You Have to Have Your Heart in the Business and the Business in Your Heart

V i r t u a l E n t e r p r i s e s , I n t e r n a t i o n a l T a s k - B a s e d C u r r i c u l u m “You have to have your heart in the business and the business in your heart.” — Thomas J. Watson

OHS VEI

To: Prospective VE Employees From: Mike Gregory, VE Facilitator ([email protected]) Date: August 22, 2016 Re: Expectations and Requirements for the VE

Congratulations! Welcome to orientation. We are glad that you are a part of the Virtual Enterprise International Program. Owosso High School was the first in the State of Michigan to offer this virtual program at the high school level. This is a unique opportunity for you!

What is the Virtual Enterprise?

The Virtual Enterprise (VE) is a simulated business environment delivered with online curriculum The VE employees (i.e., you, the students) will be involved in actual "on-the-job" work experiences, including purchasing, sales, marketing, accounting, personnel, etc. The only difference between the VE and an actual business is that no material goods are produced or legal tender exchanged. However, in our case, services will be provided. The VE will generate the documents and information needed to do business with other VEs in New York City and abroad. You will work in one or more of the departments in the VE organization. In your department, you will be expected to work individually and as a member of a team to fulfill the responsibilities and tasks associated with your department. You will develop initiative, creativity, responsibility, enhance oral and written communication skills, and improve your ability to work on a team.

What is the goal of the VE experience?

The VE experience will weave together several academic disciplines and occupational subjects, thereby overcoming fragmentation of subjects. By working in the VE, you will better understand how your learning has application and relevance to real life. The goal is to create a learning environment that, through a series of activities, integrates school and workplace to enhance learning. In effect, the VE will drive the learning, the applications and the educational experiences and opportunities. Through your experiences in the VE, you will come to see that there exists an important connection between all disciplines and that what you learn relevant to your future.

V i r t u a l E n t e r p r i s e s , I n t e r n a t i o n a l T a s k - B a s e d C u r r i c u l u m “You have to have your heart in the business and the business in your heart.” — Thomas J. Watson What kind of activities will I be involved in?

The following is a partial list of tasks you will be asked to accomplish during your year in the VE: Weeks 1-4 Cover letters, resumes, job interviews and job placement Weeks 5-6 Business Contacts to support payroll Weeks 7-8 Create HR Policies and Procedures Manual Weeks 7-10 Cash Budget and Sales Projections Weeks 7-12 Complete and Publish Business Plan Weeks 10-13 Introduction to Wholesale, U.S. & International Marketplaces Weeks 10-17 Developing the Website Weeks 11-12 Open Bank Accounts Weeks 11-12 Create Pro Forma Financial Statements Weeks 11-20 Trade Show Preparations – booth design, sales campaigns, competitions Weeks 12-17 Creation of Inventory Controls Weeks 12-24 Development of the Marketing Mix Weeks 15-19 Creation of Sales Tax and Payroll Tax systems Weeks 18-20 Mid-year Employee Evaluations Weeks 19-24 Creation of W-2s and Year-End Tax Returns Weeks 25-30 Managing Accounts Receivables Weeks 29-32 Creation of Annual Report Weeks 32-34 Year-End Employee Evaluations Weeks 33-34 HR Exit Interviews

What supplies are needed as an employee?  2 inch binder  Binder dividers  Pen/Pencil  Business attire (on predetermined days)  Department binder (provided—includes departmental tasks)  Computer with Internet Access (provided)  VE Resource website: www.veinternational.org  Reference materials (provided) Is there travel required in my position?*  Great Lakes Trade Show February 4-5, 2016 *Opportunity to travel is based upon your position in the company and performance. This will be determined by the company facilitator.

How are company expenses paid?**  Corporate sponsors  Fundraising **All employees are required to participate.

How will I be evaluated as a VE employee? Grades will be awarded through total points at the end of each quarter. The percentages are broken down as follows: A 90% - 100% 1st/3rd and 2nd/4thQuarter Grades  80% B 80% - 89% Semester Assessment  20% C 70% - 79% D 60% - 69% F 59% or below

This is a one-year course in which you will receive 1 credit hour upon completion.

