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Estacada district expands CTE offerings, plans forestry pathway with local industry partners
Summary
Estacada School District reported growth in career‑technical education (CTE) this year and unveiled plans to develop a forestry pathway that district staff say will be built with local employers and start with introductory offerings in 2026, scaling to a full pathway over three years.
Estacada School District leaders told the board that career‑technical education has expanded rapidly and that the district will develop a forestry program with local industry partners.
"Currently, we have 4 programs ... We have 253 students ... We have over 375 seats in our CTE programs," Erin Gardenhire, the district's CTE lead, said during the board's presentation. Gardenhire said the pathways now include agriculture, diesel and transportation, manufacturing and a new electrical systems course and described growing interest from businesses and nonprofits.
Gardenhire outlined partnerships with the City of Estacada, Trajectory and Portland General Electric and said local employers, including Sauder Timber and Peterson Cat, visited students during a recent Estacada Industrial Park Career Day that included 143 students and 10 businesses. She said instructors used Perkins grant dollars to buy specialized trainers and kits to give students hands‑on practice in safe, controlled settings.
The district plans to spend the next four to six months developing the instructional scope for a proposed forestry pathway, Gardenhire said, with advisory committees and industry partners helping set course goals, lab experiences and workplace exposure. "We will be spending the next 4 to 6 months developing out the instructional pathway ... plan to start the forestry program in '26," she said.
District officials said the new pathway will emphasize modern, sustainable forest practices, lab experiences on local lands and alignment with postsecondary and workforce needs. Superintendent Carpenter told the board that the district is working to create an overall CTE advisory council to provide high‑level strategic guidance and to coordinate pathways with community colleges and regional employers.
Why it matters: The district frames the forestry pathway as a way to connect students to local industries and to expand career options in a largely rural community. Officials described the initiative as aimed at producing industry‑ready graduates and opening internships, job shadows and other work‑based learning opportunities.
Next steps: Gardenhire said community partners will meet beginning in January to refine the forestry pathway; the board did not vote on funding during the meeting but was informed of the timeline and partner commitments.
