P-TECH Students Overjoyed with In-person Instruction
Students enrolled in Oswego County Pathways in Technology Early College High School have been ecstatic to begin the 2020-2021 school year with five days of in-person instruction each week.
Since the coronavirus pandemic closed school buildings for the health and safety of all, P-TECH Principal Brian Heffron said the technology-focused program had afforded an abundance of virtual learning experiences before the program’s in-person instruction was re-instated.
Throughout the summer months, students in the new cohort virtually participated in P-TECH’s jump start and bridge programs to get them ready for dual-level educational experiences. P-TECH’s curriculum is expedited to include college-level courses for the young high school students.
“We found students to be very engaged, and our teachers created a very diverse program with a lot of breakout sessions,” Heffron said. “We had a very active summer, and while they were virtual, they didn’t stop.”
During the summer, both supply packages and care items were delivered to new P-TECH students so they would feel welcomed and relaxed with their increased educational responsibilities. Heffron said students have been excited and engaged with group, virtual projects, independent learning, connections and mentoring with industry partners, but nearly nothing else has compared to the return of in-person learning for the hands-on students.
“We can still work on projects without close contact,” he said. “I have seen more motivation; there’s a hunger to continue doing what we’re doing here.”
Mentoring sessions with industry partners will continue, and students will have the opportunity to participate in industry challenges where they will have to design, revise and perfect a project. The students this year, he said, have a drive for learning and both they and the P-TECH staff are committed to remaining safe so in-person instruction may continue.
Students who successfully complete the P-TECH program will earn both a Regent’s diploma and an associate’s degree in applied science at no cost to their families. For more information about P-TECH, visit CiTiboces.org/PTECH.
P-TECH students are excited to experience in-person instruction again, five days per week, since the 2020-2021 school year began.