Monomoy Regional School District awarded $15K grant for Innovation Career Pathways

Monomoy Regional School District has been awarded a grant by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the pursuit of Innovation Career Pathways programs that give high school students hands-on learning experiences in high-demand fields. 

Innovation Career Pathways connect student learning to industry sectors that are in demand in the state economy and guide students toward relevant post-secondary education and training options. Pathways are designed to equitably prepare all students for life after graduation by eliminating barriers to student participation and success in academic and work-based learning, and begin with investigation and skill building in middle school.

“Innovation Career Pathways are designed to create strong partnerships between educators and employers in order to expose students to career options and help them develop knowledge related to their chosen field of study before they even graduate high school,” said Monomoy’s Assistant Superintendent Robin Millen. 

“These career pathways will support students’ ability to learn the skills necessary for jobs and secondary study in fields that meet the needs of the local economy, helping to create a more sustainable workforce and economic stability,” added Millen.

The $15,000 planning grant awarded to Monomoy is the first step toward bringing Innovation Career Pathways to the district. The grant funding will support instructional leadership and school staff in planning sessions, scheduling committees, curriculum/coursework development, and enhancing partnerships with businesses and organizations, with the work taking place outside the school day.

The MRSD Career Innovation Pathways Team has already begun meeting to develop a vision for programming at MRSD, define core elements of the pathways, and expand partnerships with 2-year and 4-year dual enrollment providers and local businesses and organizations. Moving forward, the team will determine the two industry sectors to focus on, design curriculum and select high-quality curriculum resources, research industry-recognized credentials that align with the chosen sectors, enhance partnerships with MassHire to support career readiness and work-based opportunities, connect pathways to the district’s MyCAP program and Portrait of a Graduate competencies, provide professional development for educators, and identify staffing needs.

Additional rounds of grant funding for Innovation Career Pathways will take place in the coming months. For more information, see the Monomoy website and the state’s grant announcement.