Things have a way of falling into place just in the nick of time, as they did at Palisades High School when it reopened last week after a summer that brought a new leadership team, instructional ideas and expanded Internet communication. A month before the September 9 opening, new Principal Gloria Martinez was unsure of the precise number of students who would be attending this semester, while still trying to fill out the faculty roster. But by Monday this week, she had filled teacher vacancies except for one social studies instructor. According to the ‘No Child Left Behind’ mandate, all teachers must now have a California credential, and those with an emergency credential must complete their course work before January 2005. The school’s student population has stabilized at 2,600 which, according to Martinez, eliminates the necessity of adding temporary portable classrooms, although the average number of students per classroom remains about 35. Martinez, who started her career as a Spanish teacher and was assistant principal at Malibu High school for the past six years, is a student-centered administrator. She visited every classroom this week and ’employed’ her first student aide, who signed up for a TA credit class. ‘This was an exciting day,’ she said Tuesday. ‘My office aide typed all my letters, including one to businesses in the community asking for support for our positive incentive program.’ Students are given ‘Dolphin’ tickets for being helpful around campus, which in turn are redeemable for gift certificates. ‘One teacher told me that first she thought this would be something hokey, but the students really seem to be enjoying it.’ Academic improvement is the focus not only on the national level, but also the mandate for the charter school. This week teacher groups began to work on establishing 10 essential standards for their subject area. An example for 10th grade English might be that students studying Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ would be able to identify the character traits of the main characters based upon what they say about themselves. At the end of the unit, students would analyze character based on dialogue, monologue and soliloquy. Everything will be spelled out and clear as to expectations, Martinez said. ‘There will be an assessment on how well the teachers are teaching to these standards and assessing student performance.’ She admits that ‘at the beginning this is a lot of work, but it will save time in the end because everybody will be teaching to the same depth with clear expectations.’ Martinez is also expanding communication with teachers by writing a weekly letter that includes up-to-the-minute information on what’s going on. ‘In this week’s letter I was able to alleviate many teachers’ fears of overcrowding by telling them the exact number of students.’ Surplus money from Pali’s first year of fiscal independence has also been used to move ahead with information technology. Information for parents will be extended by establishing an Internet Service Provider (ISP) site, and expanding e-mail communication with parents and students. Attendance and grades will be recorded electronically. Quality of student life is also an issue for Martinez, who will follow LAUSD’s efforts to the focus on more healthful food choices. ‘By Thursday, we want to have phased out all carbonated drinks, and in addition the Associated Student Body will try to determine what healthy foods students are actually buying. We want to offer healthier food choices in the cafeteria, student story and the vending machines.’
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