The Hayfield Education for Employment (EFE) program, sometimes under different names, has been in place for over 30 years.  Within Fairfax County Public Schools, the Hayfield location is currently the only EFE program that is taught in the family and consumer sciences program area; others are taught in the marketing program area. The program originally was called Work Experience Cooperative Education Program (WECEP).  From the FCPS central offices two teaching slots were given to Family and Consumer Sciences discipline and the rest were Marketing positions.  The two original WECEP program locations were at Hayfield Secondary and West Potomac High School.  This work experience program in Family and Consumer Sciences was originally centered around the Early Childhood Careers (ECC) program;  being able to offer the ECC students internships/work experience in day care centers, preschools, and infant and toddler centers. The WECEP program began under the direction of Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Mrs. Phyllis Barton, continued with Mrs. Marlene Free in which the course name changed to Home Economics Related Occupations (HERO) and finally Education for Employment, which allows student employment opportunities in all entry level job positions.  When Mrs. Marlene Free took over the HERO program in 1982, there will only three students enrolled and the program continued to grow and meet the needs of the Hayfield student population.  She taught the one HERO class and 4 other Gourmet Foods/International Hospitality classes; eventually her teaching position grew to three EFE classes, cooperative internships supervision, and FACS department chair responsibilities.  The position has remained fully funded by the central office and Perkins Grant legislation so the current EFE position and it is a non-ratio staffing position to our administrator. Hayfield has left the non-ratio staffing position as 3 EFE teaching sections, 2 cooperative internship supervision blocks, CTE department chair responsibilities, and a planning block. 

Any changes to the Education for Employment course and/or curriculum are reviewed by three entities:  the Family and Consumer Sciences Advisory Board, the Marketing Advisory Board, and the Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee. The curriculum is revised locally as updates are made available by the state.  When changes do occur, the advisory boards review proposed changes and make recommendations as to the feasibility of those changes.  Attached are copies from the advisory groups' minutes this year.

The instructor attends both the Fairfax County Lead Teacher meetings for Family and Consumer Sciences and Marketing as scheduled throughout the year. Education for Employment students receive additional benefits through college scholarship opportunities offered in both disciplines.  Last year several EFE students submitted scholarship applications for selection by the Advisory Boards.  Although they were not selected as finalists, the practice of completing a scholarship applications and essays were invaluable learning experiences.  The scholarship application process was a first for the Education for Employment students who applied.