The last couple weeks we have been working with plumbing. Learning how to repair toilets, replace faucets, and install drains & traps. We worked with the different types of water supply and drain lines. We will start framing next, then use what we have learned to install electrical and plumbing into our framed projects. The students are working to set up job shadows for the trades they are interested in. We will be starting them soon.
CareerTEC Board of Directors Meeting
CareerTEC Conference Room
2037 W. Galena Ave., Freeport, IL 61032
1:30 p.m., October 9, 2025
AGENDA
The Board will enter into closed session for the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the System or legal counsel for the System, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee or against legal counsel for the System to determine its validity and collective negotiating matters between the System and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees.
NEXT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: 1:30 p.m., Thursday, November 6, 2025 (With Board approval, meeting will be rescheduled to 1:30 p.m., Nov. 13, 2025)
HOYA 2 students have been tackling the “elephant in the room”—our Medical Terminology curriculum of over 350 terms. To make this challenge more manageable, terms are broken into weekly “bites” of about 25 words. Students recently reinforced their learning through a Medical Terminology Jenga game, combining teamwork, strategy, and friendly competition while reviewing key terms.
Caily Richardson and Chloe Goodwin did a fantastic job on our first Community Health bulletin board, focusing on Suicide Prevention Awareness and Human Trafficking. Our October board will focus on Breast Cancer Awareness, considering both the CareerTEC community and the wider local community. We are excited to see what Veronica Baer and Brooklynn Watson will create for this month’s display.
Students are also beginning to plan their Teaching Project, where they visit local schools to teach healthcare topics to elementary students. This hands-on assignment helps them develop communication and leadership skills while making learning fun for younger students. In addition, students continue to gain real-world experience through healthcare internships, focusing each month on a different employability skill, such as teamwork, professionalism, or communication, building the qualities that will help them become capable, compassionate healthcare providers.
Finally, to end the month on a creative note, students will perform “surgery” on their pumpkin patients, combining anatomy knowledge, teamwork, and a little Halloween fun! They also have the opportunity to research diseases or procedures that are meaningful to them personally, making the activity both educational and personal.
HOYA 1 – September & October
It’s been an exciting and productive start to the school year in HOYA 1! The students have been learning a lot, and it’s been great to see their enthusiasm and growth already.
To help families and supporters stay connected, I’ve been sharing weekly updates on our class Facebook page every Friday. These posts highlight what the students have been working on each week—so be sure to check in if you haven’t already!
What We’ve Learned – September Recap
In September, our focus was on foundational topics that will support students throughout their healthcare journey. Topics included:
Communication & Cultural Diversity
Safety & Body Mechanics
Legal & Ethical Issues
Positioning, Transfers & Ambulation
In addition to the classroom learning, students have already gained several important hands-on skills, including:
Proper handwashing technique
Nail care
Turning a resident into the side-lying position
Making an occupied bed
Measuring height and weight
Transferring and ambulating residents with a gait belt
Using a mechanical lift for safe transfers
These are essential skills, and students are doing a fantastic job practicing and mastering them.
Looking Ahead – What’s Coming in October
October will be another busy and exciting month! We’ll be diving into:
Admissions, Transfers, and Discharges
Becoming more familiar with the residents’ unit
Learning how to provide personal care
Practicing infection prevention
New skills we’ll focus on include:
Shaving
Performing Passive Range of Motion (PROM)
Applying Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Assisting with bathing and showering
And one of the most exciting parts—we’ll begin CPR training at the end of October! I’m really looking forward to this critical skill and know the students will gain a lot from it.
Thank you for your continued support. I’m incredibly proud of how much the students have accomplished so far, and I can’t wait to see how much more they’ll grow in the coming months!
Stay tuned for more weekly updates on Facebook!
— Mrs. Miller
In the second half of September, Culinary Arts students took the nationally recognized Food Manager Exam, and the vast majority received their Food Manager license. This license is a valuable addition to any resume and will make students more desirable to employers in the food service industry. Also, students began learning moist heat and dry heat cooking methods in September. For example, students learned how to saute through recipes such as chicken sofrito and garlic diced potatoes. In the first half of October, students will continue learning about cooking methods such as poaching and deep frying. Additionally, students will practice vegetable cookery through recipes such as sweet potato curry.
