Educators Examine Intensive Curriculum

Administrators at Simi Valley’s first magnet school, Santa Susana High, got a close look Thursday at a globally recognized curriculum with the idea of possibly offering such accelerated classes to their own technology and performing arts students.

Principal Patricia Hauser, Vice Principal Bob Thompson and a handful of teachers said they were impressed with the 1 1/2-year-old international baccalaureate program offered at Thousand Oaks’ Newbury Park High School, the only school in Ventura County to offer such a program.

Santa Susana officials thought the program, used by nearly 700 schools in 91 countries, would be perfect for students following either a performing arts or technology track.

But creating such an intensive curriculum costs time and money.

Thursday’s visit to Newbury Park was just a chance for Santa Susana “to get our toes wet,” Thompson said.

He said that he and Hauser hope to visit more schools in California that offer the intensive classes, hold parent focus groups to assess community support and search for a generous business or individual who might donate the money needed to pay for the program, before a recommendation would be made to the school board next spring.

Newbury Park’s program is funded by Sage Publication in Newbury Park, which gives the college-accredited international program $25,000 each year. This year, it donated $11,000 worth of books. For a school to join the international program requires a one-time membership fee of nearly $7,300.

In giving advice to her Santa Susana guests, Marcine Solarez , who coordinates Newbury Park’s international baccalaureate program, said: “You’re going to need more money than you think you need. Then [multiply] that by three.”