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Featured this month:

• Message from the Board
• Spotlight on Broadway High School, with Principal Jesus Radillo
• Spotlight on Walt Whitman Continuation High School scholars participation in the Good City Mentors Program
• CCEA+ Opportunities to Volunteer
• Upcoming Event: the 2025 Conference in San Diego
• Grow Kinder Podcast: Committee for Children
• Professional Award Nominations – Submission Deadline: March 1, 2025
• Exemplary Award Nominations – Submission Deadline: March 1, 2025

The post The Spotlight Newsletter – January | February 2025 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

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Featured this month:

• Message from the Board
• Spotlight on Frontier High School, with Principal Margie Moriarty
• Spotlight on R.K. Lloyde High School’s “Life after Lloyde” Program
• CCEA+ Opportunities to Volunteer
• Upcoming Event: the 2025 Conference in San Diego
• Grow Kinder Podcast: Committee for Children
• Professional Award Nominations open starting November 1st for the 2024-2025 school year
• Exemplary Award Nominations open in November, too

The post The Spotlight Newsletter – October 2024 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

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Featured this month:

• Message from the Board
• Spotlight on Kings River High School, with Principal Jon Tillotson
• Spotlight on Sierra High School’s (SHS) AP Program
• Poll: Vote Now for Upcoming Activities
• CCEA+ Opportunities to Become a Reader and Volunteer
• Upcoming Events: Model School Reading Sessions and the 2025 Conference in San Diego
• Grow Kinder Podcast: Committee for Children

The post The Spotlight Newsletter – September 2024 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

A Message from the Board

To Our Alt. Ed. Community,

Welcome back to the start of the 2024-2025 school year! We hope everyone had a restful and rejuvenating summer, and are ready to embark on another year filled with positive and impactful opportunities. At CCEA Plus, we’re excited to continue supporting you and your schools as we work together to make a difference in the lives of our students.

This year brings with it a tremendous opportunity for our Community Day Schools (CDS). We encourage all eligible schools to apply to be recognized as Model Schools. This is a unique chance to showcase the incredible work happening in your school and to share best practices with educators across the state. Becoming a Model School is not only a prestigious honor but also an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing improvement of alternative education in California. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and submit your letter of intent (due Aug. 30th) and application (due Sept. 12th). For more information and to access the aforementioned docs visit our Model School App and Resources page.

In addition, we are thrilled to announce the Model School Readings will take place on October 4th in Fresno and Oct. 18th in Anaheim. Evaluating applications and identifying potential model schools is a cornerstone of our commitment to recognizing excellence in alternative education, and we invite both new and seasoned readers to sign up. Whether you’ve participated before or are considering joining for the first time, your involvement is vital to ensuring that we continue to uphold the high standards of our Model Schools program. To sign up click the link: Model School Reader Sign Up

Thank you for your continued dedication to your students and communities. We look forward to another year of collaboration, growth, and success. Let’s make the 2024-2025 school year one of our best yet!

Sincerely,
CCEA Plus Board | Meet the Officers

Save the Date

Upcoming Dates for the Model School Applications, as part of the MCHS (continuation) program and the MCDS (community day) program:

This Month’s Spotlight is On…

Orange Grove High School

Owls Fly Through Innovative Partnerships

At Orange Grove High School, Corona-Norco Unified School District’s only continuation school, teachers are seeding innovative early–career experiences for students through unique collaborative partnerships. These programs are in addition to growing CTE programs in Construction and Business, and are largely driven by student and teacher interest.

One such initiative is the Behavior Analysis & Life Skills partnership between Andrew Edwards’s Psychology and Wendy Quintana’s Adult Transition classes in which high school students learn and apply various psychology principles, such as the Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) model to help adults with special needs develop and practice life skills such as social conversations and money sense.

Through this program, many Orange Grove students have honed their interest in human behavior, and are exploring careers in the fields of education and therapy. Tania Fabian, a graduating senior and recent UNITY community award recipient says the program has helped her identify positive psychology as her future major. Her plan is to eventually open a wellness center in the community that emphasizes healing and consciousness for youth who have experienced trauma.

Similarly, Orange Grove science teacher Kelle Ray has teamed up with special education teacher Rob Solis to expand Orange Grove’s existing gardening beds to include an aquaponics system that funnels nutrients produced by fish into planters full of salad greens, radishes, and tomatoes. Students worked with Mr. Solis and Ms. Ray to design and construct the PVC piping for the system. They are also responsible for feeding the koi fish every morning and making sure everything is functioning properly.

Orange Grove teachers have also developed inroads with local business partners to foster a stronger workforce readiness outcomes. Adult Transition program teachers Wendy Quintana and James “JJ” Hayward have both partnered with Los Compas Coffee, a local youth entrepreneurship and employment social enterprise, to provide lessons on the business of coffee for its students. The business also sponsors the monthly OG Coffee Bar for staff on campus and The Rolling Beans, a student-led mobile coffee business that pops up at district offices every Monday morning. Through this program, students have developed vital customer service and retail skills that have helped them develop confidence as they pursue local jobs and contemplate starting small businesses.

Next Steps

As unique programs grow at Orange Grove, the leadership team aspires to introduce more data-driven practices to monitor and measure their success, such as qualitative surveys that capture student reflections and voice, as well as instruments that measure the effect of programs on attendance and other vital metrics. This will allow the campus to continue to grow in efficacy, and invest in work that both inspires students and has a deep impact on the school community.

