IMAGE — Woodland Public Schools partners with the Cascadia Technical Academy to offer the Teaching Academy, a program which prepares students with the skills and knowledge to become Washington state certified paraeducators upon graduating high school.
Students taking part in the program work with elementary students at Columbia Elementary School, where they learn professionalism, teamwork, effective communications, time management, project management, how to deal with safety issues and much more. In addition to being certified paraeducators upon graduation, students who successfully complete the Teaching Academy can earn college credits toward a bachelor of science degree in education. The program serves high school juniors and seniors from Kalama, La Center, Ridgefield and Woodland school districts.
“Teachers and paras are not only educators, but also mentors, role models, advocates, and change agents,” said Asha Riley, assistant superintendent for Woodland Public Schools. “They have the power and responsibility to inspire, motivate, support, and challenge their students to achieve their full potential, and to prepare them for the opportunities and challenges of the future.”
The partnership between the Cascadia Tech and Woodland Public Schools helps lower costs for all involved school districts. “By sharing costs, the financial burden of programs like these are distributed fairly between all the districts utilizing the program,” said Riley. “This cost-sharing makes programs accessible to a broader range of students, inclusivity that is essential for promoting social equity for students throughout our region.”
