-of-region students are accepted on a space availability basis.

Admissions Criteria

The Windham Regional Career Center must comply with regulations which enable the school to accept qualified students based upon the number of available slots within the vocational-technical training program.

A rubric and point system will be utilized for applications to be scored to determine eligibility and rank order of approval for programs. In some cases, home school personnel may recommend students who may need specific admissions criteria modified or waived in the consideration of students that are members of special populations, including students on an I.E.P. Admissions criteria, which are waived or modified will be the decision of the WRCC Application Committee with the assistance of the WRCC Counselor, Special Education staff, and sending school Guidance/SPED Director.

Applications for specific WRCC half or full-time programs will be scored and reviewed as follows:
1. If the applicant has already been enrolled in any previous WRCC program(s). (5-10 POINTS).

2. Student narrative that illustrates personal reflection and reasons why or how the program(s) would be a good match for the applicant. (20 POINTS)

3. Cumulative High School Grade Point Average. (10 POINTS)

4. Previous semester courses and grades. (10 POINTS)

5. Attendance for the current school year that the application is submitted. (20 POINTS)

6. Short answer that reflects thought of how the applicant's strengths, preparation or interests relate to their future plans or goals. (10 POINTS)

7. A variety of opportunities that were taken advantage of to visit the Career Center, speak with counselors about the Career Center options or evidence of taking a non-program class at the Career Center previously. (5 POINTS)

8. A recommended personal interview or meeting with the instructor. (5 POINTS)

9. A recommendation (signature) by a sending school teacher.

(5 POINTS)

10. Signatures by a sending school counselor/Case Manager, and applicant. (MANDATORY - NO POINTS)

Academic Performance - 10 Points max
Grade Point Average (GPA) will be assigned point values according to the following scale:

3.0 (85+) 10 POINTS

2.0 -2.0 (70-84) 5 POINTS

<2.0 (<70) 1 POINT

Previous semester grades will be assigned point values according to the following scale:

a. The listing of courses/grades illustates a "full" course load, grade appropriate classes and good academic effort. (10 POINTS)

b. The list contains three or more classes and grades reflect good academic effort. (5 POINTS)

c. The list contains only two or three courses and low academic effort. (1 POINT)

Attendance - 20 points max.
For all applicants whose attendance records show more than 16 absences in a full academic year, or more than 8 absences in a half academic year, the Windham Regional Career Center will expect legitimate explanations from the applicant that can be verified by the sending school for the causes of the poor attendance record.

0 - 8 Days Absent (20 POINTS)

12-16 Days Absent (10 POINTS)

16+ Days Absent (10 POINTS)

Student Interview with program Instructor - 5 Points
Each entering student interested in a program will be recommended to interview with the program instructor(s). This intervier can be scheduled directly with the instructor and with the assistance of sending school guidance counselors during the school day or at the Career Center.

The interview is intended to meet the instructor, offer information about program curriculum and expectations and assist in assessing the applicant's determination and eagerness to be approved for the program. It can also assist th determine a candidate's maturity and commitment toward technical training. The following is a sampling of questions that may be asked at the interview:

• Why do you want to attend the Career and Technical Education Center?
• How important is vocational- education to you?
• What careers might you wish to explore?
• What occupational area(s) are you considering?
• What goals have you set for your future occupation?
• What would you do if your first choice were unavailable?

Application Process

Application Forms are available online, from the home school guidance office or directly from the Windham Regional Career Center located at 131 Fairground Road in Brattleboro, VT 05301. Prospective students will have opportunities to tour the Windham Regional Career Center and observe occupational programs and activities in operation prior to application.

1. Students will return a completed application with the appropriate signature to their home school guidance department (typically in February).

2. Home school guidance counselors will forward the completed student application preferably before the priority application deadline (determined annually by calendar guidelines) and/or will make available to Windham Regional Career Center, information necessary to complete the "Application Package" consisting of the following:

• A signed and completed application form.
• Transcripts for the present and previous year.

The following is requested for applicants who are receiving special services, and will not be used as part of the application process:

• A current copy of the Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.).
• As recommended by the Vermont Department of Education, a representative from the Windham Regional Career Center will be invited to TEAM meetings that would result in a student being recommended for admission to the Career Center well in advance of these application deadlines. The home school Director of Special Education will schedule a TEAM meeting on special education students in accordance with regulations. Students will not be permitted to enter Windham Regional Career Center until all records, including an approved, signed I.E.P., if applicable, have been received. The participation of WRCC staff in the TEAM process assures students' needs may be met while maintaining the integrity of an independent assessment of the applicant for admission.

APPROVAL PROCESS
Applications will be reviewed using the standardized admissions criteria (See the Admissions Rubric listed on the right of this page, under ADMISSIONS).  An “Applicant Package” will be reviewed and scored by WRCC Staff (Application Approval Committee).

1. Member district students will be ranked by application score. Consideration will be given to students approved from each sending school until available slots are filled on a program by program basis.

2. If a program's capacity has been met, and accomendation cannot be made at that time, a waiting list of eligible students will be established and students will be accepted as space becomes available.

3. Member district students and parents will be informed by mail of their status by late spring, or as early as possible.

4. Non-member district students will be ranked separately and accepted as openings exist after eligible member's district applicants have been accommodated.

5. Applicants, parents and home school personnel will be informed by mail of their status by summer or as early as possible. All applicants will receive one of the following notifications:

• Acceptance - Student meets minimum entrance criteria and space is available.
• Wait Listed - Student meets minimum entrance criteria, space is unavailable in the Exploratory and/or other WRCC programs and student has been placed on the waiting list.  Should a slot become available the home school guidance department will be notified.
• Rejection - The Windham Regional Career Center cannot fulfill the needs of the applying student/the student does not meet minimum entrance criteria.

6. An orientation package for newly accepted students and their parents will be sent home in the summer preceding enrollment.  Included should be general school information including a Parent/Student handbook containing a copy of the attendance policy, the discipline policy, and the safety and health policy and an Emergency Information Form.

Recruitment Activities

The Windham Regional Career Center engages in recruitment activities that market career and technical education to students, parents, and home schools with the support of business and industry, post-secondary institutions, public agencies and the general public. The Windham Regional Career Center Staff conduct 8th grade assemblies in member district schools as appropriate during the winter months. In addition, the Windham Regional Career Center staff participates in member district school activities such as open houses and parent nights. At such activities an overview of the programs at Windham Regional Career Center is presented. Windham Regional Career Center staff is available to answer questions, encourage students to consider non-traditional career areas, and review the overall application process.

Informational sessions, which include group tours, are offered on a regular basis throughout the second semester and are facilitated through the home school guidance department. Interested students are invited to participate in an Exploratory Day(s) scheduled in collaboration with home schools. Students attend an Exploratory Day to participate in specially prepared presentations in vocational-technical programs and are able to visit additional lab areas.

A Career Expo has typically been provided to interested students for an opportunity to view demonstrations and exhibits in each of our occupational programs, speak directly with teachers and current students, take career interest surveys and schedule visits to the Windham Regional Career Center.

The Windham Regional Career Center staff also typically hosts an open house where prospective students and their families have the opportunity to visit the programs and talk with the instructors.