Tip of the Month

A key driver of innovation at Orange Grove has been the Teacher Tools weekly PLC spearheaded by CNUSD district teacher of the year, Mr. Andrew Edwards. This highly structured collaboration time has helped acculturate and equip teachers new to Orange Grove with a pedagogy mindset and practical strategies that work in the continuation setting. Moreover, it has served as a vibrant forum for veteran and newer teachers to build relationships, bounce ideas off of one another, and form interdisciplinary partnerships that elevate students and increase staff morale.

Principal’s Message

Our vision as a school is to create a dynamic community where students feel supported and empowered in their journey. In order for this to happen our approach is to foster the same environment for all adults on this campus, one in which they are empowered to tap into their own creativity and passion in support of the students. This approach has resulted in the organic development of highly innovative initiatives that are resulting in exponential benefits to the kids we serve. This is especially important in a setting where raising the morale of our students is pivotal, and finding new ways to help them experience success in some instances is life saving. The result is a highly engaged group of adults working creatively and dreaming big.

– Carlos Guillen, Principal

Spotlighting Exemplary Programs

2024 Exemplary Award Winner: Cambridge High School – Men’s & Women’s Alliance

The Cambridge High School Men and Women’s Alliance program, inspired by our school district’s Alliance program, is dedicated to cultivating Alliance teachers with a growth mindset. These teacher leaders exhibit exemplary personal behavior and academic leadership, fostering success in their students’ academic and personal lives during their transition to adulthood. The daily Alliance class is a key component, focusing on goal setting, character development, and interpersonal skills. Here, students practice through language and interactions with peers and adults, complemented by motivational guest speakers, including former Alliance students, business owners, and community leaders.

During the fall, students attend a job fair, securing internship offers from notable establishments like Zoomies, CVS, or Walgreens. Many students receive permanent job offers post-internship. Additionally, a field trip to Fresno State Campus strengthens bonds through campus visits, bowling, and group activities.

Students express gratitude for the class, valuing the social skills, job experiences, and opportunities it provides. They describe classmates as more than friends, akin to brothers and sisters. Practical skills, such as tying a tie, are appreciated, along with the maintained confidentiality during circle time.

Mr. Vega, a six-year Men’s Alliance teacher, stresses the class’s importance in meeting immediate needs and educating the whole child. Mrs. Waller, a seven-year Women’s Alliance teacher, notes the development of a “Can Do” attitude and clear understanding of strengths by the end of the Alliance class.

Our program, initiated ten years ago by our newly appointed principal, was the first Alliance program in alternative education in our school district. Since then, it has positively impacted 60 to 70 students annually. Remarkably, about 90% of at-promise students from the Alliance program graduate from high school, and all are employable. Since its 2014 launch, over 200 Alliance students have secured paid internships, and 600 have explored Fresno State as a potential college pathway. Furthermore, our students actively engage in community service, providing homeless packages to Fresno Rescue Mission and collaborating with Marjorie Mason Center on awareness campaigns.

Lifelong mentorship by teachers is integral to students’ success. They seek advice even after graduation, creating a supportive network that goes beyond their time in the program. In a recent tragedy, former Alliance classmates supported each other and family members at a funeral, highlighting the profound relationships cultivated through the Alliance program. As one teacher aptly stated, the Alliance program is all about the “relationship.”

Recent News & Resources

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The post The Spotlight Newsletter – August 2024 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

A Message from the Board

To Our Alt. Ed. Community,

The 2024 CCEA Plus Annual Conference is just a few days away. We’re thrilled to celebrate our 50th year anniversary with you in the historic city of Burbank, California. Like many celebrities who have enjoyed the glitz and glamor of Los Angeles, CCEA will be Putting a Spotlight on Alternative Education.

We’re pleased to announce two keynote speakers for the 2024 conference. To get us started, Dr. Sam Buenrostro will speak Friday morning. Dr. Buenrostro believes in living life with a purpose, the power of people and inspiring others to make a difference. From his humble beginnings, Dr. Buenrostro will share his remarkable career as a high school soccer coach, ELA and Spanish teacher, administrator, assistant superintendent and now the Superintendent of Corona-Norco Unified School District.

During Saturday’s Awards Gala, Gov. Newsom’s top educational advisor, Ben Chida will share his extraordinary story on how he has persevered through the most difficult of mental health challenges. Through influential people in his life, including a teacher from his alternative high school in Huntington Beach, Mr. Chida has forged ahead and has become a strong voice for providing wraparound services to students at the earliest stage possible. Currently, Mr. Chida is the chief deputy cabinet secretary for the governor and is a key member in the new California Master Plan for Career Education in high schools.

Equally exciting is all the breakout sessions filled with valuable takeaways for students, ourselves and our sites. Also, don’t forget to bring student art work to showcase and wear your CCEA Region Colors. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,
CCEA Plus Board | Meet the Officers

Save the Date

Upcoming Dates for the 2024 Conference & Model School Applications, as part of the MCHS (continuation) program and the MCDS (community day) program:

This Month’s Spotlight is On…

Sierra High School

Focusing On Student Health & Wellness

Sierra High School is an Alternative Community School site focused on promoting Health and Wellness. Under the leadership of Principal, Hector Murrieta, Sierra has become one of the IE’s model programs for School-Based Health Centers, based on the California School-Based Health Alliance guidelines, with successful partnerships in all six areas of health and wellness. The school has spent the last seven years building systems to provide mental, physical, social, emotional, financial, and academic health services for all students. The wellness center services 150-200 students annually with mental, social, and emotional health as a practicum site for the doctoral students at Loma Linda’s School of Behavioral Health. Identified students (through MTSS, or self-identified) receive small-group dialectical therapy, and individual cognitive behavioral therapy, among other research-based mental health treatments.

