Career and Technical Education in the Great Falls Public Schools

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Career and Technical Education in the Great Falls
Public Schools
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An overview

• Career and Technical Education courses
  provide academic and technical knowledge and
  skills to prepare for further education and
  careers in current or emerging employment
  sectors. These programs focus on career
  preparation, resource management, communication,
  technical skill development, applied academics,
  technological literacy, personal skills and
  leadership.  One credit is required by the
  Montana Office of Public Instruction for
  graduation
• There are some 45 high school and middle
  school teachers teaching 50 courses these four
  general disciplines
• Health Science (Med Prep)
• Industrial Technology
• Business
• Family and Consumer Sciences

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The need

• Cascade County is at over 6 percent unemployment
  rate. This has increased from 2.2 percent three
  years ago. Full employment is 4 percent.
• There are critical shortages of workers in the
  skilled trades (carpenters, plumbers, welders,
  electricians), hospitality workers, and health
  care workers
• Many of these jobs pay better
• than those requiring a college
• degree

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Whos enrolled

• A credit of career and technical education is a
  graduation requirement.
• More than half of all Great Falls public school
  students are enrolled in a CTE (hands-on,
  practical) class at any time.

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By the program

• Industrial technology
• Health professions
• Family and consumer science
• Business
• Agriculture

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Special events

• Career fairs

Construction Trades Fair
Health Careers Fair
Apprenticeship Rodeo Oct. 4-5
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High school houses

• Two houses are under construction by Great Falls
  High and CMR students in conjunction with
  NeighborWorks
• Interior Design class students help plan
  furnishings, and a landscape class at CMR helps
  with outside design.

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Business enterprises

• DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America)
  stores for students at CMR and GFHS
• Great Falls High School shop students sell
  storage units they build in class.
• CMR Woodshop class makes and sells swings and
  beds.
• North Middle School shop classes run a laser
  engraver business.

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Paris Gibson Education Center businesses

• A number of businesses at Paris Gibson Education
  Center Sew What (formerly Avant Gear), The
  Company that runs a school café and catering
  business, Lynx Grafix that does T-shirt and mug
  design, and Paris Gibson Designs, that does
  business cards, calendars, photos and even Web
  pages.

Making a quilt for the Paris Gibson Education
Center Sew What sewing business.
The Company coffee shop and catering business
at Paris Gibson Education Center
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Meeting new needs

• A wind generator was erected in November 2008 at
  CMR and solar panels at GFHS in spring 2010
  anticipating the boom in alternative power source
  jobs.
• The Auto Tech Center opened in Fall 06 at Paris
  Gibson School to train technicians. Partnership
  with five auto dealerships that put up 15,000
  each to fund center Bison, Bennett, City, Taylor
  Brothers, and Lithia.
• All business ed classes operate on a Company
  model

Dress up day at Rustler Inc business ed class
based on Company model
Instruction at Paris Gibson Education Center ASE
Auto Tech Center.
Wind generator goes up at CMR in Fall 2008
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Beyond the classroom

• There are more than 325 juniors in the Job
  Shadowing program that offers 600 shadows.
• Many students earn credits by taking Work
  Experience courses and working part-time and
  plans are underway for expansion of internship
  opportunities.

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10-11 Plans

• An Agriculture Program was launched this fall
• The concept of Learning or career academies has
  been selected for study by the school board.
  Tentatively, there would be four academies Arts
  and communications/Human Services, STEM/Skilled
  Crafts/Health-Wellness, Business and Marketing,
  and Freshman Academy
• Solar panels will be used in electricity classes
  at GFH
• The wind energy at CMR will be harnessed for use
  in a Green Machine, a donated Volkswagon
  mini-bus converted to electrical use. The bus
  will haul NMS students taking CMR classes
• Two engines purchased for competition between CMR
  and GFH
• A pilot project for 200 Great Falls High and
  Paris Gibson students to prepare for a National
  Work Readiness Certificate

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Beyond the district

• Students are enrolled in dual credit courses at
  MSU-Great Falls College of Technology in auto
  body repair and EMT (first responders) basic.
• Med Prep students train at Benefis with nurses to
  qualify as Certified Nursing Assistants.

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Little known facts

• Enrollment is high. Approximately half of
  the high school graduates are Vocational
  Concentrators by taking three CTE credits or
  more before they graduate.
• Post-secondary credit which saves time and money
  for students is available Dual Enrollment
  opportunities.
• Work Experience allows students to receive credit
  while working for wages on a job.
• Career and Technical Education has strong
  partnerships with the local business community
  and uses Advisory Boards for five content areas.
• Additional funding comes from a state allocation
  and from a Carl Perkins federal grant.

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Student organizations

• Career and Technical Organizations
•  Business Professionals of America (BPA),
• Association of Marketing Students (DECA),
• Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)
• Industrial Technology Students (SKILLS USA/VICA)
• FFA
• These organizations enhance education with a
  co-curricular option that motivates students
  through competitive events with an emphasis on
  leadership, citizenship and specific skills.GFPS
  also requires all Middle School students to take
  a quarter (each year) in Industrial Technology
  and Family and Consumer Science. These courses
  familiarize students with woods, technology, home
  maintenance, textiles, foods and personal/family
  issues. These curricula provide an introduction
  to the high school courses.

North Middle School Company that uses a laser
engraver to learn technology and computer skills
as well as how to operate a company and turn a
profit.
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Other facts

• Field trips include local eateries to find out
  how they cater to clients
• Career classes include Hospitality, Tourism and
  Recreation class, entrepreneurship class,
  consumer mechanics class, applied physics class,
  and landscape design class.

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The future

• Were constantly looking for new ideas
• For example were studying a pre-engineering
  program that reaches into the Middle Schools to
  meet a national need for engineers
• Ready to work certification
• More partnerships with the community
• Volunteerism through AmeriCorps for high school
  house students

Graduates of the Fall 2008 CNA class from CMR.
The number of CNA classes has grown from one to
three in the past year to meet demand.
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How you can help

• Volunteer to be a Career Presenter at Career
  Fairs
• Volunteer to be a job shadow mentor
• Were looking for sponsors for various events and
  programs. An example is the Auto Tech Center that
  is still looking for sponsorship for its work
  bays
• Talk up Career and Technical Education

Veterinarian Kelly Manzer volunteered her time to
present to the 8th Grade Career Fair in 2006.
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Contact

• Tom Kotynski
• Workforce Development Facilitator
• Great Falls Public Schools
• 268 6024
• tom_kotynski_at_gfps.k12.mt.us
• Career and Technical Education Web page
• gfps.k12.mt.us/Departments/
• CareerTechEd/CareerTechEd.html