Hurdle Named Director of Career Technical Education for Oxford School District

Oxford Intermediate School Principal, Steve Hurdle, has been named Director of Career Technical Education for the Oxford School District.

Steve Hurdle. Photo courtesy of the Oxford School District.

As the inaugural leader for the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, Hurdle will lead several district initiatives to provide diverse educational pathways for OSD students and support the district’s collaboration with the Oxford-Lafayette School of Applied Technology (“The TECH”). In addition, Hurdle will provide oversight and guidance to the district’s guidance counselors according to the American School Counselors Association’s National Model.

In the spring of 2018, Superintendent Brian Harvey launched the 95 in Five goals for the next five years; one of those goals is 95 percent of seniors enrolling in Advanced Placement, Dual Credit or Career-Technical Courses. In addition, the Oxford School District Capital Improvement Plan includes Oxford High School adding five or more career-technical education academies in 2021-22.

Career Academies consist of a group of students within the larger high school who take classes together for at least two years, taught by a team of teachers from different disciplines focused on a career pathway. The academies deliver a college-preparatory curriculum with a career theme, enabling students to see relationships among academic subjects and their applications to a broad field of work.

A key element for career academies to succeed is bringing in resources from outside the high school to improve student motivation and achievement. Hurdle, the CTE Director, will establish partnerships with employers, the community and local colleges to support this program.

“Since beginning my tenure as principal at Oxford Intermediate in 2014, I have been blessed to work with caring and dedicated professionals. While I will miss the students and staff at OIS, I am also thrilled about this new opportunity to assist the district to expand our Career and Technical Education (CTE) options,” Hurdle said. “I have had a passion for CTE for many years and I believe our district is now poised to help more of our students find pathways to success. I am grateful to be a part of this exciting time in the Oxford School District.”

Hurdle will begin his new role in administration July 1, 2019.

Oxford School District press release