Recently, Sierra has opened a basic needs resource center for students, families, and the community called the Olive Branch. Partnering with the Inland Career Education Center, Community Action Project, IEHP, and other entities, the Olive Branch Resource Center provides basic needs and internship opportunities for students within Sierra’s Family & Human Services Pathway.

Next Steps

As the wellness programs find their stride, Sierra is now moving towards Linked Learning where students are not only receiving services but also learning how to access and educate their community about available resources within the school and community. The new Family & Human Services pathway opened in August 2023 under Sierra’s Health & Wellness CTE umbrella. As of February 2024, 371 students have participated in the Health & Wellness Academy with 9 CTE Pathway completers. Seventeen single-subject teachers have gotten CTE credentials to write and offer dual-purpose, skills-based, integrated courses offering students the opportunity to earn core credit for CTE courses. Sierra currently has six integrated CTE/CORE A-G courses approved by UC Doorways to maximize learning opportunities for students. The CTE team is diligently working to write four more integrated courses to begin in the fall. The next phase of the pathway is to train students to operate the Olive Branch as a student-run enterprise.

Tip of the Month

Traditional school models DID NOT WORK for our students, we have to think outside the traditional ideas and “grammar” of school to rebuild trust and value in education for these students. Rethink what “school” looks like, feels like, and sounds like. Connection above all else, and use every opportunity to collaborate WITH students on better choices, and opportunities.

Principal’s Message

“You don’t know what ‘no’ means!” This pithy statement beautifully captures how we should approach our work. It was made by a first year teacher on her first WASC visit when it was her turn to share her findings. When I heard it I was flattered and deeply moved; I decided to make it a motto of sorts. All of us in the alternative education community should not know what ‘no’ means! Our students, guardians, educators, and programs have heard ‘no’ too many times. We are in an enviable position to be designated as alternative schools; we have license to be alternative. Be alternative. Refuse to know what ‘no’ means. Many of us are fascinated by the resiliency demonstrated by our students; we need to follow suit. We can and should be models for the educational community at large because if we can make it work at our schools then it’s very likely to work in other schools. Just like our students, though, we need to refuse to know what ‘no’ means…and like one of our counselors says at the end of his announcements, “Don’t let anyone steal your shine!”

– Hector Murrieta, Principal

Spotlighting Exemplary Programs

2022 Exemplary Award Winner Somerset High School CTE/SkillsUSA Program

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. They help each student excel and is a nonprofit national education association that helps prepare students for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. The development of SkillsUSA at the Somerset Campus began in fall of 2016. Five students competed at the State SkillsUSA conference in Ontario, and three students advanced to the National SkillsUSA competition in Louisville Kentucky in the area of Residential Systems and Installation Maintenance or Smart Homes, & Robotics and Automation Technology. Students have won numerous medals at the state and national levels over the years at Somerset High School. The impact the program has on students is positive. The students not only learn, but they’re able to visualize real-world situations. Somerset HS has noticed a hesitancy in students to take part in SkillsUSA because of a fear of failure or lack of self-confidence. However, after students had success and won competitions they felt pride in themselves because they persevered and were successful. By utilizing the various CTE programs, students can visualize and see where and how the projects they created with SkillsUSA have a real-world application. A testimony of the effectiveness of this program is the story of Joe. His story began similarly to other continuation high school students. He was unsuccessful in his classes and had discipline issues. When he transferred to Somerset and found interest in the SkillsUSA program, he thrived! He made it all the way to the national competition and earned a Gold medal!! He has since gone onto work for many prestigious companies and is a highly sought-after individual. It only took one person with access to a great program to believe in him and help write a different ending to his high school story.

Recent News & Resources

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The post The Spotlight Newsletter – April 2024 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

A Message from the Board

To Our Alt. Ed. Community,

Congratulations to all continuation and community day schools for being recognized by the state of California as Model Schools. This is the first year the California Department of Education has recognized community day schools for model and exemplary practices, so a special kudos for the schools who ventured to be pioneers. Your commitment, sacrifice and hard work has not gone unnoticed. CCEA has reserved a special event for all conference attendees and Model School Award recipients at Universal Studios Hollywood on Saturday, April 27th to celebrate the much deserved recognition of teachers, counselors, administrators and the numerous support staff that, without their professionalism and devotion, this distinction would not be achievable.

One of the privileges of being a Model School is the opportunity to host, support and be an example to other similar schools within your region. The best professional development is when schools are able to communicate, exchange ideas, program structures and share best practices to the betterment of students and staff.

Similarly, there’s a unique opportunity for members who are attending the conference to participate in visiting model schools in Burbank and the surrounding area. CCEA Plus highly encourages members who have yet to visit a model school to take advantage of a tremendous professional development field trip on April 25th. Transportation and lunch is provided as members typically visit two or three model schools. You can find more information on our 2024 Conference page.

Sincerely,
CCEA Plus Board | Meet the Officers

Save the Date

Upcoming Dates for the 2024 Conference & Grant Application:

This Month’s Spotlight is On…

Alessandro High School

Phoenix Rise With Career Tech Education

Serving as Hemet Unified’s only continuation high school, Alessandro High School proudly offers students three CTE pathways that support relevant, hands-on, and career-oriented learning. The longest established, and most successful, is the welding pathway that allows students to earn preliminary certifications in welding with both a certified welding inspector and in a fully-equipped, industrial welding shop. This pathway also helps with post-secondary job placements in the industry as well as transitions into additional certification programs offered in the adult school.

