Nocti's 2017 Video Contest Now Open!
This article was written following a family get-together for my father’s 85th birthday. I have two brothers with grown families and since we all live a distance apart, it’s rare that we can all gather in one place at the same time. We had a great weekend and I mention this because I think it underscores the importance of finding time to recognize the significance of connectivity and tradition. At NOCTI, we’ve always been careful to honor our past and plan our future, so after the family festivities in my personal life concluded, I found myself thinking about NOCTI’s 50th year celebration. We’ve enjoyed the well wishes that we’ve collected from our friends around the country; you can check some of them out here. We also hope that many of you will be able to join us at our consortium reception at VISION 2016!
Since I mentioned VISION 2016, it's important to note that not only will this be our 50th year celebration, but it will be the first time NOCTI has ever offered two pre-conferences at VISION, both held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016. One workshop will focus on the work we have been doing for our friends at ACTE regarding the preparation of new teachers, and the other will be our first ever NOCTI Bootcamp! The Bootcamp session offers an opportunity for Site Coordinators to come together and talk to our NOCTI team in a face-to-face setting. We will also be hosting the successful “Credential Corner” again this year. If you need credentialing resources, stop by and see several industry association credential providers all in one stop, along with credentials from NOCTI and Nocti Business Solutions (NBS)! You can find more information on page 4.
We hope to have our third book available for ordering at ACTE too! Each book is targeted to CTE teachers coming to the field without a degree in teaching pedagogy. You’ll remember the first one was focused on a teacher’s first three months with a target on the importance of developing relationships and boundaries. The second book focuses on what should you know by the end of your first year, including things like lesson planning, working with employers, special needs, and CTSOs. Our third book focuses on becoming a CTE professional and it is targeted for those who have completed their first three years. It begins to focus on responsibilities as an educator including serving in your school community and participating in trade associations and national CTE educators groups, like ACTE. Watch Shop ACTE for details.
VISION 2016 will be a busy conference as we’ll be presenting with our partners in over ten different sessions. You can check out the list on page 4. One of our presentations will include the great work occurring in the state of Wyoming, and we’ll also be talking about West Virginia, which is one of our newest partners, and their CTE student-centered “Simulated Workplace” model.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to our friends at Today’s Class too! Dr. Rod Boyes and I had the opportunity to be interviewed on the Kathy Ireland Worldwide Business show just a few weeks ago, and it aired internationally. If you didn’t get a chance to catch our segment it can be found on You Tube—please take a few minutes and check it out.
With our upcoming reception and board meetings I should also extend our sincere thanks to two outstanding CTE professionals who will be rotating off of our board after a long period of service! Dr. Greg Belcher from Pittsburg State in Kansas will be leaving us in December as will Dr. Bryan Albrecht, President of Gateway College in Wisconsin. Please join me in congratulating them for their time and dedication to NOCTI. You can find more information about the current board on our NOCTI Board of Trustee web page.
On behalf of the NOCTI staff, our Board, and our Consortium of States, I sincerely hope you have the opportunity to attend one of our sessions, or stop by our booth in Las Vegas at VISION 2016. Remember also to take time to think about the important role each of us plays in growing the workforce. As always, if you have an idea about a new service or product that you would like NOCTI to offer, or have other suggestions or questions for us, please email nocti@nocti.org.
Thank you for trusting NOCTI to deliver the quality assessments, comprehensive test data, and professional development needed to help improve your programs. We look forward to continued service to the CTE community and are anxious to show you how we can meet your needs!
Our fiftieth anniversary celebration is in full swing and we are grateful for all the congratulations and best wishes that have been arriving over the year. As a service organization with so many students, clients, and partners, we know we are an important link in a network that connects people and organizations who value competency in skill leading to excellence in work. As Chair of the Board of Trustees, I have been so impressed by the dedication of people with whom we have the opportunity to work that I am eager for the next new partnerships that will advance our work.
The Board of Trustees continues to provide keen direction and generous support to John and the entire NOCTI team. We will be saying goodbye to two longtime board members, Greg Belcher and Bryan Albrecht, and I thank them for their generous attentiveness in service to the people and mission of NOCTI. I will be completing my term as Board Chair, and offer my welcome to present Board Vice Chairman Russ Weikle, who recently completed his tenure as the California State Director of CTE.
This year, NOCTI’s deepening partnership with ACTE will be celebrated with our visibility at VISION 2016, where we are offering two pre-conferences and the Credential Corner will be bigger than ever. Soon our third book for CTE teachers will be published, this edition addressing growth as a professional in the Career and Technical Education field. We will continue to seek ways to support our CTE professionals as the awareness of CTE’s contribution to our nation’s educational trajectory and economy grows. CTE serves students who seek to serve others with their expertise and excellence. NOCTI’s 50 years of service to educators, industry, and students is our own testament to connecting people by validating skills. We hope to greet you at VISION 2016—come see us!