Updates from the Vocational World

On Thursday I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with my vocational colleagues. Sometimes there is no better professional development opportunity than to talk with people who share your line of work and get their perspective on all things vocational.  I'd like to share with you some of the things that are going on in vocational education around the state.

Did you know...

Articulation Agreements

As some of you may already know, articulation agreements with community colleges are being negotiated at the state level. Currently Drafting has an agreement. On December 5th, 6 more program agreements will be signed. Once we receive the list of programs that have signed agreements, we will be in touch with those programs to update you on the details. It may be a great thing to publicize during Open House!

CTE

There is a nationwide campaign to promote technical education. Massachusetts is using a new tag line that they would like us to include on our documents and publications for the year:

CTE  Learning That Works for Massachusetts

Frameworks

The updated CVTE Frameworks are scheduled to be placed on the DESE website sometime after Thanksgiving. Feel free to check often...

Perkins

It appears as though the Perkins grant will be moving toward a competitive process that will be looking for consortia and industry matches. If this happens, it will change the way we write the grant, the requirements that we need to meet and ultimately our funding source. Please begin to think creatively about industry partnerships outside of your shop in the event that Perkins moves in this direction.

In Conclusion

In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, my take-aways from yesterday are as follows...

• I am thankful for the opportunity to spend quality time with my vocational colleagues and friends.
• I am thankful for the opportunity to discuss the potential and power that a quality vocational education brings to students, to families and to communities.
• I am thankful for the faculty at South Shore for their dedication to their profession, to their craft and to our students.
• I am thankful for my administrative colleagues for assuming their many responsibilities with a forward thinking, student centered approach. 
• I am thankful for our entire support staff without whom we would be lost.
• I am thankful for the opportunity to work in a district that supports vocational education.
• I am thankful to work in a district where people smile :-)
• I am thankful that I do not have to kiss a fish this year (although the fish that I received at the rally last year is still alive!)
• and last but not least...I am thankful that I will be cheering for the Vikings on Thanksgiving Day and not the Hawks!

Happy Thanksgiving,
Margaret