New England Culinary Institute Demo Chef Keith McCormack

McCormack started cooking at 14, but his passion for food started around 8. Through much trial and error, he found his home in baking and pastry arts. Keith attended the CRTC culinary program and went on to the New England Culinary Institute initially for baking and then transitioned into his Bachelor's degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management. He was given the opportunity to teach at NECI through a Fellowship program offered to one student per year, and discovered a true calling for teaching. Since that time he has been the sole Demo Chef for NECI, showing admissions demos to New England high school culinary programs for the last two years, never leaving his passion and expertise for pastry and hospitality behind.

Come get a taste of McCormack's work at our "Chef to School" Dessert, It's What's For Dinner event Thursday March 5, 2015 at 6:30.

A Note From Our Director

THE TRADES

The CRTC presently provides 10 diverse programs to prepare students for successful professional and/or trade careers.  Our focus is to empower student to find passion in a pathway and in doing so, go on to higher education and then on to a successful career. As Director, I need to carefully present our offerings as the many adults based by their past knowledge and experience, believe we only offer basic trade programs. Students on the other hand, clearly know we offer a mix of programs including: Health Science, Information Technology, Teacher Preparation, Criminal Justice and Graphic Arts; in addition to Fire Science, Auto Technology, Construction Technology, Cosmetology and Culinary.  The days of offering basic courses are long gone.  Of interest, is that the line between trades and professional careers has clearly blurred as both involve extensive modern skills and intense education.  For example, the majority of our Culinary and Fire Science completers go on to four years colleges while there are a few Health Science completers who pursue 2 year certificates in such specific career areas as radiological and orthopedics technicians.

The trades are at unique and urgent crossroads in the state of New Hampshire that goes well beyond just how they are perceived.  Last Wednesday night I spoke to two local industry leaders: Norm Bellerive, from Propane Gas Association of NNE, Paul Domingue from Palmer Gas, and Darragh Madden, President of Irish Electric.   All three provided a common story that I hear in all my regular discussions with regional industry leaders.  They have a very significant need to hire quality skilled trade employees and they simply cannot find them.  Their pay, benefits, and job stability are all very good; yet the pool of applicants is almost non-existent.  Norm emphasized to me that the average age of NH skilled gas technician is 58!   What I witness on a daily basis, through our daily program and also through our middle school summer camp programs, is that students love the trades.  Yet that passion can degrade or is marginalized as the students progress on in their educational career.  We CRTC recognized the need to partner with the NH Community College System, local trade schools, businesses, and industry associations to innovate and make these skilled and demanding pathways come alive.

My final comment from our Auto Tech teacher Scott Mayotte who was an A TECH (highest level technician) for Volkswagen.  His is vocal in how dynamic a career you can have in this field, and that is should never be underplayed.  He reflects on how technically and educationally demanding this career pathway is (think computers, hybrid engines) - and how grossly satisfying it was for him on a both personal and financial level.  

Steve Rothenberg
CRTC Director

Thursday December 18

Loaf & Ladle Presents:

Holiday Cookie Bazaar

Looking for something new to take to your upcoming holiday parties, cookie swaps or family gatherings? Look no further -- our Loaf and Ladle Club has you covered! As you wind your way through the assortment of cookies the Concord High School Marching Band will entertain you with Holiday music. Sample a variety of holiday cookies our culinary students will have prepared while you sip on our decadent creamy hot chocolate made from scratch heaping with homemade marshmallow. Take home half a dozen of your favorite cookies along with recipes so you can create them yourself. Bring the kids for a night of holiday cheer and let them work alongside our culinary students decorating cookies.

• Join us from 4:30-6:30 inside the Concord High School cafeteria Thursday December 18
• Enjoy a holiday selection of music from the CHS Marching Band
• A holiday event the whole family can partake in!
  
• Take home half a dozen of your favorite cookies
  
• Tickets on sale now! $3 per person or $5 per family. To purchase tickets contact Kaleena Guzman in the CRTC office 603-717-7654

CRTC November Students of the Month

Student Name:David Marston
Program:Culinary Arts
Grade:Senior
School: Pembroke Academy

David continually shows great work ethic, determination and quiet leaderships skills on an everyday basis. Dave is always one of the first to start working when he arrives and knows what to do without asking. Dave’s final products are always high level showing his attention to detail and pride in his work.



