PITTSVILLE, WI (OnFocus) – Pittsville High School will have a little different look this year as they have added a $6.7 million* extension on to their CTE building.
CTE stands for Career and Technical Education and has been one of the driving forces behind the success of the Pittsville School District.
The project was part of a $6.7 million referendum passed by voters in spring of 2020. During that time, PSD Superintendent Rodney Figueroa wished to thank the community for their support of the project.
“We are grateful for the support of our community and their recognition of the opportunity CTE provides to Pittsville students,” said Figueroa. “At the same time, we remain highly aware of the critical health and economic concerns across our nation. Balancing our priorities for both require focus on our current realities while projecting forward in a responsible manner.”
The CTE program in Pittsville began after staff at the school recognized a need for students to increase their ability to be employed after high school. In the 2012-13 school year, planning for the program began and by the 2013-14 school year, the program debuted.
The program involves two classes: a junior-year career and financial literacy class and a senior capstone in which students take time out of their school days to work in a desired career field.
During the junior-year career and financial literacy class, students conduct three job shadows in which they watch a trained professional perform a job that they might be interested in. The senior capstone class requires students to report to their work site before 7:50 a.m. and be back at school by 10:10 a.m. to resume their regular curriculum.
The new building will allow students a new space to work with technology that will help build skills for their futures in the work force.
Figueroa said the finances worked out so that even though they approved a referendum, the mill rate was going down so the financial strain on the public wasn’t as significant.
“We have different things that we were coming off of so we were able to plan this, educate the public and the way that the mill rate was running, we were going to go down in mill rate which is awesome,” Figueroa said.
Even with the increase in materials prices for the project during the Covid-19 pandemic, the district was able to lock in the prices for the building so they weren’t hung out to dry when prices for materials skyrocketed.
Former Pittsville student Emily Carlson told OnFocus in a November interview that her time in the CTE Academy has allowed her to go to school and learn about post-high school life as well.
“I’ve really gotten a lot of experience in the medical field through this program,” Carlson said. “I’ve actually been able to work as a home-health aid during school. I’ve been able to get real-world experience while going to school so it’s been a tremendous help.”
Technology Education Teacher Stephen Hadfield said the program is meant to give valuable experience to students who may be considering a specific career path.
“All the activities that we do, even the things that are outside of their job shadow and their internship, is all part of just trying to give them some insight into the early career path,” Hadfield said.
*=Cost of total referendum passed in 2020
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