Secondary Programs

Holt's Business Technology department is proud to offer students flexible programming. Six state-approved Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, delivered onsite at Holt High School, are available to our students.

CTE programs are aligned to meet industry demands and come with additional teaching standards for schools. These programs typically offer college credit (via concurrent enrollment or articulation) or industry certifications as outcomes of the course. There is an intentional focus on soft skill development and preparing to be a young professional.

CTE Program Flyer

CTE Business Technology Programs 

• Computer Programming
• Cybersecurity and Computer Networking
• Finance/Accounting
• Marketing
• Business Management & Administration
• Digital Media & Production

Business Technology Programs offer

• Added flexibility in graduation requirements: state-approved CTE courses, upon completion, meet the graduation requirements for the second year of a foreign language, the senior math credit, and technology requirement.
• Opportunities for early college credits
•  Industry recognized certifications

Benefits of these programs include

• The opportunity to develop transferrable soft skills that are needed after high school
• Early and advanced opportunities to earn college credit and save money through articulation & concurrent enrollment options
• Opportunities to figure out what they are passionate about through self-discovery and post-secondary planning via Xello
• Specialized clubs and group projects like DECA, mentoring, resume building, and Work-Based Learning.
• Entrepreneurial competitions and guidance, students who have a startup concept typically receive seed funding in our programs
• Hands-on-training in technology skills required to meet the needs of employers
• Opportunities to build confidence and leadership skills through DECA, Interact Club, class projects, and business startup competitions
• Scholarship opportunities for program completion
• Training to meet the needs of careers listed in Michigan’s Hot 50 High-Demand, High-Wage Careers publication & in the article 21 High-Paying Jobs of the Future

Work-Based Learning

• Is also offered in the form of an internship, mentorship and/or work experience
• Is an educational strategy that provides students with real-life work experiences where they can apply academic and technical skills to develop their employability.
• See the work-based learning tab to learn more.

Check out these videos on Holt's Construction Trades and Around the Horn program spotlights! 

Holt Public Schools uses Xello, an online tool that helps our students in grades 7 - 12 to discover their interests and abilities so that they can apply them to their educational pathway.  Xello helps students develop their Educational Development Plans (or EDPs). We believe when students become aware of their skills, abilities, and interests and can see how they translate to high-wage high-demand career fields and college programs, that many become increasingly engaged in their educational experience. Having EDPs is a great way for students to discover how Holt’s flexible programming options can position them to be uniquely prepared for their future college and/or career plans. Holt Public Schools strives to innovate, educate, and inspire our students to be the next great leaders in a 21st-century economy, and utilizing Xello can help our students in that pursuit.

If you have any issues using Xello, visit the Xello Support website.

Board of Water and Light-First Step Program

The BWL's 1st STEP (School to Training and Employment Program) offers Lansing-area high school seniors a valuable work-based learning experience, allowing them to gain skills, earn wages, and explore various career paths in the utility industry.

Interested applicants can apply until September 29, 2024. Additionally, an Open House will be held on September 13 from 5:30-6:30 PM. For more information and to apply, contact Dawn Plenar at dawn.plenar@lbwl.com.

For additional website information follow the link at: Take the 1st STEP in Your Career! | lbwl.com

In effort to help grow and diversify the educator workforce and reduce educator shortages, Future Proud Michigan Educator (FPME) will help students to explore what it is like to work in the field of Education. Student who would like to explore the field of Education can sign up for FPME at scheduling time. 

Utilizing resources from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) as well as modeling aspects of our mentorship program, we will introduce students to a variety of careers in education. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to research careers as well as have direct job shadowing experiences. There will be hands-on learning experiences in teaching for students, with supervision and mentoring from educators who are champions of the teaching profession. 

No prerequisite besides an interest in education or education policy, being a leader, and/or wanting to help others. Course topics and essential questions What content/standards will students be exposed to in this course? 

