Northwest Georgia College Career Academy

Quarterly Report

March 30, 2013

Mission & Goals

The mission of Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy (NWGCCA) is “to develop a 21st century workforce through world-class Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE)”.

Goals

Performance Based Goals & Measurable Objectives:

Goal I: To implement and expand CTAE exploration course offerings for middle school students in grades 7 and 8.

Goal II: To increase student exposure to CTAE pathways, work place experiences and post-secondary education opportunities.

Goal III:To provide access to End of Pathway Assessments.

Organizational & Management Performance-Based Goals:

Goal I: To ensure all high school CTAE courses are aligned with forecasted employment and economic data.

Goal II: To provide teachers with exposure and experiences to local business and industry.

Partnerships

Business/Industry Partnership

  • Formed partnership with Shaw Industries (Brian Cooksey), a leading manufacturer of a wide variety of top quality floors whose goal is “to start at a younger age connecting students to careers that interest them and careers that are available in our community as well as educational opportunities to get them where they want to be.”
  • Partnerships formed with Mohawk Industries, Dalton-Whitfield Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Dalton State College, Dalton Public Schools, Murray County High Schools, Dalton Utilities and 97 other business and industry partners. Representatives of these businesses signed letters stating that they would work to find ways financially and otherwise to support the goals of Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy.

Local Grant

  • The Georgia College and Career Academy Project granted NWGCCA $2.61 million which will allow for the expansion of NWGCCA to satellitecourses at eight other locations.

Budget

Due to timing of the memorandum being signed no draws have been made, however;Georgia Northwestern Technical College has been invoiced for operating funds.

Governance & Leadership

Mr. Tim Campbell, Campbell PrintingChairman

Mr. Brian Cooksey, Shaw IndustriesVice-Chairman

Mr. Larry Harrison, Cohutta Banking Co. Finance Liaison

Ms. Judy Gilreath, Whitfield County Schools Superintendent

Mr. Britt Adams, Northwest High SchoolParent/Principal

Ms. Jody Johnson, Dalton State College

Mr. Craig McDaniel, Georgia Northwestern Technical College

Ms. Barbara Ward, Dalton Chamber of Commerce

Mr. Leslie Rush, Dalton Utilities

Timeline

August 2005 Opening date for Whitfield County Career Academy

July 2011 Georgia Northwestern Technical College joined our campus

December 2011Grant of 2.6 million awarded to NWGCCA

July 2012 Name change to Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy

July 2012The Georgia State Board of Education approved the new charter

August 2012STEM labs opened at satellite campuses (grades 6-12)

August 2013Start Mechatronics Pathway

Career & College Funds

  • Program Areas: Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Communications and Transportation, Business & Computer Science, Culinary Arts, Education, Engineering, Technology and Manufacturing, Family & Consumer Sciences, Government and Public Safety, Healthcare Services, Marketing, Sales and Services, Mechatronics.

Grade Levels

  • Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy serves students grades 9-12.
  • NWGCCA STEM labs serve students grade 6-8.

Enrollment

  • We work through our base high schools to make students aware of our offerings and we use a seamless enrollment process to make sure students have easy access to the career pathway that they have chosen.

Student Support

  • NWGCCA provides all Work Based Learning and Youth Apprenticeship opportunities for Whitfield County Schools.
  • NWGCCA serves as the district level CTAE advisory committee for Whitfield County Schools. The advisory committee is made up of representatives from large and small business and major community initiatives.
  • Each career tech program associated with NWGCCA is required to have an advisory committee made up of experts from their related field.

Standards & Curriculum

  • Advisory committees are established forAgriculture, Architecture, Construction, Communications and Transportation, Business & Computer Science, Culinary Arts, Education, Engineering, Technology and Manufacturing, Family & Consumer Sciences, Government and Public Safety, Healthcare Services, Marketing, Sales and Services. Committees consist of 5-10 representatives in related businesses from Whitfield County. Advisory committees are required to meet three times per year and work to establish needs for the program in areas of strengths and weaknesses.
  • District advisory committees are established for Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Communications and Transportation, Business & Computer Science, Culinary Arts, Education, Engineering, Technology and Manufacturing, Family & Consumer Sciences, Government and Public Safety, Healthcare Services, Marketing, Sales and Services. The advisory committee is made up of representatives from large and small business and major community initiatives.

Structure

  • Architectural plans are near finalization.
  • Teachers in specific program areas worked directly with the architects to describe program needs and collaborate to ensure the best possible outcome.