The bond proposes opening up a Career and Technical Education (CTE) center to expand the pathways offered by the district. The CTE center would cost $14 million, and would be built at 83rd St. and Mize Road, next to Mill Creek Middle School, on land already owned by the district. According to superintendent Frank Harwood, the CTE center would be “very flexible so it can be adapted to changes in program and workforce needs.”

“One of the things we have to decide are what are the programs we duplicate at both high schools, [and] what are the programs where it’s more cost effective to build one of,” Harwood said.  “That would be [the center’s] space.”

While the content taught in the CTE center is undetermined as of yet, junior Andrew Thomas hopes to see more “programming and hands-on technology classes” added.

“I would love a center for technical education as long as the district can fulfill its potential with a larger variety of STEM classes,” Thomas said.

In addition, the building would also include an Early Childhood Center to take care of PreK students, who are currently at other elementary schools, and give students in teaching pathways a chance to work with younger children. One student in the pathway, junior Payton Totzke, embraces the opportunities the center would bring.

“A lot of students learn best hands-on and it would give a real feel for what it’s like,” Totzke said. “If a student decided after working with children they didn’t like it, it would give them enough time to find a different pathway that might work better.”

Conversely, junior Josie Hayes said the Early Childhood Center would mostly serve as an experience for some parts of education, but not all.

“I think that would be very beneficial for those wanting to go into early childhood education, but those wanting to go into secondary wouldn’t get much,” Hayes said. “There are so many different aspects of teaching [that] it’s difficult to make sure that everyone is getting what they need.”

Ultimately, Totzke believes that the opportunities the Early Childhood Center would bring are critical.

“Hands on experience is always one of the best because you are dealing with real life situations,” Totzke said. “I think it would improve the pathway tremendously by [giving] opportunity.”