Stagecraft’s First Outing!

Stagecraft’s First Outing!

By CRTC Director Steve Rothenberg

Kudos to the students in our brand new CRTC Stagecraft Program.  The group, in its first ever work-based endeavor, provided sound and lighting for CHS’s all-school Homecoming Assembly last Friday.  The gym was at full capacity so it was certainly challenging.  A plan was established, equipment was setup and at show time, Stagecraft students were in place at their designed stations. The event went off flawlessly.  Everything was technically enhanced; especially through the first time use of spotlights for an assembly.  Special thanks to Mr. Klose and all his students.  This is the first of many endless opportunities to provide services.  We are off to a great start.

The StageCraft Open House is on Thursday, October 13, at 7:00 PM.

Stagecraft Open House

Cosmetology In Action

"Fall" into our next Chef to School Event

Save the Date!

October 2016

Dear Friends & Family:

Our future professionals would like to offer you an evening of Glamour and Glitz:

Wednesday, October 12th 4:30-6:30

at the Crimson Creations Salon

located in the Student Center

at Concord High School

During this time, the seniors will be providing the following hair and nail salon services.  

Prices for Each Salon Service:

Scalp Massage $7.00

Braiding $7.00 & up

Blow-dry $11.00

Curl/Flat Iron $11.00

Manicure $13.00

Polish Change $7.00

Nail Art $7.00

Paraffin Hand Dip $7.00

Basic Blunt Cut $13.00

Shampoo and Conditioning $3.00

We look forward to seeing you!

If you have any questions please email us at khannon@sau8.org

Ms. Kimberly & Cosmetology Class

Career Pathways and Related Metrics

Career Pathways and Related Metrics

By CRTC Director Steve Rothenberg

The CRTC has updated its core vision and beliefs to better align to a new set of emerging metrics that define the 21st century college and career readiness level of a student.  

A national movement is well under way to recognize students who pursue rigorous and relevant career pathway education goals while in high school. This vision is timely because it is clearly defining (and celebrating) the significant accomplishments of a very wide swath of students. Many states see this approach as a core element of their combined educational and economic strategic long-term plan.

At the CRTC we define career readiness as follows (context is a current CRTC student):

• Engaging in internships and job shadows with career professionals
• Earning nationally recognized industry certificates and/or licensure
• Completing numerous college courses (with transcripts)
• Acquiring (with evidence) industry-ready practical skills
• Demonstrating (with evidence) employability/work-ready soft skills
• Attaining targeted, career-specific writing, presentation, and math skills
• Working in an entry-level position in the industry
• Developing the beginnings of a professional network

The State of NH is pursuing a large, 3-year grant sponsored by JPMorgan/Chase to focus on education around career pathways and readiness.  The goal would be to flesh out these types of metrics and educate all students and parents on their definition and value.  The false stigma of pursuing a career and not going to college needs to be debunked.  College or a training experience is seen as a more strategic (and not default) option in this model.

Lastly, the big economic umbrella for this movement is the 65 by 25 movement.  New Hampshire has a target of 65% of the adult population to possess a degree or advanced industry certificate by the year 2025.  The basic premise is that if we do not meet this mark, we will not be competitive with other states and countries.  Presently, without changing the course, we are cruising towards the 54% mark.  There are many groups, including business and industry, actively working to develop new methods to make this happen.

Essentials Skills and Dispositions/Soft Skills

CRTC Director Steve Rothenberg

This summer a team of CRTC teachers took a course on Essential Skills and Dispositions.  The course is part of the state’s competency driven PACE initiative.  The course was energizing.

To step back and provide a context: The major focus of the PACE effort is to create deeper and more authentic assessments to measure student’s progress.  In particular to measure it on a statewide basis in a normalized manner, without traditional standardized test.  Concord High’s Science and English Department have been working with other a number of select districts to get these new assessments off the ground.

The other emerging side of PACE is focused on looking at a set of core inter- and intra-personal skills displayed by students.  The focus of the course, sponsored by PACE was a framework with four proposed essentials skills and dispositions: Collaboration, Communication, Self-Direction and Creativity which, at their core, would be used to define college and career readiness.  

What we know is that measuring (and teaching) these skills is hard.  What we anecdotally is that students who possess these type of qualities, DO WELL.

As I have mentioned in past articles, the CRTC has been measuring soft (employability) skills, those traits valued by our industry and college partners for eight years. We are leaders in the state in this particular area.  As part of our own SPUR process, students meet with their teacher every quarter in private meeting to reflect on their growth.  Based on the course as well as some adjustments needed (grade inflation), we have evolved this year’s version of the CRTC Soft Skill Rubric considerably from last year’s version.

The rubric is split in the middle.  Achieving what is outlined on the right side would be considered adequate, a “2” in our 1-4 system.  Students are expected to reach into the left side which would move them into a 3 or 4 rating in our system.  The major element we did not include is “creativity” which we are going to focus on this year as part of our professional growth.  Feel free to contact me with questions.


CRTC Quick News:
We have a seven open seats in the CRTC in programs where CHS sophomores can also be accepted: Teacher Preparation (1), Cosmetology (1), Health Science (1), Culinary Arts and Baking (3), and Construction Trades (1).  Students must be in good standing and have demonstrated readiness.  Contact our office immediately at info@thecrtc.net, 717-7654 if your child is interested.