Exploring the Evolution from Business Teacher to Superintendent!
Education has the power to transform lives and level the playing field. It is the catalyst that empowers individuals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to break through barriers and seize opportunities that may have seemed out of reach. Regardless of one’s background or circumstances, education equips people with the tools to manage the complexities of our rapidly developing world.
“Education is the great equalizer, empowering people with the skills to seize new opportunities,” says Michelle Keylon, Superintendent/CEO of Francis Tuttle Technology Center. Her passion for transforming lives through career and technical education was forged by a traditional path as a business instructor, state advisor, and instructional director before taking the helm in 2018.
Under her leadership, Francis Tuttle has pioneered an innovative vocational training model tightly aligned with industry needs across Oklahoma. “Our focus is to equip students with real-world expertise for high-wage, high-demand careers,” she explains. “We collaborate with employers to design curriculum mirroring the exact knowledge, technology, and environments graduates will utilize on the job.”
With over 30 full-time programs and hundreds of offerings spanning healthcare, IT, manufacturing, construction, and more, Francis Tuttle offers a gateway to economic mobility. Keylon’s career journey through the trenches of classrooms, administration, and state leadership gives her a unique perspective. “Having served at every level provides invaluable insights into our students’ needs and developing programs that transcend textbooks to hands-on mastery of workplace skills.”
Key to Keylon’s vision is treating Francis Tuttle as a dynamic, customer-focused institution, with curricula frequently evolving based on real-time feedback loops with employer partners. “Our largest responsibility is closing the skills gap by preparing a workforce with the technical expertise companies demand,” she says. “It requires constantly adapting our training to remain not just current, but forward-thinking for emerging innovations and future jobs not yet conceived.”
Investing in state-of-the-art facilities that match modern workplaces, like hospital simulation labs and augmented reality welding booths, is also central to Keylon’s strategy. “Immersing students in lifelike environments builds the muscle memory and confidence they need to thrive from day one on the job.”
Journey as Superintendent
Keylon has had a very traditional journey to her role as superintendent. She began her career as a business teacher at a comprehensive high school, then moved on to teach business and IT occupations at a technology center. After several years in the classroom, she joined the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE) in a role that supported all the CareerTech business and IT programs across the state.
In 2005, she joined Francis Tuttle as an instructional director/principal. Throughout her tenure, she has had the opportunity to work with every team in the district. This helped provide her with the knowledge and expertise she needed to move seamlessly into the superintendent’s role.
Overall Educational Goal
Several teachers inspired Keylon to pursue education, specifically vocational education. Her high school business teacher had a significant impact on her. She was a great teacher, and everything in her classroom was practical. Michelle could see a use for the skills she learned that would last a long after her high school career.
She was also inspired by one of her college professors. They encouraged her to take extra coursework and seek additional certification for vocational education. Michelle is so glad she did! It added more focus to her career as a teacher and more opportunities for her development.
Vision for Francis Tuttle
Keylon’s overarching vision for Francis Tuttle is to position the institution to respond effectively to the ever-changing needs of the workforce. The focus is on creating a pipeline of skilled workforce talent for the companies in the area served. The goal is to establish a strong program foundation that supports existing needs and anticipates future workforce requirements, enabling swift responses to changes in demand.
Often referred to as the R&D school of the system, Francis Tuttle has been at the forefront of implementing pioneering programs that have been replicated across the state. According to Keylon, this stems from a philosophy grounded in a robust foundation of programs tailored to current workforce needs. Simultaneously, the institution engages in research, collaborates with economists, and actively participates in the business recruitment process for the Greater Oklahoma City area.
These activities serve dual purposes: identifying workforce issues and devising solutions to address them, envisioning the workforce’s future, and developing programming to align with emerging trends. Keylon emphasizes that the institution’s teachers, staff, culture, and community relationships all play vital roles in fostering the development of innovative programs and practices.
Programs Offered at Francis Tuttle
Keylon believes that all the programs offered at Francis Tuttle significantly impact students’ lives. She provides examples of some of the targeted options:
- Project HOPE is a dropout prevention and recovery program designed to assist students who are behind on credits to graduate from high school. The instructional format allows students to earn academic credit while participating in career training programs, ultimately ensuring their success with both a high school diploma and a career post-graduation. The high school graduation rate and job placement rate measure the success of this program.
- Project Search is a collaborative program with Mercy and Integris hospitals and the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitative Services, tailored for students with cognitive or physical disabilities. Participants engage in three nine-week internship rotations focused on complex and repetitive skills, supported by a job coach. The success of this program is gauged through job placement outcomes.
- Project Build, in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the ODCTE, aims to support the diversion of justice-involved individuals by providing training in construction trades. The program serves incarcerated individuals nearing their release date who qualify for work-release privileges. Job placement rates and the absence of recidivism measure success.
- Francis Tuttle offers three college-prep academies: engineering, biosciences and medicine, and computer science. These academies combine high-level AP and Honors math and science curricula with Project Lead the Way technical content to prepare students for college rigor while imparting job-related skills. Success is initially measured by students continuing to college for engineering, medical-related occupations, and computer science degrees. Additionally, engineering students have earned 16 US patents since 2012, and six bio-science students were accepted into bridge programs, securing admission into undergraduate programs and medical school as incoming freshmen.
- Axis, the business incubator at Francis Tuttle, nurtures new and developing small businesses by providing a supportive environment, business coaching, and resources to launch and grow. Success is quantified by the number of successful businesses launched and the employment generated by these businesses.
