Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) is proud to announce that Reno Palombit, Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE), was recently recognized as the 2024-2025 North Carolina Association for Career and Technical Education (NCACTE) CTE Administrator of the Year for the North Central Region. Palombit began his career with JCPS in 2019 as the CTE Workforce Development Specialist, and in 2021, he was named the Director of Career and Technical Education.
As part of the NCACTE Excellence Awards, the recognition is presented each year at the North Carolina CTE Summer Conference to celebrate exceptional professionals in CTE. The prestigious award is given to professionals who administer CTE programs and demonstrate outstanding leadership, promote teacher and student success, and contribute to innovative CTE programs.
As a product of his high school’s CTE program, Palombit knows how the program can change a student’s life. From an early age, he wanted to become a chef, so he enrolled in the Culinary Arts Pathway, taking advantage of every opportunity offered. This included internships and, ultimately, an apprenticeship at the executive dining room atop the Bank of America Corporate Center, in downtown Charlotte.
He credits his high school culinary arts teacher and mentor, Mrs. Barbara Cannon, for encouraging him to become involved in the Family Career & Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), the CTE student organization for culinary arts. “She was the best role model and saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” he remarked. “She presented me with many wonderful opportunities.” Palombit rose through the ranks of FCCLA, being elected as a North Carolina and national officer.
"That’s what has always driven me.
What do we need to do to take CTE to the next level, what’s innovative?"
Although he loved the food service industry, Palombit wanted to give back and make a difference for other CTE students, just as the program had done for him. Once again, Mrs. Cannon encouraged him to join the CTE family and teach culinary arts. It was then that he switched his career goal and pursued a Bachelor of Family and Consumer Sciences Education, and subsequently, a Master of Career and Technical Education.
“Going into Family and Consumer Sciences blended both,” Palombit remarked. “I was able to stay involved in FCCLA and teach culinary arts, and still express that love of food and how it brings people together, while also giving back and making an impact in students’ lives.”
The JCPS Career and Technical Education program is powered by passionate educators who specialize in career field program areas, facilitate career development, and support students with unique needs. The department is focused on expanding students’ career and college options, and making the transition from high school to adulthood easier. Everyone involved with the program is laser-focused on one objective: that every JCPS graduate has a plan for their future, along with the skills, knowledge, and aptitudes necessary to make it a reality.
One innovative strategy that supports this goal is JOCO WORKS. This program offers a suite of career readiness experiences for students in grades 8 through 12, providing curriculum, hands-on experiences, and real-world career exploration opportunities. Within the school district, students can access three exclusive opportunities: JOCO WORKS World of Work (WOW), JOCO WORKS NOW, and JOCO WORKS PRO.
“We design programs and opportunities that allow students throughout their educational journey to learn their strengths, interests, preferences, and needs, and explore which careers align with the vision they have for their lives,” Palombit said.
Palombit considers one of his team’s biggest accomplishments to be the remarkable increase in credential attainment for CTE students. Preliminary numbers for the 2024-2025 school year indicate CTE students earned almost 7,000 credentials, nearly doubling the number of credentials earned within three years. This increase reflects the hard work of Palombit and his team.
From day one, Palombit’s goal for the JCPS CTE program has been a commitment to continuous improvement and to establish JCPS as the best in the state. “That’s what has always driven me. What do we need to do to take CTE to the next level, and what’s innovative? We’re never done,” he said.