CTE
Department Chair: Steve Clark
Course Offerings
Agriculture
Agriculture Fabrication and Emerging Technologies
Course Description
Students will receive instruction in metal fabrication, including cutting, welding, and cold metalworking processes, for agricultural applications. The course will also include the investigation of emerging technologies used within the field of agriculture. Leadership and career skills will be incorporated throughout.
Applied Agricultural Concepts
Course Description
Students gain positive experiences through fundamental agricultural competencies needed for rural or urban living. Areas of instruction include food production, handling, and preparation; introduction to the livestock and poultry industry; soil, soil fertility, and cultural practices; mechanical applications; plant systems and disease/pest management for shrubs, lawns, pastures, gardens, and fruit trees. The course emphasizes leadership development and participation in FFA activities. Supervised agricultural experiences will allow for enhanced learning and growth opportunities for students. Electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and metalworking lab competencies are incorporated throughout the course.
Horticulture I
Designed for high school sophomores and juniors, Horticulture I involves the production, maintenance, processing, and distribution of plant materials. The course is designed to give students a basic background and entry-level employment skills in the following major learning areas: career opportunities, plant propagation, home gardening, lawn care, greenhouse and nursery management, floral design, and holiday decorations. Instruction is provided in safety practices and leadership skills.
Horticulture II
A course for high school juniors and seniors, Horticulture II is designed to help students develop the necessary knowledge and skills for employment and advancement in areas such as landscape design, landscape construction, and landscape maintenance. Skills such as sketching and drawing, analyzing a landscape site, designing landscapes, identifying and selecting landscape plants, purchasing and installing plants, and maintaining landscapes by watering, fertilizing, mulching, pruning, and controlling pests are introduced. Students also learn the basics of the plant production industry. Instruction includes the science of plant production as well as market and business management. Participation in Future Farmers of America activities provides leadership development opportunities. Students enrolled in this course will take a career and technical assessment approved by the Virginia Department of Education.
Livestock Production Management
Course Description
Course includes instruction in agricultural mechanics, with emphasis placed on the application of mechanical skills to farm power and machinery, as well as on soil and water management, supervised farming programs, and leadership training.
Turf Management
Course Description
Students begin to master the duties and tasks of professionals who establish and maintain turf in public areas such as golf courses; parks; athletic fields; school, industrial, and institutional campuses; and residential lawns.
Business
Computer Applications
Course Description
This course is designed for secondary students to develop and enhance touch skills for entering alphabetic, numeric, and symbol information on a keyboard. Students will develop the correct keyboarding techniques and gain a basic knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, database, and graphic applications. Students will demonstrate an understanding of computer concepts through applications of knowledge.
Computer Information Systems
Course Description
In this course, students in grades 10-12 apply problem-solving skills to real-life situations through word-processing, spreadsheet, database software, and through integrated activities. They work individually and in groups to explore computer concepts, operating systems, and emerging technologies. Instruction includes the use of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access, Excel, and PowerPoint presentations. Students enrolled in this course will take a career and technical assessment defined by the Virginia Department of Education.
Economics and Personal Finance
Course Description
This course will present economic concepts that help students interpret the daily news, understand how interdependent the world’s economies are, and anticipate how events will impact their lives. On a personal level, students will learn that their own human capital (knowledge and skills) is their most valuable resource and that investing in education and training improves the likelihood of their future economic success. Students learn how to navigate the financial decisions they must face and to make informed decisions related to career exploration, budgeting, banking, credit, insurance, spending, taxes, saving, investing, and living independently. Development of financial literacy skills and an understanding of economic principles will provide the basis for responsible citizenship and future financial career success.
At the completion of the course, students will take the W!SE Financial Literacy Certification Exam. This course counts towards graduation requirements for an advanced or standard diploma. Students who pass the W!SE test will be certified as Financially Literate. Students achieving a standard diploma can use the w!se exam for their workplace readiness diploma requirement.
Construction
Materials and Processes Technology
Course Description
Students focus on physical materials and processes as they fabricate usable products and conduct experiments. Learning experiences include career analysis as well as the use of tools and equipment related to analysis, testing, and processing of metals, plastics, woods, ceramics, and composite materials. This single-period lab course is recommended for students interested in technical careers and others wishing to improve their technological literacy.
Technical Drawing
Basic Technical Drawing
Course Description
In this course, designed for students with a sound knowledge of math, students experience the basic language of industry and technology. They gain skills and understanding of the broad scope of mechanical drawing and drafting. The course is highly recommended for students who plan to study engineering, architecture, landscaping, or industrial technology in the future. An introduction to Computer Aided Design (CAD) is included in the course.
Engineering Drawing
Course Description
In this course, students are introduced to the graphic language of industry for engineers, manufacturers, and technicians. The course provides greater depth in drafting problems, skills, and techniques and emphasizes interpretation of industrial prints, ability to use reference books and resource materials, and the adherence to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards for drafting. An important aspect of the course is the application of Computer Aided Design (CAD) principles and applications to typical engineering and design problems. Students enrolled in this course will take a career and technical assessment defined by the Virginia Department of Education.
Architectural Drawing
Course Description
Architectural Drawing provides students with the opportunity to learn more about the basic background and principles of architecture and its related drafting practices and techniques. Computer Aided Design (CAD) principles are an integral part of the instruction. Construction methods and techniques are studied and applied in the building of scale model projects. This course can benefit a future building or landscape architect, interior designer, or home builder, as well as a future homeowner. Students enrolled in this course will take a career and technical assessment defined by the Virginia Department of Education.