Behind the Scenes with Nicole MacTavish,Ed.D

Each month, "Behind the Scenes" features an interview with a leader in our community designed to provide readers a glimpse into his/her interests and passions inside and outside of the workplace

This month, "Behind the Scenes" sat down with Nicole MacTavish

What is your hometown?

Kent, Washington. The real Washington. The one with evergreens, orcas and Bigfoot.

Where did you go to school?

I attended the University of Washington for my Master’s degree, and Seattle University for my Doctorate.

First ever job?

Making plaster teeth from rubber impressions, for a dentist who made gold crowns. Looking back, it was a super strange job for a high school student. It was meticulous work. Any tiny bubble would ruin a client’s very expensive crown.

Who was your greatest inspiration growing up?

Carol Hasse, a sailmaker in Port Townsend, Washington, who I met through a summer sailing program in high school, where we sailed a 101-foot wooden schooner. “Hasse” as we all called her, has an amazing backstory of starting her business on her own as a young woman, traveling the world by wooden boat, and making world class sails. She was a true inspiration to me as a young girl.

Who do you most admire?

I admire teachers. We all count on them to teach and love our children every single day. They have to be instructional experts, empathetic and understanding coaches, expert communicators, intuitive planners, Marie Kondo-level organizational gurus, and joyful collaborators. Teachers are superheroes.

Favorite Vacation Spot?

I love a rustic mountain cabin, surrounded by snow, with a big crackling fireplace. I think my favorite spot might be any given mountain in Vermont!

Favorite movie, TV Show?

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with Ben Stiller is excellence on the big screen.

Typical work week?

Being a Superintendent is more of a lifestyle than a job. The workday happens inside our district, and also throughout the community and region. I absolutely love going to work every single day. I love the kids, I love the staff, I love our community, and I love our Board. The Hannaford Center is a very special place, with an uplifting and positive culture. It was one of the most important drivers of accepting this position. I also love seeking out organizations and businesses in Addison County that we can partner with to offer our students opportunities to learn cutting edge skills, and to have embedded workplace experiences. Career Technical Education is about identifying what careers, services and skillsets are a priority for Addison County, and creating pathways for high school students and adult learners toward those high demand, high wage careers.

Biggest Career Challenge?

My biggest challenge is finding the resources we need to build out our CTE programs. CTE is expensive, but completely worth it. Our machinery, equipment, and industry credentials are expensive to purchase, service, and insure. The specialized training and industry credentialing is expensive. Supplies and materials for our students to learn on are expensive. However, CTE is a fantastic investment for a community! 97% of CTE students go directly into postsecondary education, join the military, or into the workforce upon graduation. 94% of students in CTE programs graduate in Vermont, compared to 85% of all students. In Vermont we anticipate needing over 10,000 additional workers per year by 2040.

In CTE we are preparing students for those careers. The US Department of Education did a longitudinal study in 2019 and found that eight years after graduation, CTE students were employed at a higher rate, and had higher median annual earnings, than their non-CTE peers.

What's the greatest career risk you have taken?

The biggest career risk I’ve taken is to quit my cabinet level job in a large, complex, urban school district in the middle of COVID and move my family, literally across the world, to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI)

to take a job with the US Army overseeing the small school district on Kwajalein Atoll. It was a leap of faith, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. I loved living and working in the Marshall Islands, which is a tropical paradise, and I had a once in a lifetime adventure working with the warm and welcoming Marshallese community.

What's the one thing you would like to see change in your business/industry?

If I could, I would ensure that every single high school student in the State of Vermont had the opportunity to take a CTE course at some point in their high school career. Even students who do not go into the trades learn things they can use their entire adult lives. I would also love to see more adults in our community take Adult Education courses. Right now, we are offering courses in phlebotomy, Licensed Nurse Assistant (LNA), tractor safety, small engine repair, welding, dental assistant, CPR, CNC Wood Routing, CNC Plasma Cutting, and Glowforge Laser Cutting. How cool is that?