WHAT’S HAPPENING AT NCTC?

Hello, NCTC community!

There’s a lot to be proud of at the tech center over the past two weeks! Students have completed workplace safety training, submitted a film to a local festival, brought in a thousand pounds of vegetables, and learned from professionals across our district. They’re also finding new ways to share their skills, from possible community mural projects to an upcoming visit with residents at Franklin County Rehab Center.

Next week, we’ll welcome our Program Advisory Committee members on Wednesday, October 28, for an afternoon of connecting with students and seeing their learning in action. We’re grateful for the experience and ideas these community partners bring to our programs!

We’re getting ready to welcome you here, too! experienceNCTC is Thursday, November 12, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., and this year we’re bringing a block party feel to our hallways and program spaces.

Please help us spread the word to students and families who might be curious about NCTC.

Read on for what students have been creating, practicing, and figuring out (and a few opportunities to get involved)!

Cheers,
-Liesl
Outreach Coordinator

• Wednesday, October 28, during enrichment: Digital Media horror film screening in the Performing Arts Center, followed by a Q&A with the student production team.
  
  

• Wednesday, October 28, 1:00–2:45 p.m.: Fall Program Advisory Committee meeting. Please RSVP here!

  
  

• Thursday, November 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: experienceNCTC!
  
  

• January 15, 2027: Priority application deadline for next school year. (Apply here)

You can access the full MRUSD calendar here.

Wednesday, October 28 | 1:00–2:45 p.m. | NCTC

We’re looking forward to welcoming our Program Advisory Committee members for our annual fall meeting!

This year, we’re especially excited to meet during the school day, giving advisory members an opportunity to spend part of the afternoon alongside our students. Members will have a chance to visit programs, connect with students and teachers, and see what students are working on.

Our advisory committees bring industry experience and community knowledge into our programs. These fall and spring meetings help us keep learning connected to current workforce needs, hear feedback from professionals in the field, and explore opportunities for students to gain experience beyond the classroom.

We’re grateful for the time, ideas, and expertise our members share with NCTC.

As a special thank-you, everyone who attends will take home a sweet treat prepared by our Culinary Arts students!

If you are interested in joining an advisory committee to bring your talents and expertise to an advisory board that relates to your field, please RSVP here. We hope to see you next Wednesday!

What does learning at NCTC actually look like? Come find out!

Join us on Thursday, November 12, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for an evening of hands-on activities, conversations with students and teachers, and a chance to explore our programs. Pizza will be available as long as it lasts to keep the energy up!

This year, we’re bringing a block party feel to our NCTC spaces, with activities throughout our hallways and opportunities to explore classrooms and shops. Our student ambassadors will help welcome visitors, answer questions, and guide families along the way.

Middle school students, ninth and tenth graders, and their families are especially encouraged to attend. Whether your student already has a program in mind or is just curious about what happens here, we’d love to meet them!

Please share the invitation with a family who might be interested.

Auto 1 students have started what instructor Mr. Nelson calls “brake dancing,” learning the science behind automotive braking systems. They’re exploring hydraulic pressure, Pascal’s Law, and master cylinders, along with the legal and basic safety considerations involved in brake work. Meanwhile, Auto 2 students are getting a charge out of a deeper look at automotive electrical systems, including electrical potential, amperes, and watts.

The shop also has a new learning project! Community member RJ Laws generously donated an American-made Speedex tractor for students to work on. Thank you, RJ, for supporting hands-on learning at NCTC!

Building Trades students have completed OSHA 10 safety training and are now working toward NCCER’s Introduction to Power Tools credential!

Through the NCCER, National Center for Construction Education and Research, power tools module, students are learning how common power tools work and how to use them safely and effectively. Successfully completing the required knowledge and hands-on assessments gives students an industry-recognized credential documenting those skills.

This is one of the great things about learning at NCTC: students can build their skills and their résumés while still in high school. Training and credentials like these give them something concrete to bring to employers as they pursue work-based learning opportunities and jobs after graduation.

As the year progresses our Building Trades students work on projects like sheds, and small local projects. To request a project please complete this form.

The student salon is in full swing! Cosmetology students have had their salon photos taken and their badges printed, helping clients put names to the faces welcoming them into the salon.

Students are also practicing highlights and blow-drying techniques on their mannequin heads and looking forward to their upcoming visit to the Nashua Hair Show.

