Last spring, RMHS became an Innovation Career Pathways school, offering additional opportunities to its students to ensure that they are set up for success after high school.
Nearly 100 Massachusetts schools are currently offering Innovation Career Pathways to their students. The state-wide program is intended to give students work and experience in various highly competitive fields. This specific training is beneficial to students when choosing their future career paths.
Ms. Callanan, the RMHS principal, took a major role in bringing IP to Reading. She says, “The goal of Innovation Career Pathways is to give kids better exposure to career paths where there is going to be a demand in the next 5-10 years in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
At RMHS, there are five different pathways that students can choose from; Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare, Social Assistance (Public Health), Information (Computer Science or Digital Media), and Clean Energy. Reading is one of only 7 schools in the state that has a Clean Energy pathway.
Pathway students all follow a similar routine over their four high school years. The first two years are technical classes that commonly align with RMHS graduation requirements. The second two years include advanced courses, either AP or dual-enrollment, which follow their selected pathway topics and may result in college credit. Capstone projects and internships are also offered during their senior year which allow students to take an active role in the Reading community.
An annual field trip is set up to demonstrate the work reality for each pathway selection. RMHS assistant principal, Ms. Buckley explains the importance of the field trips. “They provide an opportunity for students to see themselves in a particular job in the field. It allows kids to weed out whether or not they could really see themselves doing a particular job that would only happen in this program.”
Flex block meetings are an additional tool offered to IP students. During these meetings, they learn general employability skills, or as Ms. Buckley describes them: “The soft skills that help kids get higher and out of high school.” Ms. Buckley continues to highlight her focuses during these sessions, “Like making a good first impression, giving and taking feedback, figuring out what their values are to inform the types of roles they’d like in the future and what they want to pursue in their life, how to sell themselves and their skills in an elevator pitch.”
Annabelle Reppucci, a freshman at RMHS who is currently in the Healthcare pathway, reflects on her experience in the program so far. “It’s benefited a bunch of my skills talking in front of people and has taught me medical skills too,” says Rapucci.
“There’s so much flexibility that is offered,” says Mr. Kennedy, one of RMHS’s guidance counselors. Kennedy discusses his role during course selections for incoming freshmen. “We take a look at their selections, how classes fit together, prioritizing pathway courses, and helping them map out from the beginning how it is going to impact their access to other graduation requirements through electives and major courses.”
In some cases, freshman and sophomores are able to join if their current or completed courses align with pathway requirements. Once accepted, the only requirements to remain in the preferred Pathway are to pass and complete the previous year courses and participate in activities that are offered within IP.
76 students were part of Innovation Career Pathways last year. Popularity seems to be increasing as middle schools continue to promote this appealing program.
