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School district approves new Patient Care Technician course, draws plans for early college pathways
Summary
The Gloucester County School Board approved changes to the Program of Studies that add a Patient Care Technician senior course, expand work‑based learning credit and create pathways to keep early completers connected to college and workforce options. The board asked staff to provide program cost details before the next meeting.
The Gloucester County School Board on May 13 approved revisions to the Program of Studies that add a Patient Care Technician (PCT) course for seniors, broaden internship/work‑based learning credit and create three early‑college/workforce pathways for students who complete high‑school credits early.
Doctor Ford, who presented the proposals, said the new PCT course builds on Gloucester High School’s health‑science offerings and prepares seniors for entry‑level clinical roles beyond long‑term care. He told the board that the school has grant funding to purchase equipment for an initial cohort and that staff will return with exact recurring operating costs; the board approved the program with the understanding that staff will provide those cost estimates.
The package also expands College Credit Plus (concurrent enrollment) options so students can take courses at Rappahannock Community College (RCC) for high‑school and college credit, even when a given course is not offered at the high school. Doctor Ford described three pathways:
- Workforce Development pathway: early completers can enroll at RCC or in certificate programs tied to local career fields and stay connected to the district while earning credentials. - Career Discovery pathway: early completers can take up to nine college credits for exploration and continued high‑school connection. - Early College Academy: an accelerated track for academically ready students (rising 9th–12th) designed to let motivated students earn an associate degree by high‑school graduation through dual‑enrollment sequencing.
Board members welcomed the pathways as a way to broaden post‑graduation options and urged the administration to expand outreach to middle‑school students and families so parents and students know the new opportunities before course scheduling. One board member asked for a clear plan for sustaining the PCT course once the initial grant funds are spent; Doctor Ford and finance staff agreed to return with multi‑year cost estimates and staffing implications.
The board approved the revised Program of Studies and authorized staff to move forward with implementation pending receipt of the detailed cost figures.
