Park Center outlines new construction-management and manufacturing CTE strands, district approves multiple budget and policy measures

Park Center Senior High School officials presented plans Feb. 25 to expand career and technical education with two new strands — construction management and manufacturing — and described timeline, industry partnerships and student learning goals.

The presentation, given to the Independent School District 279 School Board by Park Center Principal Dr. Antoine Harris and technical education instructor Matthew Sauter, said the district will offer introductory CTE courses districtwide and site-specific intermediate and advanced coursework at Park Center beginning in the 2026–27 school year. “In CTE, we don't just create engineers, computer scientists, skilled tradespeople, mechanics, doctors, nurses,” Sauter said. “What we do is build student confidence through rigorous, hands on, industry based projects.”

The construction-management strand will include coursework in management, engineering, design and business; OSHA-30 safety training; and industry-aligned technology such as a drone program for surveying and site management. Sauter said Park Center staff are pursuing a direct partnership with North Hennepin Community College to give students a pathway to postsecondary construction-management credentials. The manufacturing strand will…