Waltham and Somerville’s CTE programs include public-facing components such as daycares/preschools, restaurants, salons, and auto repair services.
In a comprehensive high school, CTE programs coexist alongside traditional college-track curriculum—“a wonderful blend of ‘heads-on’ learning on the academic side and ‘hands-on’ learning on the vocational side,” says Matt Rice, SMMA’s K-12 Market Leader. Students can choose a path that aligns with their interests and passions, wherever those may be.
In our latest video documentary, we asked students, teachers, and administrators to share their day-to-day experiences of life in a comprehensive high school. We also asked our architects and educational planners about the challenges of designing spaces that support hands-on learning and spark students’ interest in new fields.
“Education is about so much more than academics,” says Susana Hernandez Morgan, the former Chief Communications Officer of Somerville Public Schools. “[CTE Programs] expand students’ worlds and allows them to learn and be prepared for their chosen profession. They’re able to gain skills that a lot of other students who don’t have these resources within their school environment don’t get.”
See above for our video guide to comprehensive high schools, or watch on our YouTube page.