1. Identify elements of a healthy, inclusive, and equitable learning community 
2. Build a reflective practice that includes observing, connecting, interpreting, and applying concepts to personal experiences and clinical experiences
3. Analyze core teaching practices in effective classrooms and how those practices can contribute to equitable student learning 
4. Apply concepts of culture to better explain the relationship between identity and learning in themselves, their peers, and their future students 
5. Describe and build relationships that are positive, affirming, and empowering, with an understanding of how relationships impact student learning 
6. Investigate an educator’s role as an agent of change, advocate for justice or designer of opportunity 
7. Explain varied aspects of learner differences and development to understand an individual’s strengths, challenges, and possible ways of supporting their learning and development 
8. Assess multiple instructional strategies to address individual student needs and differentiate instruction for a variety of learners Holt High School New Course Proposal 
9. Examine the roles and responsibilities of school systems and professionals in supporting the academic and social emotional needs of all learners 
10. Describe the preparation and development of educators in Michigan, including ethical expectations and key learning experiences before and after certification. 
11. Recognize the role of goal setting, self-advocacy and intrinsic motivation in the teaching and learning process 

Students who are interested in education could scale into our Holt Early College Education Pathway with Central Michigan University. They could also take LINKS or Child Development to continue to learn more about teaching about development in children and adolescents. 

The Michigan Department of Education is providing free online modules that will compromise the majority of the learning material, although we will be adapting and enhancing this content.

Its focus on equity also works well within the current Equity Oriented Strategic Plan as adopted by Holt Public Schools. 

Did you know that Holt Public has a program for the student who is an aspiring builder, electrician, or skilled trades person? The Greater Michigan Construction Academy (or GMCA) is an educational pathway Holt Public offers to students who are interested in a career in the construction trades. 

Construction trades offer high-wage high-demand careers and Holt Public Schools & GMCA want to help students become prepared in a skilled trade for a successful career of their own. Holt Public offers flexible learning environments for all students. Students in this program begin their day at the GMCA Lansing Campus for the first two hours of the school day and finish the remainder of the day at the Holt High School. This program is available to Juniors or Seniors and students must have their own transportation to and from the program.

If you’re interested in learning more or signing up, please complete the online interest survey and we will let Mr. Schrauben know. If you're at Holt High School, you can also stop by the Counseling Office and ask to see him.

The Holt Aviation Academy Sign Up is now open!

Did you know that Boeing’s new 2019-2038 Pilot and Technician Labor Outlook, one of the most recognized labor resources in the Aviation Industry, projects the need for 804,000 new pilots, 769,000 new maintenance technicians, and a total of over 2.1 million new aviation personnel needed in the next 20 years? Working backward, that is 296 new aviation professionals needed PER DAY, FOR 20 YEARS. 

The Holt Aviation Academy is designed to help position our students to be able to take advantage of those high-wage high-demand job opportunities in the Aviation industry. Check out last year’s highlight video!

Our program, open only to Holt High School students at this time, immerses students into the Aviation Industry. Students will complete Pilot Pathway classroom lessons that articulate to Great Lakes Flight Ventures if they pursue their Pilot’s License. Students will also take field trips to Western Michigan University's nationally celebrated Aviation School, the Lansing Airport to visit a private jet and see what a career as a business pilot is like, as well Mason Airport to fly in a flight simulator and see airplane mechanics and the operations of a smaller airport.

Students can sign up to take the elective course 

• FUTURISTIC FLIGHT:  INTRO TO DRONES AND AVIATION (Course I)
• INTRO TO FLIGHT – LEARNING TO FLY (Course II)

Next Steps: 

Course request these electives at scheduling time and/or Sign up here to get more information! 

Today's students and their parents need options, including earning transferable college credit before high school graduation. With the cost of college higher than ever, we want to help meet that need for our learning community. At Holt High School, we offer several ways for students to earn college credit while in high school: we have a menu of AP classes, students can obtain articulated college credit via our Business Technology programs, and we also have Holt Advantage programming offered to students so they can take Lansing Community College courses onsite at the Holt Senior Campus.

Holt Advantage courses are administered by LCC and taught by LCC professors during the high school day at Holt Senior Campus. A Holt High School teacher is assigned to the class and is available to help guide students as they navigate their first college course.

Courses selected for the Holt Advantage program are part of the Master Transfer Agreement (MTA) (https://www.lcc.edu/academics/transfer/mta.html). They are highly transferable to colleges and universities, including specific general education courses in English Composition, Science, Math, Social Science, and Humanities. (Note: the receiving institution always determines transfer credit).

