Below you can find resources for students to plan for and support their academic success. As always, parents, students, and staff are welcome to meet with the counselors to support each student's unique needs.
The Individual Career & Academic Plan (ICAP) , is a plan of study to guide students through the coursework and activities for achieving personal career goals, post-secondary planning and providing individual pathway options. An ICAP is a multi-year process, beginning no later than the eighth grade, that intentionally guides students and families in the exploration of career, academic and multiple post-secondary opportunities to include direct access to the workforce, military, tech school/area career center, vocational training (apprenticeship), 2 year college, and 4 year college. An ICAP is a “roadmap” to help students develop the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and skills to create their own meaningful pathways to be success ready graduates.
Our students' ICAPs can be found on their Google Classroom for their graduating class. If a student cannot find the Google Classroom for their graduating class, they may see the counselors for an access code or email the counselors at any time.
We also recommend you refer to the Academic Plan found in the Infinite Campus Home Page of the student portal.
Here is the link to the Plan Book for the 2025-2026 School Year. It includes course descriptions and offerings, as well as information about graduation, testing, counseling programs, and more. Courses offered are subject to change each year.
9th hour - students can ask a teacher to sign them up for 9th hour on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3-4pm. A teacher is available to help students with any school work.
Learning Styles Inventory - students can sign into the Missouri Connections portal, click assessments, and then take the Learning Styles Inventory to understand how they learn best and ways to incorporate that learning into study habits.
Planners and Organization Tools - students who struggle with tracking assignments and due dates can utilize this Google Sheet or this other Google Sheet or this Google Doc or this to-do list Google Sheet!
These courses are devised for specific needs. Course selection will be done cooperatively between student, parent, and teacher. Courses in special classes will be designated as follows:
General Studies
Assisted Studies
Life Skills Classes
REACH - homework help
ESL Study Skills
Jobs for American Graduates
Overview: The Skilled Technical Sciences (STS) programs at Nichols Career Center provide students with skills necessary for profitable employment. Graduates of these programs are able utilize this education to directly enter the workforce, or continue their training at the college level. First-year students of two-year programs are required to undergo a performance review before being accepted to their second year of study.
Approval Process: STS programs are only available to juniors or seniors who have been selected through the application process coordinated by the NCC Counselor. This process requires a NCC presentation, NCC tour, and application. Because most STS programs are two-year programs, the application process generally favors incoming juniors, although incoming seniors are welcome to apply (the exception is the Health Sciences program, which is exclusive to seniors). A review of the applicant’s academic/attendance records, CHS counselor evaluation, and career plan serve as the basis for selection.
Credit & Schedule: Students who are approved to enroll in a program at Nichols Career Center will be transported to and from the Jefferson City campus by bus and will be away from California High School for the first four class periods each day. Each program is designed in a two-year format, except Health Sciences which is a one-year program, and is taken for three practical arts credits at California High school. Students enrolled at Nichols Career Center will also take Math III (Embedded Math) AND Tech English (Embedded English) for a one-half credit per year for each. Students who attend Nichols Career Center will enroll in four classes during periods 5, 6, 7 and 8 at CHS for a possible total of eight credits per year.
Vocational Course Work: A vocational goal or objective directed toward employment or continuing education is highly recommended to enroll in any of these programs. All NCC classes are by approval of the Counseling department and administration only.
Articulated & Dual Credit: There are several opportunities for students to earn dual or articulated credit while enrolled in one of the STS programs. Current offerings include, but are not limited to: State Technical College of Missouri, State Fair Community College, Ozark Technical Community College, Stephens College, and several Art Institutes. A comprehensive list is posted on the NCC website. Enrollment for this credit is coordinated by the NCC counselor.
Nichols Career Center Website: https://www.jcschools.us/nichols
All students who are academically eligible will receive an application for the California Chapter of the National Honor Society after the first semester of their sophomore or junior year. Seniors who become eligible after the first semester or who were not inducted their junior year are not eligible. Membership in the NHS is based upon excellence in four areas: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. In order to receive a candidate form, students must have attained a cumulative unweighted grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Contact the NHS Sponsors, Mrs. Silvey or Mrs. Northway if you have questions regarding NHS membership and responsibilities.
California High School offers dual college credit through State Fair Community College in English Composition 101 and 102, History 101, and other courses that vary year-to-year. Online dual credit courses are also available, including for Spanish, Oral Communication (Speech), Psychology, Sociology, Medical Terminology and many more. Lincoln University is College Biology w/ Lab. Dual college credit through Central Methodist University is offered in Pre-Calculus (College Algebra), Trigonometry, Calculus, and Statistics.
See course descriptions in the Plan Book for more information and prerequisites. Speak with a School Counselor for more information.
Enrollment for Fall 2025 has closed - we will send Spring 2026 course options to Juniors and Seniors when they become available later this fall.
PAYMENT:
State Fair Community College will bill students and the bill will have payment instructions listed.
Central Methodist payment instructions:
Log into your MyCMU account
Click on the student tab
Click on the billing and payments tab
Click on “Sign up for a Payment Plan”
Check that the fields are filled in correctly with your information
After you get signed into the portal, you should see your current balance owed.
Select “Set up a Payment Plan”
Using a debit/credit card there is a 2.75% fee every time the card is processed
Using bank information, you’ll need routing and account information – no extra charge to use this method
Please note, if you don’t want to do a payment plan, but want to pay in full, enter the full balance owed amount to pay.
If you have any issues, please don’t hesitate to call the CGES Business Office at 660-248-6670. Please have your ID# ready.
A check can be mailed to: Office of First Class at CMU, 411 Central Methodist Square, Fayette, MO 65248 - Please include student’s name or student ID.