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Crete High School expands academies, adds multimedia pathway and shifts agriculture into technical sciences
Summary
District staff and students presented academy changes — including a new multimedia design pathway and moving agriculture into the technical sciences academy — and reported strong student participation, ambassador numbers and credentialing outcomes.
Crete High School staff and student ambassadors updated the board May 12 on changes to the high school's academy model, including adding a multimedia design pathway, moving agriculture into the technical sciences academy and expanding student ambassador programs.
Academies staff said the district has a large freshman class (more than 200 students) and added the multimedia design pathway to provide a fine-arts–adjacent option after student feedback. The district also moved agriculture from the business and human sciences group to the technical sciences group to better balance class sizes and shop-space limitations.
Academies lead Marcy (full name variously transcribed) said health sciences remains the most requested pathway and that limited staffing and lab/room capacity currently restrict how many sections can be offered. Camille Kinney, an academy staff member, told the board she has been recruiting community business partners and said the district had grown from 12 official business partners in January to roughly 27–28 by May.
Students who spoke included Finn Blacketer (business pathway ambassador), Coleman Slater (health science ambassador), Isabella Myers (engineering pathway) and Sarah Isilbera (education pathway). Student presenters described hands-on learning: health sciences students practice CPR and phlebotomy on simulation equipment; engineering students have drawn floor plans and built chairs; ag students raised and released trout as part of an environmental study.
Staff reported ambassador and pathway placement data: 20 freshmen served as student ambassadors this year and the program included additional upperclass ambassadors (12 business and four technical sciences ambassadors). On pathway placement, staff said 51 students received their first-choice pathway, 32 received second choices and 9 received third choices; staff said 95% of students received a top-two choice. Staff also described mock interviews, college visits and industry certificates earned by students during the year.
Board members thanked students and staff for the presentation. Staff said pathway enrollment and course sections will continue to be adjusted by capacity, staffing and student demand.
