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Officials Examine Direction Of Nature Coast, Technical Schools

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Linnea Brown

Published: December 19, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - BROOKSVILLE - If nothing else is clear about the future direction of Nature Coast Technical

High School, athletics will continue.

That was one of the points brought up by several Hernando County School Board members

Tuesday evening to dozens of concerned students, teachers and parents that filled seats in

the school's cafeteria in Brooksville for a lengthy meeting, in which the board reviewed the

magnet school's existing and future offerings.

"There's a rumor out there that this board wants to do away with magnet schools' sports

programs," Vice Chairman Jim Malcolm said. "That is not this board member's intention. This

is so we can see how to enhance this program, in light of the new legislation."

Officials met to get a better idea of how well the school is preparing its teens for a

technology-oriented workforce, and what changes should be made to fulfill the school's

original goal of providing unique, competitive vocational and technical programs.

But first, they reassured the crowd.

"In no way (will) we dismantle athletics," board member John Sweeney said, to the sound of

applause.

"I support athletic programs totally," added board member Pat Fagan, who is also county

parks director. "They're a part of every school."

However, this was not the main point of the meeting, which covered a much bigger plan for

Hernando County's high schools.

Vo-tech in Hernando

Voters paid $41.3 million to build Nature Coast as a technology magnet school in 1997 by

adding a five-year, half-cent sales tax.

While board members had initially examined the idea of centralizing the district's

vocational electives in one school — thereby making the school more of a

vocational-technical high school — state requirements prevented them from discontinuing

technology programs at other schools.

At Tuesday's workshop, board members reviewed a breakdown of the specific vocational and

technical curriculum offered at Nature Coast, as well as vo-tech courses at Central High,

Hernando High and Springstead High.

Currently, the majority of Nature Coast's 1,420 students are enrolled in four career

clusters: health and human services, industrial technology, culinary and performing arts and

automotive and construction.

The county's other high schools each have their own specialized programs, many of which

duplicate those offered at Nature Coast.

But that format is about to change — with new, tougher state requirements that aim to make

"academy" curriculum more rigorous and relevant for local jobs.

The plan

Implemented in July, the Florida Career and Professional Education Act requires every school

district in the state to develop a five-year strategic plan to match labor market needs with

appropriate coursework and industry certification. Each district must also have at least one

career and professional academy operational by the beginning of the 2008 school year.

Officials at each of Hernando County's high schools have chosen an area of study to focus on

strengthening to meet the state's new "academy" standards. Nature Coast will strengthen its

allied health academy; Central will strengthen its business program; Springstead will focus

on a Web design program and Hernando will focus on its veterinary and agriscience service

program.

Secondary curriculum specialist and staff development coordinator Dave Schoelles pointed out

that while state officials are recommending one academy per district, Hernando County is

implementing one academy per school.

However, much help is needed, he said.

At Nature Coast, board members have expressed the possibility of reinstituting a business

advisory board —- similar to that which originally mapped out the school's curriculum — to

get local businesses more involved in the school's programs.

"Our business community has spoken loud and clear that we need to be doing things

differently. We're not allowed to be making our decisions anymore," Schoelles said. "We need

to be working with (representatives of) the business communities and local community

colleges to develop our five-year strategic plan. This is all part of high school reform."

In January, Nature Coast officials will meet with local traditional health and holistic

medicine professionals in an effort to make sure the academy's curriculum is as relevant as

possible to the real world.

School board members have also expressed approval of two new programs tentatively brought

forward for consideration as additions to the school's construction academy: an electrical

program and a heating and air conditioning program.

But Gus Guadagnino, owner of Brooksville-based Joni Industries and former president of the

manufacturer's association, attended the workshop and said he worries that making curriculum

so specific will merely prolong the dropout process until students are actually in the

workforce.

"I don't think the curriculum should be so divided, with 300 people going through school for

one career (in an academy)," he said. "I don't think high school education should be the one

thing that sets the course for the rest of a student's life. It's an injustice to the

students."

Schoelles said that, realistically, the district could add up to 16 interest-specific

academies.

Beginning in 2011, Florida high school diplomas will also show a specific "major," or four

of their eight elective credits in a major area of interest, designed to provide a

higher-than-average level of expertise in a particular subject or skill.

Students graduating from career academies will receive a diploma, possible college credit

and professional industry certification.

In order to obtain state funding, career and professional academies must offer

industry-specific curriculum that aligns directly to local workforce need, as indicated by

studies by the University of West Florida's Haas Institute.

Local data from the most recent Haas study is set to be released in January.

The discussion over Nature Coast's offerings has drawn indignation from numerous parents and

students since its onset, many of whom feel they are getting a fantastic education.

Board members Pat Fagan and Jim Malcolm assured those who attended the meeting that they do

not intend to take anything away from the school's existing offerings, and instead intend to

use information gleaned from the workshop as a starting point for figuring out what

direction the board needs to go.

"We've been a bedroom community for years," board member Pat Fagan said. "We need to look at

high-wage, high-skill programs."

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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