CTE Director's Corner
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Hello! My name is Jackie Stephenson. This is my third year at BCHS as Assistant Principal and CTE Director. In addition, nine students are enrolled in my CTE Nutrition & Wellness class, which meets daily during first period. Many hats are interchanged, but each day is unique and interesting! I love my job.
I received my undergraduate degree from James Madison University and my Masters in Administration & Supervision from the University of Phoenix. Growth and learning have always been my passion, and I enjoy guiding students toward their full potential.
Communication, cooperation, and teamwork are necessary components in providing a quality education for our students. I believe in the concept that it takes a village or community to raise a child successfully. Please feel free to contact me as needed. |
I hope you find our CTE web resources interesting and informative. Our goal is to share the positive activities and aspects of CTE. Please refer to the MCTC homepage for general announcements and scheduled events. I will use this page to share my thoughts and observations on CTE issues not more appropriately published on other MCTC websites.
Please let us know if you have questions or concerns, and how we might best provide CTE services to our students. Indeed, this is our mission!
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February is national CTE month!
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our students, instructors, and programs at BCHS. Courses in Auto Mechanics, Business, Carpentry, Culinary Arts, Industrial Maintenance, and Technology are being taught by certified instructors. Nearly every student who graduates from BCHS has taken at least one CTE class. The student explores interests, develops study skills, and prepares for employment or further education.
The theme for 2011 is
CTE: Learning Today, Earning Tomorrow.
Economic stress creates a greater need for gainful employment skills. Many thanks to the teachers in Mertz Career and Technical Center who contribute daily to this endeavor. |
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A major goal of the CTE curriculum is to prepare students for the job market; this is one constant which remains. Recently the Virginia Department of Education updated the Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth to ensure the alignment of classroom preparation with the needs of 21st century employers.
The most obvious upgrade is more emphasis on using technology well, safely, and with integrity.
The first skill is POSITIVE WORK ETHIC, which includes attendance, attitude, and motivation. Some things never change. |
| Credentialing is a fairly new topic for CTE. Students who complete a career pathway, which is usually a sequence of two classes in a partucilar area, are considered "completers." The Virginia Department of Education has released an extensive list of acceptable tests to be taken by completers as a way to gain a verified credit or license. The goal is to better prepare students for employment or advanced study in a particular field. |
| I just read an article summarizing a national Groundhog Job Shadowing Day ...on February 2nd, of course. What a great idea to focus this positive, realistic experience on a day which is easy to remember and already celebrated nationally.
I am a strong supporter of job shadowing and mentoring! Students often have unrealistic expectations about the career proclaimed as their goal. High goals are a must, but along with that, a dose of reality is an important component. A successful person of experience and integrity can provide insight and wisdom to a teen-ager with questions about his or her future. A student may also be open to the wise suggestions of a mentor...someone they do not automatically tune out.
Time, liability, and funding can be limitations in providing job shadowing opportunities. I believe in looking at opportunities instead of road blocks. What are your ideas?
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Mertz Career & Technical Center
464 Charger Lane
Hot Springs, VA 24445
Phone: 540-839-5774
Fax: 540-839-3290
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What is CTE?
CTE stands for Career and Technical Education, a modern name for an updated vocational education program. Integration of technology, skills for the modern job market, core academics, and character education prepare our students for continuing education or a career. |
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