MORE: Hamilton Schools’ long history of home-grown career education
Hamilton City Schools has long been the only one of Butler County’s 10 public school systems that do not partner with Butler Tech career schools.
But that is changing at the end of the 2018-2019 school year, when Hamilton’s program, which began in the 1950s, is merged into Butler Tech’s with the new classes starting in August 2019.
“The 2018-19 school year is one of transition as it will be the final year Hamilton City Schools oversee the daily operations of Career Technology for students at Hamilton High School,” said Mike Holbrook, assistant superintendent for the district, which opens classes Wednesday.
“Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, Butler Tech will assume the daily operations, and the Hamilton City School district is working closely with Butler Tech to make this transition seamless,” said Holbrook.
Butler Tech is one of the largest career school programs in Ohio and has more job training programs, business partnerships, learning facilities and overall resources than a single school system like Hamilton.
Butler Tech’s campuses are located throughout the county and offer programs for both high school and adult students. The school also offers career learning in a variety of satellite classes spread throughout its nine current partner districts.
School officials said prior to August of 2019, Hamilton High School sophomores, juniors and seniors will be able to apply for Butler Tech’s various career instructional programs.
The new Hamilton school year will be one of transition, and district officials are assuring students already in the program they will be no impediments in their career training during the switch over.
“Currently, collaborative planning is occurring to make certain the transition does not impact students in a particular pathway,” said Holbrook. “Most Career Technology pathways are two-year plans and require a very specific sequence of courses in order to obtain the career certification or accreditation.”
School officials said they are looking forward to offering students more resources.
“The difference for students from prior years will be in the oversight and program availability. Starting in 2019, Hamilton High School will serve as a satellite campus for Butler Tech and students will have the option of taking courses on the (high school) campus or pursuing additional opportunities at D. Russell Lee (campus in Fairfield Township) or will have the opportunity to apply where available programming exists at all Butler Tech campuses,” he said.
Holbrook said “the merger will assist in providing additional course offerings and career pathways on the Hamilton High School campus in future years to students.”
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