West Valley Innovation Center - Mission and Vision

 West Valley Innovation Center

Mission and Vision for our Learners

The last couple of weeks have moved us forward in bettering serving our students.  As of today, West Valley JH Principal, Russ Tuman, has been named as the 2021-22 Principal of the West Valley Innovation Center and we are ready to begin the real work  We will use the Career Connected Learning Blog as a way to keep our community informed in the development of the Innovation Center. 

Some of the work ahead of us includes hiring our teachers, adopting curriculum, and approving our new school platform.  Ahead of us there is a lot of work but before any of that work can begin, we need to ground ourselves in a Mission and Vision of the West Valley Innovation Center.  

Core Values

We have some core values already identified which are non-negotiable in educational practice which are good for kids.

• Full Inclusion Educational Model
• Career Pathways and Post Secondary Connections
• Competency Based Learning / Mastery Learning 
• Project Based Learning 
• Students will have Voice and Choice in showing how they have mastered standards

From this base we feel confident in the development of a model that will best serve our students.  

Learning for Careers

Big changes in West Valley Junior High's seventh grade science.  Curriculum is connecting the MS Life Science standards set by the Next Gen Science Standards to careers as medical professionals. 

 "Connecting to life beyond West Valley is the driver for this change," said seventh grade science teacher, Kasey Robbins.  "Instead of telling them they need to know this material for their future, let's show them how they will need these skills to lead successful and meaningful lives."

 Students are all earning their First Aid and CPR certifications as a core component of the course.

For students who build a strong passion in Health Science, West Valley High School has an Allied Health program available for them. 

Learn more about the HS program here.

West Valley offers a comprehensive career planner for students available at:

www.wvfutures.org

From Boeing Internship to AJAC Apprenticeship

From Boeing Internship to AJAC Apprenticeship -

Korlee Butler-Mittlieder.  

This summer, Korlee took her Core Plus Aerospace skills to the Boeing Everett Campus where she worked and lived in a five week Summer internship.  During her internship she worked in drilling, riveting, and installing high-lock and lock bolts. Korlee said the best experience was working on the 747 Structure and the 777X Wing Laydown where she was working on complete structures of the plane.

"I got to install the pressure dome of the of the plane by connecting the forty-eight (the back cap of the plane) and forty-six (the back-half of the plane excluding the cap).  The pressure dome is incredibly important to trust me with, if the dome breaks the plan goes down."

Korlee was able to learn how to seal.  This was great because Korlee is also an AP Art student.   She appreciated how sealing required many of the same skills she uses as an art student from fine motor skills to mapping out a sealant gun path.

Korlee's competencies while at Boeing included

• Rivet Installation
• Drill and Debur
• Routing and Clamping
• Splice Hook-up
• Burndy block and plug hookup 
• Clean for seal
• Seal fasteners 

When Korlee returned to Yakima, she began her AJAC (Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee) apprenticeship at Magic Metals.  She was able to transfer 200 hours from her Boeing internship putting her further down the road to completing her Journeyman.  

Magic Metals has Korlee working in Engineering where she is apprenticing under the head engineer.  She is learning how to use 3D modeling software, taking parts and model them, virtually assembling multiple parts together, and producing engineering plans used on the shop floor from her designs. Korlee's art skills have made her highly effecting producing drawings needed for people on the shop floor to clearly and consistently build parts. 

Korlee with her engineering drawings she uses in Magic Metals.

This week Korlee will be on the welding floor where she will learn about welding in assembly. She will be taking the skills she learned in engineering, designing and modeling parts, to following the instructions on the welding floor.  

The best part about Magic Metals is the culture.  Everyone tells each other hello and goodbye everyday.  Everyone is a team working towards the same goal.  

"The apprenticeship is worth it."  Korlee recommends, "Be on time and be motivated.  This is a job where you work with other people."

WVHS | FUTURES Program | Allied Health

West Valley Futures Allied Health

Our newest video on West Valley Futures Allied Health is now live.  Learn more about careers in the medical field and how you can get an advantage pursuing your future.  

Students can take classes in Sports Therapy and Anatomy and Physiology as well as serve as student trainers for West Valley athletic events.  

