Technical education programs providing real-life experience

HAMLET — Students are getting real-world opportunity and experience through Richmond County Schools’ Career and Technical Education program.

Greg Norton, director of career tech instruction, presented highlights from CTE to the Board of Education. Internships and apprenticeships are the two main ways that students are getting hours of experience in a work environment that can’t be achieved in the classroom.

“Our goal with work based learning is for students, after graduation, to continue working with their intern sponsor,” Norton said. “We’re matching employers with their future employees.”

After a Level 1 course and a concentrated course, students can apply for the workplace learning. Both the internship and the apprenticeship are 135 hours.

There are 17 interns and four apprentices in the county this year. CTE is only available for seniors currently.

Austin Long and William Evans Legett are involved with an automotive program, while Eli Maske and Josie Stanridge are involved with agriculture education.

“I’m learned more in these hand-on classes than any of my other classes,” Josie said.

Councilman Joe Richardson expressed gratitude for how school systems are creating these valuable programs that are giving students a step-up.

“This is a change in the right direction,” Richardson said. “These apprenticeships are really, really valuable. I’m glad to see it expanding.”

William is an intern at Griffin Toyota. He’s had a love for working on cars his entire life.

“I’m glad I got myself into position,” William said. “I’m getting a chance of what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s a great experience.”

Career Development Coordinator Jason Perakis said that companies are now calling him asking about the internship and apprenticeship programs for students.

Austin received a $1,000 check from a Harbor Freight Fellows program at the meeting.

“We’re proud of all of our teachers, all of our interns,” Norton said. “This is just a small sampling of some of the great things going on.”

Bus driver pay increase; installment pay adjustment

The board approved a motion to increase bus driver pay by $.50 cents. Starting drivers will receive $12.60 an hour. Employees with at least 26 years of experience will be paid $16.11.

Finance Officer Tina Edmonds said the Department of Public Instruction will no longer support the installment pay system, a method for 10-month employees to receive their salary spread over 12 months. This was sent to their office in February and becomes effective July 1, 2021.

“Our current software system will not allow us to do this internally,” Edmonds said.

However, there is still the ability for employees to receive an installation payment system. RCS will be directing individuals to their State Employees Credit Union, which a majority of their staff uses, or to a bank of their choice for draft and savings options.

Edmonds said members of the finance team will be visiting each school in the coming months to address any question face-to-face. This information will also be attached at the top of a monthly email that is sent out each month.

Chairman Wiley Mabe and Vice Chair Bobbie Sue Ormsby expressed concern about how quickly this change is coming. Edmonds stated that she is confident that this will be an easy transition.

Re-entry update

Students in all schools in the county now have the option to attend in-person classes four days out of the week.

Elementary schools are operating with 75% of their students in the classroom. Middle schools are at 50% and high schools are at 37% of students inside of the building learning each day.

Any school will continue to accept any students who wish to come back, said Dr. Kate Smith, executive director of curriculum and instruction.

The board also approved a motion to add “high-interest” courses to Richmond Senior High School. A few will also be available at the Ninth Grade Academy.

African-American Studies, American Sign Language (ASL), Drama and Theater Arts, Psychology, Sociology, Dance and Fitness, Lifetime and Team Sports and Public Speaking will now be available to students in the next academic year.

Psychology and Sociology have been available as Advanced Placement course, but are now available to a wider range of students.

Public Speaking will only be offered to ninth graders, while the ASL course satisfies a foreign-language requirement.

Superintendent Dr. Jeff Maples said that this will build excitement toward the next academic year and that students have indicated a lot of interest in these new courses already.