By Amy Cherry

Staff Writer

St. Marys Area High School Principal Josh Williams presented a report on the upcoming changes to the school’s Career and Technical Education program during the most recent school board meeting.

Recently officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Education visited the school and conducted an onsite evaluation of the tech prep program, a title being phased out with the new terminology change referring to the program as Career and Technical Education.

The Career and Tech Ed program offers several specialties ranging from health related field, engineering, metal working, building occupation and business accounting, secretarial and marketing.

“The unique thing about this program is that it requires kids to have a paid job experience during their senior year. We place more students through the cooperative education job program in one year than many larger schools in bigger cities,” Williams said.

He noted that with the down economy there are approximately 15 students who have struggled to find work.

“We are using their career tracks to have them in class when they would have been working. This allows them to acquire skill certification offered through North Central,” Williams added. “We will continue to work with them, especially during this holiday season, to get them a co-op experience.”

As sophomores students choose a specific field of study to pursue throughout the remainder of their high school career.

Currently there are 242 students or 45 percent of the student body involved in the overall program. In the past this number has fluctuated from between 41-51 percent participation, generally being a 50/50 split of student participation.

As a result of the PDE’s visit the school is looking to implement a revision of its business curriculum. PDE recommended collapsing the multiple programs into a single program. School officials plan to consult a special committee made up of community business leaders to gather their thoughts on the matter.

Another major change within the program is news that Penn State DuBois has withdrawn from an education consortium with area school districts. St. Marys is now part of the Northwest Consortium based in Meadville. Williams explained this new consortium receives more funding than Penn State DuBois.

The high school recently received $1,000 from the Northwest Consortium to purchase classroom materials.

In addition PDE will soon utilize a statewide model within the Career and Tech Ed. program. Williams said that while the district loses some local control, the upside is the program will become better overall. Students will soon be able to obtain three credits toward an associate or bachelors degree through programs with 14 state universities and 14 community colleges. This program has worked well, typically during the spring semester.

During their visit PDE officials recommended developing another student organization for those in other occupations other than health and business, as the school’s HOSA and DECA organizations cover those career fields. As part of the new organization students would compete in  competitions similar to both HOSA and DECA.

According to Williams the school is looking into the possibility of becoming a Skills USA chapter, engaging those in the building construction, metal working and engineering fields.