Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School
Co
-operative Education DepartmentTABLE OF CONTENTS
Making choices for the future can be a tough experience. It may not be easy for you to decide what you want to do once you have completed your education. What’s more, the career you choose may turn out to be very different from what you had expected.
Co-operative education can help smooth the way. It provides an opportunity for you to explore career choices and enables you to gain valuable experience before you start work on a full time basis. As a result, you should be in a better position to make sound and realistic decisions about your future career.
Co-operative education is also concerned with developing the skills and attitudes you will need to pursue a worthwhile career. The experience of real working conditions can improve your potential as a future employee and can help you develop a positive attitude towards yourself, your education, and your career.
The following information will assist the prospective co-op student in understanding the prerequisites necessary for enrolment in the co-op program.
EARNING CO-OP CREDITS:Students taking a co-op component linked to a specific subject can earn up to three (3) credits as follows:
1 Credit: In-school component - a senior level subject directly related to the out-of-school component, taken no more than one year previous to co-op enrolment.
2 Credits: Out-of-school component - work related co-op experience.
Concurrent: If the out-of-school placement and the in-school subject component are taken simultaneously, partial credits will be granted only if the in-school component is successfully completed. If a student fails the out-of-school component and successfully completes the in-school component he/she will be granted one credit.
Subsequent: If the out-of-school placement is taken in a subsequent semester, successful completion of the in-school component is required, prior to acceptance into the out-of-school component.
The typical hours of work for a student are 8:50 - 11:39 a.m. or 12:25 - 3:05 p.m., Monday through Friday for a minimum total of 12.5 hours per week. Schedules may vary depending on the nature/location of the business and must be pre-arranged in co-operation with the employer, the student and the co-op teacher.
All students must remain in attendance at their placement to the last scheduled day.
Students who are not working regular hours must fill out an Adjustment to Hours Form and have it signed by their supervisor, parent, and co-op instructor before hours/days can be changed.
In the event of illness/lateness/absence, or school closure due to weather conditions, students are required to notify their Placement Supervisor, the school attendance office, and the co-op teacher prior to their expected arrival time. Afternoon co-op students must sign in upon return to school in the Co-op office.
Habitual lateness or unauthorized absenteeism will result in dismissal from the program. After one unauthorized absence, students will be counseled by their teacher and may be placed under a Probationary Contract (Refer to Appendix 2). No more than two unauthorized absences will be tolerated.
. Continued absenteeism will result in removal from placement with a loss of credits. (Student Withdrawal Form) (Refer to Appendix 3)Students must be on time for all classes. It is the responsibility of the a.m. co-op student to leave his/her co-op placement in time to arrive at the school for his/her afternoon classes. Co-op will not be used as an excuse for being late.
If your employer, for some reason, tells you not to come into work, your placement is temporarily shutdown or you have a P.A. Day (Elementary schools) you must report to the co-op office and notify your cooperative education teacher. Do not stay at home.
Students will conduct themselves, in an appropriate manner, as representatives of the co-operative education department of Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School.
Students will abide by the employer’s and Sir Winston Churchill’s rules and regulations relative to their co-op placement. Failure to adhere to rules and regulations will result in one or more of the following:
1. Co-op monitor/student counseling
2. Probationary Contract (Refer to Appendix2)
3. Student Withdrawal (Refer to Appendix3)
CODE OF CONDUCT
ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN A CODE OF CONDUCT AGREEMENT PRIOR TO COMMENCING PLACEMENT
. Not adhering to the Code of Conduct ( Refer to Appendix 4) may result in removal from the co-op placement and a loss of credits.While at their placements, students may have access to files, documents, client/patient information, telephone conversations, etc. which are confidential. Co-op students must abide by the confidentiality policy of their placement and may be asked to sign an oath of confidentiality by their supervisor.( Refer to Appendix 5)
A Confidentiality Contract, issued by the Co-op Department, must be signed by the co-op student prior to the first day of his/her placement. Breaching confidentiality will result in student removal from the placement and a loss of credits.
