Weakley County Schools Celebrate CTE Month
Sandy Bennett’s Human Studies class in Gleason completed a unit on textiles and apparel earlier this month and modeled the pajama pants they sewed (from left to right: Jaeda Perry, Olivia Perry, Hollie Whitworth, Autumn Mingle, Paris Smith, Brooklyn McDowell, Sydney Sutton, Serenity Mingle, and Elizabeth Bailey).[/caption] BY KAREN CAMPBELL
Weakley County Schools Communications Director
WEAKLEY COUNTY (February 9) - Discovering the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment and how to do blood pressure checks; caring for animals and then learning the process of preparing meats for sale; working with 3D copiers, metal cutting and screening equipment to produce promotional products; designing clothes and sewing them into reality; preparing appetizers and serving them at an arts event; completing a work-based learning; starting a greenhouse from the ground up; and troubleshooting on two- and four-stroke engines.
These are but a few of the opportunities available to students as part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs of Weakley County Schools.
“We have a growing array of classes to help a young person determine if a particular field of study is the one they want to pursue in their future,” said Lindsey Parham, the director of CTE. “And, thanks to the commitment of our teachers and community partners, we are currently in the process of expanding those options.”
Parham cites the recent purchase of freezers at the Weakley County Livestock Production Farm, the planned greenhouse at Greenfield School, the addition of CNC plasma-cutting machines at all high schools, screen printing equipment at Westview and coming soon to Dresden, and a laser-engraver at Gleason as examples.
“We are happy to report that we have secured dual enrollment plant and animal science options through the University of Tennessee at Martin to all 11th and 12th grade students in Weakley County,” she said. “We are also in talks regarding implementing health science programs at the remaining two high schools. In addition, we are pursuing dual enrollment opportunities with Tennessee College of Applied Technology in nursing and advanced manufacturing.”
Parham explained that, having piloted the program at Greenfield, work-based learning is expanding to all high schools across the district. The possibilities range from school-based enterprises such as the selling meats from the production farm to metal sign production for profit, she said.
“We want to make sure all of our students leave our schools with a viable plan for their future. Sometimes that means continued education at a university or trade school. It can also mean moving from work-based learning to fulltime employment,” noted Randy Frazier, director of Weakley County Schools. “Preparing students for high skill, high wage or in-demand careers are what CTE is all about, and we are making that happen.”
CTE teachers across the county include:
Dresden
Jason Kemp, Agriculture: Vet Science, Large Animal and Small Animal; Weakley County Schools Livestock Production Farm manager;
Jonathan Holden, Agriculture: Ag Science, Ag Mechanics, Ag Power and Equipment, Landscape and Turf Management, Greenhouse; FFA advisor;
Victoria Todd, Agriculture: Ag Science; FFA advisor;
Lauren Wilkins, BSN, R.N., Health Science: Nursing Education, Medical Therapeutics, Anatomy and Physiology and Health Science Education; HOSA Future Health Professionals advisor;
Stacey Lockhart, Business: Business Communications, Entrepreneurship, Computer Applications, Advanced Computer Applications; Future Business Leaders of America advisor;
Pat Phillips, Human Services: Lifespan Development, Fashion Design, Introduction to Human Services, Interior Design; Family, Career and Community Leaders of America advisor;
Gleason
Steve Stigall, Agriculture: Ag Engineering; Natural Resource Management, Ag Power and Equipment, Ag Mechanics, Ag Science, FFA advisor;
Sandy Bennett, Human Services: Lifespan Development, Human Studies, Personal Finance, Nutrition Through the Lifespan; Family Career and Community Leaders of America advisor;
Sean Stephenson, Business: Business Communications, Advanced Computer Applications, Computer Applications, American Business Legal, Business Economics;
Greenfield
Kandace Jackson, Business: Computer Applications, Intro to Business, Business Communications; Future Business Leaders of America advisor;
Matthew Humphrey, Agriculture: Principles of Ag Mechanics, Applied Environmental Science, Ag Science, Small Animal Care, Large Animal Science; FFA advisor;
Westview
Kyle Rogers, Agriculture: Ag Mechanics, Power and Equipment, Applied Environmental Science, Ag Science; FFA advisor;
Jerri Moseley, Agriculture: Small Animal, Plant Science, Landscaping; FFA advisor;
Lauren Freeman, Human Services: Fashion/Interior Design, Intro to Human Studies, Family Studies; Family, Career and Community Leaders of America advisor;
Angie Rushing, Human Services: Lifespan Development, Nutrition, Teaching as a Profession; Family, Career and Community Leaders of America advisor;
Carolyn Glover, BSN, RN, Health Science: Health Science, Nursing Education, Medical Therapeutics; HOSA Future Health Professionals advisor;
Kimberly Elliott, Business: Computer Applications, Entrepreneurship, Business Management, Accounting, Business Communications; Future Business Leaders of America advisor and
Brian Haskins, Business: Computer Applications.
