Great Oaks is a career-technical high school in southwest Ohio, serving 36 school districts. As part of the Great Oaks district, there are four career development campuses that offer high school programs:
Diamond Oaks on the west side of Cincinnati
Laurel Oaks in Wilmington
Live Oaks in Milford
Scarlet Oaks in Sharonville
At these campuses there are over 40 different programs to choose from. You complete these programs in your junior and senior year as you prepare for continuing education, the workplace, and/or the military.
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Here are the steps:
Step 1: Fill out the paperwork with your parents and school counselor to participate in a Career Assessment. The assessment lasts one school day and will occur at a Great Oaks campus. During the day, you will participate in hands-on and computerized tests to determine your strengths and skills.
Step 2: A few weeks after the testing is finished, a conference will be held for you and your IEP team to find out the results. You and the entire team will discuss your strengths and skills and make a recommendation about which Career Tech program might be best for you. You may have the opportunity to explore a program for a day if the team thinks that would be best.
Step 3: Fill out the application to Great Oaks in January or February. Your teacher or guidance counselor needs to sign the application. Your school will send the application to Great Oaks.
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Most students attend Great Oaks the entire school day. Students come to the Career/Technical lab for half of the day and take regular high school academics the other half of day.
For more information on specific classes for each Career and Technical program, look at the Career Opportunities High School Catalog.
If you have completed all your high school credits for graduation, you may choose to attend just the lab (2 ½ hours).
Most labs require a uniform. These only need to be worn during the lab part of your day.
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Your IEP team will discuss and plan for any additional help you may need to be successful. Each student on an IEP is assigned to a Special Needs Coordinator. That person would be like a high school guidance counselor. They would assist with you any concerns or issues. There are also instructional aides at the campus to give support in your academic classes.
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The staff will work with you to find the right furniture, technology, equipment or accommodations that you need.
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A school bus will pick you up at your high school or at a designated spot. If you are attending a half-day program, transportation will be arranged through your high school. If you have your driver’s license you may drive to school.
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If you meet all your high school credit requirements while attending Great Oaks, you will graduate from your high school with your class. There is also a “Senior Ceremony” at each Great Oaks campus where you will receive a certificate in your field and a Career Passport, which documents your achievements while at Great Oaks.
If you do not complete graduation requirements in time to graduate with your high school class, you may not take part in your high school graduation ceremonies. However, you can continue to complete the high school credit requirements toward your diploma at Great Oaks, and graduate from your high school at the end of your Career and Technical Program.
You and your IEP team may choose to defer your graduation so that you can attend a Great Oaks program after you have completed all your high school graduation requirements. With this option, you may still participate in your high school graduation ceremonies.
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Yes, the tests are still given at each campus in October and March. Your IEP team will plan with you which tests you will take and which testing supports will be provided while you take the test.
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Every student automatically belongs to a Career Technical Student Organization that is connected with their Career and Technical program. You will have the opportunity to participate in all of the activities sponsored by that club. These may include competitive events, meetings, social events and leadership opportunities. You may also participate in ROTC if you have already met your Social Studies graduation requirements.
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Your school day ends at 2:15 p.m. Arrange your work hours with your boss to allow enough time to go from school to your job.
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Yes, there is a student Code of Conduct very similar to the one at your affiliated high school. Some of the rules that Great Oaks expects students to observe are:
- You must follow strict safety guidelines in the lab.
- You are not permitted to smoke on campus.
- You must follow a dress code.
- You will receive a planner with all the school rules.
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Project SEARCH is a one-year program for students with disabilities who are in their last year of high school. The Project SEARCH programs are located at the following locations:
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- Clinton Memorial Hospital Regional Health System – for students in the Laurel Oaks area
- Fifth Third Bank
- Mercy Hospital /Western Hills
- Xavier University
Throughout the school year, the students in Project SEARCH participate in a variety of work sites at their location and learn skills for entry-level employment. There are no formal high school academics taught in Project SEARCH. Those high school requirements must be completed before entering this program. Students can earn three elective credits.Back To Top
