site assets. At the junior high, Roselle is building a dedicated esports room to seed a formal pathway in game strategy, shoutcasting, event management, and game development—an academic track that rides alongside a popular after-school program. Virtual reality kits, classroom drones, and Amazon Future Engineer coursework round out an ecosystem that privileges creation and analysis over passive consumption.“We’re teaching students to be makers, not just users,” Vilcean says. “And yes, that includes AI—used thoughtfully.” PATHWAYS THAT RESPOND TO STUDENTS AND THE REGIONAL ECONOMY Roselle’s career and technical education is built with both ears open—one to student interest and the other to labor market signals from the Roselle Chamber of Commerce and regional/ national partners. Culinary arts and computer science are established pathways. A health occupations track, once robust, has been paused for restructuring after interest waned, a decision made with candor about what students want and where the jobs are moving. In its place, the district is developing a digital media pathway that blends journalism, production, social media strategy, and analytics. “Our kids are gravitating to the media-tech nexus,” Vilcean explains.“We’re responding with coursework that is rigorous, employable, and creative.” Partnerships give those pathways altitude. Roselle 312 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
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