Programs at Notre Dame Education Center
ADULT EDUCATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT
The goal of the Literacy and Academic Achievement Program is to develop basic English language, academic, and technology skills that will create the foundation for intradepartmental promotion.
The goal of the College and Career Pathways Program is for all students to prepare for postsecondary education and careers. ESOL 3 and ESOL 4 students will also work simultaneously toward two other benchmarks
YOUTH EDUCATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT
The High School Diploma Program (HSDP) is for students with junior-year credits to benefit from our longstanding partnership Cathedral High School. The partnership is unique in that it allows students to obtain a Cathedral High School diploma while doing their coursework at NDEC.
The HiSET and Postsecondary Preparation Program (HPP) is to prepare area youth 16–22 years of age for completion of the HiSET/GED and preparation for postsecondary education and careers
Other Services
Case Management/Resource Counseling
Although many students are able to connect with counseling services in the community, many need just short-term help with a specific issue. Our resource counselors do a wonderful job in helping students get the help they need with landlord/tenant issues, problems with their children’s schools, and so on. Many of the requests we receive for help do not take very long for our experienced staff to resolve. A referral system enables us to connect students with agencies that equipped to handle difficult situations.
Postsecondary education support
Each of the program managers have extensive experience in providing individualized assistance to students who are researching and applying to college. They are joined by next-steps counselors and case managers.
Partner involvement
NDEC is fortunate in having a very active partner community in many business sectors. We also have close connections in the education arena, particularly with Roxbury Community College and Benjamin Franklin Institute, which allows our HSDP students to dual-enroll. Our students look forward to meeting partners, who offer industry-specific panels, job fairs, internships, site visits, college visits, and employment. We poll our students and ask for their input regarding upcoming speakers.
Student Opportunities Initiative (SOI)/ Volunteer Coordinator
Our large pool of dedicated and talented volunteers is one of our greatest assets. Individualized in-class and after-class tutorials have made provided the extra help that students needed to master difficult material and to move toward their goals. Volunteers are also an excellent source of information regarding colleges and jobs.
Peer support
Each June, we acknowledge the remarkable victories our students achieved that year—high-school diplomas, high-school equivalencies, success in training programs, and enrollment in college. We plan to implement in September 2017 a series of roundtables entitled “I Did It, And So Can You,” which will invite former students to brainstorm and problem solve with current learners.