2023-2024 Offered Classes
 

• English 121, Composition I – (4 credits): Composition I is the study and practice of expository discourse to help students write more effectively. It emphasizes the writing process, critical thinking, content development, organization, and style. Prerequisite: 480 on evidence-based reading & writing portion of the PSAT or SAT
• Communications 130, Fundamentals of Public Speaking – (3 credits): Through practical experience, students will develop essential skills to feel confident researching, organizing, drafting, and delivering oral presentations. Attention will be given to accurate source citation and appropriate integration of presentational aids. Presentations will occur in informative, persuasive, and small group contexts. Prerequisite: 480 on evidence-based reading & writing portion of the PSAT or SAT
• Psychology 200, Introduction to Psychology – (4 credits): The basic orientation to the field of psychology, designed as a general survey and as preparation for advanced courses in the field. Topics include methods, nervous systems, intelligence, development, learning, memory, personality, abnormality, therapy, and social behavior. Prerequisite: 480 on evidence-based reading & writing portion of the PSAT or SAT
• History 212, US History 1877 to Present – (4 credits): A political, legal, economic, social, and cultural history of the United States from the end of reconstruction to the present. Prerequisite: 480 on evidence-based reading & writing portion of the PSAT or SAT

Students will be eligible to take Holt Advantage courses if they meet the prerequisite requirements as outlined by LCC in the course descriptions (above) and have completed their Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) requirements. For example, students would be eligible to take English 121 after completing HHS English 9, 10, and 11 that they need for the MMC as outlined by the State of Michigan and securing a 480 on evidence-based reading and writing portion of the PSAT or SAT.

Typically, students dual enroll in year 11 if they are part of Holt Early College or in year 12 if they are not.

If students are interested in taking Holt Advantage classes, they can course request these classes when they schedule classes annually in February. These courses can be found in the course guide under Special Programs.

The cost of college is higher than ever, causing many young people to enter the workforce under burdensome debt. For many careers and professions, an associate or bachelor's degree is an essential requirement. The Holt Early is a program within our school designed to provide students a head start on their post-secondary college plans with tuition, fees, and books paid for by Holt Public Schools.

Built to challenge students and to maximize their potential, Holt Early College stresses self-discovery with college & career planning so that students can intentionally map out and plan their post-secondary pathway. We then couple those plans with rigorous academics and an accelerated, college-like class schedule. All the while providing wrap-around supports, mentors, and project-based learning experiences to help prepare our students to be proactive leaders and innovative thinkers long after they leave our Early College program.

What is Holt Early College?

• Holt Early College is considered an Early College program within a school. Our post-secondary partners for our delivery are Lansing Community College and Davenport University.
• This program provides students the opportunity to earn a career certification, complete the Master Transfer Agreement (MTA) at Lansing Community College, accrue transferrable college credits, and complete up to an Associate's Degree (Davenport University) while in high school.
• Early College is a 3-year program that formally begins in a student's 11th grade year and extends their high school delivery by an additional year. Students apply to Holt Early College in the Fall of their 10th grade year.
  • 10th grade year, students apply in the Fall and take Early College Prep in the Spring to help them prepare and decide if this program is the right fit for them. Students can pick up an application in the counseling office and they will also be emailed home to every 10th grader.
  • Years 11 and 12 are a combination of HHS courses and dual enrollment at LCC or Davenport University based on their program pathway they choose.
  • Year 13 is full time at LCC or Davenport University.

What are the benefits?

• All college tuition, books, and fees are provided with little to no cost to the student or family for three years.
• Wrap-around supports and curriculum to help students prepare to be successful in their post-high school journey.
• Mentors at both the high school and college campus.
• Smooth transition to the workforce or four-year university.

Who is the right fit?

Sophomores who:

• Are on track for graduation
• Have self-discipline
• Are mature
• Are personally motivated and demonstrate initiative to take responsibility for their behavior and learning

What about traditional high school events?

• Students will be able to participate in all Holt High School related events and activities with their peers like normal. For example, this could include extra-curricular activities, clubs, prom, and graduation. That's the beauty of having an Early College program within a Comprehensive High School.
• Students will walk at graduation after year 12 with their peers, and we recommend they hold their open house and have that celebration at that time.
• Year 13, they will be reported as a Holt High School student and will have cohort meetings they will need to attend, but their academic courses will be full time at the college campus. They will have a math course in year 13 to fulfill their final year Math requirement, this can be taken at the college as well.