The focus of assessment will be on the demonstration of knowledge and skills you have gained. Assessment in VE will be based on the following:

DOCUMENTS This should include a minimum of EIGHT (8) pieces of work that you produced within your Department per quarter. This might include, but is not limited to memos, letter of inquiry, reports, charts, tables, brochures, databases, web pages, etc. Documents must be submitted in hard copy form. If a document has gone through several revisions, all drafts should be submitted. These products will become part of your VE Portfolio.

SELF-ASSESSMENT The ability to assess honestly your performance in the VE and to reflect on the meaning of the VE experience is critical to success in the course. These assessments will take a variety of forms, including: the Reflective Journal, Individual Goal Setting Worksheets, Progress Logs, and pre/post-test evaluations. TRANSACTIONS As an employee in the VE, you are expected to carry out personal business transactions with other VE firms. Each quarter you must complete a minimum of EIGHT (8) trades. For each trade, a Trade Description Form must be completed and copies of all relevant documents (letter of inquiry, invoice, check) must be submitted.

MEETINGS Meetings are crucial to the efficient and productive operation of a VE Department. Once each quarter, you are required to facilitate a department meeting. After facilitating the meeting you, must submit the Agenda and the Pre-Meeting Goals/Post-Meeting Assessment Form. In addition, you are required to record the minutes for one departmental meeting each quarter.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT This includes the development of your department trainings, facilitation of the training to the rest of the company, assessment provided during a training, and continuing education activities. See department handbook for departmental topics.

PRE-POST TEST This online assessment will evaluate your understanding and knowledge of business and related skills. The pre test will take place during 1st quarter and the post test will take place during 4th quarter.

ATTENDANCE Excessive tardies and absences will negatively impact the quality of your work (i.e. transaction, documents, meeting). You will be clocking in on a daily basis. You will not be paid on the days you are absent.

PEFORMANCE EVALUATION At the end of each quarter, the company facilitator will complete an evaluation based upon your performance and self-assessment.

PORTFOLIO The portfolio will be developed throughout the year and assessed at the end of each quarter. There are several parts to the portfolio. See the Portfolio Description and Assessment sheet for further information. How do I make-up work if I have been absent? It is your responsibility to talk with your supervisor to determine what tasks need to be completed.

What are the company policies for technology use, dress code, performance, and unethical behavior (such as plagiarism)? The company policies are outlined in the employee handbook. After reading the policies, you will sign the document and it will be filed in your personnel record. Violation of these policies will be handled by the CEO and the company facilitator.

What behavior is expected in VE? As an employee, you are expected to:  Follow all company policies.  Treat yourself, co-workers, and supervisors with respect.  Have a positive attitude.  Be on time to work each day.  Be prepared for work each day by bringing the proper materials such as pen, pencils, paper, and binder.  Participate in company/department tasks.  Turn in tasks on time.

In return, you can expect:  RESPECT!  The company to be focused, with clear objectives.  Daily tasks to be well planned, interesting, relevant and challenging.  Assignments, tests and quizzes to be graded and returned in a timely manner.

CLASS HOURS During the 2016-17 school calendar, VEI will be offered during fourth and fifth periods.

Fourth Period 11:10am – 12:00pm Fifth Period 12:05pm – 12:55pm INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Mailing Addresss Owosso High School 765 E. North Street Owosso, MI 48867

Telephone Number Mr. Mike Gregory 989.729.5559

E-Mail [email protected]

Webpage www.owosso.k12.mi.us (Owosso Public Schools)

VIRTUAL ENTREPRISE INTERNATONAL (VEI) PROGRAM INTRODUCTION (ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION)

Virtual Enterprise International (VEI) is a simulated business that is set up and run by students with the guidance of a teacher/facilitator and a business partner. This program allows students to experience, in a simulated business environment, all facets of being an employee in a firm. The VEI involves students in every aspect of a business including human resources, accounting, product development, production, distribution, marketing and sales. This workplace simulation enables students to understand how employees, workgroup teams, and departments interact with each other and work together for the goal of the company.

