The Clinton School District is dedicated to EDUCATING and EMPOWERING students with the skills they need to be successful and ENGAGED adults after high school.
One of the ways the district accomplishes this goal is by providing cutting-edge, rigorous, and relevant Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that prepare students for a wide range of high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand careers. Below are highlights of the Clinton School District’s CTE programs and the unique ways they are preparing students for their next steps in life.
Machine Tool Technology
Clinton Technical School (CTS) students in Mr. Noble’s Machine Tool Technology class are introduced to automated manufacturing, the branch of technology that uses stationary power-driven machines to shape or form parts made of metal and other materials.
In this class students learn how to use both lathes and mills. Students are also fortunate to be able to learn how to use Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) machines. The CTS Machine Tool Technology program currently has 3 CNC mills and 2 CNC lathes, with another CNC milling machine arriving soon. This is the most CNC equipment the Machine Tool Technology program has ever had.
“The machining industry has become more and more automated and the addition of the CNC equipment to our shop is helping our students gain a knowledge of CNC that will place them well ahead of others when continuing on in their schooling or going straight into the workforce”, says Dalyn Noble, program instructor.
Marketing
For more than three decades, high school marketing students have had the opportunity to manage and operate a school store. Now known as “The Nest”, this store first took flight in the late 1980’s.
Students in the Retail Operations class operate The Nest which offers students and staff a variety of food, drinks, and everyone’s favorite....cookies! Students are responsible for conducting daily business operations, implementing safety and security measures, and providing quality customer service. Profits from The Nest support Clinton DECA, the extracurricular club associated with the Marketing program.
The Marketing program is one of three Career and Technical Education programs offered at Clinton High School. Students are taught by Mrs. Jessie Thompson.
Automotive Technology
One very exciting piece of the CTE programs at Clinton Technical School and Clinton High School, are the opportunities students have to earn industry-recognized credentials and take part in an internship here in our community.
Students in Mr. Stone’s Automotive Technology class are earning career credentials through the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Entry-Level Certification program. Over the course of two years, students can earn 8 entry-level certifications and 2 advanced certifications.
Not only is Mr. Stone able to use the ASE exams to verify students’ understanding of skills that have been taught, these certifications also allow students to make themselves marketable to potential employers even before they graduate high school. The Automotive Technology program currently has five students who are participating in internships here in Clinton. These students, pictured below, are currently receiving great hands-on experience at Jim Raysik, Gregg Smith, and Matteson Auto. The district is thankful for the strong partnerships we have with our community, and are always looking for more.
The district’s programs are not as “narrow” as their names suggest, and there are eligible students in all of the career and technical education programs. This is an opportunity for you to invest in future graduates and hopefully attract qualified individuals that will help your business grow. If you have a need, it is likely that we have a qualified student in one of the following areas: Accounting, Automotive, Building Trades, Computer Networking & Repair, Health Occupations, Graphic Design, Machine & Tool Technology, Marketing, Multimedia, and Welding. Contact us at 660-885-6101 to learn more about providing an internship for a student.
Health Occupations
One of the most popular CTE programs in the Clinton School District has always been the district’s Health Occupations program. Through this course, students spend time in the classroom, laboratory, and local clinical sites where they gain a solid foundation before entering the healthcare field. One of the many great things about Health Occupations is that students have the opportunity to earn a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) while they are in high school. This allows them to immediately enter the workforce, or to further their education after high school graduation.
Recently, students have been attending clinicals at Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare and Adair Village. Students are participating in patient care to perfect the skills of a CNA while also exploring many healthcare careers. These opportunities allow students to experience how a CNA would be utilized in different departments, while also getting to see the inner workings of a potential career interest. To become a CNA, students must have a minimum of 75 classroom hours and 100 clinicals hours as well as pass written exams with a score of 80% or greater. Prior to clinicals, students must learn and demonstrate in a lab setting that they understand how to perform a procedure while also gaining patient perspective.
Once students have met all of the classroom and clinical requirements as set by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, they are then allowed to sit for the CNA certification exam. The proctored exam consists of a written portion, as well as a hands-on skills portion in which they must perform 3-4 skills. In order to prepare, students are given multiple, timed practice tests as well as many lab hours to study and prepare for all 19 skills because they do not know which 3-4 skills have been selected for them until they enter the exam room. Both portions of the exam must be passed with a minimum score of 80% in order for a student to receive their CNA certification.
