Lisa Marie Shrey, St. Francis High School’s workplace learning coordinator and business and marketing teacher, outlined a new work‑based learning program the board discussed at its Nov. 10 meeting. The program would connect CTE (career and technical education) students with local employers to provide supervised, on‑the‑job experience that could earn high‑school credit.

Shrey said the initial rollout would target seniors and include a required Career Seminar course plus a workplace training agreement, employer verification of insurance and a minimum of 10 work hours per week. "Students will apply what they've learned in the high school classroom to the work setting," she said, adding the program will emphasize "employability skills" and that participants must provide reliable transportation.

The district's plan includes credit‑earning and documentation benefits: students would graduate with a professional resume and cover letter generated during the program and have access to industry tours, job shadowing and college or apprenticeship information. Shrey said credentialing and endorsements for staff training have a cost; she said the first endorsement fee she cited—about $3,500—was covered by Perkins funds in this instance.

Administrators framed staffing and budget expectations for year one. Superintendent Justin Anderson and other administrators described the proposal as initially a half‑time coordinator (0.5 FTE) built into the budget, with the intent not to reduce other course offerings. "For the first year, it would be a halftime coordinator position that would be built into the budget," an administrator said. The presentation noted Perkins funding can reimburse roughly 35% of eligible CTE salaries, which the district flagged as a budgetary advantage when comparing hiring a business teacher versus non‑CTE licensed positions.

Board members asked about program logistics, including whether work could be paid, how placements would be arranged, and grade or performance requirements. Shrey said placements could be student‑arranged or placed through a school application process overseen by counselors and program staff; positions may be paid or unpaid depending on employer arrangements. She also said program staff would monitor students' progress, intervene if students fall behind academically and help find alternate placements when necessary.

Supporters in the meeting praised the proposal. "This is just real world skills," one board member said, expressing strong support for adding FTE and the financial‑literacy component. Administrators also described an existing support relationship with an external training provider (identified in the presentation as a regional partner and an online endorsement program) that is offering training, webinars and support for the coordinator role.

What's next: the proposal was presented for information and preliminary discussion; administrators said the half‑time coordinator is being planned within the district budget and would come forward formally when the budget is approved.