Applications are rolling in right now for a new charter school in Rochester aimed at making students ready for the workplace.
The Rochester Career Mentoring Charter School will open its doors to 80 ninth grade students at the beginning of the school year.
Dennis Francione, CEO of the new charter is a former principal in the city school district.
He says every student will be required to choose a career interest - then Francione says the school will match that career interest with a mentor in the field. He adds the mentoring process will be ongoing, “It can't be a one day presentation and then the mentor leaves. Our belief system is that the mentors that join this charter school to assist our students in career interests and dreams will promote that mentoring process throughout the 4 years they're with the student."
Francione says the curriculum will have a technology focus - with students utilizing laptops to learn more than textbooks.
The application process ends in April - then Francione says the 80 students will be selected through a lottery process.