PBTCC looks to future with growth in mind

The Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center expects growth over the coming years with additional schools and potential new programs.

The PBTCC saw a slight decrease in participants for the 2019-20 school year, 907 compared to 949 the year prior. However, Director Charles Kinsey said, he expects that number to increase next year.

Part of the expected increase is because Dexter School District and Westwood Baptist Academy will send students to the school starting in fall.

Kinsey said those will bring 39 new students collectively and a “major difference in funding for our school, as well as a major difference in tuition.”

“We’re excited about those schools and looking forward to a long-term collaboration with those schools,” said Kinsey, who recently provided an update for school board members on several future plans at the campus.

The PBTCC started a new program this school year, Project Lead the Way — Computer Science, which had 15 students for its first year. The school enrolled 24 in the program for this coming year, according to board documents.

Kinsey said the program was well received and students are interested in it. The course teaches students programming languages, coding and putting computers together. Students from the course developed a text-based 911 app this year as a community service project.

Considering the success PLTW saw and a building opening up for the PBTCC as the graduation center moves to the Mark Twain campus, Kinsey said, he wants to challenge the school board to have a growth mindset.

Every two or three years, he said, he’d like to approach the board members asking for a new program.

“As we go forward, the industries are going to continue to change over the next 10 years,” he said. “We need to be proactive.”

Some programs discussed in recent years, according to board documents, include broadcasting, barbering and esthetics.

The PBTCC hosted its inaugural car show this year, which had more than 700 visitors, Kinsey said.

He said with COVID-19 likely still a concern in fall, he may consider restructuring the event or postponing it for a year.

Students attended a hiring event with 12 local employers in attendance, Kinsey said. While there, more than 70 students had interviews with the employers.

Nobody specifically was hired that day, Kinsey said, but several had second interviews. Discussions on how to improve the event are ongoing.

The school received multiple grants this year for professional development and upgrading equipment.

Kinsey said he plans to apply for additional grants this coming year to add a handicap-accessible ramp to the main building and buy a welding ventilation system.

He also brought up moving the culinary arts class to the main campus, which is behind PBHS, to stop bussing and add students to the morning class more efficiently. That would also mean moving the Mules Cafe from the Central Office building where it currently operates.

“Those are the big, long-term vision for the things that we’re going to need. Having said that, COVID-19 is going to make our world completely different next year,” Kinsey said.

PBTCC courses are all hands on, he explained, which makes things more complicated. Plus, students from 10 different schools come to the campus for classes.

Kinsey said he and teachers are working on a plan to try to address offering digital hands-on should they need to next school year.