Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 29 Supporting Access for All Students
College Counselors help students select colleges and the application process. They are separate from the House
advisors who help students with their courses at Santa Monica High School.
Students have support programs in place to help them prepare for and undertake challenging coursework at Samohi. They include:
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID):
Comprehensive student support program involving college preparation. Students create and regularly monitor and modify their learning plan to prepare them for their academic goals.
Tutoring: All teachers hold office hours and tutor their current students. In addition, Xinachtli tutoring is provided two times per week, staffed by UCLA tutors and peer advisors. Also, Peer tutoring by Samohi students is offered twice a week as well. Furthermore, volunteers support students during the instructional day.
Houses offer tutoring classes both during the school day, such as POP, as well as after school programs. (Night Owl,
Xinachtli)
ELD Program: offers sheltered classes, in core disciplines, that use specific strategies; provides intensive English instruction so ELLs can have access to college prep core curriculum; appropriate ELD student level is determined annually.
ROP Program: offers courses in real world training for students who would like to enter the job market right after graduation. This program offers practical experience Communication: Daily Blue Bulletin, Samohi This Week, Bilingual (English/Spanish) Viking Voice parent newsletter.
Course catalog Freshmen Seminar 4-year meeting
agendas/notes
Peer Tutoring tracking sheets
Xinatchli tracking sheets Night Owl Athletic
tutoring tracking sheets ROP internships
Automated messages log Course catalog
Ed Foundation summer classes
ROP course syllabi ELL performance data
including CELDT Blue Bulletins Viking Voice Samohi This Week AVID national website AVID syllabi
POP meeting notes Pinnacle website
instructions and access Parent group meeting
agendas and notes SST calendar dates and
log
Ed Foundation publications
Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 30 Pinnacle: Students and parents have on-line grade access to
monitor student progress and check for upcoming assignments.
Parent Groups: PTSA, AAPSSSG, and ELAC hold special events and meet monthly to provide strategies and
information to parents to better support their child.
Additional interventions: Student Success Team (SST), House intervention meetings
Open course selection for all students.
“Get Ahead” Courses are offered through the Education Foundation
4 Year Plan: Freshman Year
In the fall, counselors visit all Freshman Seminar classes and make a presentation that covers what courses are needed for high school graduation, college admissions and other vocational opportunities. Freshman Seminar requires students to develop a 4 year plan for learning. The Bridges software program, a college and career exploration problem, is also introduced during freshman year. This program assists students in choosing both college and career paths. In the spring, each advisor meets with over one hundred and fifty families and students to make a personal learning plan and choose courses for next year, which includes career planning information.
Career fair
Freshman Seminar course syllabi
Bridges software
4 Year Plan Update: Sophomore Year
Tenth grade: In the fall, advisors visit World history classes and review high school and college requirements once more.
In the spring, advisors meet with all of their students and families to plan for junior year. Major topics this year include testing, Advanced Placement classes and preparing the college resume
Student home group Focus group minutes 4 Year plan meeting notes Advisor student meeting
log
Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 31 4 Year Plan Update: Junior Year
In the fall, all advisors visit English or U.S. History classes to discuss expectations for junior year. Students are encouraged to meet with their college counselors during the spring. In spring, advisors meet with all juniors and help them choose classes for senior year. Discussion topics include college, college testing, brag sheets, letters of recommendation, choosing a college and much more.
Placement test data Scheduling forms Master calendar Apex online credit
recovery
4 Year Plan Update: Senior Year
Twelfth grade: Advisors meet with seniors check graduation status and grades. Student attendance is closely monitored to ensure participation in the graduation ceremony.
Brag Sheet Job Fair College Fair SAT preparation College counselor
meetings
Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 32 B3: To what extent are students able to meet all the requirements of graduation upon completion of the high school program?
