Evelyn Gennarelli
Brian Godfrey is the new Construction and Carpentry Teacher at ACHS.
The Carpentry and Construction class is back at Alexandria City High School. After a 12-year hiatus, there is a lot of excitement about its return from both teachers and students alike. The class’s new teacher, Brian Godfrey, has lots of experience, and countless goals and plans for the year ahead.
Though he is a new teacher to ACHS, Godfrey has lots of experience with both carpentry and teaching. For the past 9 years, Godfrey has taught carpentry and construction at Chantilly Academy in the Fairfax County Public School system. Before that, he spent his life as a carpenter by trade. ¨I was raised as an old school carpenter, understanding how to drop a tree, how to fell it, mill it, and then how to build a house and build the furniture inside the house¨ Godfrey said. He plans to use these skills and techniques when teaching the class this year.
Godfrey and his family live in Alexandria City and have connections with ACPS. ¨I have known that this city needs a program like this for years,¨ said Godfrey. ¨I got in touch with Dr. Jacobs, who runs CTE for Alexandria City schools, and she asked if I would be interested in starting a new program over here.¨
ACHS´ Carpentry and Construction is offered as a full-year class to 10th and 11th grade students. Right now, there are three sections of Carpentry 1 being taught. One period is at capacity with 20 students, and the others are not far behind. ¨We definitely have to grow the student enrollment.¨ Godfrey said, but “We are already seeing lots of excitement in the student population here.¨
Godfrey is also looking to build support and partnerships with the school system and community. Currently, there are several school board members who have allocated funding for starting the program. The class will need tools, work benches, and equipment, as well as getting the space ready for the activities planned. Additionally, Godfrey is excited to partner with organizations in the community, such as Home Depot and Harbor Freight. He is planning on connecting with industries in the area for other partnerships and internship opportunities for students.
This year, Carpentry 1 will focus mostly on construction and fine carpentry. Students will learn skills for building big structures and things inside them. They will also focus on getting a better understanding of measurements and math. By the end of the year, every class will build their very own shed.
The class will also have an emphasis on safety. ¨I want my students to get their OSHA 10 Card,¨ Godfrey said. OSHA training is a program that helps educate on identifying and preventing workplace hazards. ¨That’s something they can take with them, and can get them more pay and a lot of positions.¨ Godfrey explains.
The biggest goal for this ACHS program is to prepare students for direct entry into high paying jobs, which includes safety training and important skills.
¨What I am most excited about is opening up career pathways for students that sign up for this program,” Godfrey said. ¨There are so many opportunities surrounding building trades and it is an industry in need. I am most excited to build students up into their futures.¨