When and how will applications go out?

• Applications are available in the high school counseling office in September annually.
• Holt Early College information will be emailed to all Sophomore families in September annually. All you need to do is monitor your email and apply when the application window opens in the Fall.

Questions? Feel free to reach out to:

Lucas Schrauben 
Director of Secondary Programs

Students who are accepted into the program are assigned to a student with a disability that impacts socialization and behavior. Links assist as a mentor/friend in the class the student is enrolled in.

Each LINK student receives training in working with

• Behaviors of assigned student
• Understanding the disability the assigned student has
• Solving daily problems
  • Appropriate social skills 
  • Tending to tasks
  • Organization
  • Independence

Did you know Holt High School students have the opportunity to get hands-on training in welding, plumbing, pipefitting, and HVAC during their school day?

In partnership with Local 333 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, the Holt High School Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program is a work-based learning placement and co-op program for two hours of the day with an on-site learning and experience. 

These high-wage, high-demand career opportunities are growing exponentially with 51,000 expected job openings per year over the next decade, and Holt High School students have the opportunity to get ahead. 

This class will run from 7:00am-9:00am daily onsite at the Local 333 Apprenticeship Training Facility. Students must have their own transportation to this work-based learning opportunity. Students who will be juniors or seniors next year can course request Pre-Apprenticeship Training at scheduling time in February. 

Hear what current students have to say about the program and get an inside look at what these students are working on.

What is PLTW? 

PLTW is an engineering curriculum that empowers students to step into the role of an engineer, adopt a problem-solving mindset, and make the leap from dreamers to doers. The program’ s courses engage students in compelling, real-world challenges that help them become better collaborators and thinkers. Students take from the courses in-demand knowledge and skills they will use in high school and for the rest of their lives, on any career path they take.  

Introduction to Engineering Design (1 year) 

Students dig deep into the engineering design process, applying math, science, and engineering standards to hands-on projects. They work both individually and in teams to design solutions to a variety of problems using 3D modeling software, and use an engineering notebook to document their work. This class is open to all high school students.

Principles of Engineering (1 year) 

Through problems that engage and challenge, students explore a broad range of engineering topics, including mechanisms, the strength of structures and materials, and automation. Students develop skills in problem solving, research, and design while learning strategies for design process documentation, collaboration, and presentation. This course is recommended for Juniors and Seniors and those who have taken Introduction to Engineering Design. 

Engineering Design and Development (1 year) 

The knowledge and skills students acquire throughout PLTW Engineering come together in Engineering Design and Development as they identify an issue and then research, design, and test a solution, ultimately presenting their solution to a panel of engineers. Students apply the professional skills they have developed to document a design process to standards, completing Engineering Design and Development ready to take on any post-secondary program or career. This course is for Juniors and Seniors is the capstone course for students who have completed both Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering.

Students can sign up for these courses when they course request classes annually in February. 

FIRST® ( For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an after-school opportunity for students that complements our Project Lead The Way courses very well (although you do not have to be in PLTW to be in Robotics, anyone can sign up to be on the Robotics team). 

FIRST is a community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in structured afterschool programs. The team operates like a small manufacturing company with student led departments that must collaborate to design, build, and program a robot to compete with and against teams from all over the world. The team is also supported by business department that must write grants, organize fundraisers, advertise, and manage employees. The experience develops leadership and employable skills in students interested in STEM related fields. FIRST Robotics is the only varsity sport where everyone can go pro!

The Wilson Talent Center (WTC) is a great partner with Holt Public Schools. WTC visits HHS in the Fall annually to share program information with 10th and 11th grade students. To attend the information session, students need to sign up with Ms. Reichard (our counselor who coordinates what students attend WTC). If you know you are interested in a program at WTC, stop in and see Ms. Reichard to make sure you are signed up for the information session when WTC visits in the Fall.

Registrations for WTC take place online and are due by the end of January annually. 

You can learn more about programs at WTC here: https://www.inghamisd.org/wtc/