In addition to the welding pathway, Principal Matthew Centofranchi is proud to offer two additional pathways including a first responder program and one focusing on students developing entrepreneurial skills. Like the welding pathway, a heavy emphasis in the first responder program has been on exposing students to industry-grade equipment, including donated fire trucks and ambulances, and focuses on students graduating with the initial skills to enter the civil servant workforce. The entrepreneurship pathways supports students with learning how to design a product, launch a business, and work with various mediums including 3-D printing, embroidery, garment presses, and etching.

Next Steps

As part of continuing to better serve newcomer students, Alessandro High School is refining their implementation of a self-contained, language acquisition and support program that ensures recently arrived students have the language and learning support they need to be successful. Principal Centofranchi reflects that, “these students are true newcomers and we have a lot to learn about how to best serve these students.” This learning includes how to deepen the implementation of the classroom program and also better transition newcomer students into content classes with the support they need.

Tip of the Month

Alessandro High School has a collaborative, graduation tracking system, through a shared spreadsheet, that ensures data transparency about the graduation status of students. This system is part of the advisory class and ensures counselors and teaching staff have access to shared data about students’ credits, needs, and progress towards graduation. The system helps foster learner-centered discussions and collaboration about students and coherence amongst the staff about what interventions and supports each student needs.

Principal’s Message

We have a district vision that Hemet Unified focuses on, “providing equitable educational outcomes for all students including and especially those who have been kept furthest from opportunities. “ That is exactly the work we do at Alessandro High School. We make sure our students realize their potential, even if they haven’t felt seen or successful before. Just because they were unseen, doesn’t mean they aren’t capable. Our goal is to give continuation high school students an advantage over their peers over those in comprehensive schools.

– Matthew Centofranchi, Principal

Spotlighting Exemplary Programs

2022 Exemplary Award Winner – Building Together: A Community Partnership

The Building Together Program is a partnership between community members and Paloma Creek High School. This program provides students with training in the construction trades through the development, building and sale of a structure. This year the students and community members have designed, built and will be selling a shed. The students learn from our community partners how to build a structure from the ground up. They begin with collaborating on design, and researching the cost of materials, as well as the cost of their labor -and ultimately what they must sell their shed to cover their costs and make some gains. They then prepare a presentation of their ideas, that is shared with the principal and community partners prior to beginning their build.

The community partners and students started this year with the building of the foundation, and the framing of the structure, and the installation of windows. Students learned incredible skills, such as how to use simple tools, to how to handle a nail gun, electric sander, and skill saw. They also learn basic electrical skills, including how to pull wire and install outlets. Both male and female students participate in the process, and all students are exposed to a variety of trades during the process of the build. Currently the students and community partners are working on the roofing process of the build. They are learning about materials and procedures, as well as how to assess for the accuracy of the installation.

As part of this process, students also take a number of field trips into the community to learn about construction in action in their hometown. Students have been able to walk through construction sites, learn about the industry and how to enter this labor market. Included in the field trips are the opportunities to network with business owners in the community who are looking to hire our students following graduation. Students build their resumes as part of this process, including skills in the areas of framing, electrical, painting, budgeting, purchasing, marketing/advertising and sales.

All Paloma Creek High School students have the opportunity to participate in the building process. It is projected that the shed will be completed by early March and the students already have a buyer. The next build is projected to be an outside shade structure for an outside classroom. Students and community members will use their financial gains from the shed to purchase materials for their next build.

This partnership between our incredible community members and our school is amazing, and we look forward to seeing what exciting things are built through this collaboration in the future. We are building structures, building student capacity, and building positive adult relationships through working side by side to accomplish a common goal! Truly an exceptional experience for all!

Recent News & Resources

CCEA Member Continuation School Professionals – Grant Money is Available to Support Your Students! Apply by Friday, March 29, 2024. Learn More

College & Career Access Pathways Grant Opportunity

CCAP Grant to create or expand partnerships with Local Community Colleges – $100,000 per school

“The goal of this funding is to provide incentives for local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish partnerships with community colleges that gives students access to college courses while in high school, especially students who may not be college bound or are underrepresented in higher education.” -CDE

CCAP Grant Info and Application

Middle College & Early College Grant Opportunity

Early College Program Grant to create or expand dual enrollment pathways with local colleges leading to high paying jobs and careers – $250,000 per school

“Supports the costs to plan for, and start up, a middle college or early college high school that is located on the campus of a local educational agency (LEA), a partnering community college, or other location determined by the local partnership, and that is consistent with the specifications of Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 11300) of Part 7 of Division 1 of Title 1.” -CDE

Early College Program Grant Info and Application

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The post The Spotlight Newsletter – March 2024 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

A Message from the Board

To Our Alt. Ed. Community,

Encouraging and confirming news from Stanford University’s Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities. We know educators in Alternative Ed. are second to none in their ability to connect and breathe hope into the students they serve. Alternative school sites are excellent in their approach to meet kids where they’re at academically, emotionally and socially. Below are just a few of the findings from the recent study that proves what we do WORKS:

• Positive transition rates are high and steady for students enrolled in DASS schools for at least 45 days.
• About 66% of students who exit DASS schools after more than 45 days of enrollment transfer back to traditional high schools or to other completion certificate-granting institutions.
• Less than 1 in 5 DASS students drop or age out of high school without a diploma or certificate of completion in a given school year.

On behalf of the CCEA Plus Board, thank you for your commitment and hard work to those you serve. Alternative Ed. sites are unique in their approach, techniques, structures and needs. For this reason, CCEA Plus is focused on bringing high quality presenters to share best practices in the areas most impactful to Alternative Ed. schools. We look forward to supporting each educator through our annual conference this April in Burbank, CA. It’s through engaging, networking and sharing with each other that we will continue to experience positive, unequivocal results.

