Isle of Wight County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim Thornton: fieldhouse

In less than seven days, the school division was involved in two significant events that demonstrate our commitment to preparing students for a successful future.

On Wednesday, we officially opened the Career Building at Smithfield High School. The heavily renovated facility is home to five of our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, including welding, nursing, culinary arts, manufacturing and engineering. Manufacturing and engineering have access to a MakerSpace area, equipped with 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters, and numerous other devices that allow students to take an idea from concept to finished product. Engineering also incorporates mechatronics into the curriculum, providing students with hands-on learning for mechanical, electrical and computer systems. The nursing space is designed as a mock medical facility, complete with beds, mannequins, privacy curtains, diagnostic equipment, and a nurses' station. Our welding lab uses industry standard equipment to prepare students to be highly qualified candidates for employment. The culinary arts program is soaring to new heights with a commercial kitchen and student-run restaurant.

I felt like a proud parent as I surveyed each room on our tour of the building. There were looks of amazement from our guests and faces full of joy and confidence from our students. Students, not teachers, spoke to the visitors about their programs, their spaces, and the skills they are developing. It gave me goose bumps to see the students not just working in their areas, but comfortably sharing their story with all the guests on hand. They are mastering those 5 Cs (communication, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, citizenship) that they need to be successful in any path they choose.

The other event occurred on March 1 and, while it didn't receive the same level of coverage as the ribbon cutting on Wednesday, I consider it equally significant. Last Friday, the Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Betting Ring, visited our Land Lab to see how we are teaching Ag through authentic learning experiences. She was impressed with new barn and classroom as well as the variety of animals and plants located at the farm. But she was most impressed with the students. They showed her around and explained to her what they've learned by being part of the program. It was all student driven. She was not there to celebrate the opening of a facility, but rather the way we are providing our students with real-world learning opportunities. This was an important part of the redesign of our CTE programs. Having leaders at the state level acknowledge our work and consider it a model for other programs only reaffirms our mission.

Both events would not have been possible without the support of several key groups and organizations. We are grateful to Smithfield Foods and CEO Ken Sullivan, and the Smithfield Foundation, for donating $3million to establish the Smithfield Legacy project. The project supports our commitment to preparing students to be college, career and life ready. The Legacy Project funded the construction of a dedicated facility for JROTC, and the renovation and installation of a state-of-the-art MakerSpace facility in the Career Building, and will support a global logistics program slated for 2020. We also appreciate the financial commitment from the Isle of Wight Board of Supervisors, who believed in our vision and understood the importance of providing opportunities for all of our students, not just those going to college after high school. Because of the support of our School Board, the Board of Supervisors, the business community, and Smithfield Foods, our students will be sought-after candidates for high skill, high wage, high demand jobs.

I've included a round-up of media coverage from both events. I'm also posting a few pictures below. The images capture the remarkable accomplishments we had only envisioned a few years ago. While the journey isn't over, I know that the pathways we are creating will equip our students with the skills needed for a successful future.

Links to the Career Building Grand Opening

WAVY News 10: State-of-the-Art Career Center Unveiled at Smithfield High

Daily Press Video: Smithfield High Vocational Training

Daily Press: Smithfield High's New Career Facility Includes Restaurant and MakerSpace

WVEC 13 News Now: Smithfield High School Opens New Career Center

Suffolk News Herald: New Career Building Unveiled at SHS

Global News Wire: Smithfield Foods Unveils New Career Building at Smithfield High School

Links to the Secretary of Agriculture's Visit to the IWCS Land Lab

Virginian Pilot: Isle of Wight's Student-Run Farm Welcomes State Agriculture and Forestry Secretary

Daily Press Video: Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring Visits Isle of Wight's Student Farm

Check out our Facebook and Twitter feeds for more pictures from both events.

"Whatever good things we build end up building us."--Jim Rohn
I saw this quote and realized how appropriate it would be for my blog. On October 4 we held a ribbon cutting ceremony for our new JROTC Fieldhouse at Smithfield High School. The building will serve as the first dedicated facility specifically for the JROTC program. The previous location for the program was cramped and supplies were stored in various areas throughout the school. In addition, cadets were practicing formations and drills outside in a parking area, or in hallways during bad weather. The battalion now has a beautiful facility with space for classrooms, storage and drill practice. The new structure was made possible by the Smithfield Foods Legacy Project, a $3 million donation to Isle of Wight County Schools announced in 2017 to fund an innovative and multifaceted educational program.

In the spring of 2018, we opened a brand new facility at Windsor High School to house the Building Trades program. The previous space did not have sufficient room to work on larger-scale projects. The new space allows students to gain the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in careers related to building construction.

A few weeks ago, we opened a new athletic fieldhouse at Smithfield High School, near Packer Stadium. The building is equipped with team locker rooms and a weight room. It also has public restrooms for use during sporting events. The facility is a welcome addition to the athletic program at SHS.

The journey to these finished projects wasn't without bumps along the way, which is not uncommon with new construction. Delays due to weather, changes that arose during the project, and inconveniences faced by students, parents and staff have been the painful part of the process. The end result represents a commitment to our students to provide them with opportunities, and spaces, to discover their unique gifts and talents--a dedicated space for the JROTC program, a fieldhouse for student athletes, and an up-to-date classroom for building trades. It is exciting to see the progress we are making and to think about the benefit these facilities will have for our students. There are still more to come with new spaces for Culinary Arts, Nursing and Manufacturing. Stay tuned for highlights about those spaces in a future blog. Please scroll down to see pictures of the JROTC building, the Building Trades lab and the Athletic Fieldhouse.

JROTC Ribbon Cutting Ceremony