​Middle Bucks Director Selected For International Education Delegation

JAMISON, PA — Dr. Mark Covelle, the administrative director at the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology (MBIT) in Jamison, has been selected as one of 15 educators statewide to serve as a member of an international education delegation visiting Germany in April 2024.

“I am humbled and thrilled to be selected to represent career and technical education in this exciting opportunity," said Dr. Covelle. "I look forward to learning from and with our German educational counterparts.”

Dr. Covelle said he is most excited to understand more about the apprenticeship opportunities available to students in Germany.

“MBIT, along with our colleagues across Bucks County, has been developing a registered pre-apprenticeship program. I am excited to see how the German model can help to inform our practices and increase opportunities for our students.”

The international study group is a first for the PSBA Trust Institute (PSBA-IN), which is organizing the trip in collaboration with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA). The 15-member study group will focus on the educational system in Germany with the purpose of developing recommendations for Pennsylvania school districts to significantly enhance district academics, operations, facilities and culture.

The study group is comprised of a diverse team of individuals with varied experience and differing roles within the Pennsylvania education system, including elected school board directors, superintendents, business managers, principals, and career and technical center administrators. Prior to traveling abroad, participants will meet virtually with education, business and government leaders from Germany to gain a basic understanding about their systems, academic approaches and policies.

Once in Germany, the group will travel to Bonn, Cologne and Dortmund to tour schools and conduct meetings with education and civic leaders. These interactions will provide an overview of the German education system, including how it functions, achieves results and is funded, with the goal of gathering ideas that can be implemented in Pennsylvania’s school districts.

Primary- and secondary-level school tours will provide firsthand experiences to gain a valuable understanding of the structure within the German education system and provide the opportunity to meet with school administrators, educators and students. Participants also will meet with government officials; city, state and federal education agencies; employer associations; and unions.

To provide a holistic understanding of the education system, tours of German corporations and manufacturers are planned so participants can observe on-the-job training opportunities and hear the employers’ perspectives on the German education system.

After returning from this immersive educational experience, participants will share their learning through articles published by PSBA-IN and PSBA and by serving as presenters and panelists at the 2024 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference.

Follow MBIT on social media to learn more and see updates from the delegation in Germany.