PETERS TOWNSHIP
SCHOOL DISTRICT
GRANDE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT PTHS eters Township
PETERS TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
We love it when a plan comes together . The idea to form a partnership between Peters Township High School and Coffee Tree Roasters was a plan born before the new High School even opened to students , but often the best plans take time .
While everyone loves a good cup of coffee , the idea for the shop focused solely on the students running the operation and what they could learn from a real-world learning experience when equipped with the resources to manage a school coffee shop , track inventory , provide sales reports , order supplies , train student employees and more . To get this effort off the ground , a team of Administrators and teachers were assembled to put the plan into motion .
“ From the moment they told me about the idea , I was on board ,” said Special Education teacher Marissa Clancy . She knew there was a lot to learn though – starting what was essentially a small business at the high school was going to take a lot of help .
As it turns out , help was readily available . Clancy quickly joined a team with Special Education teacher Laura Shehab and Business Teacher Lauren Stawartz and the three started making plans with the assistance of High School Assistant Principal Joie Conroy and Assistant Director of Pupil Services April Ragland .
The staff from Coffee Tree Roasters provided a lot of support and knowledge to help the team get started . Peters Township was following a similar model that was already in motion at Thomas Jefferson High School and the teachers visited that location , as well as the company ’ s warehouse in West Mifflin to help get their business plan together .
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Prior to moving to the new High School last fall , special education students operated a Coffee Cart in the school to help them learn vocational skills , but the dream for Coffee Tree Roasters was much bigger .
“ We didn ’ t want this to be the ‘ Special Education Coffee Shop ’,” said Shehab . “ All of our students can benefit from these skills so we are involving everyone we can in this real world inclusive environment .”
The operation has started small with a “ soft opening ” that provided coffee to the teaching staff during the first two periods of the school day . This allowed the students working in the shop to learn the machines , understand the complex orders available ( size , flavor options for specialty drinks , allergy accommodations etc .), work through delivery plans and get their online ordering site up and running .
To say the Coffee Shop has been well received is an understatement .
“ Our students have heard the staff talking about how good it is and they can ’ t wait to be able to order themselves ,” adds Stawartz . The quality of the coffee drinks they serve is on par with any of the national chains .
As operation got underway , students in Stawartz ’ s Business classes have been tracking sales and helping to develop inventory orders . “ You can learn from a book or you can learn by actually doing these things in a real business . The students couldn ’ t wait to get started ,” she said .