ACTE Announces Minnesota Supervisor as National Award Finalist

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2019

Contact: Jarrod Nagurka
jnagurka@acteonline.org, 703-683-9312

ACTE Announces Minnesota Supervisor as National Award Finalist

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Today, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) announced Kathryn Kittel, Supervisor of Career and Technical Education (CTE) at Saint Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minnesota, as the 2019 ACTE Region III Administrator of the Year. This award recognizes administrative CTE professionals at the school, district, county, state, or federal level who have demonstrated leadership in ensuring teacher and student success and have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique and effective CTE programs.

Kittel began her career as a work-based learning teacher, teaching for 16 years at a juvenile correctional facility. The last 11 years, she has been the supervisor of CTE and the secondary Perkins leader for Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS), a large urban school district in St. Paul, Minnesota. As Supervisor of CTE, she has provided direct support for district secondary CTE students, teachers, programs and activities where her charge is creating innovative opportunities and access to high-wage, high-skill and in-demand pathways. Additionally, she is the administrator for the Saint Paul College Career Pathways Academy, where high school students earn concurrent enrollment credit at Saint Paul College.

Under Kittel’s leadership, CTE programing in SPPS has increased from four broad CTE programs to 11 CTE program areas and 6 rigorous career pathways, one of which was honored in April by Advance CTE, with an Excellence in Action Award. During her tenure, she has assisted many teachers in earning their CTE certifications and has increased participation in CTE courses, programs and pathways from 5,000 students to over 9,000 currently enrolled in CTE courses. Key to the building of CTE programing is the support of CTE teachers in the classrooms, supportive administrators and strong collaborations with over 60 community partners that provide expertise, resources, career exploration, mentoring and a variety of unique work-based learning experiences for CTE students.

Kittel is one of five finalists for the 2020 national title. The national winner will be announced at the ACTE Awards Gala, a dinner and award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country. The event will take place on Wednesday evening, December 4, during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2019 in Anaheim, CA. The Awards Gala is sponsored by Express Employment Professionals, Goodheart-Willcox, CareerSafe, and Stratasys. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, visit our webpage.

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About ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. ACTE represents the community of CTE professionals, including educators, administrators, researchers, school counselors, guidance and career development professionals and others at all levels of education. ACTE is committed to excellence in providing advocacy, public awareness and access to resources, professional development and leadership opportunities.