Student Name: Madison Fredrick
Program: Cosmetology
Grade: Junior
School: Kearsarge

Madison demonstrates great collaboration skills.  In the classroom she has the ability to get her classmates to  engage in group discussions.  If we are working in the lab she has the ability to give constructive feedback to her partner.  Madison takes pride and ownership with all of her assignments.  Her work is handed in on time and she gives 110% in the lab when creating hair styles.  Madison demonstrates an eagerness to learn everyday  in class, whether  it be discussing bacteria or how to deal with difficult customers. In addition to these qualities, she has a unique way of asking questions that challenge us and keeps the class on our toes.



Student Name: Matrayia Stanford
Program: Automotive
Grade:Junior

School: CHS

Matrayia was nominated because she shows strong professionalism and integrity.  Matrayia sent the following email on a day in which she was going to be out sick.

“Mr. Mayotte,
  I will not be in class today, I'm am home sick. I'm sorry if this comes as an inconvenience because you were going to put me in the tool crib today and for the rest of the week. But I figured I'd let you know ahead of time to make other arrangements. However I will be in class on Thursday and Friday. Thank you.

I have never had a student send me an email when they were going to be out. I showed this exemplar to all of my classes and have since had several students email me when they plan on being out. “

Matrayia is Google savvy and I have had her mentor other students working with online portfolios. She also went to Mr. Emerson's class to help him introduce online portfolios to his class.


Student Name: Mitchell Comeau
Program: Teacher Preparation
Grade: Junior
School: CHS

Mitchell has demonstrated strong hard and soft skills in the Teacher Preparation program.  Mitchell has demonstrated Grit because he regularly uses his open period to spend more time working with the children in our lab preschool.  He knows that the extra time he spends practicing his teaching skills will help him become the best teacher he can be in the future.  During this time, Mitchell has also shown that feedback is important to him.  He gave the preschool teacher feedback on her use of praise.  He was able to support this feedback with knowledge he gained from a reading he did in the high school classroom.  This level of thought and reflection shows that Mitchell takes his learning seriously and can apply his knowledge in real life situations.  Mitchell’s conduct and attitude are also noteworthy.  He is a positive member of the classroom by contributing to class discussions, supporting his peers, and being respectful to the staff.

Fun Fact: Mitchell is a member of the CHS wrestling team.


Student Name: Ashley Chapman
Program: Graphic Arts
Grade: Senior
School: Pembroke Academy

I have picked Ashley Chapman for November's "Student of the Month in Graphic Arts" at the CRTC because she consistently attacks every project with grit and determination. She is driven to know the process of all things design and to get better in every way. She understands the outcomes expected and is resourceful by efficiently researching and choosing the harder more complex designs to complete. She listens attentively and responds well to feedback from me and her peers; accepting it as professional criticism to improve. She effortlessly demonstrates a good sense of organization skills, ready to work at all times and uses class time with purpose and drive. Ashley is stepping up to leadership qualities as a member of the LAD Group, which represents a true indication of her growth mindset in Graphic Arts. She has recently been awarded her professional Certification in Adobe Photoshop and is on track to accomplish many great things in the future.

Fun Fact: 
In my spare time, I enjoy dancing and I have had the opportunity to perform at Walt Disney World twice.

Where is this student thinking of going to school?
Endicott College


Student Name: Ben Stadnicki
Program: Information Technology
Grade: Senior
School: CHS

Ben shows great interest and initiative in technology, Consistently performs at a high caliber and shows grit determination in everything he does. Ben is rapidly evolving as a class leader and will be a tour speaker and presenter during our recruitment season.

He works above and beyond the curriculum expectations, regularly designing and utilizing customized robotics..


Student Name: Kyle Blouin
Program: Criminal Justice
Grade: Senior
School: Hillsboro Deering

Kyle is polite, articulate , and always professional. He is very thoughtful and is willing to explore discussion topics in class at a deeper level. He is a good student  with a solid plan for his future. (He will be attending NHTI this coming fall). He is a strong supporter of the CRTC and will be an outstanding ambassador for the program in the future.

Customer Driven Experiences Come to The CRTC

I am incredibly proud of what we offer at the CRTC, but I also know we can do better.  An area of great frustration for us is the school’s ability to offer students quality internships and job shadows which we categorize as customer driven experiences (CDE’s).  We offer many of these type opportunities presently, but in almost every case they are a significant logistical challenge.  It is a complicated dance to bus students out of the building so they can engage in a 60 minute workplace experience (90 minute period less travel time) when many of those same students just rode a bus to get to the CRTC in the first place.  Regardless, these experiences do wonders for our students and in many cases expand their horizons like no other learning experience they’ve ever had the opportunity to participate in.

