Virtual Business Resources Co-op
Created by Janet and Jerry Belch
Established September 2009
Jerry Belch
Education
Graduated from Santa Barbara High School 1963
Attended University of California Santa Barbara
Graduated California State University San Diego
Westmont College
California State University Long Beach
Degrees
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Masters in Vocational Education
Teaching Credentials
Standard Secondary Business Administrationa and Life Sciences
Community College in Accounting
CLAD
Work Experience
Bromley's Mens' Wear
Purex Corporation LTD
Safeco Insurance Company
Santa Barbara High School District
Santa Barbara County Schools Regional Occupation Program
California State Department of Education
Classes Taught
Accouting
Computer Accounting
Digital Arts and Animation
Computer Programming
Web Design
Networking
Office Practice
Data Processing
Computer Business Applications
Word Processing
Life Science
Applied Biology and Chemistry
Typing
Business Law
Consumer Economics
General Business
Business English
Awards
Santa Barbara Industry Council
Educator of the Year 2004 Goleta
Virtual Enterprise Volunteer of the Year
Published Works
Adventures in Keyboardland
Type Write
Accounts Payable - Houghton Mifflin
Simulating the Medical Office DOS version
Simulating the Medical Office Windwows version
Volunteer Work
Virtual Enterprise California
Dos Pueblos High School
San Marcos High School
Carpinteria High School
In 1978 I wrote up a proposal to teach an ROP class in Computerized Accouning using personal computers to prepare payrolls, inventories, accounts receivable and payable and financial reports. The proposal was accepted and I started teaching the class in January 1979. I had students from Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria high schools as well as adults. I was given three computers for my class. Two of them had cassette tape recorders that were used to load programs and save files. One had a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk drive, They all had black and white TV sets attached that served as monitors. I had one dot matrix printer. The only thing that was missing was software. The Radio Shack model came with general ledger and inventory program. The Santa Barbara County Schools did not buy Radio Shack computers and opted for Apple. There was only one piece of software. It was game calle Pong. I had to learn how to become a computer programmer: Best work-related thing that ever happend to me!
I spent 34 years at Dos Pueblos High School as a Business Teacher, Science Teacher and Regional Occupations Instructor. To increase availability to my computer classes, Janet and I combined them and taught multiple ones at the same time using individualized instruction. Computer Accounting, Word Processing, Medical Office Management, Digital Arts and Animation could be taken any period of the day. I kept separate records for each class as to attendance and grades. All tests were computerized. Points earned were posted each week. There were file folders for each assignment and they were arranged by class. It was a challenge at first, but it gave me a great degree of flexibility and job security. Our counselors loved the idea. if a student needed to change their schedule, they could just switch to one of my other periods.
I also formed articulation agreements with the community college and my students and Janet's received college credit for Accounting and Visual Basic Programming. Our students also could receive General Math credit by completing a unit in Computer Business Applications. The course in Digital Arts and Animation received University of California Credit for Art. The course gave students who were great students, but not artists a level playing field since there wre many ways to earn a good grade.