CTE program hires Mr. Tim Bale

 

SOUTH BEND, WA - May 26, 2023 - South Bend School District is excited to announce the hiring of Mr. Tim Bale as a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher for the 2023-24 school year.  Mr. Bale was hired by the South Bend School Board of Directors at their regular meeting May 25, 2023.

South Bend's newest CTE teacher, Tim Bale

Mr. Bale comes to South Bend with extensive experience in a variety of industries, and will join CTE teachers Mr. Aaron Blevins and Mr. Joel Bale, also teaching for South Bend. Mr. Bale brings expertise in civil engineering, welding, metal fabrication, computer-aided design (CAD), and various construction experience, all skills valuable in helping to prepare students with the skills needed to pursue the industry workforce or post-secondary training.

"We're thrilled to have Mr. Bale join our teaching team," said Jon Tienhaara, superintendent. "His skills and experience will be instrumental in achieving our vision for the CTE program, ultimately providing our students with additional learning opportunities that directly translate to real-world applications."  “Personally, I see our CTE programs as a critical pathway for students.  For too long the public education system as a whole has seemingly emphasized the “university” path as the gold standard.  We need to re-think what has been traditional education and develop quality vocational programs that work alongside the university path, with the goal of developing all student interests and abilities.”

South Bend seeks to develop a unique instructional approach that includes the integration of a business model allowing students to produce goods for sale to the public. “The eventual goal is that our students will design, make, and market products such as custom fire pits, outdoor furniture, custom signs, and other products that align with our vocational instruction,” says Tienhaara. “This hands-on learning strategy reinforces technical skills while encouraging entrepreneurship and the development of marketable products.”  “We have the equipment and staff, now we need to put everything together with our students.”

School district staff led by Principal Jason Nelson are currently working on developing curricula and projects, and will be working on potential expansion efforts as the program evolves. Superintendent Tienhaara met with new Grays Harbor College President Carli Schiffner earlier this week to discuss future partnerships. "Our school board agrees on the significance of providing meaningful, hands-on vocational skills that can be transferred to post-secondary vocational schools or career pathways," says, Tienhaara. “We have had a productive relationship with Grays Harbor College in the past and we are looking at re-establishing and expanding our partnership.  Dr. Schiffner is very interested in our programs and I think we have the potential to build some even greater programs for kids.”  “Now that COVID is completely behind us, we can re-start where we left off in developing our hands-on programs. The addition of Mr. Bale to our staff, along with our other CTE teachers, provides a lot of opportunity for us to build upon.”  “I look forward to everything that’s to come for our students,” concludes Tienhaara.