Principal highlights expanded CTE pathways, TVA and TCAT partnerships

Mr. Gray, identified in the meeting as the school's principal, told Stewart County board members during a work session that the district has expanded career and technical education (CTE) pathways and established industry partnerships intended to move students directly into skilled jobs.

Gray said the program list includes advanced manufacturing, agriculture, criminal justice, construction, cosmetology, health sciences, business management and automotive training. "We've got at least three students who have gone on to careers out of this program," he said, citing the district's new welding pathway as a recent success.

The principal described a partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority that allowed a TVA instructor to teach on site and enabled students to translate hours into TCAT credit through an adjunct arrangement: "He comes on site from TVA and teaches our kids welding skills and they're able to translate those hours earned under his instruction over to TCAT credit," Gray said. He also described a new NC3 Snap‑On precision measurement certification and said staff were trained to administer that coursework so students can earn industry credentials.

Gray said donations and grant purchases have equipped the programs. He noted Nissan donated a 2022 Pathfinder and an Infiniti SUV for shop training — vehicles "not to be driven on the road" but to give students experience on newer automotive technologies — and that the district used funds from the Innovative Schools Model (ISM) grant to buy long‑term equipment and a 40x60 building to protect assets. Gray said the district has recently spent the last of its ISM dollars and emphasized purchases were made for durability and long‑term use.

On post‑secondary credit and job placement, Gray said many courses are set up to offer dual‑enrollment credit: "If they're set up in the dual enrollment welding, they do receive hours towards welding with TCAT," he said, and added that some students enter apprenticeships or unions directly from high school instead of attending college.

Board members responded with praise for the programs' local impact and asked practical questions about scheduling tours and event invitations. Gray invited board members to schedule on‑site tours of the programs during school hours and said staff can arrange visits. He also provided a packet and a spring events schedule that includes the academic and CTE banquets and other upcoming activities.

Gray criticized how the state letter‑grade metric represents CTE work, saying college and CTE measures fall into a narrow portion of the rating system: "When you look at the letter grade ... it only counts for 10% of our overall outcome," he said, adding that the weighting is a state policy matter rather than a local decision.

The work session ended without formal votes; members adjourned to the gym to watch the cheerleaders' nationals routine. The board did not take action on proposals during the session but was left with an invitation to tour the CTE programs and materials outlining current pathways and partnerships.