Frequently Asked Questions
Here we are placing common Questions and our current answers.
Q: Can I be in MST Magnet and take CamTech courses at the same time?
Yes. In our current first year of piloting CamTech, we have 5 students doing exactly that. Current projections suggest we will have about 10 students doing exactly that next year.
Q: Can I be in IAA, or DECA, and taking CamTech courses at the same time?
Yes. Current projections suggest we will have one or two students doing both IAA and CamTech next year, and another three or four doing both DECA and CamTech.
Q: Can I be in Band and Choir and IAA and MST and DECA and CamTech all at the same time?
No. These are all great program pathways, but since we are limited to a 6-period day at CHS, students will have to make choices between program pathways. Students can transfer between most program pathways every year during forecasting.
Q: Can I take one of the CamTech courses without being in the Camtech program pathway?
Yes. We expect there will be well over two hundred students next year taking CamTech courses who are not in CamTech. Very OK.
Q: What is this about a new World Language graduation requirement?
The state graduation requirements now include a “Personal Pathway Requirement” (PPR). Students planning on attending University are stronglty encouraged to take two years of a World Language, and this meets the PPR. Students, such as those in IAA with an interest in the Arts, can satisfy this PPR with three years of Arts. Students in CamTech can do any of the above ways to satisfy the PPR, or, they can complete CamTech for their PPR.
Q: “CamTech” sounds somewhat like “CalTech” … was that deliberate?
Yes. Unashamedly … we have high aspirations for each of our Strands. Come join us to acheive those aspirations.
Q: What happend to traditional shop classes? After all, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department several of the highest growth area jobs in southwest Washington will be in the construction trades over the next ten years.
Our shop is still here and not going away. Our Fab Lab emphasis strand is designed to meet the interests of students choosing these well-paying professions. Fab Lab will also priovide the opportunity for engineering students to get their hands into building their designs. Our guiding principle characterized by the word “nimble” ensures we are always checking for student interests. And if we are not in-depth enough, quick enough for some students, the Clark County Skills Center is an excellent option.
Q: Camas Senior Project …. Senior Boards … CamTech Senior Project … How are they related?
Every student in Camas School District is required to create a senior project and present at Senior Boards in June. Your CamTech project can be that same project. We strongly encourage it, but don’t require it.
Q: Is CamTech really for students who are college bound?
Yes. Especially if you are interested in one of the technical fields as a career. You wil need to work in two years of World Language to satisfy most college entrance requriements. This program pathway is also useful for most college students – since we are all going to be working in the digital environment, CamTech can help prepare you for most any field.
Q: Is CamTech really for students heading for a trade school or community college?
Yes. Especially if you are interested in one of the technical fields as a career.
Q: Is CamTech really for students getting a job right out of high school or beginning a profesoinal apprenticehsip program?
Maybe. Our program emphasis Strands supporting students going into these career fields are still somewhat limited. We are working on that. In the meantime, students wanting a more intense program should consider the Clark County Skills Center when they qualify.
Q: It looks like the seniors in CamTech don’t have to take an English and Social Studies class. Am I reading that right?
No. Everyone has to take four years of English and three years of social studies. However, seniors can choose take their English and Social Studies as Business (Tech) Communications. This course is a 2-hour block that covers senior English, senior social studies, and supports students in completing their senior project.
Q: My student will be taking a summer course through a college or online … what is the process and who do I contact about making sure this counts on their transcript?
Each high school in the state has a designated administrator who reviews transcripts of student transfers of outside courses to determine how much credit should be granted. In Camas High School that person is Mrs. Ellise Anderson. For those students taking summer courses like in this question, the procedure is to contact Mrs. Anderson before you sign up for the class to make sure it will transfer, then she will also share the procedure for getting her the transcript once the course is completed.
Q: Is CamTech a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program?
Yes.
Q: Can a student in Freshman Success Academy also be in CamTech?
Yes. In fact, we would like to see a cohort group of about eight students from Freshman Success Academy also be in the CamTech Pilot next year. Our experience is that the number one criteria for success is not academic performance, but rather is perseverence – when you run into a roadblock on your way to solving a problem do you quit or do you find a way to deal with it?
Q: For those current juniors signing up with CamTech are there internships available this summer?
Maybe. There are about 6 slots available this summer. We will only place students in situations this coming summer who are “slam dunks” for both the organization and the student. To help assure that, we are strongly encouraging students to make the first contacts with potential organizations. Then we will follow-up with completing the process. The same process and rationale will applly for summer 2016, only we will be looking to place about 12 students.
Q: I am an 8th grader and I was accepted into MST Magnet (MST) or Integrated Arts and Academics (IAA) or Freshman Success Academy (FSA), and I want to also stil do CamTech – what do I do?
Congratulations! … and … Relax. You will be scheduled into your courses first for the program you were accepted into (MST, IAA or FSA) then if there is room in your schedule and the course is available, the CamTech course(s) you selected during forecasting will be scheduled.
Q: What if I have more questions?
Ask any of our CamTech Staff. See the link above.
