Putnam County Schools will move forward with plans to expand career and technical education programs, including new specialized training modules.
CTE Director Jackie Vester said the district received an extension on Innovative School Models funding to complete several building projects and equipment upgrades. The expansion includes new career exploration labs at Avery Trace Middle School and Monterey High School that allow students to rotate through hands-on stations.
“It does allow them basically 10 to 12 day modules,” Vester said. “It allows them to go ahead and touch and be like, ‘Okay, if I take welding, this is what it’s going to be like. If I take cosmetology, this is what it’s going to be like. If I take culinary, this is what it’s going to be like.’”
Director of Schools Corby King said the middle school stations require students to demonstrate proficiency before moving to the next career area. The modules cover a range of fields, including small engine repair and biomedical research.
“They’re taking an engine apart and putting it back in a lawnmower, an actual lawnmower engine,” King said. “You’ve got one where they’re learning how to phlebotomy. They’re actually drawing blood. They’ve got the arms and the IV bags and all the things.”
The district is also expanded its cosmetology program at Cookeville High School by hiring a second instructor. Vester said the expansion was necessary to address overcrowding and meet student demand.
“Our cosmetology one class average is now at 23 students, and we were able to accommodate all requests for that,” Vester said. “Our DE course averages are down to 17 students, which that’s huge. Last year they were all at 25, and we weren’t going to be able to house all of our students this year.”
The high school program received approximately $100,000 in donated salon equipment to furnish a second workspace. King said the program is now looking to recruit more male students by offering barbering instruction.
“That’s one of the things we get dinged on in our CTE monitoring is the non-traditional students,” King said. “We don’t have enough men taking cosmetology. So we’re offering barbering.”
At Monterey High School, the district installed specialized modules geared toward different reading levels to support special education students. Vester said the 7-12 school structure allowed for unique equipment purchases that were not possible at other middle schools.
“It allows them to not only have this class where they explore these, but then six modules and the reading level is all geared more toward a reading level that is appropriate for many of those students in that classroom,” Vester said.
Construction is also progressing on a new livestock barn at Upperman High School. Vester said the project has received several community donations, including soil and labor for site grading.
“The fact that there’s actual work happening after four years makes me very happy,” Vester said. “We should, knock on wood, have a barn by spring.”