Summary: Upon completion of the high school program, most students meet all graduation requirements such as meeting the state and district academic standards in all required areas and passing the High School Exit Exam. In the spring of 2010, 97% of Samohi students were able to meet all of the requirements. The staff works regularly with all students to monitor progress;
additional support is provided to ensure success for all students as needed. Students understand graduation requirements and seek to participate in necessary credit recovery opportunities.
Findings Evidence
Graduation Rate
The relatively high graduation rate of Samohi students can be attributed to a number of factors:
Teacher commitment to high expectations Staff support of all students
Quality intervention programs and support classes Parent and community support
A student culture which values academic achievement
Student survey Parent survey Teacher survey Course catalog
Course Completion Requirements
We require 220 semester credits, which includes:
ENGLISH 40 Credits MATH 30 Credits SCIENCE 20 Credits Life Science 10 Credits Physical Science 10 Credits HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCE 30 Credits World History, Grade 10 10 Credits U.S. History, Grade 11 10 Credits Economics/Government, Grade 12 10 Credits VISUAL/PERFORMING ARTS or LANGUAGE 10 Credits FRESHMAN SEMINAR including HEALTH 10 Credits PHYSICAL EDUCATION 20 Credits ELECTIVES 60 Credits
Course catalog Master schedule
Santa Monica High School
Standards-Based Student Learning: Curriculum
Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 33 Credit Recovery
Samohi offers many ways in which students can recover credits needed for graduation. Summer school is the first option for most students. Although our summer school once offered enrichment or get a head classes, those have been eliminated due to changes in funding. The Education Foundation offers fee based classes. Samohi summer school course offerings are now almost completely limited to credit recovery.
Summer School Courses include:
APEX Online Courses: Vary
Math: Algebra A/B, Geometry A/B, Algebra II A/B English: 9 A/B, 10 A/B, 11 A/B, 12 A/B
ELD: ELD Beg/Intermediate
Science: Biology A/B, Chemistry A/B, Health
Social Studies: World History A/B, World History Avid A/B, U.S. History A/B, Economics and Government P.E.: Elective P.E.
APEX Online Courses: Samohi offers APEX online courses to assist students with credit recover. The UC approved online courses can be taken during the school year or during the summer. Students can either work on course materials at school with a faculty advisor or on their own at home. Tests are proctored by a credentialed staff member.
Olympic High School: Students in tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade who are at risk and in danger of not graduating on time can recover credits by attending our district‟s continuation high. Olympic High School offers a smaller learning environment where students can work at their own pace in order to catch up and possible return for their senior year. Most students, who are referred to Olympic stay and graduate from there.
Summer school course catalog
Course catalog Student transcripts Olympic student referrals
Curricular Interventions
Connect For Success Summer Program is a summer intervention program that has been designed to support incoming ninth grade student and assist them in skill development through engaging lessons and real world experiences. Struggling students are chosen for this program based on grades and CST scores as identified in
Student study teams Counseling/administrative
monitoring Master schedule Advisor contact logs
Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 34 middle school. This six week program emphasizes project
based learning where students work in groups and as individuals to solve problems that connect them to school and the community.
Ninth grade Tutorial course is designed to help build the academic and social skills necessary to be successful in high school. This program provides academic tutoring,
mentoring and college field trips to at risk ninth graders.
Time is allocated in class to assist with homework completion.
Personal Opportunity Program (POP): Success in both Math and English are crucial to student success in both high school and beyond. Some students may need additional supports to close skill gaps and/or maintain a passing grade in these courses. POP provides intensive academic support during the school day. It is an intervention program
designed and administered for sophomores and juniors who are most “at risk” and who are struggling with the core curriculum as reflected by poor grades in Math and English.
These students are scheduled into a POP class, taught by Samohi focusing on academic study skill development and specific content skills in both Math and English. Advisors meet with the students and make contact with parents prior to enrollment in POP.
Tutoring Opportunities
Peer Tutoring is a student based support system for
interested students offered Mondays and Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. It is designed to connect Samohi
strongest students with students who need help. All peer tutors have been trained and have earned “As” in the subject that they tutor. Help is available for all English, math, social studies, science, Spanish, and French classes.
