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The discussion on the American Charter High School, at the Santa Barbara School Board special meeting held April 10, did not include the poor quality of existing vocational programs. On this night, the public was asking for direction on how the board will deal with ensuring that public education will mainstream vocational education, something the board has not done in the past. And from the rhetoric at the head table, it does not appear they are willing to seriously attempt a partnership and work with us to solve this problem for the future.
If it was not for the intervention of the local construction industry leadership, our vocational programs would be in even a worse situation than they are now. For example, the Santa Barbara Contractors Association and Tradart Foundation, in conjunction with Dave Cash, former principal of Dos Pueblos High School, and myself were instrumental in establishing a construction academy at Dos Pueblos.
I am sorry to report to you, contrary to all testimony at the special meeting mentioned above, the academy never really happened. When Mr. Cash left the school, all we ended up with is a very good woodshop class taught by Mike Ibach. I am sad to say that Mr. Ibach may retire sometime soon.
What will happen to the woodshop then? Will it disappear like most of the other shop classes have?
So far, the local construction industry has been a leader and a reliable resource. It is stepping up to the plate to complete its vision for high school students who are trained for the workplace. We realize the need for tech-educated carpenters, plumbers, electricians, framers, dry-wallers, etc. We will do much to help willing students accomplish their goals; our industry is here for the long haul.
To salvage a dilapidated woodshop at Santa Barbara High, we are even willing to push a broom. Recently, the Santa Barbara Contractors Association, Tradart and industry leaders salvaged and created enrollment for a construction training program at Santa Barbara High School. Per Paul Turnbull, principal at Santa Barbara High, the woodshop was to be discontinued. This was due to the condition of the shop and lack of student participation. On a recent Saturday morning, about 10 of us cleaned up the shop, restored the wood storage and made the shop safe for kids to use. We hauled off four large trash bins, donated by MarBorg Industries, and then Sarah McKittrick, the work force specialist from Tradart, signed up approximately 80 students.
This program would have been lost without the intervention of industry leaders; in addition, we doubled the number of classes and possibly saved that teacher's job, as well as many potential careers in construction.
Furthermore, the Associated Contractors of California, Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara Contractors Association and Tradart, with SBCC teachers, put their heads together to create a very successful two-year construction program at SBCC. This program is currently overbooked.
On a more personal note, Don Gordon teaches construction math to current construction workers; I teach leadership and motivation to construction leaders, and Tradart, with Frank Schipper Construction Co., awards the Marvin Melvin Award, named for a former SBHS machine shop teacher and my mentor, every year with a $500 stipend each, to the top two vocational program teachers in our county for that year.
In addition, a new program called "Tools for Schools" was started by Mr. Gordon, Tradart and the Santa Barbara Contractors Association for junior and high school shop programs. This program will provide, at no charge, sorely needed tools and materials for school shop programs and students.
I would very much appreciate if our school board and the speakers at the meeting would get off their high horse and acknowledge that our school system is doing a very poor job for the 70 percent of the students that either will not graduate from college or not even attend college. The American Charter High School is giving the board an opportunity to do something about this.
The author is chairman of the California Construction Education Research Foundation and a board member of the American Charter High School. | 