Winchester, founded in 1818 by Quaker settlers and once a stop on the Underground Railroad, has long valued educational opportunity.Today, that heritage manifests in a comprehensive early college program that goes far beyond traditional college prep. Abraham explains the district’s distinctive approach: “It’s not just focused on four-year kids going to four year institutions, but that’s actually a piece of it.A lot of those dual credit courses are in welding, they’re in precision machining, they’re in family and consumer sciences, they’re in agriculture.” Students can earn technical certificates from Ivy Tech Community College alongside their diplomas, positioning them for immediate employment or further education. The model addresses a fundamental challenge in rural America: creating economic mobility without requiring families to leave their communities. P-TECH: REIMAGINING SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS The district’s most transformative initiative is the P-TECH program, housed in a purpose-built 4,200 square foot facility constructed by Smarrelli Construction, which operates on a different educational model entirely. Abraham describes the shift: “Kids that traditionally do not perform well in high school can apply for our P-Tech program where those kids get a technical certificate from Ivy Tech in either welding, precision machining or agriculture.” What distinguishes P-TECH from remedial programming is its integration with local industry. Students work directly with 51 business partners. “The industry partners come in and present an issue that they’ve had in their local industry or business,” Abraham explains. “The kids spend a couple weeks trying to solve that problem and creating a presentation to present to that industry partner. Students then refine their solutions and deliver formal presentations, receiving immediate feedback from executives and managers who may become future employers.” TOA Winchester LLC, a stamping plant, exemplifies this partnership model. The company sources its parts-transport carts from Falcon Industries, a student-run business associated with the welding and precision machining programs. Other partners include Whisenhunt Construction, Astral (a metal casket manufacturer in nearby Lynn), Culy Contracting, and Cobalt Civil. Kristen Weigand, the district’s workplace learning coordinator, manages these relationships across all grade levels, ensuring continuity from kindergarten through graduation. THE RURAL ALLIANCE ZONE AND CAREER TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE Traditional school district boundaries often limit what small rural systems can offer students. Randolph Central solved this constraint through Rural Alliance Zone 32. Abraham outlines the arrangement: “We’re part of the Rural Alliance Zone 32, so now we share 295 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 01 RANDOLPH CENTRAL SCHOOL CORPORATION
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