Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Career And Technical Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ignite career centers report rising enrollment, new pathways and expanded dual‑credit options
Summary
Ignite North and Ignite South deans told the school board their career‑technical centers have expanded pathways (patient care tech, architectural technology, EMT), increased completers and industry certifications, and partner with BCTC, EKU and local industry for dual credit and workforce ties.
Sarah Burns, dean of students at Ignite South, and Ashley Smith, dean of students at Ignite North, presented the Ignite Academies’ instruction report at the Madison County Board of Education’s February meeting, describing program growth and planned pathway expansions.
Burns and Smith said both campuses have expanded course offerings for the next school year: Ignite North will add a patient care technician pathway and expand its computer‑aided drafting pathway to include architectural technology; Ignite South plans an EMT pathway in partnership with Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and expanded engineering and information‑support offerings.
The deans reported steady and increasing enrollment and a near doubling of “completers” — students who finish a four‑course pathway — since the academies opened. Ignite North reported 76 students earned industry certifications in the fall and projected about 207 additional certifications in the spring; Ignite South projected roughly 150 industry certifications in the spring. The presenters said each Ignite pathway offers at least one dual‑credit option through partnerships with Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) and EKU, often covered by the Kentucky WorkReady dual‑credit scholarship.
The centers also host Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) and a student leadership group called SPARK (Student Planning Academic and Resource Council) that supports school initiatives, community service and building tours. Presenters said community support — including donations of consumables, job‑shadowing and internship opportunities — remains critical; Bechtel Parsons donated $10,000 for STEM innovation grants that funded $1,000 awards to 10 teachers district‑wide this year.
Board members asked about student input; Smith said the SPARK council and classroom visits inform pathway decisions and continuous improvement. Board members praised growth and noted public interest: a mayoral contact referenced a visiting delegation from Japan planning to tour Ignite’s evening community classes.
Ignite South and Ignite North will hold open houses in March (dates provided at the meeting) and staff said they will share schedules and community‑night class information on district social media. No funding vote was requested during the report.
