Welcome to the 2009 session of Building Bridges! This page will get you started - what to expect and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your participation.

This wiki is the focal point for sharing information about the program, so be sure to bookmark it and come here often to stay informed.

JOIN the Wiki: Follow the link at the upper right corner of the web page.

Create a PROFILE: Click on MyProfile at the top right of the page. You can edt the information to tell us who you are, what you do & why you're here! It's easy to post a photo of yourself too.

Create a DISCUSSION: Use the Discussion Forum tab at the top of the page to engage your colleagues in a conversation, ask questions, share your thoughts.

We hope to give participants the opportunity to make the connections and gain the insights that you'll achieve. The program has much to offer you, and in turn, your involvement will contribute in many important ways to the continuation and success of the program.

In the seven weeks of our program, we'll be visiting area businesses, ending with a touir and "focus group" at Broome Tioga BOCES. Each week, we'll have a three-hour site visit to a host business. A company representative will present an orientation to the business,lasting about one hour, then we'll have an in-depth guided tour of the facility - an opportunity to see the workplace in action.

After our orientation and tour, we'll meet for a facilitated discussion of what we've seen and learned, and how we can make this relevant to our students.

The essential ingredient of Building Bridges is Sharing Information - about yourself, about the businesses, about your schools and about your thoughts.

Please review our "Ground Rules" - Pretty simple, but so important!

For our site visits, you should be at the site, ready to start at the designated time, so be sure to give yourselves time for parking and finding your way. We have so much to cover in our short time together, being on time is essential!

Expect to do some walking and standing for part of the visit. Wear shoes that will be confortable. Some sites have safety restrictions for footwear, so please do not wear sandals, high heels or open-toe shoes.

Our hosts will provide some light refreshment during the visit.

A few sites have special requirements for visitors. We'll send out instructions beforehand, so be familiar with them and comply with our host's requests.