CTE Newsletter - Fall 2021

Update from the Wyoming Department of Education  |  view online |  website

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FALL 2021

weld

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL

The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Team would like to take this opportunity to wish you the best on the upcoming 2021-22 School year.  

The team also would like to say thank you to all who were able to complete their externships. We enjoyed hearing about the creative, diverse and exciting opportunities many of you participated in.

However, there has been a change in the externship stipend process. Unfortunately, due to a change in our procedures we will no longer be able to pay for more than 40 hours per fiscal year (July1-June 30). Keep this in mind when arranging your externship schedule with potential employers.

Some other changes at WDE this summer:

  • For those of you who were not aware, Jeannie Coulson moved with her husband to Idaho and has returned to the classroom.   
  • Mary Billiter will be taking on Perkins for all districts and community colleges.
  • What hasn't changed for the WDE CTE Team is our drive to provide you with excellent customer service and to work towards making Career and Technical Education successful for all participants in Wyoming.

Collaboration Grants Awarded

Congratulations to the following Districts that were awarded Collaboration grants for up to $125,000:

CROOK #1

Joe’s Farm was the brainchild of former student and current school board member Chase Williams. For the last three years, the Whitcomb FFA, under the guidance of Advisor Hugh Jenkins, who is writing this grant, has steadily plotted a course for Joe’s Farm. 

Their plan includes a relevant and rigorous curriculum focused on hands-on, technical skills paired with college and extension office directed research and development programming driven by student interest and local stakeholder needs. The farm currently operates a very successful greenhouse business that includes annual plant sales, investigative crop propagation and student directed research. 

Additionally, the farm includes agricultural mechanics instruction, individual project development and community engagement via the school’s shop program, which has been expanded to four sections with over 80 students, accounting for over half the student population of MHS. Joe’s Farm sits on nearly 12 acres of land that is adjacent to the agriculture classroom and shop.

NATRONA #1

The Pathways Diesel Program has grown to a point where further advancement requires targeted funds. This grant will allow for an innovative approach to repair, diagnostics, and rebuild components on over-the-road diesel truck. 

The diesel truck will provide a cumulative program of systems such as diesel engines, air brakes, Department of Transportation (DOT) inspections, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), heavy duty electrical systems, Eaton transmissions, differentials, and Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) process that students will build skills while completing valuable industry certifications. Support equipment, such as Stertil Koni Lifts will allow students the opportunity to train and safely use these pieces of equipment found in the industry for heavy duty trucks. 

BIG HORN #1

The Big Horn County School District #1 plans on implementing equipment in a Fabrication Lab/Makerspace setting. We want students to make things and have the opportunity to use equipment that they will find in industry or equipment that is scalable from a high school shop setting to an industrial setting. This will give students the opportunity to go through the process of designing and building. Along the way they will develop many of the essential skills that employers are looking for with the Next Generation partnerships. 

We would also like to collaborate with our employers and have them guest teach the career related skills they are looking for things, such as soft skills and pathways to employment. We would also like to develop some projects that are commissioned by the industry professionals that can be a community service type win-win. This builds bridges between our school and industry.

CONVERSE #1

This grant will support three aspects of the welding program enhancement at Douglas High School. First, it will support the upgrading of the curriculum to include learning to use newer equipment students will utilize in college and on the job site. The curriculum redesign will include more hands-on experiences for students because there will be more equipment available for use. These hands-on experiences students have include building projects for Peabody Energy.

The contract for these projects will continue to provide experiences for students to actually participate in a work-like setting making products to be used by Peabody. It will also allow students to complete other types of projects for Peabody or other companies. Second, this grant will support the purchase of new pieces of equipment which will allow the enhanced instruction as well as providing more time for students to actually be taking part in project-based learning by lowering the student-to-equipment ratio. Some of this new equipment is computer programmable, which the current equipment is not.


Professional Development Grants Awarded

Congratulations to the following individuals who applied and were awarded professional development grants for 2021-2022:

SCHOOL DISTRICTS:

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COMMUNITY COLLEGES:

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