Sincerely,
CCEA Plus Board | Meet the Officers

Save the Date

Upcoming Dates for Model School Applications, as part of the MCHS (continuation) program and the new MCDS (community day) program this year and the 2024 Conference:

This Month’s Spotlight is On…

Travis Education Center

Winning With Character Development

Travis Education Center made a concerted effort to become a trauma informed school. They accomplished this by focusing on character development that works alongside the PBIS and trauma informed practices already in place at the school.

Travis’ grassroots efforts began in 2016 with professional development based on research from Angela Duckworth’s GRIT and Carol Dwek’s Mindset. The goal of staff training was to bring awareness to how these concepts could impact student learning. Emphasis was placed on creating a safe environment and improved school culture with the space to learn.

Embedded within Travis Education Center’s efforts is character development in order to help students gain personal and social skills, as well as soft skills for employment readiness. With just a little less emphasis on academics and curriculum and more on character and wellness, Travis enables their students to become productive learners.

At Travis Education Center, building relationships is first and foremost. The desired outcome is to integrate PBIS ideas into that philosophy. PBIS should be encouraging, while teaching expectations. Staff recognizes that behavior is a way of communication. Students exhibiting challenging behaviors have needs and solutions should be based on those needs. While some need space, others may just need a pause.

Travis Education Center ensures the longevity and effectiveness of these efforts by perception surveys of students, parents and staff. Results of the surveys have had an impressive effect on key school data points, is reflected in the SPSA and facilitates school based decisions.

Next Steps

Travis Education Center has identified an area of growth for the near future: Career readiness and College/Career exploration. The school acknowledges that current career technical opportunities are limited due to small school size and qualified personnel. Staff is thinking outside the box to increase opportunities for its students.

Travis has developed a job shadowing program through a partnership with its district employees. Students are placed at the district offices to shadow careers quarterly. Travis has also developed a Careers in Education class which includes fieldwork at local elementary schools. Their long term goal is to define their career pathways with district and site resources.

Tip of the Month

Behavior is a way of communicating an unmet need. Let’s be more curious about what is going on with a student and see how we can support them. Let’s make decisions that benefit all students. Students “set the temperature” and staff “is the thermostat”. Sometimes, students come in cold, and need to be warmed up. Staff efforts should ensure that the learning environment is warm, inviting and comfortable.

Principal’s Message

Our journey is not without its difficulties, but it is essential to celebrate the small milestones. In doing so, we acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and progress our students make every day. These milestones may be stepping stones, but they mark significant achievements on the path to a brighter future.

The core of our mission is to create an environment that is safe, inclusive, and caring. It goes beyond academics and college or career readiness – it extends to nurturing the human within each student, making them socially and emotionally aware. Our commitment to their holistic development is what sets us apart and makes our community truly special.

Our educational community is not just a place of learning; it is a sanctuary of growth, support, and endless possibilities. Thank you for your faithful commitment to our students and your shared vision. Together, we are making a difference, and our students can envision a future where success knows no limits.

– Janelle Preston, Principal

Spotlighting Exemplary Programs

2020 Exemplary Award Winner: Abraxas Garden

In 2015, Abraxas High School (AHS) created a school garden by transforming a tennis court into an outdoor lab. The garden project was built entirely by students in the Abraxas Construction, Agriculture and Aquaponics Classes. The garden was created to teach students about growing healthy food and giving back to the community. AHS started with traditional garden beds, then added aquaponics beds powered by an 8,000 gallon aquaponics pond filled with over 300 tilapia fish. Also, AHS has 25 fruit trees that are productive throughout the year. Abraxas High School has donated over 12,000 pounds of produce to needy families in their community.

Success is measured not only by production, but through student interaction. Students arrive at AHS with heavy personal issues, and they all love the escape of working in the garden. Student confidence soars when they lead tours to anyone who enters the garden and explain the seed-to-table of aquaponics and traditional farming methods.

The AHS garden is used as a learning hub for many other classes, including Construction, Leadership, Art, Economics, English and their Transition students. The bulk of the work is done every day in the garden by the Agriculture and Aquaponics classes.

The garden requires a budget of about $12,000 yearly to maintain the high level of production. The money to keep the garden project running comes from fundraisers, donations and grants.

In addition to student success, the Abraxas Garden has been nationally recognized. The National Garden Club awarded the Abraxas HS Garden with the distinction as the Top High School Garden in 2017 and 2018. In 2021, Bob Lutticken, Biology and Aquaponics teacher who runs the garden, was voted as Top Teacher Finalist by Live With Kelly and Ryan and Horticulturist of the Year in 2023 by the San Diego Horticultural Society. The garden has also been recognized by numerous news and TV outlets such as the Poway Chieftain and KUSI. We look forward to many more years of successful harvests and satisfied students.

Recent News & Resources

Announcing the 2024 Conference: April 25 – 28 @ Marriott Los Angeles, CA | Event Details

Articles, Videos & Presentations

• CA lags behind other states in bilingual education for ELs
• Implementing PBIS in High Schools
• Integrating Academic, Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Supports for Student Need
• Scaling California’s School-Based Mental and Behavioral Health Infrastructures
• The Science of Reading: The Importance of Comprehension

Upcoming Opportunities

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The post The Spotlight Newsletter – February 2024 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

A Message from the Board

To Our Alt. Ed. Community,

The Board would like to invite and encourage you to apply and/or nominate deserving individuals to the various awards and recognition categories from CCEA Plus. Additionally, unique school programs/practices that support student achievement are eligible to apply for an Exemplary Program. Below is a list of recognition opportunities available to students, certificated staff, classified staff and the other stakeholders that support our schools.

