A District’s Vision for Change and Community Alignment: CTE Integration through Stakeholder Collaboration

AIA Continuing Education Provider

1 LU / HSW

Room: F150-151

Furnished by: Smith System + Steelcase Learning

Audience: Educators

Smith System + Steelcase Learning

Call to Action:

  1. Advocate for districts to conduct comprehensive surveys to identify CTE programs that align with the unique needs and aspirations of their community.
  2. Develop a District Master Plan aimed at delving into CTE integration from diverse angles, fostering a holistic approach to its implementation.
  3. Emphasize the pivotal role of a dedicated CTE director who spearheads initiatives with passion, recognizing the transformative impact CTE can have on both students and educators alike.

Abstract: The successful integration of Career and Technical Education (CTE) into more traditional high school curriculums is a continually evolving concept, and it requires careful planning, innovative design, and a commitment to flexibility. Through careful study of both student and program needs, school districts, administrators, and architects together can create dynamic learning environments that both introduce and prepare students for many different post-secondary career pathways. With a collaborative approach and forward-thinking design, the value of specialized program spaces can be woven into the everyday learning experience. This visibility empowers students to discover and explore a broad range of both college and career opportunities, providing them with the critical tools to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Located in the rural yet quickly growing town of Johnstown, Colorado, Weld County School District RE-5J materialized their aspiration for an integrated CTE high school in 2023 with the construction of their new 230,000 square foot Roosevelt High School. Pairing clear and consensus-driven CTE strategic initiatives with design principles that celebrate both innovation and pragmatism, a new model for comprehensive high school education was born. Using the new school as a practical case study, we will showcase how alignment between the district and the community resulted in CTE programming that is a true reflection of its local context while providing students with multiple relevant career pathways. With a focus on real-world experiences and a unique design process, we’ll discuss the importance and methods of early collaboration and stakeholder engagement, the fundamental role their dedicated CTE director played, and how Roosevelt High School adapted to various challenges and truly capitalized on the benefits of CTE integration. This session provides actionable insights for educators, administrators, and architects seeking to enhance CTE initiatives, implement big ideas, and provide a path to success and preparedness for all students.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Learn methods of comprehensive outreach in identifying CTE programs that align with the unique needs and aspirations of the community.
  2. Understand how the development of a district-wide master plan focused on CTE integration can result in a holistic and deeper approach to its implementation.
  3. Explore how to weave history and culture into a facility that stitches program and community together.
  4. Learn unique challenges that a specialized educational planning approach presents, including demonstrated ways to adapt and capitalize.
  5. Understand the pivotal role of a dedicated and driven CTE director in the design process and beyond.
Scott Dangel, AIA
Scott Dangel, AIA
Principal | Lead Designer, Treanor

Scott is a principal leading the PK-12 Education studio at Treanor, which designs schools that foster the leaders of tomorrow. He believes that architecture supports the health and growth of our future, and that future is our children. Having worked at Treanor since 2001, Scott is a well-respected member of the team and an enthusiastic contributor to the collaborative energy that leads to strong projects. He is a holistic architect that emphasizes the synergy between planning, design, and detailing.

Rebecca Albert-Vollrath
Rebecca Albert-Vollrath
Career & Technical Education Director, Weld County School District RE-5J

Dr. Albert-Vollrath serves as the Director of CTE, Concurrent Enrollment Coordinator, and Safety and Security Director in Weld RE-5J School District (Johnson/Milliken). A dedicated professional who is passionate about empowering all students to succeed, her leadership, vision, and actions have led to a significant expansion of postsecondary readiness programming and participation across the district.

CarrieBeth Ruzicka, RID, NCIDQ, IIDA
CarrieBeth Ruzicka, RID, NCIDQ, IIDA
Interior Designer, Treanor

Pushing boundaries and exploring options is part of CarrieBeth’s interior design approach to help clients get the best value for their investment. Her knack for merging the client’s needs with the latest research to deliver impactful design that improves student engagement. CarrieBeth has led many multi-million-dollar PK-12 projects in the Education studio. She loves the process of creative exploration and how interior design impacts people on a personal and physical level, especially critical in education.

Core Competency

Educational Visioning
Exhibits an understanding of best and next practices related to educational leadership, programming, teaching, learning, planning and facility design. Establishes credibility with educators, community members and design professionals while conceiving and leading a community-based visioning process. Demonstrates the ability to articulate the impact of learning environments on teaching and learning and uses that ability to facilitate a dialogue that uncovers the unique needs and long-range goals of an educational institution and its stakeholders – translating that into an actionable written/graphic program of requirements for the design practitioner.

LearningSCAPES 2024 Conference in Portland, Oregon

Venue

Oregon Convention Center
777 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Portland, OR 97232

Dates

October 16-19, 2024

Contact

Email: donna@a4le.org
+1 480.391.0840