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Students, staff describe growth of district work-based learning program
Summary
Students and the program presenter told the Missisquoi Valley School District board the work-based learning program has 37 students this year and partners with local employers to give credit-bearing, paid placements that students say ease the transition to careers.
Richard Barlow, a school staff member who introduced the work-based learning presentation, told the board the program has grown "to 37 students this year," pairing students with local employers and offering high-quality placements and credit-bearing courses.
The meeting included in-person testimony from four students who described hands-on, paid work that complements classroom learning. One student said the program made balancing school and paid work “very easy to do both at the same time” and that it helped them “feel like [they] found a good work environment with good people.” Caleb Ladoux, who identified himself at the meeting, said he did maintenance work and learned to dismantle and rebuild different machines daily, calling the experience challenging but enjoyable: “it was actually kind of fun and I really enjoyed the learning process.” Shannon Podzikowski, another student, said working with a master electrician and being able to take courses while earning credit made the pathway feel “a lot more unblended” and gave her a “nice head start” toward a journeyman credential.
Board members asked about scale and logistics. Barlow said the program requires administrative steps for each employer — including developing student learning plans, confirming safety and workers’ compensation coverage, and matching duties to hazardous-occupation rules for 17-year-olds — but that employer demand is rising. He pointed to partnerships with local manufacturers and the Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation as evidence employers are creating capacity to hire high-school-aged students.
Parents in the audience praised the program for creating options when regional tech centers have wait lists. A parent described her child’s experience getting off a wait list and into a district pathway, saying the student “comes home more excited this year than I’ve ever seen him.”
The board did not take formal action on the program during the meeting; discussion focused on praise, questions about administrative workload, and interest in expanding career-awareness activities earlier in students’ schooling.
The board moved on to other agenda items after members thanked the presenting students and parents and encouraged staff to continue building employer partnerships and early-career awareness in middle school.