• Student Art, Essay & Design Contests
• Teacher of the Year
• Administrator of the Year
• Counselor or Support Person of the Year
• Classified Employee of the Year
• Superintendent of the Year
• SRO/Probation Officer of the Year

So many individuals are deserving of recognition for their tremendous efforts and the impact they have on students and your school community. For these reasons, consider nominating using the CCEA Awards Page.

Sincerely,
CCEA Plus Board | Meet the Officers

Save the Dates

Upcoming Dates for Model School Applications, as part of the MCHS (continuation) program and the new MCDS (community day) program this year and the 2024 Conference:

This Month’s Spotlight is On…

Central Valley High School

School Culture Is At The Heart Of CVHS Success

Inclusive, inviting and a safe place to be are hallmarks of Central Valley High School (CVHS).

Kids connecting to CVHS campus, increased attendance and over an 80% graduation rate are but a few of the positive outcomes attributed to the multiple systems and structures in place that drive student success. The Kern High School District has invested heavily in the supports available to CVHS. Currently, students are supported with an Intervention PBIS Specialist, Campus Interventionist, a Counselor, a Substance Abuse Counselor and Social Worker to provide services such as motivation, targeted intervention groups, Why Try lessons, etc.

With a steadfast commitment, CVHS earned a CA PBIS Silver Implementation Award in 2018 / 2019 and, most recently, a Platinum Implementation Award in 2022/2023. Over the past few years, staff at CVHS have developed a living and organic Behavior Matrix to support behavior expectations. Regular training, weekly inputs, shared stories and anecdotes, and regular review and norming keep CVHS staff calibrated to implement their tiered PBIS strategies.

CVHS takes pride in students feeling significant, welcomed and appreciated. Students speak highly of the staff because of the school environment and how the staff make them feel as family.

Next Steps

Literacy growth for all students is at the top of CVHS’s agenda. Like many alternative ed. schools, students arrive at CVHS with low reading and comprehension abilities – typically at the 3rd and 4th grade Lexile levels. To combat this deficit, a schoolwide (every subject, every class) literacy program has been implemented. CVHS staff have identified three literacy strategies to target: annotation, vocabulary building and a unique data-driven reflection practice of STAR Renaissance data. Understanding that data is only as good as the effort level of student input, CVHS teachers meet with every student after the STAR Renaissance test. Teachers add value to the diagnostic exam, help students reflect on their effort and set literacy goals. A goal setting matrix is created with student personalized goals and shared in every subject. The feedback from students and staff has been extremely positive, and student literacy is improving.

Tip of the Month

Get Curious, Not Furious

Listening to kids is critical to establishing healthy, positive relationships. CVHS advises to not jump to conclusions or make assumptions but ask questions before making any decision. CVHS students, similar to other alternative education students, struggle with issues relating to poverty, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse and anxiety among many other challenging circumstances. The key to supporting at-risk/at-promise youth is to give them an ear and to give them a place to go. Encouraging conversations while reducing prejudice has helped CVHS become a school where students want to go.

This collective effort by CVHS staff has not only benefited students but has also increased parent trust with the school. Parents have noticed an improvement in their child’s school attendance and involvement in school activities.

Principal’s Message

Central Valley High School is committed to providing all students with programs and services that allow them to graduate from high school prepared to succeed in the workplace and at the postsecondary level. The staff at CVHS is dedicated to the success of each student. Students receive support academically as well as socially in order to become productive members of society.

– Mr. Michael Akey, Principal

CVHS has graciously permitted this document to be shared – Behavior Matrix.

Spotlighting Exemplary Programs

2020 Exemplary Award Winner: Empowerment Course

The ten-week Empowerment Course is designed to orientate students to the school program and empower them to overcome obstacles and failures they may have experienced before transferring to Rose City. The class is co-taught by two teachers and includes many guest speakers and activities that address resiliency, brain development and trauma, growth mindset, changing negative attitudes, conflict resolution, substance abuse and includes a mentorship component where students connect to community mentorship organizations. This course is mandatory for all newly enrolled students to take their first quarter at Rose City. It was initially created for three purposes:

1. To help establish immediate connections to staff and students at the school.
2. Address barriers and issues which may have contributed to academic failure.
3. Quickly identify students in need of additional support and/or services.

The result of this course is that students are reporting feeling more connected to the school after taking it. In fact, during our WASC and MCHS Visit, the student focus groups report that the Empowerment Course was their favorite class and that it instilled in them a positive message that they can be successful despite their previous failures. The Empowerment Course at Rose City HS is a model program in Pasadena USD. All guest speakers are partners with the school or are district employees, which costs no extra money to operate.

If you would like to learn more about Rose City’s Empowerment Course, you may email the site administrator Dr. Michael Bell.

Recent News & Resources

Announcing the 2024 Conference: April 25 – 28 @ Marriott Los Angeles, CA | Event Details

Photo by Kris Reynolds during the 2023 Gala | View more photos

Articles, Videos & Presentations

CA lags behind other states in bilingual education for ELs

Implementing PBIS in High Schools

Integrating Academic, Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Supports for Student Need

Scaling California’s School-Based Mental and Behavioral Health Infrastructures

The Science of Reading: The Importance of Comprehension

Upcoming Opportunities

More Useful Links

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The post The Spotlight Newsletter – January 2024 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

A Message from the Board

To Our Alt. Ed. Community,

Now that the Model Community Day School Award program is underway, CCEA Plus is excited to announce the addition of two new regional advisor positions becoming available. There is one advisor position available for the North and South, respectively, to support the expansion of the Model School Program. If you’ve considered being more involved with CCEA Plus, alternative education and/or growing in your leadership capacity, then a Regional Advisor position will provide you with the means and access to meet your professional goals. For detailed information on the expectations and requirements for this position, visit the CCEA Plus Regional Advisor page.