The program is based on the European concept of practice firms, in which students run simulated offices in their schools and engage in virtual trading with other practice firms. It is a comprehensive and student- oriented approach towards teaching and working that provides practical and task-oriented instruction in a real-world environment, which ultimately conveys the expectations of the workplace. With communication links to nearly 3,000 firms around the world, the VEI exposes students to different cultures, business practices and currencies and gives students a broader international perspective. Students engage in hands-on applications, problem solving and written and verbal communication. In addition, students learn about a variety of careers associated with business and industry, acquire global economic knowledge (including monetary and business systems of the countries in which the practice firms operates), and use technology as applied in business, including the use of the Internet for global transactions and communications.

VEI is comprised of five departments:  Administration  Accounting/Finance  Marketing  Sales/Purchasing  Human Resources

The company has a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a president, and vice-presidents that head each department. The responsibility of Administration is to oversee company operations. The Accounting Department handles all monetary transactions, including accounts receivable, accounts payable as well as the company banking system. The Accounting and Human Resources Departments manage the 401K plans for the employees. The Human Resources Department handles all personnel issues, including the development of an Employee Manual (outlining company policies and procedures), the hiring and firing of employees, and employee evaluations. The Sales/Marketing Departments plan and execute marketing, advertising, and promotional strategies for the business. Students actively participate in the proceedings of their respective departments and directly contact other practice firms to do business. In this process, students learn in a way that allows them to improve their ability to handle information, to make decisions, to work in groups and independently, to set up objectives, and to evaluate; becoming life-long learners. The work is task-oriented and students work independently and as part of a team. In the VEI program, errors in judgment do not bear disastrous consequences; instead, they become teaching and learning opportunities.

The difference between a Virtual Enterprise and an actual business is that no goods are produced nor actual currency exchanged. The transfer of funds is made electronically through a web-based simulated banking system that links all U.S. firms with each other and with the rest of the real world.

In addition to program and course work, students participating in the VEI Program will have the opportunity to attend and participate in Trade Fairs. The first trade fair is held in November in Tennessee and involves designing a trade booth, marketing virtual products, and competing with national VEI firms. The second trade fair is held in the spring in New York City where students compete with international VEI firms.

IB OVERVIEW

International Baccalaureate (IB) offers high quality programs of international education to a worldwide community of schools. There are more than 700,000 IB students in more than 130 countries throughout the world. In essence, IB is a different way of approaching education. It is employed to organize cross- curricular units to give students a broader perspective of course content. Its main goal is to increase student awareness of global issues and better prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century. This course will still follow the Michigan Merit Curriculum based on the State of MI High School Content Expectations, but will be organized into IB units.

The aim of all IB programs is to develop students who strive to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective. The traits of IB Learner Profile are embedded into every learning opportunity so students will develop their awareness of, and sensitivity to, the experiences of others beyond the local or national community.

NOCTI TEST

The Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) has adopted NOCTI assessments for all secondary CTE completers or concentrators upon leaving or completing the following programs: Finance and Financial Management Services NOCTI Accounting – Advanced Assessment & Business, Management and Administration NOCTI General Management Assessment.

Each VEI student will take the NOCTI Finance test OR the NOCTI Business, Management & Administration test based on their completer status. The test will be included in the final grade calculation.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Virtual Enterprise International Prerequisite(s): Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Instructor Approval Grade Level: 10th thru 12th Credit(s): 1.0 Available Credits: Business Elective, Accounting Elective, 4th-Year Math (If completed Senior year) Pending Credits: Economics Virtual Enterprise International (VEI) is a simulated company run entirely by the students. Students will be involved in virtual work experiences including accounting, human resources, management, marketing, international business, multimedia, desktop publishing, and e-commerce. In the simulated business environment, students belong to a specific department dependent upon skills, prior knowledge, and interest. All departments work together to run the virtual business chosen by the students. As a company, students compete with other company schools internationally and have the opportunity to attend a national and international trade show. Meets Online Experience Requirement Meets Visual, Performing and Applied Arts Requirement College Credit Available NOTE: STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THIS COURSE MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO BE A BUSINESS OR ACCOUNTING OFFICE AIDE.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 Advanced Applications (Office 2010)  Business Law  Essential Business Skills  Essential Employment Skills  Financial Analysis & Economics  Information Management  Interpersonal Communication  Business Operations and Processes  Personal Effectiveness  Professional Development  Resolving Problems and Conflicts  Setting and Achieving Goals  Strategic Management  Web Page Design & Development  Workplace Safety  Writing a Business Plan  Writing a Year-End Report