Learn more about West Valley Allied Health as well as our other FUTURES programs HERE

West Valley Microsoft Certification - December 14 Data

Washington Microsoft Certification Data Updated!

Once again, West Valley is leading the charge with Washington State Microsoft Certification.  With 241 Seventh graders certified teachers Devina Khan and Eric Curnutt are definitely making the right changes in the lives of West Valley student.  

Great job. 

Many Faces of Entrepreneurship

On Friday, November 16 both West Valley Junior High and West Valley High School sent students to the Many Faces of Entrepreneurship.

Central Washington University hosted the 5th annual event.  Students from across the ESD 105 in Yakima gathered at the Yakima Fair Grounds to compete in building and entrepreneurship plan.  Students are divided into teams with students from other schools where the had to come up with a business pitch.

Groups received coaching from entrepreneurs from the across the Yakima Valley to help students think as an entrepreneur.

Two West Valley Junior High students ended up meeting in the event finals.  At the end the entire event was a success.

WVJH WINS Innovation Challenge at WSSDA

West Valley Junior High sent a team from our Core Plus manufacturing program to the WSSDA Conference Innovation Challenge.  This is the third year of the Innovation Challenge sponsored by the DLR Group.

Three school district junior highs were chosen two present, West Valley, Bethel, and Kittitas.  Students were given thirty-six hours to build a presentation and provide a solution to an issue facing public education.

This year, students needed to develop or improve a technology which could revolutionize public education by the year 2030 and level the playing field for students from disadvantaged communities.

The West Valley team presented new virtual reality software which will put students into immersive environments.  The goal is to open access to students without the ability to take technical stem classes with advanced technology needs.

The team won $1000 from the DLR Group.

Huge thanks to Core Plus for the curriculum which provided our students with Project Based Learning opportunities aligned to real world skills.

West Valley Fire Science

Community partnerships are essential in connecting our students to lives beyond high school.  In our newest video, learn about Jake and his experience with the West Valley Fire Department.

West Valley Fire Science

Located next door to West Valley High School is the West Valley Fire Department.  Every morning, students attend classes where they have a direct connection to fire fighting careers.  Students are able to earn their fire fighting certification, become members of the department, and launch careers in the fire industry.  

To learn more contact West Valley's Career Counselor today. 

West Valley Career and College Fair

Each October West Valley High School hosts the largest College and Career fair you can find in Yakima, WA.  Last year we had over sixty-four tables showing students the variety of options they have in front of them when they graduate.

This year at West Valley will prove to be the largest Career Fair yet.  We will have representatives from military, two year, four year, and graduate universities, technical schools, career and industry, and registered apprenticeships.

In addition to representatives from post-secondary opportunities we are also bringing in Key Note Speaker, Daniel Seddiqui, from Living the Map to come talk about his experiences in today's Job Market.

https://www.livingthemap.com/ 

The West Valley College and Career Fair is Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Open to Students - 10:45-2:30pm
Open to the Public - 5-7pm

Innovations in Professional Development

West Valley has taken an innovative approach to teacher professional development.  Each year our teachers have the ability to job shadow, intern, and tour various businesses around Yakima.  Each year's training differs from teachers touring in a whole group to individual placements as the job location applies to the teacher's content area.

This year's Career Connected Learning touring took place at West Valley Fire Department.  Teachers learn about the training fire recruits must pass.  The most important goal of the tours is for teachers to reflect on their courses and the transferability from the classroom to the working world.

The tour was hosted by WVFD Retention Officer, Chris Lyons, who also teaches the West Valley High School Fire Science program.  Chris gave a unique outlook on supporting students to meet standard.

Chris Lyons of WVFD answer questions about cadet training.

"No one gets left behind, it is as though my life depends on them learning everything because it does.  I don't want to be in a burning structure with a recruit unless I am 100% certain they are prepared and it's my job to prepare them."

West Valley Fire hosts their annual potato feed coming up next Friday, September 14 from 5 to 8pm for only $6. 

If you are interested in hosting a WV Teacher for future job shadows, please email at: nesmithc@wvsd208.org

West Valley teachers entering the fire prop where recruits train with active fire.