Most Successful Partnerships
From Keylon’s perspective, as she reflects on their most successful partnerships, three key elements must be present: a willingness from both partners to engage, a clear focus for the engagement, and a mutually beneficial outcome. The most fruitful partnerships are those sustained over a long period of time. Francis Tuttle is fortunate to have such partnerships across all their programs, facilitated through their business advisory committees.
These committee members actively engage with the programs, provide valuable feedback on content, and keep the institution informed about industry changes. Constant vigilance is maintained to identify potential workforce issues that may necessitate partnership development. Currently, they are in the preliminary stages of addressing one such issue: the low engagement rate of the workforce in Oklahoma.
With only about a 60% engagement rate among eligible workers, there is a substantial gap between available jobs and workforce participation. The objective is to delve into the reasons behind this situation and, through collaborative efforts with partners, develop programs to increase the engagement rate.
Adaptive to Industry Needs
Keylon emphasizes the importance of maintaining awareness and understanding of the changing needs in the community. This is accomplished at various levels within the organization. Instructors actively engage with their advisory committee members to grasp evolving technology requirements for the classroom.
Additionally, instructional leaders collaborate with industry partners to ensure program updates reflect current industry standards. The workforce and economic development team collaborates with the business community to tailor training programs to meet their workforce needs and gather insights on emerging trends.
Furthermore, district administration actively engages with chambers, economic development groups, and business development groups to glean insights from C-suite individuals regarding their industry’s present and future. To facilitate swift responses to evolving needs, the organization has established processes for reviewing the gathered information, seeking additional insights as necessary, and making prompt decisions.
Integrate Problem-solving Projects
Keylon’s approach involves working closely with the business advisory committees to ensure students are well-prepared for emerging careers through the use of the most current curriculum. In addition, problem-solving projects are integrated into all programs, with the aim of instilling in students the ability to learn continuously rather than just acquiring specific skills.
The implementation of these projects varies by program, but the overarching goal is to teach students how to conduct research, make independent decisions, take responsibility for their choices, and learn from the process. Keylon believes that by cultivating these skills, students are equipped to become lifelong learners who can adapt to changes in the industry effectively.
Role of Superintendent/CEO
Keylon believes that a significant aspect of the Superintendent/CEO role entails navigating challenges, which often become part of daily responsibilities. However, the most significant challenge she has encountered as a leader was the pandemic, likening it to assuming the role of an incident commander during a crisis that spanned two years. The pandemic affected various aspects of the district, including its culture, people, leadership, and community, making the process of moving forward difficult.
Keylon acknowledges that overcoming this challenge required collective effort; everyone in the district rallied together to reaffirm their purpose and focus on students. This involved re-educating themselves on processes and procedures, practicing core values, and holding each other accountable. They implemented specific communication processes, ensured high levels of support at every district level, solicited input, and provided opportunities for feedback to drive improvement. Keylon also emphasizes the importance of celebrating successes along the way.
Regarding addressing the skills gap, Keylon emphasizes the importance of understanding the needs of each industry and developing programming that aligns with those needs. The district collaborates with various industry groups to tailor programming to reflect industry requirements and match student interests with available programming. Keylon stresses that technical skills training is just one component; the district also focuses on teaching professionalism skills such as communication, problem-solving, punctuality, and initiative.
Additionally, efforts are underway to provide resources for students facing barriers to employment, such as transportation, housing, and childcare, to ensure that students leave the program not only technically skilled but also confident in their ability to succeed in their chosen careers.
Student Story
At Francis Tuttle, Keylon has witnessed numerous student success stories throughout her 19-year tenure. One particularly memorable example involved a woman in her 50s who faced sudden and tragic loss, leaving her in dire financial straits with mounting debt and few employable skills. Initially lacking in confidence and struggling to engage with others, she enrolled in a program at Francis Tuttle.
Despite her initial reservations, it became evident that she possessed remarkable intelligence and dedication, never missing a class and excelling in mastering new skills.
The most remarkable transformation occurred in her confidence; as she achieved milestones, her self-assurance grew, leading to increased interaction with her peers and a willingness to help others. Her demeanor shifted from avoidance to greeting others with eye contact and a smile. This transformation empowered her to believe in her potential for career success, and indeed, she secured a position with a reputable company. Over the years, her hard work was recognized with additional responsibilities and compensation, eventually enabling her to achieve her goal of retirement.
Encountering her in the community after she left Francis Tuttle, Keylon was struck by the woman’s gratitude, as she credited the institution with not only changing but possibly saving her life. Each time she shared her story, she felt a profound affirmation of the transformative impact of the education and support provided by Francis Tuttle, recognizing that their work not only changes lives but also has the potential to be lifesaving.
Upcoming Goals and Suggestions for Newcomers
In the next five years, Keylon envisions expanding the capacity of Francis Tuttle to educate the future workforce by 15%, ensuring alignment with the evolving needs of the community, encompassing both traditional and emerging occupations. Additionally, she aims to enhance career awareness, exposure, and education starting as early as PreK, fostering a proactive approach to preparing students for their future careers. She also seeks to address the challenge of low workforce engagement rates in the area, leading efforts to increase participation and involvement.
Furthermore, she plans to forge intentional and value-added partnerships with higher education institutions, particularly within the community college system, to enrich educational opportunities for students.
In terms of leadership advice, Keylon advocates for hiring the right individuals for positions within the organization, even if it requires reopening a position multiple times until the ideal candidate is found. She emphasizes the pivotal role of hiring in shaping organizational culture, which ultimately influences all aspects of the institution.
She highlights the importance of building strong relationships with team members, students, and the community to foster continuous improvement within the district. She encourages setting a clear and concise vision for the district to follow and emphasizes the significance of celebrating successes along the way.
