Sumner County Innovation Center to host students, expand dual-enrollment and career pathways

Doctor Langford, director of schools, told the board the district would begin placing students in the Innovation Center the next day and outlined planned academies and partnerships intended to expand dual-enrollment and career pathways for high-school students.

"We are kicking off, tomorrow, having students in the building for the first time," Langford said, and described program elements: a criminal-justice academy that will include a citizens academy run with the sheriff’s office and two dual-enrollment classes; leadership and project-management coursework tied to community-service opportunities; an aviation academy offering dual-enrollment classes with regional universities; and a health-technology mentorship program tied to a private venture-capital group that Langford said intends a 12-week mentorship for student teams.

Langford also described an operational goal to increase meaningful community-service placements under the Tennessee Promise program, noting that the state’s community-service-hour requirement is changing from 8 to 16 hours and that the Innovation Center will provide ways for students to find and manage service opportunities.

Board members asked clarifying procedural questions but did not alter the program descriptions. Langford said the district is working with Hands On Nashville and other local organizations to populate an online resource so students can find service placements and that some pilot projects will include dual-enrollment credits with Middle Tennessee State University and other regional partners.