New Haven schools expand career pathways with certified nursing courses with Southern

The Register Citizen – Monday, June 9, 2025
By Crystal Elescano

The district is partnering with universities to prepare students for life after graduation through career-focused programs — including a recent Certified Nursing Assistant course completed by New Haven High School students at Southern Connecticut State University.

“We started programming with Southern last spring,” said Dina Natalino, supervisor of college and career pathways. “This is now our third round with Southern, and this partnership allows our students to get the coursework necessary to take the CNA certification exam.”

Natalino said students in the program complete coursework and clinical hours before taking the CNA certification exam at the end of the course.

The course ran twice a week, including one day on Saturday, but the district also offers CNA classes during the school day as part of students’ regular schedules. Natalino said there are two sections at each of the district’s three high schools, totaling six sections, with an estimated 150 students enrolled in the program during the school day.

“We had close to 100 students that completed the CNA course between our spring and summer session at Southern last year,” she said.

CNA courses remain popular in the district, according to Natalino, who said strong student interest has led to the program’s continued expansion. Last year, the district partnered with Excel Academy to offer CNA classes during the school day at its three largest high schools. Due to high demand, the program was extended into the summer and continued with a spring session during the school year.

New Haven offers Career Connected Pathways, a program that provides college-level courses and industry-recognized credentials, such as CNA and EMT certifications, for students pursuing careers in the health care field.

“We’ve been working closely with Southern because they’re our partner with the dual enrollment courses that we offer,” Natalino said. “There are two types of dual credit. There’s dual enrollment, where students are going to college campus or being instructed by a college professor, and there’s concurrent enrollment where the university basically approves our teachers as adjunct professors.”

Natalino said the district is focused on offering career pathways that lead to livable wages and opportunities for advancement. She acknowledged that not all students are interested in attending a four-year college and said it’s important for the district to provide alternative options that still lead to meaningful careers.

The CNA program is continuing into the summer with Excel Academy where 15 high school students will take the program, according to the New Haven Board of Education Finance Committee.

In addition to the district’s efforts to support students, New Haven recently partnered with Connecticut State Community College’s Gateway Campus to launch the Gateway to College Program. The initiative will serve up to 50 students, ages 16 to 21, who have left high school and are looking to earn their high school diploma while simultaneously earning college credit.

Recently, 25 students graduated from the Gateway to College Program, which offers a small, supportive, and personalized learning environment designed to meet the needs of students who benefit from additional academic and emotional support.

“This is a great opportunity for that we’re able to offer our students,” New Haven Board of Education President Orlando Yarborough said.

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