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 emphasize modern production technologies including 3-D printing, CNC milling, laser cutting, robotics and automation; Park Center plans to offer Project Lead The Way course work in computer-integrated manufacturing as part of the pathway.

Two Park Center students described how foundational tech courses led them to further study and internships. Aaron Dungey, a student speaker, credited a hands-on trades course and a district career fair with introducing him to Lake Street Works, a 10-month program he said provided networking and job-readiness skills. “Opportunity is like a light switch in a dark room,” Dungey told the board. Jack Janowak, a junior and member of the robotics team, described using CAD and 3-D printing in classroom projects and competitions and said CTE coursework helped him design and manufacture robot parts used in competition.

District staff cited data from the Minnesota Department of Education during the presentation, noting that students who take multiple CTE classes are more likely to graduate and to enroll in postsecondary education. Sauter said Park Center and district leaders will hold informational sessions for students and families beginning fall 2025, with registration for the new strands occurring the following winter and program rollout planned for 2026–27.

Board members who spoke praised the hands-on curriculum and anticipated workforce demand. Director Erica Foster, who said she works with construction and manufacturing clients, called the expansion “a great fit” for the area workforce. Director Sarah Mitchell asked whether informational outreach would be districtwide; staff replied the strands will be promoted across the district and students from any high school may enroll in Park Center's intermediate and advanced courses.

Votes at a glance

During the same meeting the board approved a series of administrative and financial items. The following motions were recorded on the Feb. 25 meeting: agenda acceptance (6–0); consent agenda including construction bid approvals and other routine items (6–0); fiscal year 2025 mid‑year budget revision (6–0); fiscal year 2026 general fund and community service adjustments (6–0); fiscal year 2026 capital expenditure budget including technology/safety levy items (6–0); ratification of the Student Management Specialist contract covering July 1, 2023–June 30, 2025 (6–0); second readings and approvals of multiple district policies (each 6–0); and acceptance of gifts to the district totaling $66,824.18 (6–0). All recorded motions passed unanimously by voice vote.

Why this matters

Park Center's two-strand plan targets local workforce needs — a point district and community speakers emphasized — and seeks to connect students to postsecondary education and on-the-job training. The presentation included concrete curricular elements (OSHA 30, Project Lead The Way, CNC and robotics) and an articulated timeline, giving families and staff a chance to review and respond before registration begins. The board's concurrent approvals of budget and capital items supply the district with the staffing and facility funding framework needed to begin implementing multi-year CTE expansions.

What to watch next

District staff said family and student informational sessions will start in fall 2025 and that advanced/intermediate courses will be available at Park Center in 2026–27. Board actions during the meeting authorized the budgets and capital levy spending that staff say will fund equipment, renovations and staffing needed for implementation. For questions about enrollment and registration timelines, district materials and the Park Center CTE packet were posted for board members at the meeting and staff indicated they will be shared in public communications ahead of fall outreach.