Dauphin County Technical School

As we settle into the 2025–26 school year, I feel energized. Over the past few weeks, our school has come alive with a renewed sense of purpose, pride, and possibility — and it’s clear that our students, staff, and community are ready to make this year our best yet.

We kicked off the year with a warm Wolverine Welcome for our 9th graders, helping them transition into our school family with confidence and excitement. Early feedback has been highly positive. This class is already impressing us with their enthusiasm and potential. Our Freshman Rotation is now in full swing, giving students exposure to every program of study before selecting their career pathway. This is one of the most important experiences we offer, and it’s been inspiring to watch our new students dive in.

Our career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) are also off to a fantastic start. SkillsUSA, HOSA, FBLA, and FFA have launched their chapters and are already planning events, fundraisers, and competitions. Four Diamonds MiniTHON is officially back, our Robotics team is preparing for its first competition of the season, and our Archery club is gearing up for a promising second year. These extracurriculars build leadership, teamwork, and pride. All core pieces of the Wolverine Way.

We also paused to reflect and remember on September 11th, honoring the lives lost and the heroes who responded. A special thank you to Mr. Stein and his EPS students for contributing to our schoolwide remembrance efforts. The entire class participated in a hill climb representing the 110 floors of the World Trade Center Towers. It was meaningful and humbling to see our students take this moment seriously and respectfully.

Meanwhile, our DCTS Education Foundation and Alumni Association are working hand-in-hand to create new opportunities and support systems for our students and graduates. From scholarships to equipment donations, their behind-the-scenes work continues to make a real difference in our school’s future. We are actively seeking new members to join both groups, and we welcome any parents, alumni, or community partners who want to get involved and help shape the future of DCTS.

And, in a particularly exciting highlight, I was recently invited to appear on the “This and That” podcast to share our school’s story and vision. The conversation opened the door for future opportunities to showcase DCTS to a wider audience. Sharing more of our story with the community, you can see the extraordinary work happening here every day. If you want to watch: This & That Podcast

The energy, collaboration, and optimism I see across our campus right now are remarkable. Let’s carry this momentum forward as we continue to build something special at Dauphin County Technical School – a place where the Five Keys to Success guide everything we do: Work Ethic, Leadership, Teamwork, Respect, and Pride.

Here’s to an unforgettable year ahead.

Jason Civitello
Administrative Director
Dauphin County Technical School

9th Grade Exploratory Rotation: Freshmen Discover Their Career Pathways

The school year is off to an exciting start for our freshmen as they take part in the 9th Grade Exploratory Rotation. Every year, this unique experience lets each freshman explore all 24 Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs for a full day before choosing their permanent pathway.

Over the past few weeks, students have started their rotations through classrooms and labs in areas like Construction & Manufacturing, Visual Arts & Information Technology, Health Sciences & Public Services, and Transportation. In each rotation, they take part in hands-on activities, such as wiring a switch to a light fixture, coding and designing a web page, cooking in a commercial kitchen, and painting automotive hood panels. These experiences help students test their skills, discover new interests, and begin imagining their future careers.

The 9th-grade Exploratory Rotation isn't just about technical skills. It also emphasizes the values of the Wolverine Way and the Five Keys to Success: Teamwork, Respect, Leadership, Work Ethic, and Pride. Instructors help students understand that success in CTE programs, and in life, comes from combining personal responsibility with college and career-ready training.

By the end of the rotation, students will rank their top five program choices and officially start their CTE journey when they are placed into their permanent program at the beginning of November. For many, this moment marks the start of a path leading to college, apprenticeships, the military, and/or the workforce.

We are proud of how our freshmen have embraced this experience with energy and curiosity. Many have told me they’ve discovered new career interests they hadn’t known about before! The Freshman Exploratory Rotation is a fundamental part of our mission: to empower students to explore career opportunities, work hard, and prepare for a successful future.

Claire Dacko

Assistant Administrative Director

Dauphin County Technical School

The DCTS Education Foundation is an incredible organization supporting our students through scholarships and unique opportunities to enhance their educational experience.

The Foundation actively seeks new members to join its mission of making a difference. Recently, we’ve welcomed two student members, a junior and a senior—who bring valuable perspectives and energy to the team.

We’re always looking for alumni and community members to join the Foundation and contribute to the success of future Wolverines. Together, we can continue to provide life-changing opportunities for our students and build a stronger community.

Fore more information visit www.dcts.foundation

Dauphin County Technical School will be taking advantage of our Flexible Instructional Day, (FID), program as outlined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for inclement weather days. Please note that the district can only use up to five FIDs for the 2024-2025 school year.

Also, please note that not every inclement weather day may be used as a FID. In other words, we may still cancel school days during inclement weather, and we would need to make those days up on the school calendar.

Student participation is required for a successful inclement weather FID. By continuing education during these weather emergencies, it will allow us to preserve our vacation days as scheduled while keeping instruction moving forward.

Teachers will be conducting the day using an abbreviated schedule that will be shared by your building principal. Additionally, teachers and support staff will be available throughout the school day for assistance. Please reach out to your teachers and counselors with any questions you may have. Families will receive additional instructions from the building principal regarding individual school schedules.

Access the complete school calendar using this link:

https://dcts.org/wp-content/uploads/Final-2025-26-School-Calendar-1.pdf

The start of a new school year also means new schedules for Adult & Continuing Education at DCTS. Here are some highlights of activities over the Summer.

Two Nurse Aide Certification classes successfully graduated from our summer sessions. We’re excited to welcome Mary Ellen Roberts, RN, as our newest instructor. She launched her first evening class on August 18, followed by a daytime class that began on August 25—just ahead of the arrival of our new high school students.

We’re proud to share that three 2025 DCTS graduates—Chayse Angelo, Caden Slesser, and Jacob Smith—completed driver training and earned their Commercial Driver’s Licenses over the summer.

In support of our local workforce, DCTS-ACE partnered with Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (Steelton, PA) to offer a 200-hour welding course for employees affected by the plant’s closure on June 30, 2025. Twelve displaced workers began the intensive 12-week evening program on September 8 and will complete their training for job placement before Thanksgiving.

Motorcycle safety training continued throughout the summer and will remain available during the 2025–2026 school year on DCTS property.

On August 2, Susquehanna Service Dogs held their annual graduation ceremony in our auditorium—a heartwarming event where trained service dogs were officially matched with their new owners.

Also in August, the United Everest Taekwondo Academy hosted a spirited tournament in the DCTS gymnasium. The event drew a large crowd of participants and supporters, with many contestants taking home trophies for their achievements.

In September, the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) launched their evening classes at DCTS for individuals enrolled in the 4-year electrical apprenticeship program.

Upcoming Adult & Continuing Education Classes

These are a few of the upcoming programs we’re pleased to offer our adult learners and community partners:

• Automotive Safety Inspection Certification
  September 15 & October 6 – Instructor: Mark Trimmer
• Automotive Emissions Inspection Certification
  September 23 & October 21 – Instructor: Marty Christian
• 200-hour Property Essentials
  Starts September 29 – Various Instructors
• 200-hour Automotive Essentials
  Starts October 8 – Instructor: Nate Eck
• Forklift Certification
  September 17 – Instructor: Brian Diehl
• Nurse Aide Certification Training
  October 14 (AM) & October 27 (PM) – Various Instructors

For more details and registration, please visit our website.