eatherton_mark@dublinschools.net
Service Coordinator:
Career Coordninator:
Leslie Bamford
Matt Gallatin
School Social Worker: Kim Oppliger
Alternative Ed. Teacher Ryan Walton
“We believe that all students can and must learn at high levels of achievement.
It is our job to create an environment in our classrooms that results in this high level or performance. We are confident that, with our support and help, students can master challenging academic materials and we expect them to do so.
We are prepared to work collaboratively with colleagues, students and parents to achieve this shared educational purpose.”
DUBLIN CITY SCHOOLS

The purpose of the service-learning program at West Bridge Academy is to provide the opportunity for students to engage in authentic learning experiences in settings outside of the traditional classroom in order to develop personal interests as well as nurture and practice individual skills and strengths. Students can then use these unique gifts and talents to make a positive impact on their own life and the lives of others. Examples include:
In the classroom students learn…
• facts about hunger in Ohio, the cost of feeding a family of 4 , and what local agencies are doing to address hunger in Dublin
• medical information about conditions causing developmental delays in children and strategies to use when working with the special needs population
• developmentally appropriate ways to interact with primary aged children and character traits important to demonstrate when working with younger kids
In the community students act by…
• weighing in, stocking and delivering food donations and organizing a literature drop to residents of Dublin
• for a food drive serving as job coaches in the school store, the Dublin Schools’ Central
Office and at local business sites serving as classroom assistants in the library and the art classrooms and assisting on field trips and class projects
West Bridge Academy understands that success in school, as in life, requires a balance of personal/social skills and academic achievement. Personal social skills refer to a broad category of competencies and knowledge that lays the foundation for academic success and life effectiveness. These skills include recognizing and managing our emotions, developing caring and concern for others, establishing positive relationships, making responsible decisions, and handling challenging situations constructively.
Opportunities for growth are offered through the following services:
• Personal Social Student Family History gathering
• Personal Social Wellness selfassessment and goal setting
• “Why Try” social/emotional skill building curriculum
• Community resource service linkage and coordination
• Opportunities for individual and family meetings with mental health specialists
• Problem solving and coping skill development
The career program at West Bridge
Academy is a purposeful intervention which focuses on internal exploration of gifts and interests in addition to job acquisition and skills. Students learn first about the career plan that lies within them and then on how they can demonstrate their skills and interests through their current job placement.
The consistent West Bridge Academy themes of emotional intelligence and social development drive the program.
Opportunities include:
• skills and interests activities
• experience reflection
• resume development
• interviewing skills
• career speakers
• job shadowing.
WBA staff assist students in the job search process, help them set up interviews and communicate regularly with employers. The program combines the benefits of using objective tools like the Ohio
Career Information System as well as authentic experiences to guide students through the process of learning about themselves while developing a career plan based on their individual gifts and interests.