HOUGHTON — Houghton High School students will be able to take a career and technical education class to fulfill their third-year science credit.

The Houghton-Portage Township Schools board voted unanimously to approve the change, which is allowed under the Michigan Merit Curriculum. They follow other local districts such as Hancock and Dollar Bay.

Houghton High School Principal Tiffany Scullion estimated the move would initially affect about half a dozen students.

“If you’re headed to a more science-based, university-driven path, then that would not be a recommended thing for you to do as far as your third science credit,” she said. “But for many students that are taking their CTE classes, it’s a more applicable way to get their science credit.”

The high school science department supported the decision. Trustee Brad Baltensperger backed it on that basis, but said he was worried about decisions that could derail future decision-making for students.

“I think we’re talking about a smaller group of people for whom applied kinds of science makes more sense,” he said. “Then I’m okay with it. But we know lots of kids who don’t go into science fields at all, but have four years of science because the reasoning skills, the analytical skills that you develop, carry through in all sorts of areas.”

Superintendent Anders Hill said students would already need to have been enrolled in CTE classes to take the option. The CTE classes cover a lot of science content, particularly the health occupations programs, he said.

“We have a lot of students that will take the health careers and the nurses’ aide type classes who are also enrolled in many other science courses at the same time … then we also have this small group that are wanting to take the auto tech classes, or welding and manufacturing, and they want more of the hands-on skills for what they’re hoping to do after they’re done with high school,” Scullion said.

The range of CTE classes offered locally has expanded greatly since the passage of an Copper Country Intermediate School District millage in 2017.

Local businesses have been reaping the rewards, including GS Engineering, where Treasurer Rob Fay works as a project manager. Houghton senior Quinn Aho has done an “absolutely phenomenal” job in support, Fay said.

“It blows people away with what he can do for the two hours a day that he’s with us,” he said. “So it’s a great tool. I support it.”

In other action, the board:

— Heard from Hill the district had received survey results on priorities for spending the district’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The top five priorities were adding instructional supports, providing additional staff for those supports, continued emphasis on technology, mental health services and improvements to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). A focus group of parents, teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators will discuss possible projects.

— Heard from Hill the district will remove COVID-19 reporting from its website after spring break. The state dropped the requirement for COVID-19 reporting last week. Contact tracing recommendations have changed; school settings are considered low intensity, while family settings are considered high-intensity contact that would require quarantine.

— Heard from Elementary Principal Cole Klein on the school’s National Reading Month activities, built around a March Madness theme. The students had outpaced their 280,000-minute goal for March’s reading month activities; after two-and-a-half weeks, students had read 326,000 minutes. Students will get a basketball-themed reward Friday to close out the month. It will include Klein’s beard being shaved off.

— Heard from Middle School Principal Julie Filpus the school’s MathCounts team had finished sixth in the state. Players individually finished between 31st and 83rd place among 700 students statewide.

— Heard from Scullion that students Orin Hubert and Elise Erva will go to the nationals competition for Business Professionals of America.

— Approved moving the next meeting to April 25. The next scheduled meeting would have fallen during Easter break.

— Approved the summer project list. Bond funds will be used for much of the approximately $275,000 in work. It includes lighting in the pool area, carpeting and painting. The district is pursuing a Michigan State Police grant to upgrade the exterior doors.

— Approved Lynn Mazzoleni as the district’s Copper Country Intermediate School District Parent Advisory Committee representative.

— Approved purchasing a truck for the maintenance department.

— Went into executive session to discuss negotiations and the safety plan. Houghton Police Chief John Donnelly assisted in preparing the plan, Hill said.