Manchester Weighs Specialized Certificate Program For High School

MANCHESTER, NJ — Manchester Township students could be offered a specialized certificate program would help them gain experience and give them a step up in competing for jobs and in their career path when they graduate high school.

The proposed program was presented at the March 17 Board of Education meeting.

Principal Dennis Adams and vice principal Sarah Thiffault said the program would be an extension of the business and music department academy programs that were introduced last year at Manchester Township High School It was created by chorus teacher Dwight Weaver and business teacher Nick Salvemini.

"Other subjects, like STEM and the arts, could be added as certificate programs in the future," officials said.

The certificate program "is designed to recognize student achievement in a selected elective course of study through a rigorous pathway of courses, projects, and presentations," Adams said. "It is our goal to provide students with a broad spectrum of experiences both in and out of the classroom. In doing so, students will be able to build career portfolios, network in their field of choice, build resumes, and make connections within the community."

Students who want to participate in the certificate program must complete an application/audition for entry and must acquire credits to fulfill the program needs.

Students must fulfill certificated program requirements (GPA, course work, volunteer, attendance, portfolio demonstration of skill mastery). There will also be specific extracurricular involvement. officials said.

At the end of the specialized course of study pathway, students can apply for certification if they have completed all pathway requirements.

Among the requirements, Thiffault said students would have to do a capstone project and culminating presentation to demonstrate mastery and successful completion of the pathway, a ruling that would be made by a panel of administrators, guidance counselors, teachers and community members, as well as professionals currently working in the field.

She said students would present to a panel that would decide whether the student in question has reached all the requirements. Adams said the panel would include administrators, guidance counselors, teachers and community members, as well as professionals currently working in the field.

It could additionally run with the district's structured learning experience, where students go out into the community and do internships.

“This gives our kids that edge when they leave here," Thiffault said. "They've already done these internships and they have these portfolios, so when they're in college or going into the workforce they already have something to present.”

Students who complete the certificate program would be recognized at senior awards night and graduation.

“What we want to do is to make sure our kids are career-ready when they leave here and have experiences beyond the classroom,” Adams said.

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