Shop Rat Educational Classes
Registration for Fall Classes Starts September 1st (the fall schedule will be posted at that time)
ITS TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE 2009/2010 SHOPRAT EDUCATION PROGRAM!!!!
SCHEDULE
This year, classes will be divided into two separate semesters. You will only be allowed to attend one semester. This allows us to reach more youth in Jackson County, and will allow students to work around their sports or personal schedules. Classes in semester two will be a repeat of semester one, so students will not benefit from attending both semesters.
| Class | Location | Semester One | Semester Two (new students) |
| Monday | Classic Turning Argyle Plant (Jackson) | 3:30pm-5:30pm Oct 5th - Feb 4th (15 weeks) MONDAYS ONLY |
3:30pm-5:30pm Feb 15th - May 27 (15 Weeks) MONDAYS ONLY |
| Tuesday | Classic Turning Argyle Plant (Jackson) | 3:30pm-5:30pm Oct 5th - Feb 4th (15 weeks) TUESDAYS ONLY |
3:30pm-5:30pm Feb 15th - May 27 (15 Weeks) TUESDAYS ONLY |
| Wednesday | Classic Turning Argyle Plant (Jackson) | 3:30pm-5:30pm Oct 5th - Feb 4th (15 weeks) WEDNESDAYS ONLY |
3:30pm-5:30pm Feb 15th - May 27th (15 Weeks) WEDNESDAYS ONLY |
| Wednesday | Jackson First Presbyterian Church and Youth Center (Jackson) | 3:30pm-5:30pm Feb 15th - May 27th (15 Weeks) WEDNESDAYS ONLY |
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| Thursday | Peak Manufacturing (Pleasant Lake) | 3:30pm-5:30pm Oct 5th - Feb 4th (15 weeks) THURSDAYS ONLY |
3:30pm-5:30pm Feb 15th - May 27th (15 Weeks) THURSDAYS ONLY |
PROJECTS
Projects that we are looking at completing throughout the program may include: robotic wheelie cars, mini bikes, hovercrafts, alternative energy projects, air hockey tables, 1932 Roadster (1/2 scale) and other small projects.
TRANSPORTATION
Students/parents will be responsible for transporting students to and from Shop Rat Classes. For Parkside students, we recommend checking with the Jackson Transportation Authority 517-787-8363- They offer rides for a minimal cost and will pick up students from Parkside and drop off at Classic Turning. Student may need to leave class a few minutes early in order to catch the ride- please contact the school's attendance office to arrange. We also encourage car pooling.
SAFETY POLICY (NO TOLERANCE)
Safety is our #1 concern at Shop Rat Classes. We have a no tolerance policy for all students attending classes, events, camps etc. If a student is not following our safety rules, this includes horse play of any kind, the student will be asked to leave the program indefinitely. Students will learn our safety policies during class.
CLASS LOCATIONS
Peak Manufacturing |
Classic Turning |
ENROLLMENT
To enter a student into our database, please fill in the application here.
Once a student is in our database, they will receive registration packets when registration is open for the next round of classes.
We have classes that start in October, February, and our Summer Program that starts in July.
If you would like to register for the 2009/2010 Shop Rat Education Program please click here. You will need to fill out both the class and student registration form. You will then fax, mail or e-mail those forms back as soon as possible in order to submit your registration forms in for enrollment.
Please only sign up for classes if you are in 6-10th grade. We will try to schedule students based on age. Once we receive your class registration form back, we will then attempt to schedule you into classes for the 2009/2010 year. Filling out your registration form does not guarantee you a spot in our program. We will try to accommodate all applicants, but may need to assign some applicants to a waiting list. If you are placed on a waiting list, but never make it into the program, you will be first in line for our summer camp, in which we attempt to bring in all new students for.
CLASS CANCELLATIONS
Please attend all scheduled classes for the semester. If weather or other circumstances prevent us to hold class, a phone call will be placed to the contacts that were provided on the student's registration sheet. If you feel that conditions are unsafe to drive, please just call. If your class falls on a holiday such as Columbus Day, where school is not in service, attendance that night would be optional, although the planned class activities will still go as scheduled.
DRESS CODE
Students will be given a tee-shirt at the beginning of the program. We encourage students to wear these shirts to class and to special events. We do not encourage open toed shoes and prefer long pants. If you attend class in open toed shoes and/or shorts, it may limit the activities you may participate in.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Since our program is funded through grants sponsors and donors, we have to have measurable objectives with the program. One objective is that students must be present and on time with accordance to our attendance policy, if we cannot successfully meet this objective, we will lose our funding. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS ARE PRESENT OR HAVE A REPORTED EXCUSABLE ABSENCE. See attendance policy below.
