Spencer County middle school outlines 32-module 'PX Lab' to boost early career pathways

Mr Matt Mercer, a district staff member who presented the plan for the Spencer County middle school, told the Board the district aims to "offer 32 college career modules for our middle school students" to give students earlier exposure to career pathways and to supply data for high‑school course planning.

The presentation, delivered by Mercer with student leadership team members, laid out how four converted classrooms would become themed PX Lab spaces with project-based modules aligned to high‑school pathways. Student leader Cooper Stark described the design work done by students, saying they met weekly, measured rooms and created 3‑D images to guide classroom layouts.

Why it matters: district leaders said the PX Lab intends to identify students’ interests earlier so they can make more informed choices in high school and beyond. Mercer said modules are tied to 20 career clusters and include hands‑on work such as structural engineering bridge builds, a welding module using augmented‑reality simulators and a veterinary medicine module that teaches animal CPR and emergency care.

Details of the proposal include built‑in assessments. Mercer said each module will include four end‑of‑module questions — tracking student interest, skill level and mastery — so the district can measure whether students pursue those careers outside the classroom. He also described planned partnerships with local employers and organizations, including the county Humane Society, to provide field trips and real‑world experience.

Students helped design the spaces and curriculum. An eighth‑grade leadership team member, Cooper Stark, said the group wanted rooms to be comfortable and motivating so students would choose the modules voluntarily rather than treat them as a chore.

Next steps: Mercer said staff will pilot portions of the PX Lab over the summer using the leadership team as early testers, continue refining module content, and seek local partnerships to support instruction and equipment. The board did not vote on the PX Lab at this meeting; administrators described the plan and requested continued support for development and partnership building.