Laurel Hill parent urges board to fix year-long gap in CTE construction instruction

A Laurel Hill parent and community member told the Okaloosa County School Board that students in the school’s construction Career and Technical Education (CTE) program lost approximately a full year of qualified instruction because the program lacked a certified, prepared instructor.

Melissa Merrill, who identified herself as a parent from Laurel Hill, said the loss was not a single missed day but a prolonged absence of vocational instruction that cost students skills, confidence and opportunities to earn industry certifications. She asked the board to review monitoring and safeguards for CTE programs districtwide and urged early intervention, greater transparency and consistent oversight to prevent future occurrences.

Nut graf: The comment framed the issue as a systems problem that requires district attention because vocational certifications and year-long skill development are critical for students who rely on CTE pathways toward careers after graduation.

Superintendent Chambers confirmed he had already met with Merrill on the issue and said staff would follow up. Merrill requested the district act to ensure future students have continuous, certified instruction and that the board commit to reviewing processes that track program staffing and certification outcomes.

Ending: The board acknowledged the comment and the superintendent said staff would look into the matter further; no formal action was taken during the meeting.