The 7 Schools

Oakmont High School

District: Roseville Joint Union, located in Roseville

Distinctions:

* Situated in affluent middle class community; expansive campus

* Well-stocked library

* Spirited teachers and strong principal focused on teaching students real-world skills.

* Lacks ethnic diversity

* Loss of students and faculty to newly built high schools in fast growing communities nearby.

Quotes:

“While Shakespeare broadens your life and does great things and certainly we have people who are very prepared to teach Shakespeare, we’re not very well prepared to teach technical reading and writing and so that’s a flaw.” Principal Don Genasci.

“That’s the way people here were raised.” Paul Cervantes, sophomore who says students in Roseville are expected to go to high school and then college.

***

Taft High School

District: Taft Union, located in Taft in Kern County

Distinctions

* Well-endowed campus, small enrollment, enthusiastic teachers, no gangs, no graffiti.

* Economically depressed community, isolation, low student expectations.

Quotes:

“I think there has been a little erosion in the quality of the students we get. Weve got our great kids and weve got our lousy ones. But I think the middle has dropped. That makes us do our job better. Kevin Hughes, English teacher.

***

Arcadia High School

District: Arcadia Unified, located in Arcadia

Distinctions

* 12 National Merit Scholars this year and first place in regional competitions of the Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, Science Olympiad.

* First in state in “We the People” competition about the U.S. Constitution.

Quote:

“Sometimes we try to say [to parents], ‘Let’s not worry about grades--what are we learning here?’ ” But it’s a struggle. I get parents complaining about B pluses.” Martin Plourde, principal.

***

Granada Hills High School

District: Los Angeles Unified in Los Angeles

Distinctions:

* 10th-graders earned a higher score on last year’s Stanford Nine standardized exam--ranking in the 53rd percentile--than their counterparts at any other regular high school in the district.

* 72% of seniors completed the requirements for entrance into the UC and CSU university systems, compared to the district average of 65%.

* The number of students taking vigorous Advanced Placement classes has doubled in the past decade.

Quote:

“We won’t let you out of here in June of ’99 without telling us what you’re going to do. We’ll hound you about it...Realistically, a job out of high school will not support you in the way you are used to, judging by the cars I see in the parking lot. You need to start planning. I want you to start thinking about this.”

Carol Radin, college counselor paying a visit to an 11-grade english class to talk about college preparations

***

Manual Arts High School

District: Los Angeles Unified City: Los Angeles

Distinctions:

* Was a 1996 California Distinguished School and also was recognized for achieving the largest drop in absenteeism in the district.

* In 1997, was 17th from the bottom of the “100” LAUSD schools with the lowest test scores.

Quote:

* “We treat every child like he is a family member. If they think you care, they’ll put you up on a pedestal.” Wendell Greer, Jr., Principal.

***

Katella High School

District: Anaheim Union, located in Anaheim

Distinctions

* Many parents and students work in the service and tourism industries related to nearby Disneyland.

* Almost 33% of the students move out of the school before the end of the academic year.

* Demographics changed from 60% white to 59% Latino in the past decade.

Quote:

* “I can’t do much about demographics but I can do something about the number of books checked out at our library.” Principal Michael Shelton who extended the school’s library hours until 5:30 to improve student literacy and allow them to use the computers in the facility.

***

Hoover High School

District: San Diego City Unified, located in San Diego

Distinctions:

* A revamped curriculum downplays test scores, looks for creative ways to assess student achievement, tries to tailor instruction to individual needs.

* A dynamic principal who has cracked down on troublemakers; enthusiastic teachers who could transfer to suburban schools but prefer the diverse student body and challenges at Hoover.

* Has been put on a list to improve schools or face drastic, but unspecified measures.

* About 1,400 students in attendance area opt to attend another school, creating a “brain drain.” Poor test scores, high truancy.

Quotes:

“I believe we are doing much more than our state test scores show. We are creating a culture here where students are challenged.” Doris Alvarez, principal.