CTE Monthly Newsletter

The final approval by the Rhode Island Department of Education for the Biomedical Science pathway at SHS is just about ready for submission. At this time, our teachers are working hard to become fully trained in implementing the Project Lead the Way curriculum. Students enrolled in PLTW Human Body Systems are encouraged to apply to the pathway if they are interested in the field of Biomedicine. We are also accepting applications for students within our district and students who live outside of our district. Click this link to apply!

For more information about the program requirements, visit our website or click this link to see the program description and course requirements.

Mr. Spring's Law II students began working on their first mock trials of the school year and will perform and compete in front of their peers in early October in the little theater courtroom. The Law and Public Safety Pathway will also have community leaders visiting the classroom to speak with students in Mr. Spring’s Law I and II courses starting in mid-October. The attorneys who speak to the classes were former students of Smithfield High School.

Mrs. Barletta's Engineering Essentials students had a chance to complete many Instant Challenges and short problem-solving tasks that get them working with a group to design solutions. Their first Instant Challenge allowed them to experience working through the design process—from brainstorming an initial solution to testing a final design. Their initial task:

Imagine you need to transport supplies to a group of people trapped after a natural disaster. You can see them, but you can’t reach them. The ground is unstable, and downed trees and debris block your path. You've tried to reach across, but there is no way through. You’ll need a device to move the supplies over the three feet that separate you and the people who need your help.

The students worked in teams with limited supplies and under a time constraint of a total of 25 minutes. These were the student's prototypes forwarded below. The students used 20 beads as their "supplies" that they needed to get over the debris (which was marked by tape) within one minute. Awesome work!

Gabby is a member of the Business and Finance pathway and aspires to work in Marketing. She plans on applying to and attending a 4-year college and major in Business and Marketing upon graduation. She completed all of her pathway requirements during her junior year, including her work-based learning hours. Gabby completed her WBL at a local apple orchard and learned the fundamentals of business operations and marketing. Congratulations on a job well done.

Congratulations Caroline Barletta for completing her first Project Lead the Way course! She has been working hard to implement her new knowledge with her Engineering students.

Students interested in Pre-Engineering, now have the option to select a track specialization. Students interested in solving real-world challenges related to clean drinking water, a stable food supply, and renewable energy are encouraged to choose the Pre-Engineering & Design (STEM) track. Students interested in learning the fundamentals of building design, site design, and development are encouraged to select the Industrial Engineering & Manufacturing track. Click here if you would like to apply!

The Career and Technical Program at SHS is always looking for new business and industry partners to help support our students. If you're interested in partnering up, please reach out. We would love to hear from you or you can fill out this Google Form expressing your interest.

Rhode Island CTE Fact sheet (released June 2025)

Students who need to complete their 80 hours of WBL, can complete their hours with the Smithfield Police Department. The Explorers program will be starting October 8 from 6 to 730 at the Smithfield Police Department.

Students can search for WBL placements through the Rhode Island Experiential Learning Navigator, which is a site where students browse opportunities by grade level, opportunity type, industry, and location.

Students in one of our CTE pathway programs are required to complete 80 hours of work-based learning by March of their senior year. These hours must be completed in a field related to their CTE pathway. WBL hours can be arranged within a business organization, an independent contractor, a community or non-profit organization, or even within the school district. Students must submit a work-based learning form to the CTE advisor prior to beginning their hours. Hours must be logged using the WBL google doc. Upon completion of their hours, students must submit the WBL hours verification form. These documents can be found on our website.

Ms. Briggs and her culinary students will be selling pre-made pizza kits one Friday each. Scan the QR code to place your order for October!

Contact Information

Phone: 401-949-2050 ex 2313

Email: kluongo@smithfield-ps.org
Website: www.shsri.org