Starting last year, we focused energies (and grant funds) on providing new, in-house CDE opportunities.  To do so we hired, or converted previous positions, to a new job title called WESS (workplace employment skills specialist).  WESS staff members are highly skilled industry experts who have been hired to oversee particular in-house businesses operated by students.  

This year we hired April Hall to be our restaurant manager.  Chef Hall has been in the culinary and restaurant business for years; in addition, she is an adjunct professor at Lakes Region Community College.  April is working hand-in-hand with our students to build up the Crimson Corner Restaurant and related catering business.  The goal is to offer students the opportunity to engage in more authentic industry experiences.  Likewise, we continue to employ Mr. Phillip Bill as our auto shop manager.  His focus is to bring in and support “live” cars, and to coordinate students to work on these actual vehicles.  We have other examples in place, or soon to be in place, with Teacher Preparation, Health Science (LNA clinicals) and Graphics Arts (around silkscreening and printing).

Our culinary students are beginning to benefit from new WESS supported experiences.  Starting in November, we will be opening our restaurant for lunch every Thursday and Friday.  We also have a number of other opportunities available.  When a customer calls in with a catering need, we are working to discipline ourselves to pause the conversation and have a student follow with the customer to assess and record their needs.  This approach is all new for us and we continue to refine it.

Our auto students only have an hour and a half with us on a regular day.  An example is when a customer brings in a car - presently Mr. Bill receives the car and takes notes.  We aspire, through WESS, to have students meet the customer at drop off to record the concerns and prepare the car for service.  If that is not possible, then it is to have the driver record a short video describing his/her issue as well as its’ symptoms.  After watching the video, the student will create a plan of attack to resolve the issue.  Upon completion, the student will record a video to report back to the customer.

In both Culinary Arts and Auto Tech, our two biggest WESS sites, we continue to work to develop a wealth of opportunities based on how far individual students want to go.  Ideally, as the WESS model matures, we develop more student run businesses supported by experts we hire.  We urge all students to get involved as well as propose new approaches.

Steve Rothenberg
Director

CRTC October Students of the Month

Michael Kistner

Automotive Technology
Grade: 12
School: Merrimack Valley

Michael Kistner has a strong focus and desire to move into the automotive industry as well as a passion for restoring antique automobiles. He puts forth his best efforts in class to gain a thorough understanding and then spends much of his free time in the garage. Michael not only excels in his studies, he also brings quality leadership and positive energy to the classroom. Recently while on an internship at Banks Chevrolet he was showing such Grit and determination he was offered a position there. Michael is an ongoing representation of what CRTC stands for.


Joe Sliva
Construction Technology
Grade: 12
School: Pittsfield

Joe is very motivated to do his best work everyday. Joe listens to feedback, sets a goal for himself and follows through. Even when Joe encounters a setback, he tries to learn from it and proceed with his plan.

Fun Fact: Joe makes intricate paper models of cars and trucks.


Katelyn LaCombe
Cosmetology
Grade: 11
School: Hopkinton

Katelyn has demonstrated a true dedication to this program since day one. She takes on a leadership role in our classroom group discussions. She takes pride in her work and has demonstrated this is in several ways. At the start of class, she is focused on the task at hand. When working on the floor, she continually seeks feedback to improve the quality of work in her hair designs and continues to practice her techniques at home. Katelyn has a natural ability to work with others in any given situation. She was able to assist her fellow classmates in our class when we switched over to a different form of technology on the day of our first lab test. Katelyn has a wonderful way of explaining hair techniques to other girls when we are working in the lab. In addition Katelyn has a desire to learn more about our industry. Katelyn scheduled time with me after school to assist her in choosing the right salon to set up a job shadow that would give her a great experience.

Where is the student thinking of going to school: Katelyn will be going to cosmetology school upon graduation from high school


Nate Hollins
Program: Culinary Arts
Grade: 12
School:Concord High School

During this month, culinary kicked off a new initiative, The Loaf and Ladle Club, based on hands-on culinary events being run by students. Since the start, Nate has volunteered to work on every event we have done. He is always the first to volunteer for any position, including skills that he may not be comfortable with.

