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Middleton-Cross Plains highlights growth in career and technical education; 70% of seniors take CTE sequences
Summary
District staff and students presented a CTE update to the Middleton-Cross Plains Area Board of Education, summarizing program areas, youth apprenticeships, dual-credit partnerships and enrollment trends; presenters said about 70% of seniors are CTE concentrators and the district reported growing employer partnerships and industry credentials.
At the Middleton-Cross Plains Area Board of Education meeting on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, district staff presented a detailed update on Career and Technical Education programming at the middle and high school levels, featuring student youth-apprenticeship speakers and data on enrollment and credentialing.
The presentation, led by Jan Shenoweth, director of secondary curriculum, instruction and assessment, and Dave Thomas, CTE coordinator, outlined five program areas at the secondary level: family and consumer sciences, business and information technology, marketing/management and entrepreneurship, technology and engineering, and health science. "We offer, 5 different program areas," Shenoweth said during the presentation.
Why it matters: presenters and board members framed CTE as a major pathway to both college and career options, citing rising student interest, new dual-credit agreements and employer partnerships that connect classroom learning to paid, on-the-job experiences.
Key details and evidence
- Student voices: Five youth-apprentices described work-based placements that they said helped clarify career plans. Paulina Garduno, who works at UW Health, said the CTE coursework and her hospital job "helped me realize I do wanna work in healthcare." Hannah Lee, placed at the UW Department of Biochemistry, described lab duties: "I isolate DNA from bacteria. I do protein purifications, run PCRs," and said the experience expanded her view of science. Daniel Buckman described IT work for district tech services and the student help desk; Cora Thomas described cosmetology work at Echo Salon; Andres Mendoza Hakala described trade placements with UW Housing and carpentry teams.
- Participation and concentrators: Staff said CTE enrollment has risen over nine years. Ray (Reid) Rosing, associate principal working with CTE, said the district tracks "CT concentrators" (students who take two or more courses in a pathway) and reported that about 70% of the district's seniors are identified as CT concentrators.
- Program growth and signals: Presenters said the construction/trades program saw about a 35% increase in student interest and that youth apprenticeship employer participation in the region has grown. The district noted industry-recognized credentials and dual-credit partnerships with Madison College, UW Oshkosh and the newly added UW Stout for family and consumer sciences coursework.
- Credentials and work-based learning: The presentation listed industry credentials (for example, assistant child care) and work-based options: career internships and the state-supported youth apprenticeship program covering more than 80 in-demand occupations. Presenters said employer partners include UW Health and others in the region; Madison College and local employers have been meeting with students about new apprenticeship areas such as fire protection.
- Recognition and facilities: Staff said Middleton High School was identified as the top STEM public school in Wisconsin by Niche and that investment from the district referendum funded new equipment and space that support CTE offerings. Presenters referenced student organizations (HOSA, DECA, FBLA) and national curriculum partners (MBA Research) as sources of competitions, assessments and certifications.
Board discussion and follow-up
Board members thanked the students and staff and discussed program pathways and employer connections. Jim Coursey asked students whether they planned careers in their placement fields; several said the experience confirmed or expanded their plans. Board member Bartlett and others described local workforce outcomes and recommended continuing to expand industry partnerships. The board heard that the district will present additional information on CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) course offerings in a future meeting.
Ending
The presentation closed with board appreciation for staff and student speakers. Staff said they will continue to develop dual-credit opportunities, industry credentials and apprenticeship partnerships and to pursue curriculum renewal aligned with state CTE standards.
