The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Circling the Issue: Minh Nguyen and Hoa Lieu prepare a rat maze to use in an experiment at 'High School Prep School,' a new summer school program taught at Willow Glen Middle School.

The Class of 2002 gets prepped for high school

By Michelle Ku

Members of the Class of 2002 are taking some time this summer to get a head start on their high school years. On June 22, 298 incoming ninth-graders in the San Jose Unified School District began "High School Prep School," a program designed to help them meet the district's new graduation requirements.

Taught at Willow Glen Middle School, "High School Prep School" is an intensive summer program that runs through July 16. Students enrolled in the program can choose between a Math/Science Institute and a Language Arts Institute: The former teaches math in a science context so students can see how the two disciplines overlap; the latter offers instruction in language mechanics, vocabulary development and writing skills.

Both institutes place a heavy emphasis on the development of study habits, critical thinking, problem solving, conceptual development and technology skills. The program is designed to help students who struggled in the eighth grade and to strengthen the skills of those who did not, said district spokes-person Maureen Munroe.

In addition to preparing themselves for high school, students enrolled in "High School Prep School" are getting a jump on their graduation requirements by earning 10 elective credits before they officially begin high school in the fall.

"The prep school is really such an extraordinary program. The level of teaching is really high. This Class of 2002, we're investing a lot of hopes in them, and we believe--and it's our district motto--that all students can succeed. We don't want to flatly state that without giving people the tools they need to succeed," Munroe said.

Beginning with this fall's freshman class, SJUSD high school students will need 240 units to graduate; those already enrolled will only have to meet the old requirement of 225 units. Under the new graduation requirements, students will need to take more academic but fewer elective classes.

Math and science requirements were raised from 20 to 30 units. Students must take two years of lab science to meet the admissions standards of the University of California and California State University systems. The previously combined 20 units in foreign language and visual, performing or applied arts have been divided into a mandatory 20 units in foreign language and 10 units in the arts (with a maximum of 10 from applied arts). Students must also perform at least 40 hours of community service before graduation.

Only three areas of study remain unaffected: The English requirement stands at 40 units, the social science requirement stands at 35 units and the physical education requirement remains at 20 units.

"We are requiring of all our high school courses to be what's generally known as college preparatory courses, meaning all of the courses will be accepted by University of California admissions standards," Munroe said. "It's a pretty high standard for graduation."

After the SJUSD board voted to raise the high school graduation requirements, district staff began to ensure that students would be able to meet the challenge.

"When we instituted these new graduation requirements, it was by no means done with a 'now you have to work faster or harder' attitude, but rather we were immediately strategizing with how we are going to help the students make the leap," Munroe said.

Science labs are being built at the high schools that do not currently have them so that students will be sufficiently equipped to pass their laboratory science requirements.

The district is also increasing its "safety net" programs of tutoring, peer counseling and homework help.

Measures are also being instituted in the lower grades so students are better prepared when they enter high school, Munroe said. Language courses and science courses will be taught earlier in the school system so students get a good beginning on those areas of study.

Beginning this fall, all sixth-graders in the district will be required to take a reading course. Students reading at grade level or above will take a semester of reading. Those reading below grade level will be required to take a year of reading.

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