The Vineyard Academy supports students interested in business, culinary arts, event planning, and hospitality working together using technology principles to complete hands on projects.
Starting in Windsor Middle School, students….. In 9th and 10th Grades, students are in VA SOL. In 11th and 12th Grades, students are in Vineyard Academy.
9th and 10th Grade – Vineyard Academy (SOL)
The 9/10 Core is fully integrated into Vineyard Academy and features English, History and Integrated Science in addition to Health and Hospitality, Travel and Tourism. Common Core non-fiction texts capture the enthusiasm of every student who enters Vineyard Academy.
The centerpieces of the program are two semester long courses: (1) Health and Hospitality, and (2) Travel and Tourism. Students will also volunteer “on-field,” visit colleges and businesses that are part of the business, culinary and hospitality worlds, and widen their vision of career paths which closely link business, entrepreneurship and the hospitality field. The Vineyard SOL Academy is entering the third year as a successful concept for Windsor High School: 9/10/11/12 focus area in which students interested in business, culinary arts, event planning, and hospitality work together using technology principles to complete hands on projects.
The Freshman grade addition will be fully integrated into the Vineyard Academy and feature 9th grade English, History and Science in addition to Health and Hospitality, Travel and Tourism. Common Core non-fiction texts capture the enthusiasm of every student who enters VA . The centerpiece of the program is two semester long courses: Health and Hospitality, Travel and Tourism. Students will also volunteer ―on field, visit colleges and businesses that are part of the business, culinary and hospitality worlds, and widen their vision of career paths which closely link business, entrepreneurship and the hospitality field.
Introduction to Hospitality Services: Culinary, Lodging, Hospitality and Tourism (Grade 10). Students will be introduced to the various aspects of hospitality. Special attention will be given to travel and tourism specific to Sonoma County, the culinary industry, hotel and lodging basics, and the world of hospitality services. Students will be working in the culinary kitchen weekly. Meanwhile, they will learn the basics of cuisine including culinary skills, food and nutrition, safety, and sanitation. They will have the opportunity to assist the culinary program in the various catered events in which WHS participates. Students will take field trips to various hotels and recreational facilities as they learn about the hospitality industry.
11th and 12th Grade – Vineyard Academy
The Vineyard Academy’s Culinary and Hospitality curriculum is academically rigorous and relevant to real life. Students will study literature, government/economics and other areas with an emphasis on hospitality. Juniors in the program study Business Accounting & Management, Culinary Arts I, Hotel Management I, and are matched with an Industry Mentor. As seniors, students take Culinary Arts II, Event Planning/Travel, and are placed in an internship. The Vineyard Academy is heavily supported, both academically and monetarily, by scores of food and tourism businesses in Sonoma County. The training offered to Vineyard Academy students can be used as a stepping-stone for further education in the hospitality industries, to help secure entry-level positions, or as preparation for further academic pursuits.
English: English 11/12 continues the reading of a variety of significant American works and world literature to support the Focus of Vineyard Academy. Students will continue to develop skills in writing, analyze what is read, make formal and informal presentations, and think critically.
US History: 11/12 Students will explore the major turning points in U.S. history, with emphasis on democratic values and institutions. Students will explore: the role of the federal government; the growth of a modern industrial economy and the impact of technology on American society and culture; the influence and role of immigrants in American society; the movement towards social justice; and the role of the U.S. as a major world power.
In VA, integrated English-History teachers will use art and literature to explore and define American culture. Students will examine the role of individuals and public institutions in creating public policy. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of political values, ideologies and classical political philosophy. Students will become knowledgeable about the structure and workings of federal, state, and local governments, and examine the roles of the media and interest groups in shaping opinion. Students will also gain an understanding of the principles of economics. The course will introduce the concepts of the global market economy, the role of the Federal government in the American economy, the labor market, and international trade.
Culinary Arts I: This CTE course is designed to meet the demand for trained workers in the Culinary Arts food service industry. Students will learn how to prepare food in a professional learning environment that is much like a cooking academy. Practical experience is gained through the application of skills in food preparation, kitchen safety, menu planning, serving meals, customer relations, nutrition, and sanitation. Students will learn in a well-equipped, modern kitchen. Additionally, they will prepare food for school and community functions and events.
Culinary Arts II: (Grade 12) Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of Culinary Arts I and prior approval. Students in this one-year elective will prepare a variety of foods, take extensive notes, and write evaluative responses that demonstrate the ability to understand food preparation, evaluation, and presentation. Areas of study will include: background and theory, techniques and procedures, safety and sanitation, nutrition, food evaluation, principles of baking and cooking, and customer service. Students will engage in hands-on food preparation that will connect theory to practical applications in life. The emphasis will be on developing a critical palate, preparing quality food, researching and evaluating recipes, foods, and theory, and developing teamwork. This course seeks the student who has a passion for food and learning. No artist can work simply for results: he must also like the work of getting them. Not that there isn‘t a lot of drudgery in any art – and more in cooking than in most – but that if a man has never been pleasantly surprised at the way a custard sets or flour thickens, there is not much hope of making a cook of him.‖-Robert Farrar Capon
B&P Baking and Pastry: (Grade 12) Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of Culinary Arts I and prior approval. Students in this one-year elective will prepare a variety of baking and pastry items (sweet and savory), research the history of baked foods, write responses that demonstrate an understanding of food preparation, evaluation, and presentation. Areas of study will include: quick breads, yeast breads, pastries, cakes, cookies, candies, pies and cake design and decoration. Students will engage in hands-on food preparation that will connect theory to practical applications in life including creating work orders and planning, organizing and implementing catered events. The emphasis will be on developing a critical palate, preparing quality products, researching and evaluating recipes, foods, and theory, and developing collaborative teamwork in the kitchen and the classroom. This course seeks the student who has a passion for food and learning.
Event Planning Event Planning & Hospitality: (Grades 11-12) Prerequisite: None. Students will learn the fundamentals of culinary arts events – catering history, terminology, business math, event budgeting and management. They will plan/organize events which would include meetings, conferences and other events. Students will learn communication and interpersonal skills, problem solving, workplace safety and employment literacy, ethics and legal responsibilities and teamwork. This class will prepare students for employment in the Event Planning and Hospitality trades.