Vista Ridge High School Opens CTE Wing
On a warm and breezy October afternoon, Vista Ridge High School officially opened the doors to a fresh approach to modern high school instruction.
“We needed better options for two-thirds of our students who are not going on to earn a four-year degree,” said D49 Superintendent Peter Hilts. “This wing is a testament to our commitment to make sure that we have all students covered when we talk about launching students to success.”
The Career Technical Education (CTE) wing, now complete, is a 32,000 square foot expansion of VRHS, extending the south perimeter of the existing campus. In 18 new classrooms that make up the CTE wing, VRHS educators will offer courses that specialize in applied learning for students interested in contemporary career opportunities and those considering a pathway other than college after graduation.
“Our teachers designed this. They talked about what would work in their space, what would be practical for hands-on learning for their students,” said Becki Sims, VRHS assistant principal. “I want to thank our CTE teachers for being a part of this every step of the way.”
Sims and Hilts accompanied a small group of speakers at a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of the CTE wing. The celebration marked the conclusion of more than a year of work by NUNN Construction working from plans by Hollis and Miller, the architect firm which designed the new learning space.
“This is a great day for us in the POWER Zone because we are about pathways. We take pride in offering a strong portfolio of schools in D49, and this adds to that– For students across the district and for students across the region. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this possible,” said Theresa Ritz, POWER Zone superintendent.
At the conclusion of the ribbon cutting ceremony, VRHS invited guests to tour the new learning spaces which will soon welcome students carving out a pathway to success at Vista Ridge High School.
“The flexibility and the forethought that’s gone into this building is amazing,” remarked Tom Payne, VRHS’ principal. “We are just starting the journey here.”