August 2018

Dear Friends and Families of Trade Tech,

Welcome to Trade Tech’s tenth year of providing an alternative to high school students seeking preparation for college and careers through hands-on, STEM-centered learning. I am especially excited to welcome students to our new expanded facility in Vista [Click to view Video].

I am always asked how our school is different from other high schools. Everything we do answers that question. Yes, we are a traditional high school in that we meet five days a week and offer English, Math and Social Studies, but that really is the end of the comparison, as traditional testing measures don’t give the full picture of what we do. One metric I am very proud of is our graduation rate of 99% over the last 10 years, which tells me we are on the right track.

What really makes Trade Tech different is our focus on Relationships, Relevance and Rigor. Students engage when they are a part of a team that cares about them. Our small classes and hands-on work lend themselves to students engaging in their studies. 

We are a school-to-career high school with a commonsense approach to learning. College and postsecondary education is what you do on the way to a career, but our society places tremendous pressure on students earning college degrees for their own sake. Unless a student has researched and explored careers, they do not understand the true value of further education, whether it is in the form of technical training, certifications or college degrees.

So, can our graduates go to college? Yes! Last year, one of our graduating seniors was accepted to UC Irvine, UC Riverside, SDSU, and CSUSM and was offered a full ride at Vassar College in New York. This year, we have a student planning to attend Mt. St. Mary's in the fall. Many of our students transfer to Palomar College or Mira Costa College. Most have already earned college credit either on our campus or at those campuses.

The most important way Trade Tech is different is that we look at students as individuals. Through our Advisory program, we try to help each student determine the strengths that will lead them to a successful career. Everything we do is focused on their short- and long-term success. Thank you for being part of that journeyv

Thank You,

Phil Lutgen
Principal