West Fargo, ND – (January 19, 2023) – Seven West Fargo High School learners completed coursework to receive their Paraprofessional Certification, which allows them to receive hands on experience, work credit, and pay as learner employees while still in high school.

 
Peer to Peer 2 is a dual credit course offered in partnership with Valley City State University.  Learners who take the course are fulfilling the Educating Exceptional Children course that all education majors must complete as part of their college coursework. Learners receive credit for the class both on their high school transcript and on their college transcript. 

Educator Holly Friedrich teaches the course at West Fargo High School. “This class opens the ability for learners who are interested in the field of education to get real life experience and it helps the district fill the open paraprofessional positions. Additionally, learners can work in the summer with our ESY programs and could possibly use their certification as a career option while in college or life,” says Friedrich. “My ultimate goal is to have learner paras available at a school site all day long.”

With the college semester ending prior to the end of the high school semester, the learners are given an opportunity to complete the paraprofessional modules that are assigned through the district. After completing the modules with 90% proficiency and completing at least 20 contact hours, they can be certified as a paraprofessional. This allows the learners to then do work-study at the school.  West Fargo High School has two students from Peer to Peer 2 who will be working one period a day during the spring semester in the CSSP classrooms.  They will receive work credit but are also paid as learner employees. 

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