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Child Care & Education

The Child Care and Education Career Academy is a skills/attitude based program designed to assist graduating students in acquiring knowledge, skills, and appreciations essential to working in the fast-paced and rapidly changing field of education and child care. Credits earned in this academy will help the graduate enroll in a two-year Associate of Arts program designed to prepare candidates for a career as a paraprofessional educator, daycare provider, educator.

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Job Outlook

Child Care & Education Job Outlook: Elementary School Teachers

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Required Courses:

Child Care and Education
Child in the Family
First Aid & CPR
Psychology of Human Behavior & Personality
Work Seminar
Real World Experience

Recommended Courses:

Advanced Placement Psychology
American Sign Language I
American Sign Language II
Introduction to Public Speaking
College Writing I
Introduction to Sculpture
Art l Drawing

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Career Options

Daycare and preschool learning programs are a rapidly growing area of employment. Paraprofessional educators are often employed by school districts and private education agencies to help students succeed in coursework and academic/personal challenges.

Job Outlook

Childcare and Early Childhood Education job opportunities continue to grow. Expected growth in Northern Minnesota is 7.6% through 2024.

Paraprofessional Educator Careers are also growing. Expected growth in these jobs is 0.1% in Northern Minnesota.

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Job Skills

In addition to having job-related skills, employers expect their paraprofessional educators to have other skills such as:

Listening skills
Effective communication
Digital Citizenship
Problem-solving skills
Time management
Manage instructional resources
Professionalism
Integrity

Academic Completion Standard

Successful completion of this Career Academy prepares the student for:

Enrolling in a two-year AA program at an institution of higher education.
To have a good work ethic by being on time and communicating effectively in an educational setting.
To have a better understanding of how children learn and factors that affect children’s wellbeing.

Postsecondary Programs

Upon successful completion of this program, trainees are eligible for enrollment in college, community college, or technical college programs in programs that will lead to careers as a child care provider, paraprofessional, and educator.

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Nora Sellheim

Nora Sellheim is a graduate of Grand Forks Red River. Her Bachelor’s Degree is from North Dakota State University where she ran both cross country and track. Prior to moving to Bemidji in 2016, Nora taught Culinary Arts for five years in Oregon. At Bemidji High School, Nora teaches Foods For Today, Ethnic Foods, Food Nutrition and Wellness, Child in the Family, Child Care and Education, Own Your Own, Consumer Clothing, Advanced Clothing, Fashion Merchandising, and Creative Living. In her free time, Nora enjoys spending time with her family and being physically active.

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Business and Industry Experiences/Partners

Students in the academy will study how children learn. Students will learn how a child’s growth and development is affected positively and negatively by the child’s environment and the care the child receives. They will job shadow in various paraprofessional roles and successfully complete a semester internship in an educational or daycare setting. They may participate in paraprofessional educator training offered by Bemidji Area Schools and will be considered for employment at the conclusion of their AA/post-secondary program.

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Academy Gallery

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