Co-Op Office

  • Brian Smith                                                                              
    Co-Op Placement Coordinator                                                                     
    978-671-3619 

    Rosemary Brewster                                                                                 
    Administrative Assistant                                                                 
    978-671-3806   

    What is Co-op?

    Cooperative education provides a unique opportunity for students to be employed in their fields of study while still in high school. Students may become eligible as early as their junior year.  Cooperative education employment is always in the students vocational major enhancing and expanding the students understanding of the career field.

    Why Hire Co-op?

    • Student employees have training in trade specific areas
    • Train flexible young employees in company's particular methods
    • Student employees have 10 hour OSHA card or equivalent safety certification
    • Cost effective method of employee recruitment
    • Impact and enhance vocational technical training for future employees

    For Students/Parents:

    Student Requirements SVTHS Cooperative Education:

    The Cooperative Education Program is a privilege that provides an opportunity for qualified seniors—and, at the start of fourth quarter, eligible juniors—to enhance their vocational-technical training through work experience in industry on a job related to their program of study.

    The Cooperative Education Program takes place on an alternate-week basis during the respective, regularly scheduled vocational-technical weeks for seniors and juniors. Students participating in the program are expected to work at least six (6) hours every day that school is in session.  If a student is not at work and does not attend school, then he or she must call in sick to both the employer and Co-op Director or, the student will be considered truant for that day.  If for any reason the employer does not have work for a co-op student during co-op week, the student must report to school.  Each day this occurs, the student must go first report to home room and then sign-in at the co-op office.

    Obtaining Employment:

    Students are encouraged to use job postings provided by the Placement Office as leads in their search for employment, as well as contacts that their vocational-technical instructors may provide.  It is each student's responsibility to find and obtain employment, related to their program of study, with a qualified employer who is in compliance with federal and state discrimination, wage and workers' compensation insurance laws.

    The Cooperative Education Program is a privilege that provides an opportunity for qualified seniors—and, at the start of fourth quarter, eligible juniors—to enhance their vocational-technical training through work experience in industry on a job related to their program of study. 

    The Cooperative Education Program takes place on an alternate-week basis during the respective, regularly scheduled vocational-technical weeks for seniors and juniors. Students participating in the program are expected to work at least six (6) hours every day that school is in session.  If a student is not at work and does not attend school, then he or she must call in sick to both the employer and Co-op Director or, the student will be considered truant for that day.  If for any reason the employer does not have work for a co-op student during co-op week, the student must report to school.  Each day this occurs, the student must go first report to home room and then sign-in at the co-op office. 

    Senior Participation: First-quarter eligibility (based on junior year and fourth quarter of junior year) 

    • Attendance and Punctuality
    • Maximum of 12 total days absent during junior year with no more than 3 days absent occurring in the 4th quarter.
    • Maximum combined total of 20 days absent and tardy during junior year with a maximum combined absence and tardy total of no more than 5 days in the 4th quarter.

    Grade Requirements

    • Minimum of a B- (80%) average in vocational-technical program for both 4thquarter and final grade for junior year.
    • Pass all subjects in 4thquarter and final grade for junior year.
    • Cumulative average of C- (70%) for related and all academic subjects combined 4thquarter and final grades for junior year.
    • Teacher Recommendations and 2-Year Verification
    • Recommended by vocational-technical shop, related, and academic teachers.
    • Verification of completion of 2 years in the vocational-technical program of study.
    • Students must have taken and successfully complete a 10-hour OSHA Safety Training Program or a 10-hour Career Safe Training Program, whichever is most appropriate for their technical career area.

    Senior Participation:  Second-, third-, fourth-quarter eligibility (based on previous quarter) 

    • Attendance and Punctuality
    • Maximum of 3 total days absent during the previous quarter.
    • Maximum combined absence and tardy total of 5 days
    • Grade Requirements
    • Minimum of a B- (80%) average in vocational-technical program for previous quarter.
    • Pass all subjects previous quarter.
    • Cumulative average of C- (70%) for related and all academic subjects combined for previous quarter.
    • Teacher Recommendations and 2-Year Verification
    • Recommended by vocational-technical shop, related, and academic teachers.
    • Verification of completion of 2 years in the vocational-technical program of study.
    • Students must have taken and successfully complete a 10-hour OSHA Safety Training Program or a 10-hour Career Safe Training Program, whichever is most appropriate for their technical career area.

