Dear William D. Ford Community,
I am beyond honored to write this letter as the new Principal/CTE Director for the William D. Ford Career Technical Program in Wayne-Westland Community Schools. It is with great excitement that I join this community of the most passionate educators, widely-talented students, and committed parents.
Having spent 23 years in a variety of positions within this district (from teaching to counseling to administration), I have witnessed the powerful impact our CTE programs have had on students' lives. William D. Ford Career Technical Center is a GEM and has been for years. I've always said it's a place that magically transforms students into functioning members of society by equipping them with the knowledge and skill sets they will use for a lifetime. Furthermore, it's a place that allows our students to develop the confidence, grit, and perseverance to excel in a rapidly changing labor market.
My goal is to ensure that our Career Tech program fosters a culture of excellence and equity by offering real, hands-on industry experiences that bring forward opportunities for our students. I hope to develop this through partnerships that include local businesses, industries, and community stakeholders. This goal will allow our programs to remain relevant and purposeful while exploring innovative approaches that will prepare our students to thrive in the modern workforce.
I am committed to open communication and collaboration. My door is always open, and I welcome your insights, suggestions, and feedback. Together, we will work towards the common goal of preparing all students for post-secondary success!
As we move forward with this school year, I am beyond thrilled to see the inspiration, collaboration, and accolades that come from the students and staff of our programs.
If you are interested in supporting any of our programs, please feel free to complete the Google form https://forms.gle/dpUsnooV6fNg8gKTA
Sincerely,
Stephanie Bigelow, M.A., L.P.C
What a beautiful weekend! More bright sunshine and warm weather leading us into the final week of the school year.
Congrats to our students that are graduating as part of the Class of 2023! Regardless of where your next steps take you, I know that the learning experiences from William D. Ford Career-Technical Center were purposeful in helping you to navigate your unique path. As a student at FordCTC, you were able to customize your high school experience. You selected a program based on your interests and aptitudes. Beyond that, your teachers continued to present you with a variety of options for you to make your experience unique -- field trips, job shadows, skills competitions, certifications, and internships. As you continue on your career path, continue to make choices that align with your professional dreams.
Recently, I've been thinking about the opportunities where I have spoken with many of you about your career path. This led me to reflect on my own. Serving the William D. Ford Career-Technical Center as Director has been my favorite stop on my own professional journey. It provided a rich and fulfilling experience to return to frontline service to students, families, and teachers. It also provided the opportunity to inspire, innovate, redesign, and expand career-technical education. This year, this role also provided the opportunity to collaborate with Wayne-Westland Community Schools' senior leadership to create unique, future focused, learning experiences for learners in elementary and middle school and our professional community. I enjoyed being able to design opportunities to serve, develop, and grow with students and staff from a variety of instructional levels and settings. For this reason, I have accepted the position of Executive Director of Technology and Innovation at Wayne-Westland Community Schools.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve and lead this learning community. I look forward to developing a different professional relationship with the leadership, staff, and students that are a part of the FordCTC community in the future.
Have a wonderful summer.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College
NEWSLETTER: The Pipeline - June 5, 2023
What a beautiful weekend! The bright sunshine and warm weather serve as a reminder that the end of the school year arrives soon. Be sure to check with your teacher to make sure you are on target for completing end of semester requirements.
While the end of the year is upon us, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center is already planning for school year 2023/2024. Next year, nearly 1200 students will be attending our programs.
To welcome our new group of students and families, FordCTC will host Curriculum and Cupcakes on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 from 6 PM to 7 PM. If you are joining us for an additional year, please plan to attend and explore curriculum options available to second year students. If you know of any new students and families joining us for school year 2023/2024, please invite them to participate in this event.
Have a great week.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College
NEWSLETTER: The Pipeline - May 29, 2023
William D. Ford Career-Technical Center has been celebrating students all month! Please enjoy the many pictures included in this edition of "The Pipeline". We are so proud of your accomplishments.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College
NEWSLETTER: The Pipeline - May 22, 2023
May is an exciting time at William D. Ford Career-Technical Center. There are many events coming up to honor the work of our students. Please continue to check our calendar for important upcoming dates.
As I shared during the winter exam window, FordCTC is a unique learning environment. Our assessments include multiple opportunities to demonstrate knowledge and skills. Due to this, end-of-semester exams and final projects are already occurring around this building. Please check the syllabus and connect with an instructor if you have any questions about end-of-course requirements.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College
Daily work isn't always easy on our minds or our bodies. Our bodies and brains adapt and change as a result of the repetition of our movements and experiences. Practice is how we build endurance, strength, and stamina.
Some of our students recently competed in SkillsUSA competitions that required them to perform work-related tasks for eight full hours. While it was challenging, they were able to complete the tasks because they focused on action, or what they were doing, rather than the outcome.
Focusing on action allows learning experiences to accumulate and build upon each other. Focusing on action allows us to build endurance appropriately and enables us to manage stressful situations. Focusing on action allows us to develop the knowledge and skills that will produce solid outcomes.
We are nearing the end of the year and many students around William D. Ford Career-Technical Center will be tasked with culmination projects. As we approach final projects, take time to evaluate the assigned challenge, break the work into chunks, and focus on each task necessary to complete the project. This is the formula for successful outcomes.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College
Career and technical education prepares students for their next stage. As part of a process called Career Pathway Grants, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center is working with employer partners to identify credentials that are used to hire and promote individuals to high-skill, high-wage, in-demand occupations.
In the next six weeks, many William D. Ford Career-Technical Center students will take the exams necessary to earn selected credentials. If you have any questions about the requirements for the tests that will be given in a specific program, please reach out to the program instructor for additional information.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College
This week many William D. Ford Career-Technical Center students will take State assessments, including the SAT. These tests ask students to apply learned knowledge.
In its own way, career and technical education does exactly the same thing. Everyday, students at FordCTC apply math, language arts, and science to complete industry specific learning activities. Some of our students are striving for the highest levels of mastery. This weekend, 27 of our students will demonstrate practical application of knowledge by representing themselves and our school at the SkillsUSA State Level Competition. I am very excited for students who are competing this weekend.
While testing may not be as much fun as a weekend in Grand Rapids with teachers and peers, I know that students that attend FordCTC are well tooled to manage the tasks presented on the exams.
I wish all of you a wonderful testing week.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College
Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope that each of you found time to do something you enjoy.
Third Marking Period ends on Thursday. Use the next few days to make sure your class work is up to date.
Thank you for being so kind to the 4th grade classes that visited during the month of March. They can't wait to become students here in the future.
Have a great week.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College
Spring is here! Spring brings many opportunities for William D. Ford Career-Technical Center students to demonstrate their acquired knowledge, skills, and aptitudes.
FordCTC works with employers to identify credentials necessary to hire our students into high-skill, high wage, in-demand occupations. We have aligned our program standards and competencies to ensure student success in their chosen fields of study.
When we return from Spring Break, certification testing will begin. Please check with your teacher if you have any questions about available credentials.
I hope everyone finds Spring Break enjoyable.
With students in mind,
JaCinda Sumara
Principal, William D. Ford Career-Technical Center
Director, Career Technical Education and Early College