College limits high school welding classes

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook Community College will offer Welding I classes for high school students next year, but slots will be limited compared to previous years.

For the upcoming year, there will six slots available for Welding I, said McCook School Superintendent Grant Norgaard at the regular Board of Education meeting Monday. Previously, there were 10 to 12 high school students who signed up for those welding classes, according to McCook High School principal Craig Dickes, with 10 students currently interested. Dickes was notified by the college of the change last week, on May 5.

For Welding II, there are 10 high school students enrolled for next year.

More slots for Welding I could become available if all the welding classes available at the college are not filled by college students, Norgaard said. Scheduling for that could become tricky, as class schedules for high school students are finalized by May, while college students have until mid-summer to sign up for classes.

“It will be hard to tell some of them no,” Norgaard admitted of the 10 students who want to take beginning welding classes. Norgaard said the school district has a good relationship with the college but this was a bit of a surprise and “is more of a step backward than forward for students,” he said, adding that with more discussion with the college in the fall, perhaps more students will be able to attend. For now, “It’s out of our hands,” he said.

Board secretary Teresa Thomas asked how it will be decided who gets to take Welding I if there are six slots but 10 students interested. Dickes said precedence would first be given to students who tried to enroll last year. After that, it will be “first come, first served,” he said, based on high school students who enroll at the college by July.

Kelly Rippen, MCC Vice President, attended Monday’s meeting and said the college has seen an increase in enrollment for welding classes. By July, the college will have a better understanding of how many college students have signed up for welding and how many openings are available for high school students, she said. Additionally, other steps are being taken to increase student capacity, such as four new welding booths coming in the fall, “creative scheduling,” such as having high school students possibly attend classes while college students are at internships, and in the future, summer classes.

Board member Dennis Berry expressed disappointment with the college’s decision. The former McCook Junior High principal recalled how welding first started at the junior high and because of extreme interest in the class and the teacher who taught it, later moved to the college and to a new facility on B Street. Berry reiterated Norgaard’s comment of being a step backward for students and the community and said hopefully something can be resolved to allow more students to participate. “ (We’re) going to have to look some kids in the eye and say sorry, you can’t take it,” he said.