This attitude carries through to his everyday work, both with in classroom and in the lab. He uses the events to both practice skills he is comfortable with and things that are out of his comfort zone. Adding this into his work schedule is certainly difficult but, in Nate’s eyes very beneficial.

Fun Fact: Gold Medal Winner of 2013 NH Healthy meals contest

Where is the student thinking of going to school: Lakes Region Community College



Hillary McMullen
Program: Graphic Arts
Grade: 11
School: Concord High School

I have picked Hillary McMullen for October's "Student of the Month in Graphic Arts" at the CRTC because she attacks every project with determination and desire to know the process and to get better. She understands the outcomes expected and is resourceful by efficiently researching and choosing the harder, more complex designs to complete. She listens attentively and responds well to feedback from me and her peers; accepting it as professional criticism to improve. She effortlessly demonstrates a good sense of organization skills, ready to work at all times and uses class time with purpose and drive. As this is her first quarter as a junior, and if this is an indication of her growth mindset in Graphic Arts, Hillary is on track to accomplish many great things during her time here at the CRTC.

Fun Fact: Hillary has been playing guitar for 8 years and created her first song when she was only 9 years old.

Where is this student thinking of going to school: Manchester Community College or the NH Institute of Art


Celine Burrows
Program: Health Science
Grade: 11
School: Merrimack Valley High School

Celine was chosen for student of the month because of her commitment to learning beyond the classroom.
One example is being elected by her peers to be Co- President of the Elliot Hospital Medical Explorers Program. The Medical Explorer Program is an out of class opportunity for students from all over the state of New Hampshire to explore health careers. The Medical Explorer Program assists students to make informed decisions about their career choice. The students attend an average of two evening meetings a month during which speakers from various fields of medicine and healthcare share their knowledge and answer questions. The speakers provide information about educational resources, job opportunities, and take students on tours of specific departments with the explanation of the latest in healthcare technology.

Celine’s role as Co-President will require her to take on a leadership role by making sure that the program meets the goals and objectives of her peers. She will work with the other officers to plan meetings, interview professionals, and ensure that the programs presented are of high quality. Celine will spend several hours out of class each month going above and beyond to contribute to creating professional opportunities for her peers as well as her own personal career goals Taking opportunities like this to venture out of your comfort zone to reach your personal and career goals is what it takes to be successful. Celine is also recognized for taking pride in her work by always performing at a quality level that is beyond the expectation.

Lastly, her professionalism exudes pride and respect. Celine is enthusiastic and positive each day she comes into the classroom and takes ownership of her learning in and out of the classroom on a regular basis.


Arthur Aznive
Program: Info Tech
Grade: 12
School: Concord High School
Why was this student nominated?
Arthur excels in academics and perseverance, Consistently performs at a high caliber and shows grit determination in everything he does. He is a motivated class participant and leader. He shows great enthusiasm, completes the most difficult challenges with a positive attitude.

Fun Fact: Loves Archery


Hannah Linquata
Program:Teacher Preparation
Grade: 12
School: Concord High School

Hannah has demonstrated both the hard and soft skills necessary to be an excellent teacher. Hannah has demonstrated a high level of Grit and Ambition during her first internship cycle. Not only did Hannah find a classroom at Beaver Meadow School in which to intern, she began student teaching there even before it was required. Hannah uses her open period in the morning every day to go to her internship early so she may spend extra time teaching her first graders. She is able to set goals for herself and has the tenacity to follow through. She gave herself the goal of teaching lessons during her internship. She took the initiative to make arrangements with her teacher to do this multiple times during her first internship cycle. Her supervisor, Mrs. Beane, shared that, "Hannah has already planned two small group lessons. These lessons both included a V.I.P and all materials students needed to complete the activities. Hannah asked what Math concepts I was teaching and planned her lessons accordingly. Both lessons were well planned. Hannah made all activities including sheets and posters for the children. She also made a pattern game on the ipad for an extra practice activity and she made practice sheets for children that were having trouble learning patterns. Very Impressive!" Hannah also demonstrates a high level of ambition on a regular basis as well. She strives to improve her understanding of theory and her practice of teaching and asks for feedback. She expresses gratitude for feedback and works to immediately implement suggestions made by teachers.

Fun Fact: Hannah is captain of the CHS Varsity cheerleading team. She works as a teacher at East Side Learning Center.

