Groundbreaking on ROC's New Sister Campus; Principal Named

The new CTEC campus, to be located at Independence High School and slated to open during the 2019-2020 school year, will become the sister campus to the district’s Regional Occupational Center (ROC). The new campus will include a myriad of medical and technology driven career training programs. These will include training programs open to high school juniors and seniors:

- Introduction to Health Careers     - Cisco Networking Academy

- Nursing Assistant                           - 3D Animation

- Medical Assistant                           - Mobile Applications Development

- Pharmacy Technician                     - Robotics Engineering

- Sports Medicine                             - Video Game Design

- Dental Assistant                             - Video Production

Additional programs scheduled for the new campus include:

- Early Childhood Education           - Law Enforcement

- Warehousing & Logistics              - Fire Technology

- Business, Banking & Finance       - College & Career Center (open to all)

Although day programs primarily serve high school students, some programs will potentially allow adults to register for a yet-to-be-determined fee. In addition, as a true community center, it is hoped that businesses and the community-at-large will use the facility into the evening. The new CTEC will boast several break-out rooms, meeting spaces, and a 300-seat Innovations Hall auditorium. The potential even exists to hold night classes in some of the above areas for both youth and adults, although no decision has yet been made in that regard.

The ROC located just off Highway 58 on S. Mt. Vernon Avenue will also see a resurgence with this renewed commitment to Career Technical Education (CTE). Construction will begin in May 2018 on a new veterinary surgical center, auto tech facility, culinary arts complex, cosmetology lab, and construction technologies classroom. An overall facelift of the 33-year old facility will also enhance the attractiveness of these and a dozen other programs which will anchor the existing campus.

In related news, the KHSD board of trustees named Brian Miller to oversee the two facilities. No stranger to CTE, Miller comes to the principal position after serving as the district’s Supervising Administrator of CTE. He previously served as ROC’s Assistant Principal and BAS/ROC Dean. Prior to these appointments Miller served as a classroom instructor after concluding a management career in the private sector.

Miller has been a driving force for CTE within the district, along with on-going support from the board and Superintendent Dr. Bryon Schaefer and most especially the visionary leadership of Dr. Dean McGee, Associate Superintendent of Education Services & Innovative Programs (ESIP), and ESIP Director, Dr. Ben Sherley. In the above photo, Miller is surprised by his staff with a celebratory cake and punch.