You are required to attend all classes. We understand that there will be times in which you must be absent. When this situation occurs you must report this absence before class begins to any Shop Rat Staff at 517-769-2100, shoprat@gmail.com, 517-769-6900. Also, school comes first so if you need to miss a class because of homework or studying, please just call.
If you have accumulated more than three unexcused absences you will be asked to leave the program.
If you have more than five excused absences you will be asked to leave the program UNLESS SPECIAL ARRANGMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE BECAUSE OF SPORTS, ILLNESS OR OTHER REASONS.
Parents must drop off and pick up students no more than a half hour before and after scheduled class.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Parents are always invited to watch a class. We also encourage parent volunteers to help out with the classes. Volunteers will be required to fill out an application and pass a background check. Please contact Don O Connor for more information.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Don comes to the Shop Rat Education with a wealth of experience in education. In almost 40 years of experience in skilled trades Don has worked as an Industrial Arts Instructor for schools in Michigan and Florida, a Technology Education Teacher for the Hanover-Horton School District, a Business Owner in Florida and even a Technical Writer for Lematic Inc. With a Master of Arts and a Bachelors of Science Don has the education in Industrial/Technical Education to deliver excellent instruction to our students.
SHOPRAT FOUNDATION BACKGROUND
The Shop Rat Foundation is a 501 c non profit charitable organization with a mission to advance the skilled trade industries by opening the minds of our youth through building unique and innovative projects from concept to completion.
GENERAL CONTACT INFORMATION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR |
INSTRUCTOR |
THE SHOP RAT FOUNDATION |
- Open to all (male and female) local students in 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grade. Can be from Public, Private or Home Schools on a first come first serve basis unless enrollment exceeds our expectations, in which a further application screening process may be used to narrow down applicants.
- Depending on enrollment, 9th and 10th grade students may either have their own class, or may become teacher assistants and help to teach the 6th -8th grade students.
- Students/Parents are responsible for transportation to and from the class facility. Car pooling is recommended and has worked well in the past.
- Please see class locations for class times, and more information about specific classes
- Classes are free to students. Our program is made possible through donations and sponsorship. Your donations are thankfully accepted but not required. In return for your donation, we will provide you with a tax donation receipt for your accounting records.
- Some locations offer a full Shop Rat Education Program that involves a 7-8 month period jam packed with many different hands on projects, while other locations may focus on one project such as a Shop Rat Electric Wheelie Car Build & Competition. See class locations for more information.
- Along with our classes the students can enjoy many activities that we are involved with. The students will be invited to be a part of the Jackson Rose Parade, take tours of the Michigan International Speedway, come to the Detroit Autorama, and even celebrate with us during the graduation celebration ceremony along with many other exciting activities that allow the students to be proud of their involvement in our program. In the past students have been on the radio and television in news stories about our program, which is always fun for the students.
- This is a grassroots program starting in Jackson and the Shop Rat Foundation has a goal of a having classes nationwide, so come and be a part of this educational and fun program!
So what do you learn as a Shop Rat Student?
Throughout the process of building really cool projects such as the hovercraft (completed in last years program), a ½ scale 1932 Ford Roadster, or even an magical illusion set, students learn more than just how to build things. Students will learn skills in the Skilled Trade Industry including manufacturing, construction, automotive, electrical and other fields.
This can include reading blueprints, learning about solar energy, or even how to use lathes and mills. Students will gain an understanding of how to use hand, power, and machining tools. Beyond the build, students will also complete science and math exercises during small "kit" projects that allow them to learn a variety of 'applied' skills. We will also complete Junior Achievement workshops with the students to teach work ethic and employability skills along with introducing the job of the week. This is where we describe a career in the skilled trade industry with specifics such as salary and education required.
Our class is not as structured as a typical math or science class because we try to make this class as fun and exciting as possible to promote this hands on learning. Our classes are a bit loud, goofy, and entertaining, but we do not tolerate bad behavior. We may have music playing in the background, or may play a fun game that tests the student's knowledge rather than a paper test. Often students will break into teams, a leader will be chosen and they work together, almost like a company to complete the project. This promotes leadership and builds confidence, both vital assets for the next generation of skilled workers and citizens. Overall it is a great way to teach students vital skills with out them even knowing it! This class will create memories for the students that they will never forget.
