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School Board Approves Ernest Ward Electrical Academy
April 21, 2010
Ernest Ward Middle School will be home to a new IBEW Electrical Academy next school year, the first such program in the nation at the middle school level. The Escambia County Board approved the academy 5-0 Tuesday night.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers will work with the school district to create the Electrical Academy. Middle school career academies are small, personalized learning communities within a school in which select students and teachers participate during a two or three-year span. A career academy involves teachers from different subjects working together as an interdisciplinary team.
“The career academy is an exciting thing for Ernest Ward,” Escambia Superintendent of Education Malcom Thomas said. “It will engage students in a relevant way, while preparing them for the workforce and their future.”
In the EWMS Electrical Academy, the students will be introduced to electrical systems, learn the theories of electricity and gain valuable hands-on experience in various projects, according to Carl Leiterman, director of Workforce Education for the Escambia County School District. While students will work with AC (household type) electrical systems, most projects will use DC (battery type) voltage for safety reasons.
“They will take the theory and expand it to the application,” Leiterman said.
One focus of the program will be “green” power — wind and solar generation systems. “It’s one of the fastest growing and most in demand career fields right now,” he said. “The future is in green technology. These kids at Ernest Ward are going to have a tremendous opportunity to get a head start on a very well-paying career.”
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers curriculum will be adapted to meet Florida standards. The program, which will begin with the 2010-2011 school year, will be open to students from across Escambia County in grades seven and eight with at least a 2.0 GPA and few discipline referrals.
By 2012, the current Construction Academy at Northview High School is expected to be expanded to include an Electrical Academy, Leiterman said. After high school, students could transition into the workforce with certifications offered by the George Stone Technical Center or into college program including electrical engineering.
“It is an excellent opportunity for our communities and Ernest Ward,” Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry said. “With it being the first program like this in the nation, it will make Ernest Ward an even better opportunity for our students that we already are.”
Comments
11 Responses to “School Board Approves Ernest Ward Electrical Academy”
I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. IT WILL GIVE THE KIDS IDEAS AND INFORMATION ON HOW TO BETTER THIER LIVES. ANY TIME YOU CAN SPARK A KIDS INTEREST , YOU HAVE DONE A GOOD THING. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THEM WANT TO LEARN. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF MRS.PERRY AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT ARE OPEN TO NEW TYPES OF THINKING AND NEW IDEAS.
If 100k yearly is mediocrity you do have to be kidding me.
Electricians tend to be near the top in talent as construction workers go. Emphasis on the relative statement. The smarter kids if they have “motivation” as you attest, should be looking much higher than construction worker for Pete’s sake. It says a lot about you (Blue Runner and Well Said) that you treasure your mediocrity and wish it on higher performing students.
If you are planning on sending your talented and smart and high performing child to this trade school, I suggest you go to a job site and talk to the “talent” there from each trade. The guy in charge in the GC trailer? Likely has a college degree. Go check it out.
Here we go, the typical NWF approach to training a workforce.. Train a whole army with the same skills so that the competition for jobs is so strong that it keeps wages low.
Could not have said it better Blue Runner,,,right on target!!!!!!!
Well said Blue Runner.
Uv Gotoo B. Kiddingme …. to imply that kids are not as smart because they choose a trade vice some penny ante B.S. college degree is way off base. The pursuit of a “college degree” has become such a falsehood with many misguieded “smart” (ha ha) individuals who lag those well schooled trade related occupations. The smartest thing I ever did was to NOT pursure a college degree and learn the trade and people skills to make it in todays world. I’m thankful every 2 weeks on payday that I’m not another one of the smart ones who started college to be an engineer or Dr. and became another business school B.A. owner!!!
Most students holding a GPA under 2.0 lack motivation, not intelligence. The proposed electrical program wil require lots of motivation and enthusiasm as well as math and reading skills. I don’t think the district wants this program filled with lazy, unmotivated students who are looking for an easy “A”. I sure wouldn’t want someone who couldn’t read the electrical code or compute the wattage requirements for a circuit working on my house! This program is just what the doctor ordered for this area. I hope it goes well.
See where is was organized in 1891, but really not caring much for that “Brotherhood” logo–or the man’s fist.
IBEW is not a union like you think. They control the apprenticeship program and verify training and skill levels. Yes, an IBEW worker or company will pay on a union based scale, but they don’t have any real strike or other powers over management in Florida or Alabama.
My question is, why a 2.0 gpa? The smarter kids should be focused on college level type courses, not trade courses. To be an electrician requires attention to detail and trade knowledge, but math, English, and social studies skills are irrelevant. Some of the best electicians I know couldn’t get a 2.0 gpa at any grade level, but do the best work you’ll ever see with wiring and such.
Will the kids be learning about being electrical specialist or good union members from the IBEW?
This is great!