The student salon is now open and taking clients! The salon gives students an opportunity to put their learning into practice and gain experience working with clients.

Salon Hours

Monday

12-3pm

12-5

Schedule an appointment:

(802)527-6408

aduncan@maplerun.org

Underage patron release form

The Hideaway is open for Wednesday breakfast, and our Culinary Arts students are giving us plenty of reasons to stop in! From life-changing scones and delicious cheesecakes to breakfast sandwiches and waffles that set you up for the day, there’s a lot to look forward to coming out of the kitchen.

Students are also deep into their soup unit, and I hear there’s chili and cornbread on the horizon!

The Hideaway is open for breakfast on Wednesdays and (select) Fridays.

Digital Media students have submitted their horror film to the Northwest Nightmares Film Festival! They’ll also share their work with our school community at a screening on Wednesday, October 28, during enrichment in the Performing Arts Center, followed by a Q&A with the student production team.

Students are also exploring work-based learning projects that connect their creativity with the community. One idea they’ve been discussing: taking their collage skills beyond the page and into murals for local spaces.

Own a local business with a space that could use something creative? If you’d like to discuss a possible student mural commission or creative work, reach out to Liesl at liesl.ulrichverderber@maplerun.org. We’d love to talk through your ideas!

Electrical Trades students have been putting construction mathematics and circuit equations to work in the lab. The class constructed six practice boards for three-way switches, which allow a light to be controlled from two locations.

Students practiced wiring with power entering at the switch box and with power entering at the light being controlled. They’re also working through equations for series, parallel, and combination circuits, connecting the calculations with their practical wiring work.

Engineering Technologies students are finishing their foam board cabin project and beginning to work out its materials list. They’re creating a material breakout, breaking the project down into the materials it requires.

Along the way, students are developing a basic understanding of construction design and learning how a design connects to the planning behind a building project.

Human Services I students heard from a panel of early childhood professionals from across our district, with specialties in speech-language pathology, curriculum development, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and special education. The panel offered a closer look at the many careers involved in supporting young children’s learning and development.

Meanwhile, Human Services II students are setting SMARTER goals, Specific, Measurable, Ambitious Relevant, Time-bound, Emotional, and Rewarding, as part of their ongoing career readiness planning. That includes making a plan, checking their progress, and revisiting their goals along the way.

Medical Professions students are getting ready for an annual favorite: carving pumpkins to share with residents at Franklin County Rehab Center. Students will deliver their creations and spend time visiting with residents, bringing a little seasonal fun and making connections beyond the classroom.

They’re also preparing to attend the Vermont HOSA, Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference next week. Between those preparations, students are finishing their nutrition units, learning about the urinary system, and getting hands-on practice with our classroom medical mannequins.

Outdoor Technology students gleaned 1,000 pounds of cabbage and radishes at Flack Family Farm in Fairfield!

They also finished their tree book, worked on mountain bike trails in the town forest, and determined the ages of trees at Mill River in Georgia, including trees around 200 years old. As the growing season winds down, the crew is now closing the greenhouse for the season.

Public Safety & Law Enforcement students are digging into the factors that contribute to crime and preparing to share what they’ve learned. On Monday, October 26, students will present their work in groups, and they’ve invited NCTC staff to join them and watch the presentations.

The class will also welcome a victims’ rights advocate next week, bringing another community perspective into their learning about crime and the justice system.

A reminder that Mrs. Champagne and the Academic Skills Center are available to every NCTC student.

Whether a student needs help with an assignment, organizing their work, catching up, or figuring out where to start, support is available. Students don’t have to wait until they’re feeling overwhelmed to stop in!

Work-Based Learning helps students connect what they learn at NCTC with real workplaces, employers, and career opportunities.

Have questions about NCTC programs, schedules, or planning for life after graduation?

Contact School Counseling Coordinator Susan Bosland at sbosland@maplerun.org or 802-527-6512.

A note about fall planning, if you are applying to college or post-secondary programs, now is the time to start checking on key deadlines for the programs you are looking to attend.

Know someone who is?

The Adult Career Development Center at NCTC offers hands-on training in welding and medical fields right here on campus, along with access to a suite of online career courses.

If you, a family member, or someone in your network is looking to build skills, change careers, or explore a new opportunity, we’re here to help.

If your student comes home proud of something they made, practiced, or figured out, we would love to hear about it. Email our Outreach Coordinator at liesl.ulrichverderber@maplerun.org.