Middle Level CTE Program at Greenville CSD Receives CTE Model Program Recognition
Contact: Gretchen Schwalbach, 518-723-2052, Gretchen@spnet.us
The Career and Technical Education Technical Assistance Center (CTE TAC) of NY has named the Middle Level CTE Program at Greenville Central School District in Greenville, NY as a New York State Career and Technical Education Model Program. This recognition program honors high quality CTE programs at the middle and secondary levels. The characteristics that make this program a model will be shared with other schools and BOCES across the state.
The program offers an engaging and relevant CTE curriculum for students 6-8, a middle level connection to high school CTE programs that provides a continuum of high quality CTE to Greenville’s students. The 6th grade program focuses primarily on technology and agricultural education and uses the theme “How to survive the Zombie Apocalypse” and includes a partnership with Borrego Solar. The 7th grade program focuses on Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) and business education using the theme “Food truck challenge – building a business model”, and includes a partnership with the National Bank of Coxsackie. Both the 6th and 7th grade programs use a project-based approach that emphasizes problem solving, collaboration and communication.
Dawn Mastroianni, Senior consultant at the CTETAC states that, “Greenville Middle School is a pioneer in adopting the flexibilities made possible by the new middle-level career and technical education (CTE) regulations. School leaders and CTE teachers began planning a new middle-level CTE experience grounded in the CTE Theme Modules released by NYSED in 2018. They utilized the CTE Content Modules to develop a project-based curriculum aligned with the certifications held by their teachers. Thanks to the efforts of these visionary professionals, Greenville MS students now enjoy a CTE experience that affords exposure to the 4 CTE content areas offered in their high school: agriculture, business education, family and consumer sciences, and technology education. Greenville CTE teachers employ project-based learning strategies in a team-teaching schedule. Community and business leaders partner with Greenville MS to provide real-world context to in-school learning. Greenville MS has embraced the power of CTE as a force for student development of academic, technical, and employability skills.”
Program staff includes Todd Hilgendorff, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment, Brian Reeve; Principal, Diane Lewis; Technology Education Teacher and CTE Department Chair, Lynn Hughes; Agricultural Education Teacher, Linda Esposito; Business Teacher and Melissa Seaburg; FACS Teacher.
CTE Model Program Recognition is open to all NYS districts and BOCES.Once an application is submitted, the program is evaluated in eight areas: curriculum, instruction, student assessment, business and community partnerships, post-secondary articulation agreements, work-based learning, facilities and equipment, and Career and Technical Student Organization. These components are consistent with criteria used by the national organizations ACTE and Advance CTE. Programs receiving this recognition will have the opportunity to showcase their success stories at local and state conferences and via webinars aired across New York State.
For more information and an application to become a CTE model program, please contact the CTE Technical Assistance Center.