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Students and staff showcase Mineola pos;s "Know Thyself" curriculum and career pathways
Summary
High-school leaders and students presented a five-year "Know Thyself" English curriculum tied to career pathways (education, computer science, cybersecurity, health care, engineering and business). The district said 527 students are enrolled in pathways and students reported industry certifications and dual-enrollment credits.
High-school administrators and students told the Mineola Board on March 26 how the district pos;s "Know Thyself" English curriculum feeds into college-and-career pathways that students may pursue in grades 10-12.
Principal Rory Parnell described the curriculum as a sequence of grade-level units that use academic writing and self-assessment to help students identify strengths, interests and potential career or college paths. "These five years in high school are incredibly pivotal years in a student's academic journey and also in their personal journey," Parnell said, explaining how the unit of study is intentionally tied to pathway choices.
Instructional lead Katie Kokomo and several students walked the board through specific pathways and student work: a business pathway with the Virtual Enterprise simulation (student team Anchor Advisory placed in the national top 10% for company branding and is headed to a Javits Center competition); a health-care pathway that includes EMT training, CPR and AED training and field visits; an engineering and manufacturing pathway that offers American Welding Society-aligned welding instruction and dual-enrollment coursework with Farmingdale State College; and a cybersecurity/computer-science sequence and a growing business/entrepreneurship track that feeds into student-run ventures like the Mustang Brew cafe (a living lab in the Synergy Building).
Students described hands-on projects, internships and dual-enrollment credits with partners such as Adelphi University; district presenters said students earned hundreds of industry-recognized certifications last year and that 527 students are currently enrolled in pathways (about 80% of 10th-12th graders). Students emphasized real-world learning: one student described Virtual Enterprise as a year-long business simulation that taught finance, marketing and operations; another described EMT training as a course that provides both life-saving skills and career exposure.
The board applauded student presenters and said the pathways program was a reason to continue investing in career-focused curriculum and college-credit opportunities.
Ending: board members praised the program and thanked staff and students for their presentations; the pathways presentation preceded the district pos;s budget update.