Dress according to employer’s policy.
SPECIAL CONFERENCES/WORK APPLICATION
Any work related conferences or special assignments must be cleared through the co-op office first and a Special Conference/Work Application Request must be completed.
(Refer to Appendix 6)EMPLOYER/STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET
Students are responsible to submit an Employer/Student Information Sheet indicating all pertinent co-op dates to their Placement Supervisor. (Refer to Appendix 7)
REFLECTIVE LEARNING SESSIONS
A reflective learning session is held one day of each month (unless specified otherwise). Reflective learning includes class discussions, guest lectures and pertinent information related to placement experiences.
Co-op students must attend all reflective learning sessions. Students are also responsible to remind their employers of the designated dates they will be away from their placement to attend reflective learning sessions. Students are expected to; be on time, bring their co-op note book and their student handbook, as well as all assignments, to reflective learning sessions. Unauthorized absences will result in a loss of marks.
Throughout the semester, students are required to submit assignments to their teacher. The work environment dictates time lines in completing tasks. Therefore, all assignments must be completed and handed in on their required due dates in order to receive full credit. Late assignments will not be marked unless extraordinary circumstances exist and only at the discretion of the co-op teacher. (Refer to Appendix 8)
WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT AND JOURNAL
Weekly Activity Reports and Journals are the cooperative education student's formal and official verification of work and hours completed. They are also helpful records of skills and experiences gained. A completed Weekly Activity Report and Journal for the previous week’s activities are to be handed in to the Co-op Office NO LATER THAN MONDAY of each week.
(Refer to Appendix 9 & Appendix 10 and Appendix 11 and Appendix 12 ). Student’s Weekly Activity Reports must be submitted with a Journal and are marked our of a possible score of 10. ( Refer to Appendix 9 ) A 20 % per day penalty will be applied for late Weekly Activity Reports and Journals. Credit for hours worked will be denied for Weekly Activity Reports and Journals which are submitted after five school days following the due date.| Activities described in full sentences. |
| Hours calculated and totaled (decimal form by the quarter hour), i.e., 13.25 hrs. |
| Placement supervisor’s signature and date. |
| Students’ signature and date. |
| Journal completed - approximately 200 words and stapled to the WAR.. |
It is the responsibility of the co-op student to ensure that the Student Evaluation Forms are forwarded to the co-op office by the date listed on the Employer/Student Information Sheet.
Student Evaluation Forms
Interim Student Evaluation
Mid-Term Student Evaluation
Final Student Evaluation
Overall student evaluation is based on; Employer Assessment in the form of Student Evaluations, Placement Learning Assessment which is based on thorough and accurate completion of Weekly Activity Reports and Journals, Classroom and Summative Assessment which are based on school directed assignments.
| Coop Placement Assessment | 40% |
| Placement Learning Assessment | 20% |
| Classroom Assessment | 10% |
| Summative Assessment | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
Refer to Appendix 9
WORK EDUCATION AGREEMENT
Prior to commencing the work placement, a Work Education Agreement must be completed and signed by the student, parent, co-op instructor and placement supervisor. It is the responsibility of the student to return the signed agreement form to the co-op office prior to the first day of his/her placement.
All parties in the agreement (parent/student, placement supervisor and teacher) will receive a copy of the signed agreement.
PERSONALIZED PLACEMENT SAFETY PLAN
It is the mandate to the Ministry of Education and the
District School Board of Niagara that all Cooperative Education placement are
assessed for their learning value and to ensure the safety of Students in the
workplace.
Each Employer assumes the responsibility for providing a safe working
environment with proper industrial health and safety procedures. Although health
and safety is covered generally during pre-placement lessons in school, job
specific training must be included as part of the Student's orientation to the
work site. The Employer/Supervisor is responsible for training the Student in
all aspects of health and safety related to the duties they will be performing.
The Student will discuss the safety plan with their placement supervisor. The
completed form must be submitted too the Cooperative Education Teacher prior to
the Student being at the placement.
