Text Box: Valley has a unique orientation program called RTP (Response-Ability Training Program). All new students are enrolled in this class for the first four weeks they attend Valley. New students meet for three hours each afternoon learning to develop positive attendance patterns, how to participate appropriately in classes and essential social skills. They are also taught how to respond to each other in positive ways rather than reacting and causing problems. Upon successful completion of RTP, the students are placed in regular classes that begin with a class called Connections. Here they “hook up” with a Connections Teacher who acts as a guidance counselor as well as a mentor. The result of this intensive orientation creates a successful transition into life at Valley, where students accomplish their goals. One of the most positive results of offering AVID, RTP and Connections programs is the sizable amount of scholarships that are available to students annually. In the last few years, Valley has gone from offering a few thousand dollars in scholarships to over $400,000 in 2003! Between the principal, who has nurtured relationships with the community and the counselor, Rhonda Winegarner, who solicits help from every avenue, the community now “stands in line” to assist the students at Valley. For those few students who have difficulty overcoming behavioral issues, Valley has created a Bridge program, where they are allowed to revisit RTP skills and improve their behavior before returning to the regular day. The staff at Valley does an excellent job of preparing students for success. They continually raise the bar in order to ensure that students will pass the CAHSEE and be able to graduate; they offer classes in remedial reading; algebra and Geometry are long time offerings taught by qualified math teachers; emphasis is placed on the academic Text Box: subjects so that students will be prepared for life after high school. The curriculum is fully aligned with the state standards, and has been for some time. Continuous assessment is embedded in the instruction. Part of this assessment is the student led parent conferences held at Valley High School. Since the inception of these three time a year conferences, the ties to the parents have become quite strong. Even with an emphasis on the academics, career preparation is not ignored. Students attend presentations twice a year at their Career Day. This allows them to explore different life options and gives them direction as they prepare for post-secondary endeavors. With all the wonderful things that are happening at Valley High School, it is important to note that there is extremely strong support from David Hughes, the District Superintendent, his cabinet and the Board of Trustees. The result is excellence that has resulted in full accreditation, being designated as a California Model Continuation High School in 2002 and a school that is visited by those wanting to emulate the success that Valley has experienced. This reputation for excellence is well deserved! They are making a huge difference in the lives of their students! Text Box: Valley High School: “Learning For All, Whatever It Takes” Text Box: Page # Text Box: Volume 18, Issue 2

[ Home | Newsletters Page | This Newsletter Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 ]