Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton and his staff toured Medical District High School (MDHS) in Memphis on March 4 and met with Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) leaders. Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Greg Duckett, Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Ayoka Pond, System Community Relations and Government Affairs Manager Cynthia Bradford and System Community Relations Coordinator Nick Weaver were present for the tour.
Baptist is a sponsor of MDHS, a new dual-enrollment campus located at Southwest Tennessee Community College-Union Avenue. MDHS offers students the ability to receive an associate degree and high school diploma upon graduation at no extra cost.
The academic pathways available to students include Allied Health, Information Technology and General Studies. Eligible students may also have immediate access to the nursing program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and could become a nurse two years ahead of their peers.
“As we’re Reimagining 901, we were excited to share our academic strategies and expanded access to dual-enrollment programs as we toured Medical District High School,” said MSCS Superintendent Dr. Joris M. Ray. “Vo-Tech has evolved, and we’re working to tailor our curriculum to develop a strong pipeline to the workforce and ensure the success of all students.”
Speaker Sexton’s visit was part of MSCS’s commitment to strengthen relations with Tennessee legislators. The visit also follows the progress of the District’s Reimagining 901 investments, which include tutoring programs, K-2 specialized education assistants and reducing class ratios.
“Leadership and stakeholder engagement is vital in this work,” said School Board Chair Michelle R. McKissack. “We need support and advocacy on all levels, including from federal, state and local agencies in order to realize the vision that we’ve reimagined for our students and families.”