It is the responsibility of the teacher and the placement supervisor to review
the information to ensure the provisions of tan appropriate learning environment
that meets the needs of the Cooperative Education Student.
The Personalized Placement Safety Plan is located in
the Cooperative Education Handbook.
Student Handbook|
LIABILITY INSURANCE - WHO IS INSURED?
The board's liability insurance protects students, employers, and board
employees while students are engaged in a specified cooperative education, work
experience, job shadowing or "Take Our Kids to Work" program. If they are sued
for alleged negligence arising out of the student's involvement in the work
experience program, they are protected.
If an employer involves a student in work or activities outside of the program,
coverage is not extended. For example, an employer may hire a co-op student to
work after hours. As this activity is not part of the co-op education program,
there is no coverage through the school board's liability insurance.
WORKPLACE SAFETY & INSURANCE ACT
Coverage is provided under the Workplace Safety &
Insurance Act to cooperative education students through the Ministry of
Education and Training. Students are not covered while in a classroom or shop
when acting as a teacher's aide, or when traveling to or from the training
station. Workplace Safety & Insurance is not provided to students involved in
other work experience programs like the "Take Our Kids to Work" and jobs
shadowing.
In accordance with the rules of the Workplace Safety & Insurance Act, workplace
accidents must be reported immediately to WSI Board.
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Students who are injured accidentally while on the job may
be able to claim under Student Accident Insurance, which protects students
against accidental injury while at school or on a work experience project.
Student Accident Insurance is valuable coverage, and should be actively promoted
by school boards. Student Accident insurers usually extend coverage to students
who are on work experience projects, even if the student has not voluntarily
purchased the insurance.
* For the DSBN, Reliable Life does provide basic plan coverage for all DSBN
students traveling to and from co-op placements even if their parent/guardian
has not purchased student accident coverage. It should be noted however that
this is basic coverage only and parents should be encouraged to ensure that
their children/students are adequately covered.
NON-OWNED AUTOMOBILE COVERAGE FOR COOP. EDUCATION
A) WORKING ON A NON-OWNED AUTOMOBILE
Students will be protected for accidental and negligent damage they cause to a
non-owned vehicle (i.e., not owned by the school board, the employer, the
student or a member of the student's household) while working on it subject to a
$250 deductible.
B) DRIVING A NON-OWNED AUTOMOBILE
Coverage for liability (injury to others or damage to property of others) AND
coverage for physical damage to the vehicle being driven by a student is NOT
extended to students on work experience programs. The policy provides excess
liability coverage only when the vehicle is being driven on board business.
Driving an employer's or customer's vehicle is deemed to be driving on the
business of the employer, not the board. The Cooperative Education teacher and
employer should clearly understand this fact and ensure that the student is
insured under the employer's automobile liability policy.
DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OF EMPLOYERS
The board's liability policy extends coverage to students who damage property in their care, custody and control while involved in a work experience project subject to a $100 deductible. It should be noted that there is no coverage for intentional damage, dishonesty of students or errors & omissions.
RISK MANAGEMENT TIPS
Student accidents must be reported immediately to the co-op office (684-6349 ext. 20). A Co-op Student Accident Report form will be completed. (Refer to Appendix 17)
A Co-op Bus Ticket Application Form must be completed and returned to the Co-op Office before eligible students can receive tickets. (Refer to Appendix 19 )
The student will meet with the co-op monitor to discuss any problems associated with the co-op placement. The issue(s) will be discussed and a course of action taken
.When necessary the co-op monitor will meet with the placement supervisor to develop a solution. If the problem cannot be reconciled the co-op student may, with parental permission, be withdrawn from the placement. An alternative placement may be developed if warranted.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN DURING A STRIKE OR LOCKOUT
As soon as the co-op department is notified of a strike or company layoff, the co-op monitor will notify the employer and the union representative that the co-op student will not be working at the placement until after the situation in question has been rectified.
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