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Publication Date: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 BACK TO SCHOOL 2005: Almanac special report on public schools
BACK TO SCHOOL 2005: Almanac special report on public schools
(September 07, 2005)
Sequoia Union High School District: No Child act hits home this year in high schools
By David Boyce
Almanac Staff Writer
Change is in store for local high school students who started classes at Woodside and Menlo-Atherton high schools on Thursday, August 25.
New programs are under way in Sequoia Union High School District to deal with sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. In 2004, the district fell afoul of the No Child act with a technical fault: a few too many students did not take state tests when scheduled.
However, since 45 percent of the district's 8,000 students were scoring below-grade level in math and English and since No Child test score targets are steadily climbing for all students, Sequoia officials chose to bite the bullet and take steps now to improve academic performance for that 45 percent while at the same time protecting programs for grade-level and advanced students.
Acting on guidance from state-certified consultants, the district has jettisoned English and math classes designed for below-grade-level students and now requires all freshmen and sophomores to take mainstream coursework, albeit with smaller student-to-teacher ratios than normal. Students testing in the bottom two categories of a five-category scale must attend support classes and will forgo electives or core courses.
Separate classrooms may be used. Classes for grade-level and advanced students "may be more homogenous as (below-grade-level) students are directed into more appropriate-level classes," said superintendent Patrick Gemma.
In other news, Principal Linda Common at Woodside High noted with relief that student assemblies long held in a multi-purpose room or gym now have a new venue -- the 500-seat performing arts center -- with comfortable seats and good views. On evenings and weekends when the school isn't using the theater, Ms. Common said it will be available, for a fee, to groups or performing artists from the community.
Woodside is planning a two-week summer conservatory in which students will study with professionals in music, dance and drama. If it's successful, the school will expand the program and invite students from other schools, said Ms. Common.
At M-A, a similar arts center is planned but is still in the very early development stages.
Meanwhile, faculty and staff at M-A can enjoy a new lounge and photocopy center that opens this year. The one-story building includes two workrooms and a kitchen.
M-A's football field -- nameless since it received a complete overhaul in 2003, including a surface of artificial turf -- will be christened Coach Parks Field this fall in honor of Ben Parks, a much admired former M-A football and wrestling coach and still a presence on campus.
East Palo Alto High School in Menlo Park enters its fifth year with the same principal -- Nicky Ramos-Beban -- and a new relationship with Stanford University. Oakland-based Aspire Public Schools transferred ownership of EPA High to the Stanford Schools Corporation, a subsidiary of Stanford University.
The school is expanding its college relationships. Over the summer, a Stanford professor taught a philosophy class to EPA High students and a literature seminar is planned. Canada College is offering EPA High students courses in international relations and multicultural literature.
Energy conservation
Citing an unacceptable return-on-investment period of 25 years, the district has suspended plans to put solar panels atop the district's comprehensive high schools, said Don Gielow, who oversees the district's capital spending.
Using bond money and matching funds from PG&E, the intent was to cut energy bills by $600,000 to $800,000 annually. Mr. Gielow's original estimate had the investment paying off in 10 years. Sequoia will investigate other energy saving steps, he said.
DISTRICT INFORMATION
Sequoia Union High School District
480 James Avenue, Redwood City.
Superintendent: Patrick Gemma.
Call 369-1411. www.seq.org
Menlo-Atherton High School
555 Middlefield Road
Atherton
Phone: 322-5311
Norman Estrada, principal
Grades: 9-12
School opened Thursday, August 25.
Enrollment. 2,000 students are expected at M-A this year, about 50 fewer than last year.
New classes and programs. This year, M-A is adding an advanced placement class in art history, with an emphasis on the Renaissance, said instructional vice principal Steve Lippi. Also new this year is German language III, and a "careers with children" class related to childcare that will accompany the existing living skills and child development courses.
To meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, some incoming freshmen will be taking extra support classes in math and/or English language arts. Students in these classes will be those whose standardized test scores in these two subject areas are in the two lowest of the five categories -- called "below-basic" and "far-below-basic."
The school had been offering math support in its computer academy -- a "school within a school" for struggling students. With the new "No Child" math support classes, the computer-academy support for math will be replaced with support for science, said Mr. Lippi.
Under state law, seniors, for the first time, are required to pass the state high school exit exam to receive a diploma.
New facilities. The finishing touches are being put on a new faculty and staff lounge. The one-story building will include a spacious lounge with comfortable chairs; bathrooms; a kitchenette; and two workrooms equipped with photocopiers, tables and computers.
M-A plans to build a new performing arts center. Tentative plans are to break ground in the fall of 2006 and perhaps open the center in the fall of 2007, said Don Gielow, who oversees construction projects for the Sequoia Union High School District.
Modernized classrooms this year include science labs, the student activities room and several classrooms. The upgrades include new lab cabinets and classroom accessories.
Also upgraded over the summer were the staff and student bathrooms in the main gym, with new fixtures, partitions, tiles for the floors and walls, and improvements for people with disabilities.
Departing staff. Math teacher Hugh Irwin left M-A after 22 years. Mr. Irwin taught geometry and advanced placement algebra as well as classes for kids for whom algebra was a struggle. He was one of four teachers chosen in the 1997-98 school year for a teaching award from the M-A's education foundation.
