Regional Coordinator of Career & Technical Education (CTE)

Curtis, a former culinary teacher, works with businesses and school districts across Clackamas County to expand opportunities for hands-on learning in our region. 

What would success look like in your first year as the Regional Coordinator of CTE? 

I’ve only been in this position for about 6 weeks at this point, but I’m hoping that at the end of my first year we have staff members and admin who feel strong and confident about their CTE programming plans.  Every school/district has a slightly different vision, but they are all focused on career exploration and closing the gaps between high school and high-wage high-demand jobs. If I can be a part of helping them with that mission, I would feel like my work was moving in the right direction.

What is your experience with CTE?

I started teaching English in 2006, but I switched to teaching Culinary Arts in 2012.  Coming to a CTE classroom from a core classroom was a wonderful paradigm shift for me. In CTE, there are so many ways for students to get involved and feel successful; it’s a fantastic space to see kids in a way that other teachers may not.  Because CTE classrooms tend to be very student centered and project driven, kids have the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge in a wide variety of ways. And, because students get to choose the ways in which they make meaning, they are so excited to stand behind their work.

What is one misconception about CTE that you would like to set straight?  

A lot of people think CTE is only for kids who aren’t successful in traditional, core classes.  CTE covers an incredibly wide range of subjects, from engineering, to cosmetology, to automotive tech, to theater arts and so much more.  CTE gives students an opportunity to put the things they learn in their core classes to work. Any time a student says ‘when will I ever use this?’, CTE answers that.  For a student who wants to take AP classes, CTE has tons of opportunities. For a student who wants to go into a trade, CTE gives them the head start. CTE has something for every student, and, the data very clearly shows, that involvement in CTE is one of the major drivers behind our increasing graduation rates across the state.