C4 director Gene Hack showcases new biomedical, nursing and dental labs under Envision 2030 plan

Gene Hack, director of C4, led a walkthrough of newly upgraded instructional spaces tied to the Envision 2030 projects, saying the biomedical, nursing and dental facilities are designed to expand hands-on career and technical education. “I have the privilege today to share a little bit about the Envision 2030 for the C4 projects phase one and phase two,” he said.

Hack said the Project Lead the Way biomedical rooms feature mobile lab tables, new cabinetry and expanded storage to let students work in pairs and groups on biomedical and medical-science explorations. He described the upgrades as immediate improvements to instruction in existing rooms and said the changes broaden what students can do in lab settings.

The nursing lab was remodeled for the health sciences pathway and, according to Hack, is set up for three teachers to use the space in different ways. He said the area will support training for clinical roles such as certified clinical medical assistants (CCMA), certified medical assistants (CMA) and medical assistants (MA), and will provide practice experiences that help students move toward registered nurse (RN) programs.

“We're very thankful and we still have equipment on order and we are scheduled to be in this space at the beginning of next school year 26-27,” Hack said. He also described a new dental facility with a wet lab and two full operating dental chairs on each side, where students will practice molds and procedures under instructional supervision.

Hack noted design choices intended to improve instructional access, including plentiful interior windows between classrooms and labs so staff can combine classroom instruction with hands-on lab time depending on students’ learning needs. He acknowledged community support from Columbus and Bartholomew County but did not specify funding amounts or the specific funding sources during the presentation.

Next steps described by Hack include arrival of outstanding equipment and preparing for student occupancy in the 2026–27 school year. No formal votes or policy actions were announced during the walkthrough.