Setting expectations at Sonoma Valley High School

Sonoma Valley High School has some changes in store for the 2011/2012 school year. Among them, an effort to ensure that all incoming freshman are on the University of California/California State University “a-g” track.

The “a-g” track is a minimum list of requirements established by the UC and CSU systems whereby students must complete certain classes with a grade of “C” or better to be prepared for continuing their education at one of either systems’ campuses. The classes include:

History – 2 years required
English – 4 years required
Mathematics – 3 years required, 4 years recommended
Laboratory Science – 2 years required, 3 years recommended
Foreign language – 2 years required, 3 years recommended
Visual and performing arts – 1 year required
College preparatory elective – 1 year required

“Currently only 32 percent of our students leave here truly college and career ready,” said SVHS Principal Dino Battaglini. “That’s a high percentage of students who are leaving high school and not prepared for college level academics and as many who are not ready for apprenticeship programs with trade unions. Right now, we are not producing kids that are up to par with the opportunities presenting themselves after graduation.”
To remedy the situation, Battaglini and the Sonoma Valley Unified School District have embarked on an ambitious plan to “redesign” the high school curriculum. Stating that the redesign will position SVHS for success in the 21st century, a team is currently being selected to research, analyze, design, recommend and guide the implementation of a framework to prepare all students for post secondary education. According to information material provided by the high school, the framework will reflect ‘the commitment of the school district and the community to the development of a world-class high school.’

“It is my strong belief that if you have big expectations and give students the support they need, they will rise to that level,” said Battaglini. “We know that all kids aren’t going to college but we need to prep them for whatever lies ahead. That now starts in the ninth grade and we need to raise the bar and give them the all support we can from that point forward.

The “education cornerstones” being attacked by SVHS are widely accepted and implemented strategies for improving education. For Battaglini and the school district it boils down to making as many classroom hours and credits count towards college. While it is too early to know exactly what changes might happen, an example would be yearbook, which has been an elective in the past but could be redesigned to count for college credit in fine arts or journalism. Similarly, wood shop night give students credit towards math.
One immediate goal, enroll all incoming mainstreamed freshman in Algebra I. For those students who may not be ready and do poorly in the class, intervention will be available with one-on-one assistance to make sure they understand the material.

“If they are willing to learn and be students, they are going to get it,” said Battaglini. “I believe that every single kid can do this as long as we address their personal needs and give them extra help if the need it. Bottom line, we need to prepare each student for every possible opportunity when they leave this high school.”