    Junior Participation:  Fourth-quarter eligibility (based on standards for the first three quarters of junior year) 

    • Attendance and Punctuality
    • Maximum of 6 total days absent
    • Maximum combined total of 9 days absents and tardy

    Grade Requirements

    • Minimum of a B- (80%) average in the vocational-technical program for the third quarter and first three quarters grade average.
    • Minimum of a C- (70%) average for all subjects in 3rd quarter and first three quarters grade average.
    • Minimum of a B- (80%) average for related in 3rd quarter and first three quarters grade average

      Teacher Recommendations and 2-Year Verification
    • Recommended by vocational-technical shop, related and academic teachers.
    • Verification of completion of 2 years in the vocational-technical program of study.
    • Students must have taken and successfully complete a 10-hour OSHA Safety Training Program or a 10-hour Career Safe Training Program, whichever is most appropriate for their technical career area.

    Junior Participation: Summer eligibility (based on standards for the first three quarters of junior year as listed above and the 4th quarter standards listed below) 

    Attendance and Punctuality

    • Maximum of 2 total days absent during the 4thquarter. 
    • Maximum combined absence and tardy total of 3 days.

    Grade Requirements

    • Minimum of a B- (80%) average in the vocational-technical program for 4thquarter. 
    • Minimum of a C- (70%) average for all academic subjects 4thquarter 
    • Minimum of a B- (80%) average for related 4thquarter 

    Teacher Recommendations and 2-Year Verification

    • Recommended by vocational-technical shop, related and academic teachers.
    • Verification of completion of 2 years in the vocational-technical program of study.
    • Students must have taken and successfully complete a 10-hour OSHA Safety Training Program or a 10-hour Career Safe Training Program, whichever is most appropriate for their technical career area.

    Probationary Status.   A student placed on probationary status due to attendance concerns will be removed from participation in their Cooperative Education Program after giving their employer a two-week notice.  A teacher may retract his or her recommendation of a student for participation in the cooperative education program at any time by notifying the Co-op Director in writing explaining why the recommendation has been retracted. 

    Teacher Recommendation.   A teacher may retract his or her recommendation of a student for participation in the program at any time by notifying the Co-op Director in writing explaining why the recommendation has been retracted. 

    Extenuating Circumstances.  Students who are not eligible for the Cooperative Education Program due to extenuating circumstances may present written documentation of these circumstances to the Co-op Director for review and an eligibility determination by a school administrator. 

    Obtaining Cooperative Education Program Employment.  Students are encouraged to use job postings provided by the Co-op office as leads in their search for employment, as well as contacts that their vocational-technical instructors may provide, and the Shawsheen Valley Technical High School Career Resource Network. It is each student’s responsibility to find and obtain employment, related to their program of study, with a qualified employer who is in compliance with federal and state discrimination, wage, workers’ compensation insurance laws.  

    Removal from Participation.  

    • Students may be removed from participation in the Cooperative Education Program at any time for any of the following:
    • If the student is on probationary status due to violation of attendance policy.  (Handbook section 3-2.
    • Failure to maintain punctuality, attendance, grades, and teacher recommendation criteria
    • Failure to turn in time cards to the homeroom teacher
    • Failure to turn in academic reports to the co-op office.
    • Failure to call in sick to the Co-op Directorwhen not in school or at work.
    • Employer dissatisfaction with student performance.
    • Failure to display an appropriate level of maturity with regard to behavior and attitude as a student and employee.

    Time Cards.  Homeroom teachers will be responsible for the collection of time cards during academic week.  They will keep accurate records of the status of each student’s time card for each co-op week.  After all cards have been collected, the homeroom teachers will: 

    • Forward a copy to the Co-op Director.
    • Forward a copy to the teacher of record who is responsible for recording the shop hours and grades of the program participants.

    Weekly time cards will document that: 

    • The student worked a minimum of six hours each school day.
    • Those hours accrued to the student’s shop-hour total.
    • The student’s weekly grade included 80 points for maintaining a job.
    • The student’s weekly grade included an evaluation of 0-20 points awarded by the employee.
    • The employer, at his or her option, provided feedback on the student’s performance.
    • The placement is related to the student’s program of study.

    Teachers should review time cards for any irregularities that may appear and inform the Co-op Director of observed irregularities or suspected inaccuracies.  The Co-op Director or his/her designee will oversee students in the program during the summer months. 

    Important Forms:

    CORI Form

    Co-Op Application Form

    Employer Data Form

    Employer Responsibilities Form