Learning at Norris is viewed in four dimensions; Academic, Employability, Citizenship, and Wellness.  Together these dimensions provide the breadth of knowledge, skills, and learner practice that allow for personalized experiences that reflects each learner's interests and dimension of urgency.

Learning Specialists confer with each learner to co-design plans (long and short-term goals) and pathways that reflect each learners dimension of urgency.  The pathways include learning experiences that contribute to the learner reaching his/her plan.  Learning experiences are often multi-dimensional, addressing competencies from multiple areas. 

Learning experiences for each learner are unique and reflected on the learners daily agenda.  Examples of learning experiences that fall primarily within the EMPLOYABILITY Dimension include:

Interst and Career labs are individual or small group opportunities for more direct instruction or hands on engagment with learning directly related to exploring a learners interests or potential career. K-8 learners may explore hobbies and areas of high interest or engage in small group art and music experiences. 

 Individual and team pursuits are opportunity for a learner to explore, dig deep or apply learning to an area of interest.  Pursuits are designed around a problem finding process and connect learner strengths, needs, interests and career goals to inquire, design a solution, or complete a project. Pursuits are designed across the four dimensions and core subjects form the academic dimension are weaved in and used to build skills necessary for life, careeer, and college readiness. For example, a learner interested in engineering may work independently or with a team to build and program a robot that picks garbage up off the floor or a learner interested in the trades may desgin and build a scale model replica of a house (or a doll house).

High school aged learners may elect to particpate in one or more courses each trimester that are within a Career and Technical Education area each trimester. Each community offers an "Intro Course" to provide an opportunity for learners to explore a variety of career pathway options.  Learners have the opportunity to continue exploring additonal competencies (courses) within a pathway to advance in this area.  Introductory Courses are typically scheduled for an hour each day and offer exposure to a variety of career pathways suchs as marketing, agriculture, health sciences, or woodworking.

An ELO is an opportunity for learners to expand their learning network and interact with community or business partners who share their knowledge, expertise and experience with learners. ELO's might be as simple as a business member being a "guest speaker" in an intro course to provide insight into real world applications or it could be an opportunity for learners to visit other locations and engage with real world professionals who can expand their learning in a particular area.  Examples might include working with a carpenter to read blueprints and frame up a room or a visit to a career fair to explore careers in robotics.

Exposure to career and career pathways exist through WBL oportunities such as job shadows, internships (on campus) and external employment.  WBL experiences provide opportunity for learners to extend academic programming in authentic context. Learners are paired wth a career-based mentor that shares content expertise and provides training that integrates academic and career based competencies to inspire a learner's future. WBL experiences are closely supervised by the Employabiity Liaison and may provide learners opportunity to earn credit for demonstration of employability skill competencies.