The Centralia High School Board Thursday night approved new vocational and dual credit options for the coming school year.
Superintendent Dr. Chuck Lane says they are just as concerned about where their students go after high school as what they are doing in class.
“We are trying to work our kids either to college or career. When we talk about curriculum changes, we are trying to make an easy platform where students can get dual credit. It will save parents money for college, or get kids further along towards an associate’s degree, or even if they transfer from KC before they get an associate’s. We are trying to do anything we can to get them on the pathway either to go to college or into their career.”
Lane says it is definitely not just college choices anymore, but for many students, good-paying vocational career options that he hopes will keep them in town to raise their families.
Among the changes, next year will be an expansion of the building trades class from two to three hours to allow the students to participate in bigger projects including the return to building houses. Lane says profits from the sales can then fund the next year’s project.
Health and Wellness and First Aide dual credit PE classes are being added for juniors and seniors to allow them to take care of those college requirements while still in high school. Those who finish the first aide class will finish with CPR certification.
Principal Reid Shipley says he is currently working with Kaskaskia College on a heating and air conditioning program that would have students attend a year of classes at the Crisp Center to get them close to certification. With other dual credit classes, he reports the students would also achieve a two-year degree in a short period of time at Kaskaskia College. Shipley said students would have to pay for the HVAC classes, but the college would be offering discounts. He notes the short supply of those in the field and starting salaries upwards of $80,000 to $90,000.
In other action, Lane told the board that attorneys are finishing up a contract for a northern Illinois company to build the solar array at Centralia High School that will supply extremely low-cost electricity to the school for the next 25 years.
The Centralia High Class of 1974 has purchased a CHS sign that was at the old high school and is having it refurbished to be hung on the back of the football scoreboard facing the tennis courts.
In lieu of expulsion, five students have been placed at the Alternative Learning Academy. Three had marijuana and drug paraphernalia found in their vehicle, another had weed pens in their pocket on school property and the fifth had three large knives along with a set of brass knuckles in a vehicle on school property.
In personnel action, the board accepted the resignation of Dayton Bauer as a full-time classroom aide and approved the retirement of Sam Bernard as custodian. Brian Kuder has been promoted to Director of Security, effective November 1st.
