LAURRIE: Post-Secondary Success Program – Learning for life after high school | Opinion

As educators we must teach our school students that their futures are now – everything they do in school is in preparation for what lies ahead. At Niagara Falls High School, the Post-Secondary Success Program (PS2) has been an excellent career and college-readiness resource and learning experience for our students. I am proud to share this program update.  

The Niagara Falls City School District PS2 program prepares students to transfer between high school and college or the workforce successfully. Starting in ninth grade, the PS2 curriculum offers three-pronged career skills training that focuses on academics, employability, and technical skills used in a specific occupation. Students can even earn over two dozen college credits through Early College in partnership with Niagara County Community College. 

The three tracks PS2 offers are: 

• Building Trades — coursework, internships, and job shadowing for careers in construction, masonry, carpentry, electricity, operators, and engineers. Students in this path can earn OSHA safety credits in asbestos removal, hazardous materials abatement, paving, pipe installation, and bridge and building construction. 

• Pathways to Employment — the coursework is for students planning to attend college to explore careers including education, hospitality/tourism, law enforcement, and performing arts. 

• Business, Finance, and Marketing – this track focuses on instruction and job shadowing in accounting, marketing, and entrepreneurship.   

Local celebrity Chef Bobby Anderson runs the district’s F-Bites program. The program re-enacts all aspects of running a restaurant. Students are the employees who take the reigns and fill jobs from server to maître d’.

Part of the district’s F-Bites Culinary curriculum, The Starbucks Barista Program at Niagara Falls High School, is the first of its kind in the nation. Utilizing an actual Starbucks kiosk constructed inside the high school, the program trains students to be employable, leaders, and effective team members.

PS2 would not be possible without the cooperation of local businesses and organizations that have partnered with the NFCSD to provide job shadowing, training, and internships for our youth.   

Job shadowing for our students is ongoing with the following companies: 

• Durez Corporation 

• Confer Plastics 

• TAM Ceramics 

• Sheraton At The Falls 

• NYS Parks 

• Lakeside Quarter Horses 

Job shadowing opportunities are in progress with: 

• Olin Corporation 

• GreenPac Mill / summer 2022

• Thermal Fisher Scientific

• Borderworx, LLC 

• Iron Workers Local 9

• Cement Masons Local 111

• IBEW Local 237

• Laborers’ Local 91

• North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters

Job training / apprenticeships (upcoming): 

• Jr. Law Enforcement Academy — Beginning January 31, 2022, students will take Intro to CRJ100 (Introduction to Criminal Justice) and will receive course credit paid for by the District. Approximately 10-15 students have already signed up. / January 31, 2022 – June 9, 2022 

• Local Food Network (TreC) will offer a 12-week program at TreC  / January 2022 

• Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) / summer 2022 

OSHA training / construction education: 

• Laborers’ Local 91 Union will complete OSHA 10 training for twelfth-grade students. OSHA 10 students will receive safety certifications in asbestos removal, hazardous materials abatement, paving, pipe installation, and bridge and building construction / December 2021 and on-going

• OSHA will a construction industry outreach training program. The program will provide specific skills training in the electrical and building trades for entry-level construction workers. The training program covers recognizing and preventing hazards on a construction site / spring 2022 

Upcoming spring field trips: 

• Northland WTC  

• BOCES Adult Education 

• Worksourceone Trott Access 

• Niagara Frontier Transportation Association  

Summer 2022 opportunities: 

• Pyrotek (employment & possible job shadows) 

• NYS Parks (potential summer employment & internships) 

• Greenpac Mill (possible paid summer internships & apprenticeships) 

NFTA 

• Niagara University/Sheraton field trip – hospitality, sports management, tourism, business / ongoing 

• NFCSD teacher shadows – GJ Mann Elementary, Maple Avenue Elementary, Hyde Park Elementary 

• NCCC offering micro-credentials in education classes 

Our PS2 partners in business and organizations make so many parts of this program happen. The District is thrilled to acknowledge them in this article. If you read this and want to become a partner, please contact me at

ml******@nf*******.net

PS2 is a force in keeping our kids in school. It teaches our students that the path to their employment dreams runs directly through graduation.

Mark Laurrie is the superintendent of the Niagara Falls City School District.