Dr. Thompson awarded the 2020 CTE Administrator of the Year Award at the NE Dept of Education CTE Symposium.

Norfolk Public Schools is excited to announce that Dr. Jami Jo Thompson, Superintendent, has been named the 2020 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Administrator of the Year at the Nebraska Department of Education CTE Symposium held on June 9, 2020.

Dr. Thompson received this award for her continued commitment to providing quality college and career readiness skills development at Norfolk Public Schools.  The following information was shared with the attendees at the virtual CTE Symposium regarding Dr. Thompson’s work in the Norfolk school district.  

Dr. Jami Jo Thompson has served as the Superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools since July 2013, where she has demonstrated a commitment to career and technical education. Under her leadership, Norfolk Public Schools participated in a community-based strategic planning process, which resulted in the implementation of thirteen career academies. Dr. Thompson believes these career academies are critical to the district’s mission of “preparing all students to pursue their goals for the future.” 

Dr. Thompson was also instrumental in a $1.3 million dollar fundraising effort, which culminated in an addition to the high school for the automotive and welding academies, as well as, new equipment and technology for all thirteen academies. 

Dr. Thompson continues to keep the success of this program, and its students, a priority for the Norfolk school district. Since implementation of career academies began at Norfolk High School in 2016, many additional enhancements have been made to this program. Valuable opportunities most recently added to the career academies include; expanded industry certification program that enables graduates to have marketable certifications when seeking employment; Youth Registered Apprenticeship program established through a partnership with Continental and the U.S. Dept of Labor; cooperative effort with Wayne State College to create the STEP (Students to Teachers through Educator Pathways) program that provides a career academy experience, and dual credit learning, for students seeking a future career as a school teacher; addition of a large machinery operator simulator is planned for Fall 2020. This simulator will allow students to learn required skills and safety practices of operating large machinery in a safe virtual environment.

Dr. Jeff Hoffman, Career Academy Coordinator at Norfolk High School, told us, “Dr. Thompson is a great champion for Career and Technical Education at Norfolk High School.  She believes in the importance of building community partnerships and providing work-based learning opportunities that will promote the future success of all students.  Her continued commitment to the success of the Career Academy program, and its students, is outstanding.  We are very fortunate to have her leadership and she is very deserving of this award.”

You can view the video and symposium program at: https://www.education.ne.gov/nce/nebraska-career-education-conference/awards/.