Hale Cooks Up New Curriculum for 2007-08

By David R. Million, Tulsa World, Okla.

Apr. 25–A Hale High School graduate could become the Food Network’s next Emeril or perhaps the chef of a fine-dining restaurant in France.

Principal Chris Johnson said plans are in the works to create a restaurant, lodging and health management magnet program to begin in the 2007-08 school year at Hale, 6960 E. 21st St.

The program will include three areas: food preparation and presentation; lodging and restaurant management; and health and human performance.

Ninth-grade counselor Brenda Summers, who will oversee the culinary aspect, said all ninth-graders will spend one semester in a class that explores different careers and a second semester looking at opportunities of the magnet program.

Hale students may take any of the program’s classes, but only those accepted into the four-year program will work toward a certificate they receive along with their diploma at graduation.

“Once students graduate from Hale, they’ll be ready either to enter the workforce or obtain further training,” Johnson said.

Funding comes from a $12 million U.S. Department of Education grant that is also funding new magnet programs at Central, Webster and Edison Preparatory high schools.

Johnson

predicts the Hale program will be successful.

“We’re already getting requests from students to transfer to Hale. The hotel and lodging industry is one of the fastest growing. There’s a tremendous opportunity for students to move into this industry and have successful careers. We want to give our students a head start.”

Summers also foresees success.

“It looks like we’ll have good support from area restaurants, and a couple of chefs have contacted us with interest in being part of our program,” she said.

Guest chefs will supplement full-time teachers, Summers said.

Industry associations will provide curriculum for food preparation and presentation and lodging and restaurant management. Curriculum for health and human performance is being written by Hale’s faculty and will focus on nutrition, personal training, athletic training and dietetics, Johnson said.

Johnson said the magnet program will create changes in staff and facilities.

“We’ll convert our 3,000-plus-square-foot fitness center into classrooms and a kitchen, and we’ll hire additional teachers,” he said. “We’ll have an advisory board to help us decide the direction we want the program to go and monitor it.

“During their senior year, students will intern to obtain knowledge and experience, not only from the classroom and kitchen to be built at Hale, but learn in real settings.”

To establish those internships, school officials are seeking restaurant and hotel partners, he said.

“We’re looking for upscale restaurants, not fast-food restaurants,” he said.

Johnson’s past work experience will be used to help establish the program.

“I worked in restaurants all four years I attended Oklahoma State University, two years at Mexico Joe’s and at a variety of others two more years,” he said. “It’s given me a little bit of insight into the workings of a commercial kitchen. I have a good understanding of what we need to build a professional-grade kitchen.”

He and others involved in the program have visited other training sites, both at the high school and college levels.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Tulsa World, Okla.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

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