Where is the student thinking of going to school: SNHU, Elon, St. Anslem, NHTI, Guilford

Meet Our Future Chefs & Published Authurs

Two of our CRTC Culinary Arts students, Daiquiri Przybyla (2013 completer) and Alyssa Pepin (currently a Junior), were given the opportunity to show the world a glimpse of their talent. Each had their own recipe published to the all-new cookbook, Future Chefs by Ramin Ganeshram. The book features 150 recipes from students all over America and the world. Every recipe is accompanied by a personal story reflecting each individual’s passion for food and cooking.

Daiquiri shares her intimate story about the struggles she faced at 16 and how culinary became a safe haven. Her signature dish is the Mushroom and Onion Pierogies drizzled with beet sauce. This is a recipe she originally learned from her grandmother.

Alyssa Pepin has been making her signature dish since she was only a toddler standing on a kitchen chair! Alyssa has aspirations of going to a culinary college and then to France to perfect her baking skills. Her recipe is for her family’s Zucchini Bread, which they call, Zuchi Bread. 

Both recipes sound absolutely delicious! Also recognized in the book is Chef Bob McIntosh and some CRTC students who were able to help test recipes for the book: Michael Filides, Henry Hochberg, Daiquiri Przybyla, Randi Houle, Jeremy Kelly, Damian Woodard and Samantha Bruce. If you would like to try Alyssa and Daiquiri’s recipes along with all the other great dishes, Future Chefs can currently be purchased online at Amazon.com.

Crimson Cafe Opens for Business!

We are pleased to announce the opening of
CRTC’s Crimson Cafe on Thursday, November 6th!  
This year’s highlight, aside from our delicious homemade meals, is that we will be open from 11-1 on most every Thursday & Friday.

Our menu will vary on a weekly basis to include creative luncheon items as well as fresh baked desserts at reasonable prices. To start we will offer grab n’ go service; in the future we will provide full service dining (when it aligns to the curriculum).  In the coming weeks, we will have an online form so you can order your lunch with just one click of a button!

We will be accepting credit cards in December. Until then, cash only and no house credits please.  A special thank you to teacher Megan Wyatt for helping us staff the Cafe during Lunch hours, we couldn't do it without her and her team of outstanding students and educational assistants!

Be on the lookout for a survey in the coming weeks, we want to hear your thoughts, suggestions and opinions.  The weeks menu as well as daily specials will be posted online every Tuesday to tease your taste buds.   We look forward to seeing you in the cafe!

Chef Bob McIntosh, Chef April Hall and the CRTC’s Proud Culinary Students

November 6-7 Menu:

Cranberry Walnut Salad $4

MIxed greens with caramelized walnuts, dried cranberries,

goat cheese crumbles and a cranberry Vinaigrette

Autumn Chicken Salad Roll-Up $4.50

Seasoned chicken salad, apples, bacon, Cheddar cheese,

mixed greens and scallion in a tortilla wrap

Tortellini Pasta Salad $1.50

Tri colored cheese tortellini tossed with roasted pumpkin seeds,

scallions and a maple vinaigrette

Apple Turnovers

$1.00

Pumpkin Cheesecake

$2.00

What's Happening in Teacher Preparation

Dual enrollment has closed for Semester 1 Teacher Preparation students. We are very excited to share that 49 students have signed up for the SNHU dual enrollment credits. We love to see the students taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity that gives them a head start on their college career.

This past Monday, our seniors began their first internship of the year. Students are interning at  preschool, elementary, middle, and high school classrooms in Concord, Loudon, and Pembroke. Throughout the year students will have the chance to go out on three separate, four week long internships to get a real feel of teaching in the classroom.

What's Happening in Information Technology

We have a very exciting semester in Info Tech as we begin the year with Robotics. Students will be learning the fundamentals of Science and Engineering through the hands on activities of building and programming robots. Students are challenged to use Science, Technology, Engineering and Math to solve problems and complete individual challenges using both physical robots and robots in virtual worlds.

What's Happening in Health Science

David Dumas and Derrick Martel from the Concord Fire Department and who also teach our Fire Science program, came into the Health Science classes to demonstrate how to put out a fire. Each student received a hands on experience on how to extinguish a fire. They practiced PASS( Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep) which is a universal acronym for remembering the sequence of using an extinguisher.  