New staff. M-A employs about 115 full-time staff. The new teachers this year include Angelica Aguilar, math; Rachel Andres, math; Keith Brasel, special education; Art Cristerna, special education; Susan Davis, regional occupational program; Manja Ericsson, math; Lynne Newton, art; Colleen O'Neil, science; April Paye, English; James "Lance" Powell, science; Susan Price, special education; Chris Rubin, computers; Betsy Snow, English; Paul Snow, academy social studies; J. Tim Sturges, math; Kelly Todd, English; Sean Ward, science; and Lauren Williams, science.
Woodside High School
199 Churchill Ave.
Woodside
Phone: 367-9750
Linda Common, principal
Grades: 9-12
School opened: August 25
Enrollment. Woodside expects about 1,900 students to enroll this year, 33 fewer than last year.
New classes and programs. A new drama section is planned and will take place in the school's new performing arts center. Woodside High will also offer the new arts center to community groups this year, including a theater group from Woodside, said Principal Linda Common.
Subject to school priorities, the theater will available weeknights and on weekends. Rental fees are $500 for a weeknight and $1,000 for a weekend night, with the fee covering the cost of custodial services and a technician to run the equipment, said Ms. Common. The school will be hiring custodians and a technician.
A two-week conservatory is planned for next summer, with professional dance, music and drama teachers and a professional conductor to teach students. The program may expand if it is successful, said Ms. Common. The program will be open to Woodside High students first, then to other students in the high school district and nearby middle-school districts. Scholarships may be available.
In keeping with the effort by the Sequoia Union High School District to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind Act, incoming freshmen whose standardized test scores are in the "far-below-basic" and "below-basic" categories in English language arts and math will be enrolled in support classes.
The state high school exit exam was delayed in 2003, but starting with this school year, seniors must pass the exam to receive a diploma. After-school tutoring will be available at Woodside for students who haven't yet passed the exam.
New facilities. The journalism and ceramics classrooms and one physics classroom are being modernized. Using site-council funds and private donations, the old music room -- made obsolete by the new performing arts center -- will be employed as a dedicated study hall, with computers available for students.
Departing staff. English teacher David Reilly left to become an administrative vice principal at Sequoia High School in Redwood City. English teacher Stephen Bramfitt is on leave.
New staff. Woodside has 104 full-time certificated staff. New staff this year include Robert Baker, music; Aaron Campbell, math; Sue Gulielmone, English; Marina Gurskaya, math; Julieta Barreto, guidance counseling secretary; Glenda Ortez-Galan, guidance counseling intern; Johnny De Sollar, science; Frances Gonzalez, English; Luis Magallanes, math; Michael Moses, math; Francisco Negri, guidance counselor; Jeff Payne, math; Diane Phillips, health clerk; Lexie Pretto, English; Mark Reibstein, English; Pirayeh Zargar, English; Jesus Aguilera, probation officer. Three former Woodside teachers are returning: Diane George, biology; Kathy Hughes, French and Spanish; and Evelyn Smith, Spanish.
East Palo Alto High School
475 Pope St.
Menlo Park
Phone: 329-2811
Nicole Ramos-Beban, principal
Grades: 9-12
Enrollment. East Palo Alto High is enrolling 320 students this year, about the same as last year.
New programs. EPA High will offer three new electives in the coming year: journalism, personal finance, and model-car construction and racing. Also new for this year, students can earn up to 30 college credits in classes held on the campus of Canada College. Courses offered this year include international relations and multicultural literature.
For 2005-06, EPA High begins its first school year as a part of the Stanford Schools Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stanford University. This will mean a closer association with the university, said Ms. Ramos-Beban.
A Stanford professor taught beginning philosophy to EPA High students this summer, and professors will conduct a literature seminar during the school year. Teachers at EPA High also participate in research projects at Stanford's school of education and enroll in its courses.
EPA High has hired a director of college admissions, who will manage college-admissions training for students and their parents. Over the summer, students participated in summer programs, including Outward Bound, Upward Bound, a career-in-science outreach program at the University of California at Berkeley, and career-in-medicine outreach at Stanford University.
New staff. New staff members at EPA High this year include Antonio Alunni, geometry; Jane Bryson, humanities; Maureen Chen, humanities; Carmen De Arce-Garcia, Spanish language; Justin Green, English; Caroline Kuntz, humanities; Lee Marez, math; Adrienne Ratner, humanities; and Leah Tuckman, math.
Humanities teacher William Dean is the new dean of students, replacing humanities teacher Jeff Gilbert, who is a principal at Hillsdale High School in San Mateo.
Departing staff. Staff that won't be returning to EPA High this year include Angelita Garcia and Nati Rodriguez, who transferred to other high schools; Marysol de la Torre, who moved to Chico; Tina Ehsanipour, who married and moved to New Jersey; and Manny Medina, who left teaching.
Field trips. The juniors and seniors will take college tours. Juniors are also scheduled for the Sojourn to the Past civil rights tour in February, while a trip to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles for sophomores.
Other charter schools
** Summit Preparatory High School
, 201 Marshall St., Redwood City. Executive director: Dianne Tavenner.
Call 369-5851. summitprep.net
** High Tech High Bayshore , 890 Broadway St., Redwood City. Executive
director: Joe Feldman. Call 381-0100. bayshore.hightechhigh.org
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