Concord Community Schools is thrilled to be among the 97 schools and community partners in the state to receive the combined $57 million in grant funding earmarked for school districts seeking to expand student access to pathways that lead to high-wage, high-demand careers.
With the support of the $210,528.84 grant, Concord Community Schools will expand student access to real-world experiences related to the biomedical field, beginning in elementary school.
“We continue to hear from local industries the desire for us to prepare students for high-wage, high-demand careers and the way that we do that most effectively is by exposing students to hands-on learning opportunities early and often," said Dr. Lisa Kendall, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Programming.
In the youngest grades, students will complete a biomedical science unit as part of their Science Engineering Technology and Math (STEM) coursework. As students enter their middle school years, they will participate in biomedical courses that will prepare them as they begin to consider various pathways to graduation. They will have an opportunity to meet medical professionals and learn more about available careers and the training they will need to succeed in high-demand careers.
Upon entering high school, students will be offered the opportunity to participate in a series of three biomedical science courses. As part of their coursework, students will participate in field experiences in the local industry, giving them access to real-world learning opportunities within their own community. The program will begin in the fall with a cohort of 120 students, with enrollment tripling by the 2023-2024 school year.
All of this coursework directly benefits students as they work toward the biomedical science graduation pathway within the Career and Technical Education sector. The biomedical pathway, part of the Indiana Department of Education’s Graduation Pathways, is aimed at careers in the study of human medicine, research processes and bioinformatics.
“Our desire to support this programming for students is both to build interest in the biomedical field and help meet the needs of our local economy, as well as to take a more targeted approach in having conversations early and often with students about their future plans and the tenacity they’ll need to succeed in those careers. Having field experiences in our community, meeting workers from local industries, and understanding the work-ready skills they need to have to be successful will be beneficial no matter what career they choose," Kendall said.
Students and families interested in learning more about these offerings can reach Dr. Kendall at lkendall@concord.k12.in.us or by calling 574-875-5161. High school students may also contact their school counselor for scheduling and other information related to graduation pathways.