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Scotland County schools are expected to make a number of changes in its technical classes in the next year.

The plans were reviewed at this week’s Board of Education meeting.

Career and Technical Education Director Darlene Moss highlighted the changes as she outlined her department’s application to the State Board of Education for state and federal funding.

“We have quite a few things in position for next year as far as updating and upgrading our career and technical education program,” said Moss.

Those changes includes a Richmond Community College takeover of the early childhood education program and CNA certification through RCC. The school system is also expected to add marketing education and computer engineering at Scotland High School and create a technology position in all each of the three middle schools.

“Due to a couple of retirements, we’ve had the opportunity to redirect some of our positions as well as some new positions and opportunities through Richmond Community College,” Moss said. “What we’re looking at doing for next year is adding an additional agriculture position at the high school; we will close down the masonry program due to the retirement of the instructor there and low enrollments there.”

Although several board members expressed concern with the relocation of the masonry program to Shaw Academy, the board approved the application 6-1, with Terence Williams in opposition. Board member Paul Rush was absent from the meeting.

“It seems like we’re doing a whole lot, but when we start using words like redirect, where are we redirecting it?” Williams said. “When we start talking about the masonry piece, there are just so many components that you’re adding, changing, taking away that we’re just not knowledgeable of.”

Moss said that the school will provide for transportation of students from Scotland High School to Shaw Academy to take two periods a day at Shaw where they can concentrate on education in skilled trades.

“When I look at trend data over three years, the numbers have steadily declined over three years,” she said. “This year, we had about 40 students per semester in masonry. That’s why we felt like redirecting this year with the retirement of Mr. [Osbin] Currin and moving it to the trade center the next year.”