Vision
OUR VISION
Stephen T. Mather Building Arts & Craftsmanship High School (Mather HS) strives to redefine Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century. Through our unique partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), and myriad others, we are able to offer real, hands-on education in the building and landscaping trades, with an emphasis on high-quality craftsmanship and the specialized building arts, while also providing you with a solid college- and career-ready foundation integrated with the trades and aligned with the Common Core Standards. In our model, you are not being asked to choose one “track” over the other, but are instead, learning and preparing for both, opening more doors and making you more competitive in the labor force.
Through the NPS partnership, you will benefit from the expertise of NPS’ commitment to preserving natural and cultural resources. The fields of preservation, conservation and restoration require workers who understand the shared basic philosophy underlying these disciplines and the necessary skills these professions entail. As a result, you will receive a foundation in preservation methodology, including thorough research, detailed documentation, insightful interpretation and effective communication, all of which support your transition to college or to employment opportunities associated with these trades. Equally important and happening concurrently, you will work directly in the trades of carpentry, masonry/plastering, decorative finishes or landscape management. By doing so, you will not only gain the introductory skills that could allow for immediate employment after high school, but you also have an advantage over others who are seeking apprenticeships or positions in order to further hone their skills in the building and landscaping trades, especially those targeting preservation and historic restoration.
Supporting our vision are our hands-on CTE courses, our engaging hands-on core curriculum, the integration of the trades and historic preservation into ALL content areas, as well as our approach to instruction which are all rooted in the school’s instructional motto:
Explore it. Live it. Transform it.