At this year’s MASA Distinguished Administrators’ Luncheon, 13 new MASA members were inducted into the Winners’ Circle. These members were honored by the Membership Services Committee for initiating a unique, successful program or implementing an innovative idea that has had a significant, positive impact on their school districts that can be used by other districts across the state. This year’s inductees include:

Sue Conklin, Van Buren Intermediate School District, Region 7

Integrated Academics in the CTE

The Integrated Academics in the CTE Program "Intergrated Academics" is the process of integrating academics into the Career and Technical Education program at Van Buren ISD's Technology Center . It is the district's approach of infusing academic knowledge based on the new Michigan Merit Curriculum guidelines. This infusion is accomplished by using instructors who have certification in subject areas to "team teach" with Career Technical Education program instructors in order to draw direct or indirect correlations from academic theory to practical knowledge for students. It is a method of identifying existing academic content and emphasizing it in the Career Technical Education context.

So far, the Integrated Academics approach has helped students apply academic skills with occupations skills as well as earn academic credit in math, English and science. It has expanded students' opportunities to develop employability skills. Students have been linked with business/industry and community colleges to make the transition from high school to work and/or further education. Finally, the approach enables students to better understand the need for academics by relating "why" the academic knowledge is necessary to a particular Career Technical Education program.

Contact Sue Conklin at 269.441.6550 or sconklin@vbisd.org