Wow!  We have made it to the 2023 - 2024 school year.  It's great to be here with all of you.  My name is Heather Franklin and I will be your CTE teacher for this year.  Getting a chance to take advantage of CTE classes will give students a chance to explore different careers now instead of waiting until they get into college.

*  For 6th grade, we will be taking an exciting trip into exploring careers.  There are 16 career clusters and we will take a look into some of them, what is required to be involved in different careers, try the career out, and maybe have a guest speaker.  Students will also get a chance to learn skills they will need in the future.

* I'm so excited about teaching 7th grade Healthcare Careers and Diagnostic Services.  7th graders will have the chance to learn medical terminology, diagnostic careers, and about the cardio vascular system and the respiratory system.  Be ready to dissect a real heart and check out real lungs.

*  Not to leave 8th grade out, we have an exciting year planned for you as well in Healthcare Careers and Biotechnology.   For this year, we will get to look into biotechnology terminology and careers.  8th graders, do you know anything about the central nervous system?  We will get to dive in and create a model. The peripheral nervous and sensory systems are explored by created models and we will look at careers involved with them.  Maybe we can get someone to come visit us! 

I expect an exciting year, filled with hands-on activities and guest speakers. Be ready to get your hands dirty.  Each semester will be different from one another.  I also have a student led after school club.  It is called SKILLS CLUB.  Students will have a chance to learn how to cook, learn how to use tools, even learn how to use a sewing machine.  The skills club can even go to the high school to learn about the CTE programs offered at the High School.  More information will come out soon!

This year Dillard Middle School will participate in the nation wide HOSA club (Health Occupations Students of America).  This club will have community service projects, students will learn more about different careers within Healthcare and how to get a jump start on the profession, the club will also prepare students for competition.  More will come out about this club as well.

HOSA’s Core Values —Learn. Lead. Serve. Innovate.

We value learning. We are committed to learning and becoming respected, knowledgeable and skilled health professionals. We will respect the experiences and contributions of our teachers, peers and patients and seek to learn from them. 

We value leadership. We will serve as role models in our academic program, profession and community. We will be ethical, accountable and trustworthy. We will use our influence to empower others to strive for excellence.

We value service. We are dedicated to serving others with compassion. We believe that individuals are important and we will treat everyone with respect and care. 

We value innovation. We are dedicated to enriching the lives of others. We will continuously seek the knowledge and skills to address challenges and improve the health professions.

Use this HOSA link to learn more about HOSA and why to join.  I will also post important dates and information on this page.  As we journey on our adventure this year, I will post announcements and pictures!

Now a little about me - I live here in Caswell County.  I have 4 girls and 8 grandkids.  My husband is also a CTE teacher at BY. You may see him if you join the Skills club. He helps out sometimes.  This is my second year at N L Dillard Middle School and I'm excited to be here! I love being outside! My favorite hobbie is camping.  I like tent camping, but my husband prefers a camper.  I do my best to win that scenario, lol.  I try to garden and raise chickens.  Did pretty good this year.  I have lots of zuchinni, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, and watermelon.  I didn't do so good with strawberries, beans, peas, potatos, or onions.  But I had fun trying!  My dog's name is Raleigh; he is a mastif mix with a pilot hound.  He weighs 100 lbs and thinks he is a lap dog, lol.

Degrees and Certifications

Associates of Science Business Administration

Bachelors Criminal Justice

Masters Education

Paramedic

Level II National Association of Emergency Medical Services Instructor

Level II Paramedic Instructor