Dr. Pew: Career Center Demonstrates District's New Mission

Dear Editor, 

Every few years, the school district is tasked with developing a new mission statement to reflect what we value as educators. Drafts of a statement were shared and discussed with teachers, parents, and principals, and at the beginning of this year, a new statement emerged:

"The School District of Pickens County promotes high achievement, personal responsibility, and character development to prepare students for college, career, & citizenship opportunities."

No program has done a better job of demonstrating that mission than our Career and Technology Center. Just since the end of classes last spring, the CTC has been applauded in both national and local media. It was lauded in PBS NewsHour as having the "secret sauce" for closing the youth skills gap. It was highlighted in the American School Boards Journal for being an innovator in the field of vocational technology. The GSA Business Journal recently profiled the "dynasty" of winning mechatronics teams at the school.

The CTC has built its success on strong partnerships with local industries who understand the value of investing in education. Last year, the school partnered with United Tool and Mold and Apprenticeship Carolina to create the first -school-registered-apprenticeship-program in the upstate. Cornell Dubilier gave our mechatronics students the opportunity to create a prototype product for their company, and our kids rose to the occasion. These businesses share one of the district's core beliefs: "Today's students are tomorrow's workforce."

This year, the Career and Technology Center expanded its reach by hosting our new C3 program. C3, which stands for "college, career and citizenship," targets students from 8th-12th grade who learn at a different pace. Classes are small, allowing teachers to give students more support with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities and project-based learning. Students have access to laptops in each of their courses in order to work independently. Liberty High School has even partnered with C3 to allow the students to participate in ROTC. The other programs at the

CTC serve as motivation; once C3 students meet the academic requirements to participate in other CTC classes, they can take the first steps into a career path that they find engaging.

Along with the mission statement, we also revised our vision statement this year: "The SDPC will strive to provide a quality 21st century education that prepares all students for success beyond the classroom."

Our goal is to produce more than students with good grades on paper. We are teaching them to contribute to their employers, their families and their communities, and the CTC is leading the way.

- Dr. Kelly U. Pew, SDPC Superintendent