The plan is for students to take this exam at the end of April.
Students are taught by Cassie Foster (Health Occupations Instructor) and Megan Weiss (Health Occupations Intern Instructor).
Welding
Students in Clinton Technical School’s welding program have always received a top-notch experience, but this year it has been taken to a whole new level (quite literally)!
Students and their instructor, Marty Mitchell, recently built a welding simulator that is training students in several different scenarios by putting them into real world structural and pipe welding situations. The simulator trains students on how to work from heights with proper fall protection in uncomfortable positions. It simulates the unsteadiness of being in a man lift, common mobility restrictions, working in confined spaces, and how to set up and use proper fume extraction techniques for air quality control. The idea behind this simulator is to take students out of the perfectly controlled environment of their welding booths and put their skills to work in real situations that they might encounter in the welding industry. The use of this trainer is boosting the skills of students and providing them with hands-on knowledge of the safety precautions that go along with a career in the field of welding.
Agriculture Science
The Agriculture Science program is one of three CTE (Career and Technical Education) programs housed at Clinton High School. Students who are enrolled in Ag Science classes also have the opportunity to join the national student organization, FFA. The Clinton FFA Chapter is going strong with 63 members, 26 new members just this year.
This year during National FFA Week, the Clinton FFA chapter had fun celebrating, but also took time to give back and thank those in the community who support their efforts and program throughout the year.
To kick-off the week-long celebration, members attended church at United Methodist Church. On Monday morning, several members volunteered their time to participate in highway clean-up. Members were up bright and early on Tuesday for the annual Businessperson Breakfast at the Clinton Rotary Building. On Wednesday, first-year FFA members had their hand dyed green to signify that they are “Greenhands”. And to celebrate George Washington’s birthday, students delivered cherry pies to local businesses as a way to say “thank you”. On Thursday, students enjoyed a meal together courtesy of Powell Meats and FFA officer, Allie Goucher. And on Friday, students traveled to Kansas City for the Western Farm Show.
Business
One of the great things about CTE programs are the connections to the real-world that are able to be made both inside and outside the classroom. Students in Mrs. Harp’s and Mrs. Hutcherson’s business classes at Clinton High School have enjoyed the guest speakers who have visited their class. Intro to Law students have heard from St. Clair and Hickory counties’ Prosecuting Attorney, Daniel Dysart and School Resource Officer, Violet Williams. Students enjoyed learning about different law careers and asking questions to learn more. Business Management students welcomed Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare CEO, Craig Thompson who shared the differences between management and leadership and the importance of the strategic planning process.
Students at Clinton High School have a wide range of business classes available to them. Some of these classes include; accounting, business law, computer graphics, business communications, business management, computer applications, and more. Students also have the opportunity to join FBLA, the national student business organization.
Building Trades
Building Trades students have given Clinton Technical School quite the facelift this year. Students are using their skills to assist the building in changing its layout to be more conducive to students’ learning, make room for a new program, and more! As students make these changes and improvements to the building, they have received hands-on experience in framing, plumbing, electrical, door installation, sheetrock, trim, interior finishing, and more!
Students are taught by Josh Foster, who was a student himself in the CTS Building Trades program during high school.
Computer Networking and Repair
The ultimate goal of the district’s CTE programs is for students to have the skills to be gainfully employed, or to continue their education, upon high school graduation. The district has many success stories of how programs are doing just that. One story in particular that the district is proud of comes from the Computer Networking and Repair program
This program, taught by Mr. Michael Bowman, introduces students to computer networking, computer hardware/operating systems, troubleshooting, cybersecurity, and so much more. Students in this class, and all of the CTE classes at Clinton Technical School, have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials allowing them to be more marketable in the workforce.
Gage Sidfrid, a 2022 Clinton High School graduate, was a 2-year student in this class. Upon completion of this program, Gage earned Testout Networking Pro and Testout PC Pro certifications as well as the skills and experience to enter directly into the workforce. Two months after graduation, Gage had a job here in the Clinton School District as an Information Technology (IT) Technician using the skills he acquired here as a student.
“The Computer Networking and Repair class familiarized me with common issues that occur as well as gave me the opportunity to get hands-on experience with computers,” says Gage. “I enjoy working in the Clinton School District and getting the chance to encounter new problems and issues.”
Gage is also a student at State Fair Community College where he is studying Computer Network Administration with plans to open his own remote networking contract business in the future.
This is why CTE works!
