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Student rep and CTE report highlight overcrowded cafeteria, co-op placements and industry credentials
Summary
Student representative Amelia Noriga raised cafeteria spacing and program-space concerns; the district's Artisan/CTE report documented more than 280 students on co-op with collective earnings around $1.4 million and several industry credentials earned across programs.
Student representative Amelia Noriga told the Greater New Bedford Regional High School District Committee on May 12 that cafeteria spacing is creating practical problems for students and called attention to space limitations in her criminal justice program, which she said is confined to four academic classrooms used for storage.
"We sit so close together...the chairs that we use in the cafeteria are touching the person behind us, which, one, makes it impossible to get up to throw our stuff away," Amelia Noriga said, describing how cramped seating contributes to trash and limits students' movement. She also said students across grades in her criminal justice program "could do so much more if we had the room." Noriga noted she was completing her term as student representative and thanked members for the opportunity to report.
In the district's May Artisan Report, a presenter summarized work across academies including automotive, collision repair, cosmetology, diesel services, information technology, marine technology and stationary engineering. The report said 7 of 23 cosmetology seniors have earned licensure to date; 13 seniors in stationary engineering earned a Massachusetts second-class fireman's license; and seniors in diesel services completed industry-recognized certifications. The presenter reported that more than 280 juniors and seniors are currently out on co-op placements, with collective student earnings reported at about $1,400,000 to date.
The presenter also highlighted new initiatives including a "career signing day" modeled on athletic signing days, expanded co-op partnerships with local employers, and upcoming SkillsUSA state-to-national competitors. Committee members and the presenter paid tribute to longtime staffer Guy Shepherd ahead of his retirement.
Next steps: committee members acknowledged student-space concerns and broader facility issues when discussing capital needs and potential grant-funded expansions.
