Earlier this month, the Plymouth School Board approved several new North Central CTE Course additions at Plymouth High School for the 2022-23 school year.
PHS Principal Jim Condon summarized the coursed that will be shared with the other schools in the cooperative. Condon said the purpose of the initiative is to continue to create pathways for students to prepare for life after high school.
The first new courses are in Veterinary Science and are two-semester courses that provide students with an overview of the small and large animal veterinary industry with includes companion, food, and exotic animals. Principals of Veterinary Science will cover skills common to specific veterinary career topics such as animal care, veterinary assistant, veterinary technician, and veterinarian. The course also offers Veterinary Science where students will explore concepts released to medical terminology, laboratory procedures, clinical examination procedures, and principles of animal diseases, as well as work in veterinary clinic management and vet law and ethics. Advanced Life Science provides students with opportunities to participate in a variety of activities including laboratory work. There is also a Veterinary Science Capstone course that builds upon the knowledge and skills developed in animal and veterinary courses by developing advanced skills that students can apply to the field.
Fire and Rescue is another new series of CTE courses that will be offered at the Plymouth Fire Department. Principals of Fire and Rescue introduces students to the various roles that firefighters and emergency service workers play to protect the public from the loss of life and property. This course will introduce students to the history, terminology, and basic firefighting skills needed for a beginning firefighter. Fire Fighting Fundamentals is for students seeking certification as a firefighter. This course will prepare students for the Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations certifications and will introduce students to NFPA 1001 which serves as the standard of measurement for all firefighters in North America. Advance Fire Fighting expands upon the principles and techniques of firefighting learned in Fire Fighting Fundamentals. The Fire and Rescue Capstone course will prepare students to earn the EMT certification.
The CTE courses are expanding in the Health Sciences field with Healthcare Specialists: CNA. This course prepares individuals desiring to work as nursing assistants with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for providing basic care in extended care facilities, hospitals, and home health agencies under the direction of licensed nurses. The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant: CCMA will prepare students for the National Healthcare Association CCMA exam while the Healthcare Specialist Capstone course will provide additional knowledge and skills necessary to work in a variety of healthcare settings beyond long-term care facilities including hospitals, doctors’ offices, and clinics.
Expanding the Education and Training course offerings in the CTE program includes the addition of Principals of Early Childhood Education. This course provides students with an overview of skills and strategies necessary to successfully complete a certificate. Also offered will be an Early Childhood Education Curriculum and Early Childhood Education. The Capstone Course will be Early Childhood Education Capstone which prepares students to complete the application, CDA exam, and verification process for the Child Development Associate credential.
The CTE program is expanding the Education and Teaching course offerings based on the scarcity of people going into education and the need to grow and develop the corporation’s local market. They are adding Teaching and Learning, a course that will provide an introduction to the role that technology plays in the modern classroom. The Education Professions Capstone course will provide an extended opportunity for field experience to further apply concepts that have been presented throughout the pathway.
