CTE courses gaining in popularity in Marysville schools

MARYSVILLE – The school board learned about expanding CTE offerings at Monday’s meeting.

The Regional Apprenticeship Program has been well-publicized but other Career and Technology Education programs have not.

CTE is exploring future programming in Criminal Justice, Agriculture, Sound and Aviation Engineering, and Health Care.

Pathways at Marysville Getchell High School include: Video Tech and American Sign Language. Marysville-Pilchuck has: Engineering and Manufacturing, Education and Automotive Tech. Both schools have: Visual Arts, Computer Science, Business and Marketing, Health Science and Construction Trades.

Heritage has: Careers in Education, Food Prep and Restaurant Management.

Legacy has: Yearbook, Leadership, Computer Science, Computer Repair, Video Game Design, Web Design, Microsoft Specialist, Photography and Graphic Design.

CTE courses at Cedarcrest, Totem and Marysville middle schools include: STEM Foods, Yearbook, Leadership, Nutrition and Robotics. In addition, Cedarcrest and MMS both have video production, while Totem has STEM TV. Cedarcrest also has Mechatronics and STEM Technology.

The CTE presentation says courses offer the chance for not only high school but college credit, along with certifications. Each pathway has an advisory committee to help.

A slide show says highlights of the first semester include: first in an automotive competition, equity in aerospace training, a Boeing partnership, DECA and FBLA students qualifying for state, graphic arts students excelling in a competition, computer repair program success, certifications in Microsoft Office and receiving various grants totaling $145,500.

Also at the meeting, school board members:

•passed a resolution to make February Black History Month.

•were told Alicia Chamine donated almost $2,062 to the district’s special education department; Iron Workers Local No. 86 donated $1,000 to pay student lunch debt; Communities of Color Coalition donated $800 for Japanese New Year; and attorney Rick Merrill donated $500 to Pinewood’s Ana Fonseca, who won educator of the month.

•were told $472.50 was budgeted for nine people to attend the Special Olympics State Games in Wenatchee; and $2,601 for 77 people to go to Mt. St. Helens for a field trip.