In more good news for #Middletown High, the Rhode Island Department of Education approves the Valley Road school's Certified Nursing Assistant program. Thanks to RIDE for its continued support of our CTE efforts to prepare our students for the future.
CAREER & TECHNICAL PROGRAM ON THE RISE AT MHS
MIDDLETOWN, RI (JANUARY 28, 2026) – The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) had good news recently for the Career & Technical Education (CTE) program at Middletown High.
According to a Jan. 12 memo from Drew Echelson, the Valley Road school’s Certified Nursing Assistant program has been fully approved by the state. Echelson is RIDE’s Deputy Commissioner for Systems Transformation.
Echelson wrote that means the program is eligible for outside funding and can accept students from other districts, as long as applicable regulations and rules are followed.
Education officials were thrilled with the announcement, saying it helped add even more momentum behind the district’s CTE offerings.
“The pathways are an opportunity for students to cluster classes by topic and give more personalized learning in an area of interest,” MHS Principal Donna Sweet said. “This experience can help them make informed decisions about what they may, or may not, want to pursue after graduation.
“A true pathway also provides 80 hours of professional learning outside of MHS applicable in the real-world experience. Additionally, it provides us the opportunity to expand to a recruitable pathway if the topic area is in a high-demand, high-wage sector. I know how much work has gone into making our CTE program what it is today. It’s been embraced by our teachers and our students and become an integral part of our school.”
School Committee Chairperson Greg Huet applauded the district, its teachers and students for the work with the CNA program — and CTE overall.
“CTE programs have a significant impact on every enrolled student,” Huet said. “These programs not only prepare students for future vocations; they provide a window for all students to explore areas of interest that would not otherwise be possible. I am extremely proud of our school district and our district staff and teachers for pursuing these opportunities for our students.”
Currently, there are about 215 students enrolled in courses that could lead to their Pathway endorsement should they complete all components — or more than 40 percent of all MHS students. That includes three courses beyond graduation requirements, one being an accelerated course, 80-hours of work-based learning and tied to a Senior Capstone project.
The school offers three different Career Pathway Academies — Health Career Academy, Computer Science Academy and Pre-Engineering Academy.
Within those academies, Middletown High has a specific CNA CTE under Health Careers and the school was working to get a Sports Medicine program approved for next year.
Within the Pre-Engineering program, school officials said the district was in the process of securing approval of a manufacturing program next year, and have developed a local pathway in the arts with recently added screen printing classes.
The school has also added classes to the Program of Studies that support a Communications Pathway.
Sweet said the CTE Pathways gave students a chance to test out different careers without a huge investment of time or money.
“Students can try any courses at the introductory level in our CTE programs and if it’s not for them, then they can try another,” Sweet said. “We recently had students audit their own transcripts and we were surprised at how many students naturally found an area of interest that they have tied their time to.
“Now, we are encouraging them to complete the 80 hours of work-based learning and tie it to their Senior Capstone to earn the RIDE credential. We highlight this accomplishment on their transcript so it is visible to potential colleges.”
“It would be included in their resume if they are career bound. It helps to give students a purpose, a self-directed voice in their learning. It also helps to bridge relationships with community partners as students seek to earn their Work-Based Learning (WBL) and we hope to help advance that to a robust internship program, using part of the school day, for credit to enhance the real-world experience.”
Superintendent Billy Niemeyer said like all its programs, the district was constantly reviewing CTE, what’s working and where improvements were possible.
“We are continuously working to expand options for Middletown students, as well as students from outside our district,” Niemeyer said. “We want to have robust offerings that are practical and applicable in the real world for our graduates. We want all MHS students to leave with a diploma built from meaningful educational experiences that prepare them for college or a career. We have to offer programming that supports both post secondary options. Pathways are a great way to do that.”
For more information about Career Pathways, visit https://www.mpsri.net/o/mhs/page/pathway-programs online.
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-CTE
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
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401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.gov