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Seminole schools to add agricultural biotech and fire academy after state grant; district retools teacher pathway
Summary
District leaders announced new CTE pathways: an agricultural biotechnology track at Oviedo High, a three-year fire academy at Winter Springs High backed by a $2.7 million state grant, and a reimagined teacher pathway in partnership with Seminole State College.
District leaders outlined multiple expansions to career and technical education that they said will increase student pathways into jobs and postsecondary study.
Dr. Garre Harold, district staff, told the board the industrial biotechnology program at Oviedo High School will be renamed "Roots to Research" and will add an agricultural biotechnology track for the 2025-26 school year. "Adding that agriculture aspect . . . is a piece of Seminole County that we don't currently have," he said, noting partnerships with Farm Bureau, FFA and UF Extension.
Harold also described a larger expansion at Winter Springs High School. He said the district won a Florida Department of Education Capitalization Improvement grant of $2,700,000 to add a three-year fire academy to the existing public service academy. "We will be renaming that academy to the Serve Academy, which stands for Skills in Emergency Response, Valor, and Education," Harold said. The first course will begin in 2025-26 and the program is intended to culminate in dual-enrollment opportunities with Seminole State College.
On teacher recruitment and training, Harold summarized a retooled program called SCOPE (Seminole County Opportunities for Pathways in Education). The district plans to start students in dual-enrollment courses in high school, then transition them to Seminole State for a full bachelor's program with reading and ESOL endorsements, and to offer low- or no-cost options and early hiring incentives. "When they graduate they are offered a notice of nomination to teach in Seminole County Public Schools," he said.
Board members asked about outreach and marketing. Member Sanchez asked how the district would reach older residents and other community members; Harold described CTE Rocks bus tours and social-media and website promotion planned for February'National CTE Month.
Board members and staff also discussed demand: Harold said he had received calls from local firefighters interested in teaching, and that student interest meetings have already drawn hundreds of attendees for various career pathways. He said the fire academy rollout will be phased over three years.
The announcement positions the district to expand hands-on training in agriculture, emergency response and teacher preparation while leveraging Seminole State College and local industry partners for dual-enrollment and job pipelines.
