Clay Schools Prepare Plans For CTE Facility

Clay County Schools working with an architect to configure plans for its new career education facility at Clay County High.

Board of Education Chair Benji Bailey said they are finalizing a facility blueprint and will present it to the state fire marshal for approval. Upon approval, the school system will then bid out the project. Bailey said the facility would help expand the CTE programs within the school system.

“It will be a multifunctional building hopefully with a classroom budget permitting,” Bailey said. “That we can just have more room essentially for our students that participate in CTE programs in a variety of areas. Hopefully, going forward it will give us the opportunity to offer more  CTE Programs.”

Bailey said the facility will be built with grant funding the school system has received. Bailey said the school system is hoping to bid the project sometime in September.

“Any construction project takes time,” Bailey said. “It will be another project while school is going on. It won’t interfere as much with building activities at the current high school but it will still be on campus. Ideally, if we could get everything rolling and bid, and construction started, this is probably a little optimistic but if we could have that facility up and running by next fall or next Christmas that would be ideal.”

Bailey said that CTE programs have had major support from the state. Bailey said CTE programs have had a positive impact on Clay County.

“Especially in a small community like Celina and like Clay County it helps students prepare our students for the workforce,” Bailey said. “So when they start a new job when they are out of high school or maybe even just a summer job it helps them be more prepared when they get there. That is a benefit for not only our students but that helps our community and our employers as well.”