HEART is a public-private partnership that provides vocational construction training and education to youth through rehabilitating blighted properties in Dubuque. Students participate in academics at Four Oaks and work at construction sites, learning self-reliance, personal growth, and lifelong learning. Eligibility requires being 16 or older and receiving special education services. The HEART Bridge Program provides stipends to students who work hard and commit to at least one semester. PAVE is an academic and vocational program through DCSD and NICC where core courses and vocational interests are taught at NICC. Students spend their entire day there with transportation provided. Eligibility requires being a junior or older, receiving special education services

1. HEART
Housing Education and Rehabilitation Training Project
HEART is a public/private partnership changing lives of today’s youth by providing vocational
construction training and education through the complete rehabilitation of blighted properties in
Dubuque. HEART seeks to inspire a lifelong love of learning, while teaching self-reliance and
instilling personal growth.
Students participate in classroom academics at Four Oaks from 8:00-10:45 or 11:00-2:00 M-T-
Th-F. Lunch is from 10:45-11:00. Students are at the work site the opposite hours of academics.
Eligibility Criteria:
• Age 16 or older
• Receiving Special Education services
• Have a need in a vocational area that the high school is unable to meet
• Not in need of intensive behavior treatment
• Shows consistent attendance from previous semester
• Meets job description as specified
• Commitment to at LEAST one semester
• Must have own steel toed boots
HEART Bridge Program: this is a part of HEART that students earn stipends based on their
cooperation, hard work, and attendance to obtain guidance and financial assistance to help them
work toward Career Goals.
*Interested students must complete an application and turn this in to HEART staff by mid-
October for the spring semester and by early May for the fall semester.
PAVE
Academic & vocational program offered through DCSD and NICC
The purpose of Pave is to provide an individual vocational course of study, which will enable the
student to become competitively employed, live independently, and strengthen interpersonal
skills.
Core high school courses and students vocational interests are taught within the NICC setting.
Students complete their entire day at NICC with transportation being provided by the DCSD.
Eligibility Criteria:
• Age 16 or older: a junior status or older
• Receiving Special Education services: be a level-one qualified individual for at least one
recently completed successful semester prior to entering Pave
• Have a need in a vocational area that the high school is unable to meet
• Have at least 90% attendance record for at least one recently completed semester at present
high school
*Interested students must complete: NICC application, complete the ACCUPLACER test, and
complete Pave application by October 1st
for the spring semester and February 15th
for the fall
semester.

2. SCHOOL TO WORK
Courses available within High School:
1. Basic Vocational Transitions: sophomore, junior, senior
Develop the competencies necessary for the student to survive and prosper in the work
environment. The goal of Basic Vocational Transition class is to identify and develop
individual student short term and long term career planning goals.
2. Work Exploratory: all high school grades
This course utilizes the resources of business and industry within the community in a
cooperative effort with the DCSD to allow students the opportunity for non-paid work
experiences. The business/industry acts as an extension of the classroom following a
specific training plan.
3. Practical Job Orientation: juniors
The course presents an overview of jobs available in the Dubuque area. Instruction
centers on the requirements for work, interview techniques, employment services,
methods of job procurement, appropriate dress, job behavior, job attitudes, job
responsibility, job hours and personal handling of salary through proper budgeting.
4. Practical Career Skills: freshmen, sophomore
Develop the competencies necessary for the student to survive and prosper in the work
environment. The goal is to identify and describe ways to develop the student’s
personal/social/occupational competencies.
5. Work Experience: junior and senior
Students placed on a job site (usually paid) and students are aided in defining, seeking
out and acquiring preparation for entry into the world of work.
SUMMIT
This program is designed for adult students who have maximized credit options but have
transition areas or IEP goals that are unmet. Students may participate in graduation ceremonies
with their class but will not receive a diploma until IEP goals are fulfilled and/or student chooses
to exit.
By choosing to participate in Summit, a young adult no longer attends school in a school
building. Instead, an IEP is implemented and tailored to meet the student’s personal goals within
the community. The main goal of the program is to assist students in making a smooth transition
to his/her adult life. All services will be established and begun to ensure stability has occurred in
a student’s IEP goal areas.
Eligibility Criteria:
• Age 18 or older
• Have met all DCSD graduation criteria
• Receiving Special Education services
• Have unmet IEP goals
• Have transitional needs (employment, independent living, post-secondary concerns, mobility,
or recreational/leisure)