COURSE SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTION

 Weeks 1-4 Cover letters, resumes, job interviews and job placement  Weeks 5-6 Business Contacts to support payroll

 Weeks 7-8 Create HR Policies and Procedures Manual

 Weeks 7-10 Cash Budget and Sales Projections

 Weeks 7-12 Complete and Publish Business Plan

 Weeks 10-13 Introduction to Wholesale, U.S. & International Marketplaces  Weeks 10-17 Developing the Website  Weeks 11-12 Open Bank Accounts

 Weeks 11-12 Create Pro Forma Financial Statements

 Weeks 11-20 Trade Show Preparations – booth design, sales campaigns, competitions

 Weeks 12-17 Creation of Inventory Controls  Weeks 12-24 Development of the Marketing Mix

 Weeks 15-19 Creation of Sales Tax and Payroll Tax systems

 Weeks 18-20 Mid-year Employee Evaluations

 Weeks 19-24 Creation of W-2s and Year-End Tax Returns

 Weeks 25-30 Managing Accounts Receivables

 Weeks 29-32 Creation of Annual Report

 Weeks 32-34 Year-End Employee Evaluations  Weeks 33-34 HR Exit Interviews

 Attendance in this program is critical; therefore, students will be expected to have excellent attendance and if a student must be absent, he/she must contact fellow classmates and the instructor.  Students will be expected to check his/her email account daily--Email will be used as the main communication method for this program.  Students will have the opportunity and will be expected to access all course materials/assignments via the Moodle online learning system.  Organizational skills are essential to the success of the student/program; therefore, every student must have his/her planner every day and will be expected to use it as an organizational tool.  Professional dress is expected of students doing presentations. Dress code expectations will be discussed prior to presentation projects.  Unethical behavior will not be tolerated by any student. Examples of unethical behavior are:  cheating or stealing  disrespectful behavior towards instructor, paraprofessional, or other students  inappropriate language  sexual harassment  misuse of technology, violation of Owosso Public Schools Computer-Use Policies  misuse of classroom/computer resources  playing computer games  personal email, chat rooms  inappropriate use of the Internet  wasting time (not being productive)

Any breach of ethical behavior will result in the following consequences.

1st Offense Parent and administration contact, loss of assignment/project points for involved students, and 4-hour Saturday detention assignment.

2nd Offense Parent and administration contact, loss of course credit, 2-day suspension from school, and loss of computer privileges for remainder of school year.

COMPUTER USE POLICY

All students are expected to follow the computer policies outlined in the Owosso Student Handbook. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action. EVALUATION

Projects

Students will be graded on the projects, assignments, activities, presentations, tests, examinations, class participation, group activities, and other designated items. Each of these items may involve completion time outside of class. Students will be expected to come to class prepared and should understand that failure to complete tasks will result in them falling behind in activities/projects and will affect the ability of others in the class to complete their work.

Employee Evaluations

Students will also be evaluated quarterly using an employee evaluation tool similar to one found in the business world.

Grading Procedure

A grading system using total points will be used where a student’s grade percentage will be calculated using the number of points a student earns divided by the total number of points possible. This percentage will determine the student’s letter grade using the PowerSchool grading scale listed below.

A 93% - 100% A- 90% - 92% B+ 87% - 89% B 83% - 86% B- 80% - 82% C+ 77% - 79% C 73% - 76% C- 70% - 72% D+ 67% - 69% D 63% - 66% D- 60% - 62% F <60%

BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS OF AMERICA

Owosso High School students have the opportunity to participate in the Business Professionals of America (BPA) organization offered through Owosso High School.

The mission of BPA is to contribute to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills. To find out more information about BPA, access these web sites

. www.bpa.org . www.michiganbpa.org