CGEC staff and student ambassadors stand ready to greet prospective students on visitation day
This week, Rensselaer Educational Center and Columbia-Greene Educational Center played host to students interested in Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs on their inaugural Visitation Day. This was the first year all interested students visited the centers on the same day – previously, visits were scheduled for one district at a time. This new format allowed all 10th graders to explore their options together while meeting their potential new classmates.
Visitation Day is one of the first steps in enrolling in a CTE program for the upcoming school year, preceded by students discussing their plans with family and their school counselor and followed by attendance at Open House night coming up in February. More on this in just a moment.
Students chose two programs to visit where they heard from the teacher and current students. They also took part in a hands-on activity to explore the program – everything from fingerprinting and making crepes to working in an ambulance and building (and taking home) a toolbox.
Visiting school counselors each received a custom made coaster to take home.
The shift to a one-day visitation program would not have been possible without a great deal of work and support from our staff and students, and the hard work paid off – teachers and administrators alike received a great deal of positive feedback from the event.
Open Houses are the next important piece to enrolling in a CTE program at Questar III. At these events, students are invited to attend with their family to learn more about the program and why choosing a CTE program is a viable option to complete high school. This also gives parents/guardians a chance to meet the instructor and ask any questions they might have about the program.
REC Open House: February 11 (snow date February 13)
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
35 Colleen Road, Troy NY 12180
(518) 273-2264
CGEC Open House: February 12 (snow date February 13)
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
131 Union Turnpike, Hudson NY 12534
(518) 828-4157