Xinatchli, an additional tutoring program, is offered from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is individual and group tutoring by top notch trained UCLA students in English, math, social studies and science.
Library Research Assistance is from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday through Thursday and until 4:00 p.m. on Fridays.
Teachers are available in the library after school to assist students with research for papers and projects.
CAHSEE Data Tutoring sign in logs Tutoring matrix
Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 35 Math tutoring is available before or after school by
appointment. Samohi has a volunteer math aide on campus to help any student who needs tutoring in math.
Young Collegians
Young Collegians is a program that provides students with an early college experience. Students take summer
coursework at Santa Monica College and are provided with special study sessions, technology workshops and college tours during the school year. Young collegians began in the summer of 2008 with a cohort of 24 rising ninth graders and are expected to graduate in June of 2011. Students were selected for participation based on criteria similar to that of AVID.
Course rosters Transcripts
Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 36
Strengths Growth Areas
Each department has indentified key academic standards and uses them as a guide for its curriculum.
Implement school-wide support opportunities during the school day for struggling students in all courses.
The House system provides opportunities for teachers to know their students well and to better meet their learning needs.
Enrollment in advanced classes needs to better reflect the diverse student population of Samohi.
Curricula across disciplines offer a rich and rigorous course of study for students at Samohi.
Need to develop systematic support for underrepresented students who struggle in advanced level courses.
The counseling department comprehensive college planning procedures ensure that students meet A-G requirements.
Need to expand opportunities for regular vertical planning, cross curricular planning, and articulation with feeder middle schools and local colleges in order to enhance the curricular program.
Expand career, technical and business transition opportunities for students.
Expand access to technology on campus for the purpose of enhancing instruction.
Lack of semester courses limits flexibility in scheduling.
Student Objectives need to inform instruction and curriculum.
Santa Monica High School
Standards-Based Student Learning: Curriculum
Chapter 4 – Self-Study Findings Page 37 C1: To what extent are all students involved in challenging learning experiences to achieve the academic standards and the expected school wide learning results (student objectives)?
C2: To what extent do teachers use a variety of strategies and resources, including technology and experiences beyond the textbook and the classroom, that actively engage students, emphasize higher order thinking skills, and help them succeed at high levels?
Summary: Santa Monica High School teachers strive to present content to students in a variety of ways to ensure that all students are being successful at all academic levels. One of the areas of strength regarding instruction is the wide array of instructional strategies that are
employed. While direct instruction and lecture can be observed on campus, all departments noted other strategies are also widely used. Labs, group projects, Socratic Seminars, graphic organizers, and student presentations are a small sample of the different instructional techniques used. Teachers also supplement their instruction by bringing in guest speakers, taking students on fieldtrips, and providing real world opportunities whenever possible. Santa Monica High School also holds assemblies for some guest speakers that are open for all classes to attend.
Technology and the integration of technology into instruction continue to be a struggle on campus. While the students and parents report that there is adequate technology on campus, the teachers report that there is not sufficient technology. This is an ongoing issue that is continually being addressed by administration, PTSA, and the community.
Findings Evidence
Student Understanding of Performance Levels
Santa Monica High School students have a clear
understanding of their performance levels in the classroom and on state testing. The student objectives are posted in each classroom. Many teachers have the standards and/or performance levels in their syllabi, and for most projects, there are samples of student work available and a rubric provided for each assignment.
In addition, the IEP goals and 504 accommodations allow students, parents and teachers to know what the current goals are for each student with a designated plan to help the student reach those goals. These are reviewed each year and adjusted as necessary.
Student survey (#2, 3, 4, 5) Student interviews
Classroom
observations/classroom displays
Parent survey (#5, 28) Teacher survey (#32, 34, 35,
38)
Course syllabi
504 & IEPs distributed Rubric samples