Sapulpa Public Schools

Educational Pathways

Advancing Student Opportunities

Kiley Barnett, Director of Educational Pathways

Sapulpa Public Schools is incorporating internships into our new Educational Pathways program. We are seeking community, business, and industry partners to grow the internship program. Contact [email protected] to learn more.

*renderings for conceptual illustration only

Educational Pathways: A Road to Innovative Learning
Sapulpa Public Schools, in coordination with community and educational partners, has designed and developed an innovative Educational Pathways program for Sapulpa students. Students will have the opportunity to expand their learning experiences and customize their own educational journey.

Thanks to generous donations from the Make Sense Foundation and SeneGence founder and CEO, Joni Rogers-Kante, and her family, development for the Educational Pathways program is already underway.

Under the Chieftain Stronger Bond 2023 proposal, the new Sapulpa High School building will reflect and enhance this unique set of programs to best serve our students.

Since the 2019-20 academic year, all 9th graders in Oklahoma must complete an Individualized Career Academic Plan, or ICAP. It is an intentional sequence of courses that indicate progress toward a post-secondary goal. In implementing the ICAP requirement, the district considered how it could make the most of this chance to give all Sapulpa students greater support for job exploration and the learning opportunities necessary to help them pursue those careers after graduation.

That is what led to the concept of Educational Pathways.

A New Sapulpa High School: Supporting Educational Pathways
The first pathways are already in place, prior to the final completion of the new high school campus, which will further reflect the program's opportunities. Educational Pathways include Engineering and Aviation; Visual and Performing Arts; and Business Innovations and Entrepreneurship.

New technology added throughout the building will only enhance instruction. The Pathways program will also offer more internship opportunities. They'll be able to gain practical, hands-on experience.

Through the Educational Pathways program, and new student learning environments inside a new high school, students will get access to some of the most cutting-edge equipment used in industry. A new Fabrication Lab, for instance, would give students the opportunity to use high-tech tools in 3D printing, welding, and more.

Community Partnerships: Key to Educational Pathways
Sapulpa Public Schools has fostered numerous partnerships to advance the Educational Pathways program. Those alliances include area colleges and universities which provide comprehensive dual enrollment programs. In the future, the district hopes to offer concurrent associate's degree options for high school graduates.

Another avenue includes career tech partnerships. SPS works alongside Central Tech to give students access to practical training and workforce development, connecting them with careers immediately after graduation.

The goal of the Educational Pathways program is to meet the needs of each individual student, and set them up for success after graduation.

This is an opportunity to grow Sapulpa courses and add more AP courses in the future. The important factor in this is that it is not just college or career tech driven. This is driven by what our individual students need for success. This is a time for them to develop a plan and explore future career options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Kiley Barnett, Director of Educational Pathways
[email protected]

Mrs. Kiley Barnett brings over a decade of experience in higher education, where she has guided students to success through her work as a navigator and academic advisor at Florida Gulf Coast University, Kansas State University, and the University of Nevada–Las Vegas.

With a passion for inspiring students to learn, create, and achieve, Barnett plans to introduce innovative strategies to strengthen Sapulpa’s expanding Educational Pathways program.

“There are jobs we don’t even know are going to exist,” said Barnett. “We want to balance what’s coming, and figure out how can we best prepare current high school students.”

The Educational Pathways program currently offers students three focused tracks to explore career-related interests: Engineering/Aviation, Performing and Visual Arts, and Business Innovations/Entrepreneurship. Barnett will collaborate closely with Pathways coordinators Janet Johnson, Whitney Yokum, Megan Cagle, and Cynthia Swift, along with College and Career Readiness Coordinator Amy Warner, to ensure these programs align with evolving career opportunities and student success.

“If a student wants to do the engineering pathway, we want to make sure they’re math-ready,” said Barnett. “We also want to get them into more community internships and job shadowing to make sure they see what they’d actually be doing in a chosen career. I’m excited to work with the coordinators and grow this program to be something very, very successful.”

The district’s Educational Pathways initiative has been made possible through strong partnerships with area colleges and universities, local businesses, industry leaders, and career tech institutions. Barnett aims to expand these relationships, with a student-first mindset focused on preparing each learner for life after graduation.

“It’s a big ask: what do you want to do with your life when you’re 18?” said Barnett. “Nobody really knows the answer to that question, but I think the more hands-on experience, and the more things we can get them in front of, the closer they can get.”

Barnett holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor's in Secondary Education and Health and Human Performance from Fort Hays State University.

The Educational Pathways program is generously supported by donations from the Make Sense Foundation and SeneGence founder and CEO, Joni Rogers-Kante.