Within our shelter schools our goal is to provide opportunities for students to learn and use skills that will build their employability goals and be future ready when they leave our programs. To provide those opportunities, we have teamed together with our Work Experience Coordinator to begin to build a school based enterprise within the shelter school setting.
Recently we were awarded the McElroy Excellence in Education Enrichment Grant. With that grant we were able to purchase the items we needed to begin our Woofhaven Barkery business at our Woodhaven Youth Shelter Classroom. The students will be making homemade dog treats to sell within the community.
Our students are excited to begin this venture and would love to get some help from within our agency as they prepare their business plan. Part of that plan includes market research to determine what types of treats they should make. We would love your help in completing a survey that our students will use to further their business plans. This is a short 10 question survey that will be used within our shelter classroom to research product interests. We have also included our initial plan proposal for you to see our vision for our students.
“The goal of this project is to create a school-based enterprise for our students to operate in collaboration with our educational staff. Students will transfer the 21st-century employability skills and grade-level math, reading, and writing skills from in the classroom to the school-based enterprise. Students will write up a plan and calculate costs and a budget for the enterprise.
Once a plan has been developed, students will then research and purchase the needed materials to create dog treats. Students will create marketing campaigns in the local community to promote their products. Students will create samples of the dog treats and distribute them to local community members and dog daycares. Students will work on building relationships with local businesses in order to create a steady stream of customers to sell their products.
Timeline -Create a written plan and budget by 12/20/21. Purchase materials by 1/30/22. Make samples to hand out to local community members and businesses by 2/20/22. Have an operational school-based enterprise with a steady stream of customers by 5/20/22.”
Please complete the Woofhaven Barkery Questionnaire by April 10, 2022. Thank you for supporting our students!
Plan now to join your colleagues for the all staff retirement celebration on Friday, May 27, beginning at 9:00 am. Due to the great response after last year’s event, this year’s celebration will be held virtually with a similar format. Look for a complete listing of our retirees in next month’s staff newsletter.