One last thing. A BIG THANK YOU to all who have submitted volunteer interest forms. The annual conference and model school readings would not be successful without the energy, expertise and overall support of our members. If you’re interested in partnering with us as a volunteer, we would love to have you share your talents. CCEA Plus is looking for volunteers in the space of Social Media, the upcoming conference, contributors to the newsletter and many other areas. Use this link to let us know how you would like to serve.

Sincerely,
CCEA Plus Board | Meet the Officers

Save the Dates

Upcoming Dates for Model School Applications, as part of the MCHS (continuation) program and the new MCDS (community day) program this year:

This Month’s Spotlight is On…

Calaveras Hills High School

Project-Based Learning – A New Way Forward

Calaveras Hills High School (CHHS) is proud to present a Project Based Learning curriculum. The move to PBL is helping CHHS with implementing more authentic assessments. By creating a project around an Essential Question, students are much more likely to find success as they engage in deeper learning. CHHS has fine tuned the Project Based Learning efforts on their campus this school year.

The PBL initiative was born from student input. Students reported in a 2022-23 school survey that when they worked on a PBL project, it felt less like a random set of assignments and more like they were actually learning something meaningful. While some teachers were already having success with the curriculum, CHHS decided to implement it schoolwide by contracting with PBL Works. Additionally, a TOSA position was funded to help with the implementation of PBL in all classes. CHHS has also committed to ongoing support and progress monitoring, in-person walk-throughs, virtual coaching of teachers, and other requested supports.

The quality of the work that CHHS teachers received and the enthusiasm that students exhibited has produced some meaningful data. Over 90% said they felt that their PBL project gave them more of a voice in what they were learning and contributing. They felt that their ideas mattered and that the projects were more engaging than assignments and tests that did not always relate to each other. Students reported being excited about the public product and presentation that they created.

Next Steps

CHHS is committed to addressing achievement gaps between the demographic groups that make up their campus. Attention is being given to examining the equity gap between the traditional school and students referred currently to Alternative Education. This effort will involve data collection and review, a focus on equity and incorporation of the schoolwide PBL efforts. For example, there will also be an increase in collaboration time for teachers to produce more cross curricular, thematic units. CHHS plans to utilize the curriculum to build greater opportunities for all student voices to be heard and included.

Tip of the Month

Calaveras Hills HS fosters student growth by using a restorative practice in conjunction with discipline. Suspendable offenses, as well as other behavior incidents requiring discipline, are subject to a restorative (re-entry) meeting before returning to school or class. This meeting includes an advocate, who is selected by the student, and may be a staff member or friend (not involved in the incident) to assist with the conflict mediation.

The re-entry meetings follow the Restorative Circles framework that is recommended by the IIRP (International Institute for Restorative Practices). CHHS staff members are trained to participate in and facilitate re-entry meetings.

Restorative re-entry meetings work hand in hand with accountability. CHHS students have the opportunity to “make it right” and successfully re-join the school community. This successful restorative practice highlights the concepts of “We all make mistakes” and “It is ok to apologize.”

Principal’s Message

This year we are continuing to focus on bringing authentic Project Based Learning to CHHS, maintaining a positive culture and climate, holding all students accountable and doing their best daily.

To meet our goal of having Project-Based Learning in every classroom, we have partnered with PBLWorks, a leader in the PBL space, to help guide us in implementing authentic learning through projects. Each project contains important elements, such as the project launch, having a driving question throughout the project, and incorporating student voice and choice. To meet our goal of maintaining a positive culture and climate, we will continue with Restorative Practices, especially classroom Community Circles to build community and safety, and Restorative Meetings to deal with conflict. In addition, we will hold a community-focused Back to School Night that will focus on fun activities and food vendors for families. To ensure that students are not missing valuable class time, holding Student Attendance Review Team (SART) meetings for students missing more than 10% or more school days, and collaborating with families on school attendance.

-Mr. Carl Stice, Principal

The Value of Model Schools

CCEA Plus has partnered with the CDE to implement the Model Continuation High School Recognition Program since 1990. The Continuation High School Model Recognition Program seeks to highlight continuation high schools that are innovating how they offer educational programing to students that are in danger of dropping out or failing out of high school. There are over 400 continuation high schools across the state and only 100 schools to date hold the distinction of Model Continuation High School.

The changes over the last few years have compounded the difficult work required of continuation schools, yet a school does not have to do this alone. Becoming a Model Continuation School allows your school to share best practices and opens up networks that can bring continuation schools together to increase outcomes of their students. If you do not think your school is ready to submit, consider volunteering to be a reader. Being a reader is another great way to learn about the Model Continuation School Application Process and certifies the reader to conduct Model Continuation High School visits. The school representative that participates will become acquainted with every step of the process. You can get more information about this opportunity using this link or by reaching out to us on our Facebook page. CCEA Plus is excited to partner with you as we move forward together.

Recent News & Resources

Announcing the 2024 Conference: April 25 – 28 @ Marriott Los Angeles, CA | Event Details

Photo by Kris Reynolds during the 2023 Gala | View more photos

Upcoming Opportunities

More Useful Links

Join Us on Social Media

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

More Resources

Click the logos below to visit their websites.

