Plan for Evening High School Has Poor Response

Disappointed by a low enrollment figure, Glendale school officials are about to cancel plans for the September opening of what would have been one of the state’s first full-time evening high schools.

The proposed Evening High School--praised as an innovative solution to overcrowded campuses--was set to open at Glendale High School with its own name, principal, staff and student body from about 2 to 9 p.m. on weekdays, hours when classrooms are generally not in use. Such nighttime schools are rare.

But as of Monday, the last day to register for the upcoming school year, only 34 students were signed up to attend Evening High--far short of the 200 needed.

“I don’t think we could overcome the stigma that Evening High School was not a continuation school and not for students who couldn’t make it in the day,” said district spokesman Vic Pallos.

“Unless a miracle happens with the enrollment,” he added, “it appears that plans for Evening High School will be canceled.”

The district’s board of trustees will make a final decision on Evening High School tonight.

Last year, a survey distributed to 1,094 students in the district showed that 27%--or 302--might be interested in attending a school like Evening High.

Unlike adult-education programs and continuation schools commonly held in the evening, Evening High promised to offer students a core curriculum to meet entrance requirements for the University of California, among other things.

Evening High School’s principal, Don Duncan, launched a months-long recruiting effort for students districtwide, but to little avail.

“Once you get to the bottom line, many said, ‘It’s a good idea, but not for my kid,’ ” Duncan recalled.

Contributing to the lack of interest, district officials say, was the perception by some immigrant families that nighttime schools are strictly for teen-agers with disciplinary problems. Parents also worried about having their teen-agers out at night with no supervision during the day. Some students were simply hesitant about leaving behind friends.

Glendale High School currently has 2,400 students in grades 10, 11 and 12. That number is expected to surge to 3,000 this fall with the addition of new ninth-graders, bringing the campus to capacity, Pallos said.

To alleviate further overcrowding, the district will study other options, such as adding portable classrooms or switching to a year-round schedule at high schools. The district also could extend the school day at Glendale High, allowing some students to end their day at about 6 p.m.