Category: Newsletter (Hidden)

Her Teachers Saw Her As More Than Just a Dropout

At her previous high school, Urseala was told many times by different teachers that she was a slow learner and wouldn’t be successful passing to the next grade. Fellow students made fun of her and while she was struggling to keep up, she found out she was pregnant and dropped out. At the suggestion of […]

Written by on March 22, 2024

Exploring Career Pathways for a Future in Graphic Design

When Tyreke J. saw a new barbershop open in his neighborhood, he noticed they didn’t have a logo. He knew he could design something eye catching. “So, I went in and told the owner that I was a graphic designer, and he should hire me for the job – and he did,” said Tyreke. “It […]

Written by on March 22, 2024

Where Would Vulnerable Students Be Without School Counselors?

For almost two years, Jayvon had been without a place to call home and often slept in a park. The park as it happened, was across the street from one of our schools. “I had heard about that school, so I just walked in and enrolled,” he recalls. “My counselors immediately made sure that I […]

Written by on February 26, 2024

From Experiencing Homelessness to a Solid Future

What do you do with a high school student who has ideas and dreams that don’t fit within four walls of a traditional classroom? Let them learn at their own pace, allow them to work on more than just assignments and emphasize building a future. Jahleena flourished with this model which helped her overcome barriers, […]

Written by on December 14, 2023

Can High Schools Do More to Prevent Bullying?

Bullying in high school is up since the pandemic, with more students saying they have been bullied at school. And more than 40 percent of bullied students said the incidents took place in hallways, stairwells and classrooms. “There are so many opportunities for kids to bully others in traditional school settings,” said Shellie Hanes, superintendent. […]

Written by on October 18, 2023

Teens Are Entering High School Reading at a Third Grade Level

Yes, the pandemic created huge learning losses for millions of students, so what’s being done about it? “We work with many students who used to come to us as freshmen reading at a fifth-grade level,” explained Kathyrn Limata, literacy teacher. “Now, most of the students I see in my literacy classes are at a third-grade […]

Written by on September 15, 2023

Parents and Students Seeking Online and Hybrid Learning Options

More and more parents and students are choosing online high schools than ever before. For many students, the thought of returning to the COVID-era remote learning gives them a sense of dread. “But true online learning is nothing like remote classes that schools attempted during the pandemic,” explains Shellie Hanes, superintendent of schools.  “Remote learning […]

Written by on September 15, 2023

Cimari Found the Extra Help She Needed to Shine

Cimari described herself as a very outgoing child, but also a bit of a troublemaker. Her biological father was not involved in her life, forcing her mother to fill the difficult role of single parent to Cimari and her older brother. Her mother later remarried and life became a little easier having a father figure […]

Written by on September 15, 2023

How Does Personalized Learning Work?

Most of the students who come to us are behind in credits because they weren’t successful in their previous school. Not all students do well in a large classroom with the teacher giving the same lecture to everyone. The kids who are more advanced get bored, and those who need a little help fall behind. […]

Written by on August 21, 2023