The post The Spotlight Newsletter – December 2023 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

A Message from the Board

To Our Alt. Ed. Community,

Exciting news to share! It’s been a long time coming but a Community Day Model School award is finally here. MCDS applications will be reviewed and rated in early November and schools will be notified in February. The Model School Awards Ceremony in April will feature the acknowledgement and celebration of both Continuation and Community Day Schools in Burbank, CA. Don’t forget to register!

Also, if you’re interested in being more involved with CCEA Plus, we would love to have you share your talents. CCEA Plus is looking for volunteers in the space of Social Media, the upcoming conference, contributors to the newsletter and many other areas. Use this link to let us know how you would like to serve.

Sincerely,
CCEA Plus Board | Meet the Officers

Save the Dates

Upcoming Dates for Model School Applications, as part of the MCHS (continuation) program and the new MCDS (community day) program this year:

This Month’s Spotlight is On…

Angel’s Gate High School

CTE & Literacy – A Dynamic Duo

Angel’s Gate High School (AGHS) operates as a continuation high school for Los Angeles Unified School District in the city of San Pedro. AGHS thrives on connecting real-life and the need to improve the literacy of their students with a dynamic CTE program. Since 2017, students at AGHS have been able to complete a CTE pathway to earn an Auto Mechanic Light Repair certification. AGHS employs a full-time Auto Tech Teacher to support four semester-long classes over a two-year period. The facilities for this pathway are located on the campus of AGHS and are shared with their feeder school – San Pedro HS. Students at AGHS can also be concurrently enrolled at Harbor Occupational Center to further their career training and experiences.

In 2020, AGHS began to link their CTE program with improving literacy. The literacy program focuses on several aspects – one being using informational text that connects to their CTE pathway. Student of AGHS see the value of literacy as they read manuals, use technical equipment and apply new vocabulary to communicate. Also, AGHS uses a schoolwide supplemental program named Achieve 3000 to further develop the literacy of all their sub-groups.

To see AGHS and their CTE pathway in action, click this link.

Next Steps

Angel’s Gate High School is focused on developing and refining the direct instruction in all subject areas. Administration and staff are committed to designing lessons that are content specific yet broad in skills. Twenty-first century skills such as applying academic vocabulary, accountable talk, cooperative groups and connecting skills across content areas are but a few of the elements that can be seen at AGHS in each classroom. The faculty are also developing Project-Based Learning units that are schoolwide to take advantage of the numerous resources available to AGHS, such as the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Marine Mammal Care Center, Angel’s Gate Cultural Center, Battleship USS Iowa and other local museums.

Tip of the Month

A Meet & Greet Table is a major reason for the success at Angel’s Gate High School.

Angel’s Gate HS utilizes student’s morning arrival to target PBIS, collect cell phones, talk to parents and learn names. Staff at Angel’s Gate HS check-in with students and gauge their affect by giving complements, shaking hands and having breakfast available for kids as they enter the school. By collecting cells phones Angel’s Gate HS students experience less distractions, decreased cyber bullying and a greater focus on academics while improving the overall quality of their school experience. Checking – in with parents is another benefit of using a meet and greet table. Staff and parents share updates regarding student progress and/or concerns. Also, Parents for School Site Council and Safety Committees are recruited from the connections made early in the year. The Meet & Greet Table is part of Angel’s Gate Positive Behavior & Intervention Plan.

Principal’s Message

As principal I challenge students to answer three questions:

1. What is your passion?
2. What is your purpose?
3. What are your priorities?

Students who have a passion, purpose and set priorities are engaged in the learning process, create a connection to school, make positive friendships, experience a greater level of academic success and enjoy their high school experience more than those who have yet to find the value and meaning of ‘an education’. I encourage you to ask your students about their passion, to use their moral compass to resolve their purpose and utilize their mind to prioritize and achieve their goals. All students have been given gifts but without hard work these gifts will not develop into talents. Encourage each student to follow their heart, use their head and above all else commit themselves to the effort and sacrifice it takes to truly prepare their character for adulthood. Then and only then will students cultivate the tenacity necessary to academically prepare themselves to be college & career ready and a global citizen.

-Paul Valanis, Principal

The Value of Model Schools

CCEA Plus has partnered with the CDE to implement the Model Continuation High School Recognition Program since 1990. The Continuation High School Model Recognition Program seeks to highlight continuation high schools that are innovating how they offer educational programing to students that are in danger of dropping out or failing out of high school. There are over 400 continuation high schools across the state and only 100 schools to date hold the distinction of Model Continuation High School.

The changes over the last few years have compounded the difficult work required of continuation schools, yet a school does not have to do this alone. Becoming a Model Continuation School allows your school to share best practices and opens up networks that can bring continuation schools together to increase outcomes of their students. If you do not think your school is ready to submit, consider volunteering to be a reader. Being a reader is another great way to learn about the Model Continuation School Application Process and certifies the reader to conduct Model Continuation High School visits. The school representative that participates will become acquainted with every step of the process. You can get more information about this opportunity using this link or by reaching out to us on our Facebook page. CCEA Plus is excited to partner with you as we move forward together.

Recent News & Resources

Announcing the 2024 Conference: April 25 – 28 @ Marriott Los Angeles, CA | Event Details

Photo by Kris Reynolds during the 2023 Gala | View more photos

Upcoming Opportunities

More Useful Links

Join Us on Social Media

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

More Resources

Click the logos below to visit their websites.

The post The Spotlight Newsletter – November 2023 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.