Anticipation is growing across Lewis-Palmer School District 38 as their new career and technical education facility begins to take shape ahead of its opening for the next school year.

The school district Board of Education was presented an update on the facility’s development during its regular meeting Monday.

Specific work fields that the new facility will provide students include advanced manufacturing, engineering, health care, information technology and cybersecurity and skilled trades such as construction and information technology. The facility will include spaces for classroom instruction and collaboration.

The design concepts were the results of input recently collected through a series of recent focus groups and a community forum held in June that included current and former students and parents, staff, community members and industry professionals.

D-38 also formed an Insight Acquisition Campaign to outline key performance indicators, success metrics, timelines, funding sources, partnership opportunities, staffing models, educational outcomes and capital requirements. Following the project’s completion, D-38 intends to maintain this group indefinitely to remain responsive to all emerging industry insights and trends.

“We are excited to launch the Career & Innovation Center as a transformative learning space in D-38. This center represents our commitment to preparing every student, every day, and enables us to blend hands-on learning with work-based experiences,” D-38 Superintendent Dr. Stacie Datteri said.

“By connecting education with real-world application, the Career & Innovation Center will empower students to explore their passions, innovate, and build a future full of possibilities.”

The project began following the passage of SB 24-017 into law earlier this year. Passed during the most recent legislative session, the law enables local school districts to access local tax funding throughout the year instead of just during set allocation in March, May and June.

This allowed D-38, which receives most of its annual funding through taxes, to use about $8.5 million in one-time funds toward purchasing a property and covering some costs to convert it into new educational space.

D-38 Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway was among those who helped craft the law’s language.

Since defining the initial programming in August, teachers and staff with the district have elicited feedback from industry leaders, postsecondary institutions, workforce development specialists, school districts with specialized education facilities and local and national government agencies to fine-tune all final decisions.

Expanded programming the district would like to have includes welding, robotics, programming/software design, network and system management and cybersecurity. Specific trades identified were carpentry, HVAC, plumbing and electrical.

Courses will also provide students with opportunities to earn cross-curricular and postsecondary credit and attain industry credentials. Certifications for nursing assistants, medical assistants, phlebotomy, pharmacy technicians and emergency management technicians also will be offered.

“We are thrilled to embark on a project that will bring transformative, career-connected learning opportunities to our students and community,” said D-38 Director of Innovative Programs Jessica McAllister.

The district currently provides career and technical education options like construction, biomedical sciences, business and marketing, engineering and digital media at its two high schools and middle school. The incoming additions to their career and technical education program were determined by current economic landscape data for El Paso and Douglas counties and insight from economic experts.

“By equipping students with transferable skills that seamlessly bridge the classroom and the workforce, this initiative not only prepares them for a lifetime of success — whether they enter the job market directly or pursue further education — but also strengthens our local economy and supports the growth of our broader community,” McAllister said.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to cultivate talent that will positively impact our region for years to come.”

At the October meeting, D-38’s board approved Nunn Construction as the project’s general contractor. The board will finalize the curriculum at a future meeting.

D-38 also is pursuing grant opportunities to help fund industry-specific equipment and supplies to align programming with post-secondary standards. Tiered sponsorship opportunities will allow donors at various levels to contribute.

The new center is to open for the 2025-26 school year.