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Career Development Department and school updates – D215 Board highlights

BY QUINTON R. ARTHUR

LANSING, Ill. (January 26, 2023) – The Career Development Department showcased its work during Thornton Fractional District 215’s Board meeting held on Tuesday, January 24.

Career Development

Career Development, one of the newest departments in District 215,  presented highlights from the last year.

According to the department’s webpage, the mission of Career Development is to provide opportunities for District 215 students to be engaged in career preparation and development, to attain hands-on training in high skill, high demand areas of our labor market, and for students to achieve employability in their preferred career pathways.

The department has hosted various programming and events to get students on career pathways. Some of them include the Future Teacher Summer Academy, The Collision Repair Program’s Car Show, and the establishment of Lavish Cosmetology and Barbering studio.

The department has also partnered with several local colleges for their Dual Credit Articulation program. Currently, students can take classes and earn college credits for Accounting, Health, and Foundations to Teaching.

Students can use the credits to get a head start on post-secondary education, leading them to get in their career faster.

“The true measurement of our dual credit program is making sure the students obtain the college credits,” said Robinzine.

The administration team consists of Assistant Superintendent of Career Development, John Robinzine; Director of Career & Technical Education, Ricardo Johnson; Career Development Coordinator and Counselor, Wendy Bivins; and the newly hired Executive Assistant for Career Development, Cassandra Dorsey.

School updates

During the holidays, TF Center for Alternative Learning students made 50 handmade holiday cards that were delivered to St. Jude. The automotive club delivered several boxes of toys to the VFW for their toy drive. One of the teachers received a grant from DonorsChoose and has received shipments of hygiene products students can grab when in need.

The TF North boys’ basketball team current record is 15-3 and they are currently undefeated in the conference they are playing in. The dance team won their conference championship. The speech team placed second during a tournament in Downers Grove with just seven students, which was amazing, according to TFN Principal Brian Rucinski.

As of earlier this week, the TF South girls’ basketball team had tied the school record for the most wins in 22 games. Senior Cortez Jones won the South Suburban Conference meet on January 21. Varsity Cheerleading head coach Shannon Sinde won the South Suburban Conference coach of the year.

TF South was approached by the Village of Lansing to participate in a national choral festival. The festival will be held at the Fox Pointe venue. As the event is planned, more details will be available.

Other Agenda Items

  • Acceptance of the FY2021/22 audited financial statements
  • Approval of the TF South auditorium renovation contract
  • Approval of the purchase of pickup trucks for North and South
  • Approval of the purchase and implementation of Schoology Learning Management System

The District 215 Board meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The next meeting will be held on February 28, 2023, at 1605 Wentworth Avenue in Calumet City.

Quinton R. Arthur
Quinton R. Arthur
Quinton received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Northern Illinois University and his Master of Science in Journalism from Roosevelt University. In addition to reporting for The Lansing Journal and the Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle, he volunteers with 100 Black Men of Chicago, Metropolitan Board of the Chicago Urban League, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Burst Into Books, and various other organizations. A south suburban resident since 2004, Quinton is passionate about telling the unsung stories of the community.