Out-of-classroom experiences help Laconia students prepare for future careers, including in city government

LACONIA — City schools are a model example for their out-of-classroom learning opportunities, district leaders say.

Representatives of Laconia’s Office of Extended Learning told councilors during their meeting on Feb. 9, that they work to connect students to their community, and various career pathways, through a variety of means, beginning as early as elementary school.

Interim Assistant Superintendent Lisa Hinds, Extended Learning Coordinator Candace Hyde, and Program Director Kerri Howe told councilors the programs offered by the school district are helping to show school children the world of possibilities in terms of jobs. 

“They’ve been working with a number of our departments to try to get kids into our different departments, and kind of grow their interest in municipal work,” City Manager Kirk Beattie said.

“Our premise tonight focuses on a simple but powerful goal: making the City of Laconia a classroom for our students,” Howe said. “Through the Office of Extended Learning, we are building a network where academics meet real world service and career exploration.”

The purpose of the program is to provide high-quality experiences outside the classroom, and leaders achieve that by way of homework help, targeted support, after school and summer programs, Howe said. Additionally, they work to provide every student with the opportunity to participate in career-connected learning.

Hinds said the Future Learning Pathways is one of the pillars of the district’s strategic plan.

“It gives us the opportunity to provide available opportunities for kids to develop confidence, to learn how to lead, how to follow, how to grow, how to really become responsible citizens, both in and out of Laconia, and to develop rewarding experiences that will lead them to a successful future,” she said.

In 2018, working with the community, district leaders developed their “portrait of a graduate,” another district pillar, and voted on the six most important qualities: communication, collaboration, creativity, perseverance, problem solving, and self-direction.

“What’s really important about our Portrait of the Graduate, or Portrait of the Learner, is that Laconia is one of the few districts in the state that actually operationalizes their portrait — not just for high school students or made it a brand to hang it on the wall — our portrait is active from pre-k through 12, and it’s embedded and assessed in all of our teaching and learning activities, in and out of the classroom,” Hinds said. “Teachers in their curriculum teach our students these attributes, and actually check in with them, and are able to show how they are learning them.”

Districts typically focus on that in high school, not from pre-school, and Laconia has become a model district in the state, and regularly receives visiting districts to learn about the topic, she said.  

For summer, 251 children districtwide participated in a five-week program where the district worked with community partners to show the children potential career pathways and educational opportunities. 

After-school programming is available at no cost to parents, and serves 270 children at present. There are numerous groups included in the program at the high, middle and elementary school levels, with the goal of increasing academic proficiency, assisting in career exploration and “real world readiness.” 

Hyde said the Career Connection program conducts job-related field trips.

“This year, I worked with eighth graders all the way through 12th grade, because where are they going to get their first jobs? Probably in the hospitality industry, right?” she said. “So they are leaving with the ServSafe Food Handler after they finish this year, and they’re going to help support all of our local businesses.

“I never had trips like these pictures when I was a kid — I was never able to operate equipment, climb a tree, learn about all these different career opportunities,” she said, referring to photos displayed during the presentation. “The students in Laconia are doing this.”