Director of Schools, Dr. Russell Dyer, was asked to speak this past Tuesday at the 10th Annual West Virginia Education Summit sponsored by The Education Alliance. The theme for this year’s summit was, “Pathways to the Future: Strategies to Grow Your Own.” Business leaders from across West Virginia, representing every major industry, came together with education and non-profit professionals to learn more about pathways that will lead students to future opportunities in manufacturing, healthcare, energy, education, and other exciting fields.
The summit began with an introduction by Dr. Amelia Courts, President/CEO of The Education Alliance. Next, a moderated industry panel discussed the topic of workforce development and future pathways. The panel was moderated by Michael Graney, Executive Director of the West Virginia Department of Economic Development. Participants included the following:
● Dr. Sara Lewis-Stankus, WV Deputy State Superintendent
● Abby Reale, Director of Advocacy, Mountain Health Network
● David Rosier, President, Toyota Manufacturing WV
● Aaron Walker, President/CEO, Appalachian Power
The keynote speaker featured David Donaldson, Managing Partner, National Center for Grow Your Own. David is the former Chief of Human Capital for the Tennessee Department of Education. His talk centered around his work to support states, school districts, and education preparation providers to launch or expand Grow Your Own programs and registered apprenticeships in teaching. He was joined by Dr. Carla Warren, Director of Educator Development and Support Services for the WV Department of Education.
Dr. Dyer was asked to highlight the work of Cleveland City Schools in our efforts to implement Grow Your Own through policy and practice in our school system. Our state is the first to be awarded Registered Apprenticeships in teaching through the US Department of Labor and we are viewed across the country as one of the most innovative states in this arena. Cleveland City Schools was recommended to The Education Alliance by Dr. Penny Schwinn, TN Commissioner of Education, based on our work related to Grow Your Own through our award-winning Career and Technical Education (CTE) work. Dr. Dyer shared with attendees video segments from alumni including Ben Murphy, Ty Baker, Valerie Capps, and Tre’ Mastin. Doug Berry, Vice-President of Economic Development Cleveland-Bradley Chamber of Commerce also shared his thoughts on our CTE programs and partnerships with business and industry.
We have much to be proud of in Cleveland City Schools and we encourage you to visit these sites to learn more. If you are a business or industry leader and wish to know more about how we can partner, please contact Renny Whittenbarder, CTE Supervisor. Mr. Whittenbarger’s contact information is located on our CTE website.