Internship Program
Program Overview
Experiential education is one of the cornerstones of ALCS’ curriculum. In placing students in community work sites, students learn to apply what they are learning within our four walls in "real life" situations—a big step in students learning to be responsible for themselves and their communities.
Each student is required to work in the community a minimum 72 hours per semester. We do not have classes scheduled on Fridays in order for students to participate in internships. However, if after school and/or on weekends is better for your needs, mentors and students are encouraged to work out a schedule that will be beneficial for both.
The Internship Mentor is responsible for the following:
1. Fill out the mentor information on the Internship Contract.
2. Write a description of the work you plan for the intern to do.
3. Meet with the intern applicant to outline internship expectations and hours of work.
4. Supervise the intern for a minimum 72 hours per semester
5. Sign the student’s weekly timesheet verifying the hours they worked.
6. Assess the student’s performance quarterly (a grading rubric will be provided to you).
The Intern must complete the following:
1. Meet with mentor to discuss internship expectations.
2. Write internship description and submit to the student’s Project Review Team (student,
student’s parent, student’s mentor, and student’s ALCS advisor). Each member of the Project
Review Team must agree in signing the Internship Contract (which also contains the NM
State Education Standards to be addressed).
3. Work a minimum of 72 hours per semester
4. Conform to work place dress code, work ethic, confidentiality, etc.
If students need to miss additional days of work for school activities they need to give you a minimum two-week notice. If they don’t, please help them learn that it is standard in the work world to give two week notice for planned absences. Students are required to call their employers if they are going to miss their regular work hours, no matter what the cause. If they do not call, then please call the school and let us know!
Information for Mentors:
No payment is required for ALCS interns.
If you decide to pay a student it is allowed, but remuneration is in no way obligatory.
In some cases just teaching the student the responsibilities of having a job (notifying you when they are unable to attend, work ethic, etc.) is more valuable than a paycheck.
For these students, you are investing in a healthy community.
Please see the ALCS Internship Mentor Manual for additional information, and feel free to email the Internship Coordinator, Catalina Claussen, at any time .
If an intern neither shows up for work nor calls in, CALL THE SCHOOL 538-2547 and tell the school secretaries Cathie Gomez or Andrea Sanchez.
