HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — On Thursday, Harrisonburg City School Superintendent Dr. Michael Richards led the first meeting of a committee formed to explore the future of career and technical education in the City following the division’s departure from the Massanutten Technical Center agreement with Rockingham County earlier this month.

The committee is made up of representatives from James Madison University and Blue Ridge Community College, school board members, and other community leaders.

Richards led the brainstorming session that first sought to determine which MTC courses apply to city students and whether those programs or courses could be fulfilled at BRCC or at one of Harrisonburg’s high schools.

Artificial Intelligence, environmental issues and tech, and cybersecurity were just some of the ideas discussed for programs that might be included in whatever form the city’s new technical center takes.

The committee will meet four times over the next two months before making recommendations to the city school board in October.