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Franklin High’s Achievement School reports early-graduation pathway, work-based learning and financial-literacy units
Summary
Teacher Chad Gutzweiler updated the board on the Achievement School at Franklin County High School, describing a blended schedule, work-based learning that can result in early graduation and a financial-literacy curriculum that includes simulated stock portfolios.
Chad Gutzweiler, who leads the Achievement School at Franklin County High School, briefed the school board on Feb. 10 about the program’s structure and outcomes, telling trustees the program aims to create “another pathway” for juniors and seniors to graduate and enter the workforce.
Gutzweiler described the Achievement School as a half-day, two-session program limited to 15 students per session (8:20–11:20 a.m. and 12:05–3:05 p.m.). Students combine online coursework with in-person mentorship, employability-skills training, and a weekly financial-literacy unit. The program includes a work-based learning component: students who complete 150 documented work hours can earn three credits toward graduation and, if they meet the hours and coursework requirements, may be considered early graduates.
Gutzweiler said the program logged more than 3,300 hours of work-based learning last semester across 26 area businesses. Sixteen students completed their coursework in the most recent term and 10 of those met the 150-hour threshold to be considered early graduates. The Achievement School uses an online curriculum platform for coursework and a stock-market simulation (Investopedia) for a 10-week portfolio unit; students use the simulation to learn investment terminology and market mechanics without real money.
The program emphasizes employability skills such as resume building, interview practice, punctuality and workplace communication, and Gutzweiler said area employers reported that basic communication skills make candidates stand out. He gave one example of a student who arrived in August without a job and finished the program in December, logging 150 hours of work-based learning and becoming a department lead at Gilman’s with benefits.
Superintendent Dustin Gering and board members praised the program as an additional pathway for students who need a nontraditional route to graduation. Gutzweiler said the Achievement School’s combination of mentorship, coursework and employer partnerships is intended to boost students’ confidence and school completion rates.
The board did not take an immediate action on the presentation; Gutzweiler’s update was presented as an informational item.
