Wakulla County Schools and the Chamber of Commerce met for the first-ever State of Education discussion, with one goal in mind: developing a workforce right here in Wakulla County.
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The discussion centered on preparing students for life after high school and creating pathways for them to return to — and contribute to — their home community.
"So if we have well-educated workers to pull from in our community, then we'll have successful businesses, so it really is in the interest of our business community to pay attention to what's going on in our schools, to be partners with our school system, and also perhaps to invest in our school system," Rachel Pienta, board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce, said.
Superintendent of Schools Richard Myhre spoke with local business leaders about growth already made in the school system and what they hope to achieve going forward.
"My goal is to be number one. I'm all about being you, now in the top 10; that's a great achievement, but that's not where I plan on stopping. And so as we get closer and closer to the top of the mountain, it becomes harder and harder, right?" Myhre said.
According to Myhre, the school system plans to reach that goal by continuing to develop a curriculum that builds employable adults, rebuilding the high school, providing free meals, and continuing to work with local businesses through War Eagle Academy.
War Eagle Academy is a career and technical education program that brings 16 different technical programs into the high school, ranging from cosmetology and HVAC technology to media design and medical training.
"We partner with our local businesses to make sure that the programs that we offer in the CTE and our career academy provide opportunities for our students, whether that be on-the-job training or placements in the job force here locally," Priscilla Colvin, Chief Academic Officer for Wakulla County Schools, said.
Those partnerships extend beyond the classroom. Colvin said the school system works with hospitals in Tallahassee and local doctors' offices to give students hands-on experience.
"We also have partnerships with the hospitals in Tallahassee and our local doctors' offices, Eaton Springs, where our students get real on-the-job training, and they work through their clinical experiences just like they would if they were in a college program," Colvin said.
To help shape what skills are being developed in schools, businesses can submit a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment every 2 years. While the schools have already collected the assessment this year, businesses are encouraged to fill it out in the future, as it may help them find their next employee.
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