The language is straightforward, the promise ambitious, and the result is a system that educates the whole child so that, as Dr. Kieschnick puts it, graduates “become good citizens and can make a good living in whatever field they choose.” ROOTED IN A BLUE-COLLAR COMMUNITY Nederland is part of a region where refining, construction, and engineering are part of daily life. Dr. Kieschnick describes the area as a place with “a lot of refineries,” which connects naturally to “construction jobs, engineering jobs, and instrumentation jobs.” Families expect the district to honor those realities while keeping doors open to higher education. He says the community “respects that we prepare students for the workforce or for college” and appreciates that graduates are ready to contribute locally and beyond. The district is more than an employer. It mirrors the people it serves. That shared identity explains why the district’s priorities receive consistent support at the ballot box and in industry boardrooms. The alignment is cultivated through conversation, transparency, and a focus on results that matter to families. BUILDING THE PATHWAY EARLY Career and Technical Education Director Bryan Spell begins describing the pipeline in middle school. He explains that eighth graders can earn high school credit in Robotics I, which “builds that STEM pathway” into high school engineering courses. While robotics appears as early as seventh grade, “the bulk of engineering instruction begins in ninth grade” with courses such as Principles of Engineering and AutoCAD. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Steven Beagle expands on the use of technology, noting that every student has access to a Chromebook or Windows-based device. The district, he says, “uses technology as an accelerator for learning, not a replacement.” He points to the transition to TI Inspire calculators, which provide “features and capabilities that are a tremendous asset” for students exploring concepts interactively. 307 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 NEDERLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
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