CTE building progresses; district previews new career hub, internships and K–8 outreach

High‑school CTE leaders presented updates Thursday on the new Career and Technical Education building and wider CTE efforts that county and district staff said aim to expand hands‑on learning and postsecondary pathways.

Assistant principal Valerie Haley described construction progress on the new CTE building, which will house most of the district’s automotive, computer information systems, engineering, health sciences and maker‑space facilities. Contractors have completed structural work and the district held a “topping off” ceremony to recognize tradespeople and student interns who collaborated on the project.

Kim Hermans, school‑to‑work coordinator, reported that Penn’s construction hosted a paid internship program for high‑school students: 18 applicants led to 8 interviews and four hired interns (two completed internships, one continues, one started recently). The district has also been doing outreach into middle and elementary schools—career fairs and ambassador teams—to introduce younger students to program offerings and create smoother pipelines into CTE programs.

CTE metrics presented included: 11 programs of study at the high school, a concentrator graduation rate of 99.4% and an overall high‑school graduation rate of 69% (districtwide). District staff also noted non‑traditional participation and demographic breakdowns and said many facilities upgrades remain on the bond schedule for 2025 and 2026. Summer projects will include renovations to culinary and child‑development spaces and a greenhouse for natural resources classes.

Leaders said they will host a partner appreciation breakfast and continue to expand dual‑credit and apprenticeship relationships with postsecondary partners and unions.