Learning Through Interests/Internship Program (LTI)

Mentor Orientation Information

School Philosophy

At Bellevue Big Picture School we believe that learning opportunities are everywhere, not just inside the classroom. Our philosophy is that we learn best when we are personally motivated, have a passion for what we are doing, and when knowledge unfolds authentically. Internships help students build knowledge, understanding and skills in the context of real-world work.

• Personalized Learning – Each student has a Big Picture Learning Plan and an Internship Project. The Advisory team (Intern, Parent/Guardian, Mentor, and Advisor) works together to create a challenging plan that reflects student interests and academic excellence. The Learning Plan sets the course, and the internship experience is a principal component of integrating academics and authentic learning.
• Exhibitions – Students present their work and learning at the end of each semester. Students create visuals, agendas, and professional presentations to highlight their internship projects. Parent/Guardians, Mentor, Advisor, peers, and others come to experience, reflect on, and offer feedback on the students’ project and their personal growth and achievements.
• Advisory – Each student is a part of a 20-person Advisory group that meets throughout the week. Their Advisor knows them well and helps them build a strong community while working on goals in their Learning Plans. The Advisory consists of the same students throughout high school and become a close-knit group participating in school activities as a cohort. The Advisor is in close communication with the Mentor via email, phone, and site visits to check in with both the Intern and Mentor.

Internship Process

Informational Interviews, Job Shadows, and Internship

Students take the lead in their internship search process. They learn to network with family, friends, and community. Through the process, they send many emails initially asking for an informational interview. These interviews are about 30 minutes and are mostly conducted virtually. If the interview goes well, students can ask for an internship with the Mentor. If an internship is agreed upon, the student asks for the needed information to pass to the LTI Coordinator who initiates the startup process.

Role of the LTI Support Team

• The LTI Coordinator initiates the startup process by sending an informational email and Worksite Learning Agreement to the Intern, Mentor, Backup Contact, Parent/Guardian, and Advisor. The email includes instructions, a Mentor Orientation document, a request for a Site Safety Check, and a link for the Mentor and Backup Contact background clearance. Once all this is completed, the internship can begin.
• The Community Partnership Coordinator and the Parent Partnership Coordinator build connections with new partners and maintain relationships with established partners. They assist in helping students connect with internship partners.

Role of the Advisor

• When the internship begins, the Intern’s Advisor becomes the Mentor’s primary contact from school. The Advisor contacts the Mentor toward the beginning of the internship to introduce themself and request a site visit to talk about the Intern’s learning and project. The Advisor checks in regularly and is available to answer any questions that arise.

Role of the Mentor

A Mentor gives each student the opportunity to learn from an adult with a similar interest. Through genuine relationships a Mentor demonstrates a commitment to the Intern’s personal growth and workplace learning by teaching students about their career field, guiding and coaching student contributions at the workplace and modeling a positive work ethic. A Big Picture Mentor is someone who:

• Communication:
  • If an Intern is late or absent, please call the attendance office at school (425-456-7808).
  • Plan for regular times to meet with the Intern.
  • Open communication with the Advisor is important.
  • Interns record attendance in ImBlaze, our online management system. After checkout, Mentor’s receive an email to verify attendance. See Mentor ImBlaze Attendance Verification instructions below. Advisors review attendance each week.
  • Complete internship evaluations provided by the LTI Coordinator.
• Collaboration:
  • Identify common interests with your Intern.
  • Discuss goals for the internship and the Intern’s learning.
  • Work with the Intern and Advisor to plan meaningful work and a challenging project.
  • Reflect with the Intern on learning goals and project progress.
  • Attend your Intern’s exhibition and offer feedback if available.
• Other Considerations:
  • Plan for when you are busy, late, or not available.
  • Ask the Backup Contact to supervise the Intern when you are out of the workplace.
  • Dress: Internships require appropriate clothing. During an internship, different dress is suitable for various aspects of the work. The Mentor should explain the dress expectation to the Intern.
  • Insurance: Bellevue School District insurance covers students at Internship sites. A Hold Harmless Agreement is included in the Worksite Learning Agreement at the beginning of the internship.
  • Transportation: It is the responsibility of the Intern and their family to get to and from the workplace. Arrangements are made for each situation. Current district policy does not allow students to ride in a Mentor’s car for any reason.
  • Day of the Week, Schedule, and Internship Duration: Internships are for 7 hours on consecutive Thursdays between 7am – 7pm except on school holidays. The 7 hours include time for lunch and breaks as defined at the internship site. An internship lasts 10-12 weeks and can be extended for great learning experiences if the Mentor, Intern, and Advisor all agree.
  • Questions? Please feel free to call the Intern’s Advisor, school, or Internship Coordinator through the school’s main phone number (425-456-7800) during school hours. You also have the Intern’s Advisor and Internship Coordinator’s email addresses included in the initial email from the coordinator.

Project Examples

Mentor ImBlaze Attendance Verification

It is especially important for us to maintain accurate records of attendance in accordance with the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Bellevue School District guidelines. To do this Interns use ImBlaze, our online internship system, to set goals for the day, check-in, reflect on the day, and check-out on internship days.

One of the Mentor’s responsibilities is to verify the attendance of a student at a work-based learning site. Below are the instructions for verifying attendance after an internship day. The times a student checks in and out should be close to the time they were at their internship, but they do not need to be exact.

Mentors receive an email from ImBlaze DoNotReply when an Intern checks-out at the end of a day. 1. To verify the Interns attendance, click the link in the email.
On the webpage that opens: 2. Confirm the correct Intern. 3. Confirm or Deny the Check-in time. 4. Confirm or Deny the Check-out time. 5. Review the Intern’s goals and accomplishments 6. Add any comments and if you would like the Intern to view them. 7. Click Submit.