Every June, millions of high school seniors in America receive the certificate that proclaims they have earned a high school diploma.
For some, the road may have been a fairly straight and mostly painless path. Others have had to surmount obstacles of their own making or that were beyond their control.
The Carlsbad Unified School District has a special school that offers students in grades 10 through 12 a chance to succeed. It's called the Carlsbad Village Academy.
The academy is one of five alternative education programs housed on a cozy campus at 1640 Magnolia Avenue and overseen by Keith Holley, director of alternative programs and principal of the academy.
The academy is a continuation school with the primary purpose of credit recovery for students who are behind in school, usually due to problems with attendance or effort. In contrast with other continuation schools, our academy is 98 percent voluntary admission and includes students who prefer the smaller campus and class size.
Upon encountering the 3,000-student Carlsbad High campus, families who move here from rural enclaves have been known to say the high school is bigger than their entire town. Not surprisingly, they find the academy homier, which is that way by design.
“My staff and I know the name of each one of our 200 plus students,” Holley said. “We demand a lot too. We don't hand out credits like jelly beans.”
The staff does hand out praise, encouragement, empathy and caring. The staff facilitates individualized and differentiated instruction that enables students to remedy credit deficiencies and either return to Carlsbad High or remain at the academy.
Many elect to stay because of the warm family culture that permeates the campus. Like a concerned aunt or uncle, faculty advisors meet daily with students.
Thanks to Holley and his staff, the academy family has grown exponentially. In the 2000-01 school year, three seniors graduated. Now, 50 to 60 graduates accept their diplomas and move with confidence to community colleges, four-year universities, trade schools, the military or jobs.
Pursuers of higher education vie for a number of scholarships presented by the Fiesta Del Barrio Carlsbad Association. Many are not only the first in their family to attain a degree, they also are the first to graduate from high school.
At 9 a.m. June 12, the Marine Corps Color Guard, Board of Trustees, families, academy staff and I will congratulate these awesome young adults for persevering, overcoming, achieving and preparing for a productive future. The graduation ceremony is one of Holley's favorite days of the year.
“It is our reward to see the students walk to the stage and receive the diploma they have worked so hard to earn,” he said.
For some, the road may have been a fairly straight and mostly painless path. Others have had to surmount obstacles of their own making or that were beyond their control.
The Carlsbad Unified School District has a special school that offers students in grades 10 through 12 a chance to succeed. It's called the Carlsbad Village Academy.
The academy is one of five alternative education programs housed on a cozy campus at 1640 Magnolia Avenue and overseen by Keith Holley, director of alternative programs and principal of the academy.
The academy is a continuation school with the primary purpose of credit recovery for students who are behind in school, usually due to problems with attendance or effort. In contrast with other continuation schools, our academy is 98 percent voluntary admission and includes students who prefer the smaller campus and class size.
Upon encountering the 3,000-student Carlsbad High campus, families who move here from rural enclaves have been known to say the high school is bigger than their entire town. Not surprisingly, they find the academy homier, which is that way by design.
“My staff and I know the name of each one of our 200 plus students,” Holley said. “We demand a lot too. We don't hand out credits like jelly beans.”
The staff does hand out praise, encouragement, empathy and caring. The staff facilitates individualized and differentiated instruction that enables students to remedy credit deficiencies and either return to Carlsbad High or remain at the academy.
Many elect to stay because of the warm family culture that permeates the campus. Like a concerned aunt or uncle, faculty advisors meet daily with students.
Thanks to Holley and his staff, the academy family has grown exponentially. In the 2000-01 school year, three seniors graduated. Now, 50 to 60 graduates accept their diplomas and move with confidence to community colleges, four-year universities, trade schools, the military or jobs.
Pursuers of higher education vie for a number of scholarships presented by the Fiesta Del Barrio Carlsbad Association. Many are not only the first in their family to attain a degree, they also are the first to graduate from high school.
At 9 a.m. June 12, the Marine Corps Color Guard, Board of Trustees, families, academy staff and I will congratulate these awesome young adults for persevering, overcoming, achieving and preparing for a productive future. The graduation ceremony is one of Holley's favorite days of the year.
“It is our reward to see the students walk to the stage and receive the diploma they have worked so hard to earn,” he said.