Future of academics at WACTC undecided
Students and staff at the Western Area Career and Technology Center in Houston will have to wait another month to learn the fate of the school’s academic subjects.
On April 22, members of a countywide board – representing the nine school districts that send students to WACTC – were supposed to vote on a proposal to effectively eliminate the school’s academic subjects. If approved, WACTC would be forced to furlough three teachers.
However, the board was compelled to rethink the idea after two teachers offered a plea and presentation to keep the subjects, executive director Dennis McCarthy said.
McCarthy said the board is set to vote on the matter at their May 27 meeting.
“A good amount of teachers, parents and students turned out in support of keeping the subjects,” McCarthy said.
The elimination of academic programs would be a loss because the classes help students succeed in their vocational programs and in their professional careers, McCarthy said.
Area superintendents said the potential to change the academic curriculum is the result of having better options for students who need the alternative education.
Washington School District, which sends 23 students to WACTC, allows students in the vo-tech program to take courses through online classes monitored by teachers or in summer school.
There are just under 500 students attending WACTC. In addition to Washington, the participating school districts on the board are Avella, Canon-McMillan, Burgettstown, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, McGuffey, Peters and Trinity.