What's Happening in Graphic Arts

Graphic Arts will be sending seniors off to their first internship site at NH Bindery next week. They will learn how the graphics they create in the classroom get applied to actual industry publications. They will be able to see  the process up close with the added bonus of making their own custom sketch book. Next month, seniors will be preparing for industry certification by preparing to take the Adobe Certification Associate exam in Photoshop. We are the only school in both high school and college in NH to offer our students the opportunity to take this exam. It propels students to such a high level of understanding and knowledge, they essentially become qualified, as high school students, to teach Photoshop. Juniors are in the process of learning the basics of graphic design principles utilizing Photoshop to work on projects. They will soon be shifting gears to learn Illustrator, a vector based program. Up ahead will be entries into video editing with Premiere, 3D modeling and animation using 3DS Max and website work using WordPress. As always, industry professionals and colleges come in to speak directly to the Graphic Arts students.

What's Happening in Culinary Arts

Students are currently getting ready for their first “Chef to School” event happening on October 17. For more information on this event click here. Culinary Arts is also pleased to announce its new Loaf & Ladle Club. The club is made up of student volunteers in our culinary program and focuses on catering, but also on serving lunch in our Crimson Cafe. Every Thursday and Friday beginning November 6, the Crimson Café will be open to serve you and your pals lunch from 11-1. The menu will be posted on the Crimson Café door and in our blog each week. This is open to the general public as well. The Loaf & Ladle Club can fulfill all of your catering needs. Submit your order 21 days prior to your event to ensure our students will be able to meet your needs. This service is available Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays with other days available based on the circumstances.

What's Happening in Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice students are off to a fantastic start this year. We've explored the History of Law Enforcement Era from the Pharaohs to present day. We've discussed corruption and identified the skills and characteristics we all need ​to work ethically in today's Criminal Justice field. This week we got our hands dirty as we started a unit on fingerprinting, learning how to roll ink fingerprints from a suspect and compare them with prints we covered at a crime scene.  Next week, we have our first physical fitness test which includes doing push-ups, sit ups, and the 1.5 mile run. Go CJ!

What's Happening in Cosmetology

On October 19, our future professionals will be giving back to our community and walking in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. This will mark the sixth year “CRIMSON CREATIONS CUTS 4 A CURE” has had a team. Students have been holding open salon nights in order to help raise money and awareness for their team. As of right now, they have reached the halfway mark of their $1,200 fundraising goal. If you would like to donate to this great cause, you can do so here.

What's Happening in Construction

Con Tech I and Con Tech II students attended Construction Career Days in New Boston on Thursday, September 18. More than 60 exhibitors took part with many hands on activities and demonstrations. The students spent the morning learning about the different construction related fields available as potential careers.

Currently, Con Tech I students are learning about safety in the lab and working with power tools like circular saws, table saws and drills. Students are demonstrating their skill as they construct sawhorses they may take home. Con Tech II students are using previously learned skills to construct a two story learning lab where they will demonstrate new skills they will acquire this year.The new skills include hanging and taping sheetrock, installing windows, doors and stairs. Students may come in every Thursday from 3pm to 5pm to receive extra help and to make up absences. This Saturday, students may choose to work on the baseball shed at Memorial Field as a way to hone their new skills.

What's Happening in Automotive

The automotive shop is open and ready for your business! If you are a student, parent, teacher, or affiliated with a school district, bring your car to us! This is a great opportunity for students to experience working on customer vehicles, while offering you quality repairs at affordable prices. We offer oil and filter service, state inspections, tire balancing and rotation, brake system repairs, steering and suspension repairs, and much more! Stop by the Auto Shop or email Scott at smayotte@concordnhschools.net to make your appointment today. Last Monday also marked the start of our automotive internships. We currently have 10 students working at 10 different local garages. Wednesday of last week, after only 3 days at the site, a CRTC student was offered and accepted, an entry level technician job at Banks Chevrolet!

Culinary Institute of America Comes to our Kitchen!

Don’t miss our “Chef to School” kickoff event! Throughout this coming school year you will see our Culinary Arts students teaming up with some of the finest chefs from area businesses and nationally known colleges to prepare gourmet, multi-course meals. This collaboration, “Chef to School”, is sure to be a rewarding experience not only for the students, but for our guests as well! Please join us on Friday, October 17, 7pm in the Crimson Cafe for our first “Chef to School” dinner. As it is our first event, we are offering a discounted admission for a limited time. Hurry seats are going fast!

