Dear Coastline ROP Community,
While it has been a challenging few years due to the Covid pandemic, this year we were excited to see enrollments increase in our career technical education (CTE) classes across our districts (Irvine Unified, Newport-Mesa Unified, SaddlebackValley Unified, and Tustin Unified school districts). This led to a great selection of distinguished students for our 2023 Student Showcase, which we were delighted to be able to hold in-person for the first time since 2019! I believe it is the beginning of some great work we are going to do with our students.
As we continue to re-establish all facets of our programs, we are reminded daily that our students take rigorous coursework that helps them find and pursue their future careers. One of the things I love about Coastline ROP classes is the hands-on learning that aligns with our mission statement and the foundations of CTE. Additionally, we are grateful for our local business and community partnerships that allow us to offer leading edge technology classes, such as AI and cybersecurity, and provide our students with real-world experience through work-based learning, such as internships.
I am continually impressed by what our students are learning and achieving in classrooms taught by Coastline ROP teachers with industry experience. Whether it is automotive, nursing, cybersecurity, culinary, child development or public service, students are completing pathways in large numbers, better prepared for their futures. We are dedicated to providing access to all students, regardless of whether they are going straight into the workforce, pursuing education at our community college or university partners, or joining one of the branches of the military.
We continue to work to raise awareness of ROP classes and to shine a light on the excellent work that we and our district partners do in the classroom to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s careers. We recognize that many parents and business leaders may have the misconception that ROP courses are somehow “less than” when it comes to preparing their students for college and their future careers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Employers often cite employability skills, such as adaptability, communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving, as the most critical to successful workplace performance – and these are skills that can be mastered through ROP courses. This is work that will likely never end as 25% of the student population is new each year.
As Superintendent of Coastline ROP, I am proud to have the opportunity to lead this outstanding organization, and I thank all of our students, families, staff, school districts, and community partners for their continuous hard work and dedication to making a difference in the lives of our students. Together, let’s keep working together to ensure our students reach their fullest potential.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brian K. Dozer
Superintendent