News Pella Career Academy

At last night’s School Board meeting, Pella Community Schools proudly presented its first-ever Dutch Difference Maker Award to Lowell Ernst, who serves as the district’s Director of K–12 Instruction. This new award recognizes staff members and community partners who go above and beyond in their service to Pella Community Schools. Beginning his 29th year with […]

We’re thrilled to welcome our new staff members to the Pella Community School District for the 2026–27 school year! This talented group will be joining buildings across the district, including Lincoln Elementary, Madison Elementary, Jefferson Intermediate, Pella Middle School, Pella High School, and the Career Academy of Pella. Let’s extend a warm Pella welcome and […]

ATTN: Pella High School students – Attend three 3-hour local career prep sessions this summer and earn $150! Employers want to help local high school students think about and prepare for future careers, and will pay each student to participate! Active group sessions will focus on personal finance, goal achievement, resume and interview preparation, your “elevator pitch” and […]

WorkSMART Connector and the Career Academy of Pella recently joined community supporters for a student signing event to recognize nearly 50 area high school students who have committed to work-based learning opportunities with local employers. Students from Pella High School, along with peers from other schools and homeschool backgrounds, are beginning hands-on experiences that will […]

Cadyn Rollings, a 2025 Pella High School graduate, recently hosted his Hospitality Capstone dinner with huge success. More than 75 community members attended the Italian dinner planned, prepared, and hosted by Cadyn. The event completes his Hospitality Registered Apprenticeship certification through WorkSMART Connector, the work-based learning program hosted by the Career Academy of Pella (CAP). […]

WorkSMART Connector and the Career Academy of Pella are honored to receive the STEM BEST Award and the Credentials to Computer Science Careers Grant from the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Department of Education! In partnership with Central College and the City of Pella, these funds will support summer training opportunities for Marion […]

Recently at Pella High School, more than 60 community members volunteered their time to speak with our iLead classes about their careers. Students learned about education and training pathways, pay and job outlooks, the rewards and challenges of various careers, and received valuable advice. They also had the opportunity to ask questions and make real-world […]

We are pleased to announce that The Career Academy has been selected to receive a 2026–2027 Iowa STEM BEST Program Award from the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Department of Education—one of just 31 school districts statewide to earn this honor! Program advisor Teri Vos shared: “Pella Community School District and WorkSMART Connector […]

Join us Tuesday, November 4, from 6:30–7:30 p.m. in the Pella High School Auditorium to learn about the many work-based learning programs available to students! These opportunities are open to students from any high school in the region — a fantastic way to gain real-world skills, earn class credit, and get paid at the same […]

Ben, Davis, Mykaylah (Melcher-Dallas), Hayden and Daniel were invited to present at the Iowa STEM Summit in Des Moines on their WorkSMART Connector paid, work-based learning experience in IT. The Summit showcased Pella’s distinctive business-education partnership, to educators, employers, students and legislators from across the state. The audience applauded Pella for “offering a truly unique […]