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is one of the world’s premier colleges for Culinary Arts. Their chefs will work alongside our students to make a grand, three-course, mouthwatering meal. We will start off with a poached pear and goat cheese salad which will lead the way for a red pepper gnocchi on a bed of spinach. Enjoy a tasty lemon cream tartlet to wrap up the meal. Each student in our culinary program will have the chance to work side by side with one of the CIA’s top chefs gaining expert experience. Our seniors will come back that afternoon to finish the final preparation. Space is limited so be sure to call today to hold your spot!

CRTC Parents & Students	$15	Promotion deadline 10/13
CHS & Sending School Staff	$20	Promotion deadline 10/13
General Public	$20	Promotion deadline 10/13
All seats	$25	After promotional deadlines

To purchase tickets, please e-mail Kaleena Guzman: kguzman@concordnhschools.net or call 603-717-7654 x6044

Our SPUR Process Has Had an Update

Dear CRTC Students and Parent/Guardians:

The CRTC has led the way with regard to competency-based education for the past six years since the advent of our self-created SPUR process.  The SPUR process is the cornerstone of our organization’s focus  to build a system whereby our instructors and related mentors leverage their positive relations with students to provide them with the most impactful, discrete and actionable performance feedback possible. The CRTC’s overall mission is for students to realize their greatest potential and ultimately, be college and career successful.  

Various elements of the SPUR process are covered in our “Compass” Handbook.  At this point, we need to amend the “Compass” with a number of changes for the coming school year including:

• How students earn credits:  This is a very significant change for us that will affect, based on historical data, a relatively small group of students.  Despite our advances in assessment, we still feel a number of students were passing the CRTC without demonstrating they were competent.  These students received detailed feedback to improve, but the system did not hold them accountable to show vital improvement.  Effective immediately, students will be expected to be rated a “3” (competent) out of “5” on ALL hard skill competencies to earn year-end credits.  This change comes with one major caveat: the student MUST have a personal performance target (PPT) of “5” on that competency.  Our PPT model allows teachers to set personalized goals for students.   The performance rating (1-5 scale) when combined with the goal (2-5 scale) determines the grade (as established by the CRTC Conversion Table).  In general when we introduce a concept, the target may be lower (“3”).  Likewise, depending on a student’s learning abilities, the goal may also be lower.  In many cases, the target will eventually reach a “5”; therefore, students receiving a competency performance rating of less than “3” MUST budget the time and energy to improve to earn credits.  This expectation does NOT apply to CRTC Soft Skills.  Of particular note is once a target goes up, the previous grade will be reduced; thus a “3” when the target is a “3” earns a 95; but if the target goes to a “5”, that “3” is now equivalent to a 75.  The 75 is what counts at year-end.  Our focus is not the middle, but the end with regard to college and career readiness.
• Use of Rolling grades and Reassessments (or retakes):  This is another significant change for us.  This change opens the door for students to address areas in need of improvement and if successful in doing so, allows them to discount older (and weaker) grades that are no longer relevant due to performance gains.  Rolling grades basically means when we report grades every quarter, the reporting window will no longer reflect a two or so month stretch of time, but will include all performance data from the first day of the school year to that point in time.  Thus if three hard skill competencies were introduced and rated/graded in Quarter 1 (Q1); four in Q2, and two in Q3, the Q3 report card will cover nine competencies.  If a student earned a 2.5 on a hard skills in Q1 the grade will stick with him/her for the entire year; UNLESS he/she pursues reassessment (and the practice work associated).  If the student improves and raises his/her score to a “4” on the reassessment in Q3, the Q3 report card will count the “4” and not the “2.5”; thus the 2.5 “tells the story”, but is no longer included in the final grade.  In essence, every quarter grade reflects performance for the year.  Again, our focus is not the middle, but the end with regard to college and career readiness.
• Modifications to Conversion Tables: Finally, we made some minor changes to our conversion tables this year.  The most significant is that a “3” in soft skills now converts to an 80.  After working with our industry partners, we adjusted our conversion to better reflect workplace expectations.

We believe these changes will enhance the CRTC and build an environment where students can best meet our motto, “Own Your Education at the CRTC”.  Please feel free to contact with me questions.

Sincerely,

Steve Rothenberg

Director

sroth@concordnhschools.net

603-717-7654