provide genuine educational benefit, ensuring the district remains a thoughtful and secure adopter of emerging technologies. THE DEN CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTER The most tangible manifestation of Montgomery ISD’s strategic direction is The DEN (Discover, Explore, Navigate)) Career and Technical Education Center. This state-of-the-art facility is a direct response to community demand, born from the 2021 strategic plan.“Our community felt like we had really good CTE opportunities for kids, but in our strategic planning, our stakeholders really pushed the district towards thinking, how can we go to that next level of being great?” explains Chief of Staff Justin Marino. This vision culminated in a bond steering committee, which focused heavily on CTE and ultimately led to a successful voter-approved bond. “The CTE Center was really sold as the future crown jewel of the community,” says Marino, culminating in a four-year journey from concept to its grand opening in August 2025. The DEN represents a quantum leap from traditional vocational programs. It houses 13 of the state’s 14 career clusters in industry-standard environments. “This new facility has removed the ceiling on our career and technology education programs. Culinary arts, for example, was a program we offered, but now they are learning in a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen that supports a student-led cafe that is open to the public.. c,” Dr. Ruffin notes of the transformation. Pathways include manufacturing, welding, automotive, cosmetology, engineering, robotics, AV production, construction science, law enforcement, culinary, and health sciences, where students can earn EMT and certified medical assistant certifications. The DEN delivers a powerful, dual-purpose value SECURE. RELIABLE. SMART. Faster Speeds. Smarter Connections. midsouthfiber.com 291 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 MONTGOMERY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
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