Golden LEAF approves hybrid welding plan; South Davidson to add high‑school welding pathway

Davidson County Schools told board members on Oct. 27 that Golden LEAF has approved an amendment allowing South Davidson Middle and High School to offer a hybrid welding program that combines the district’s high‑school welding courses with the Career & College Promise (CCP) fabrication pathway.

The change follows low enrollment in the initial CCP‑only offering. Dr. Coley said the original Golden LEAF grant — a $905,000 award to build a welding facility at South Davidson — projected increasing annual capacity from 16–20 students in an introductory course to about 120 students in the fabrication pathway by spring 2025. Enrollment fell short: the district enrolled 10 students in fall and had five this spring. Davidson‑Davie Community College requires a minimum of 10 students before it will provide a CCP instructor, the presenter said.

The district proposed a hybrid model to allow freshmen and sophomores to begin high‑school welding courses aligned to North Carolina state standards and then to progress into CCP courses as juniors and seniors. Coley said Golden LEAF reviewed the requested amendment and “unanimously approved us to move in this direction for the students at South Davidson Middle and High School.”

Why the hybrid model

Coley told the board that students were turned away during initial CCP registration because CCP eligibility typically requires a 2.5 GPA; principals can grant a waiver down to a 2.0, but that did not solve the district’s low enrollment. The hybrid model removes a barrier by giving younger students access to state‑standards high‑school welding classes on campus; students who later meet CCP criteria can move into the community‑college portion without having to begin coursework off site.

Practical details and next steps

The board packet included a letter sent to Golden LEAF on Jan. 29 requesting the change. Coley said the welding facility construction is expected to be completed in March, pending a final electrical change, and that the district plans a ribbon cutting once the work is finished. For the CCP portion of the pathway, Davidson‑Davie Community College will continue to supply instructors where minimum enrollment is met. For the state‑standards high‑school courses the district will hire a welding teacher who will be employed by Davidson County Schools; Coley said the district has at least one candidate and a second potential candidate under consideration.

The program expansion also opens South Davidson seats to students from other high schools; Coley said transportation and cooperative registration options exist so students at Central and East Davidson could attend classes at South Davidson. East Davidson’s own welding program is capped at 18 and reportedly maintains a waiting list; Coley said that capacity pressure makes the South Davidson expansion potentially useful to the region’s industry partners.

Industry partners and credentials

Coley identified local industry partners — Kaufman Trailers, Rutt Manufacturing and SED — as supporters of the hybrid model and said partners will help shape Welding 3 and metal‑fabrication coursework. Students in the expanded program could earn honors course credit, industry‑recognized credentials, 10‑hour OSHA safety completion, and articulated college credit through CCP (for example, Welding I/Welding II articulation) if they progress to the community‑college pathway.

Board members asked about timelines and staffing; Coley said the district expects to staff the high‑school welding teacher by August for the 2025–26 school year and will continue to coordinate with Davidson‑Davie Community College for CCP instruction. The presentation noted that the Golden LEAF portal contains the amendment and that the district will report enrollment numbers as required under the grant for the next three years.