STRONG — Mt. Abram High School students can browse a buffet of career options that Career Coordinator Steve Mitman presented to directors with an overview on Thursday night of Mt. Blue School District’s Farmington-based career and technical education classes.  

The Foster Technology Center, one of Maine’s 27 CTE centers, serving 8,000 students, accepted 40 juniors and seniors into its 2013-14 classes. Among the 17 specialized classes, students can study composite technology, firefighting, digital media, biotechnology, commercial arts and building trades.  

Surfboards are made with composite technology, Mitman said, and many career options in all areas can lead to lucrative employment and opportunities for future entrepreneurs.

“Culinary arts is an amazing program,” he said. “Another great program teaches a lot of beginning skills in early childhood occupations.”

Students who want to enter Foster Tech programs must apply and may be asked to attend an interview with instructors. Mt. Abram has spots reserved for a fixed number of students each year, Mitman said, and the process is competitive.  

Missing a day is like missing three Mt. Abram High School days, he said, because of the amount of work involved. Foster Tech teachers and staff require good attendance records and offer college credit for some classes. Two years ago, he said, Mt. Abram senior Delani Littlefield graduated with 16 college credits, which is the equivalent of a semester at college that her parents didn’t have to pay for.  

Foster Tech Director Glenn Kapiloff said classes in pre-engineering, computer-aided drafting, law enforcement, plumbing and electrical wiring are possible offerings for Foster Tech’s curriculum, but expansion depends on funding.

In other business, Brian Twitchell, who teaches mathematics classes, offered a presentation on his collaboration with schools in Cairo, Egypt. He said Maine’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programs, combined with his Math Connections consulting work, enables him to meet with the students half a world away, in a different time zone, to teach mathematical problem-solving skills.

Program Coordinator Sandra Schneipp said nine district teachers are endorsed at the state level to offer gifted and talented program instruction in the district. Program funding at the state level is distributed as part of those teachers’ salaries, although the students identified may not be in their classes.

Schneipp may also contract with individuals outside the school system as consultants to work with students. She said all students in the gifted and talented program have structured but flexible individual programs focused on developing their abilities. Funding isn’t based on the number of students. State funding is based on the program’s design, and if the district doesn’t offer instruction, Schneipp and teachers must find resources.

“The money comes to us by how we have chosen to provide for these kids,” Schneipp said.

Directors also reviewed and approved the tuition agreement with Carrabassett Valley that determines the tuition, special education and transportation costs. The agreement will be reviewed annually.

Carrabassett Valley has offered to contribute $7,000 for a volunteer coordinator at Kingfield Elementary School but would require the district to match that amount. The rationale for selecting that school, Stevens said, is because most of the town’s students attend that elementary school. Directors agreed they would consider a financial commitment if it involved the entire district.