College and Career Readiness: The new generation of learning at SUHSD by Alan Sarver
The Sequoia Union High School District has long been a leader in the area of Career and Technical Education (CTE). More than 30 years ago, SUHSD pioneered the first California Partnership Academy program, bringing a population of at least 50% at risk students into a career pathway. By that time, CTE was already very different from your grandfather’s Vocational Education. Where Voc Ed had been designed to separate white collar, academically successful, college-bound students from blue collar, work-bound, ‘unsuccessful’ learners, CTE and the Academies were designed to afford all of the advantages of small learning communities, where every teacher knew every student, and personalized learning could take place within the meaningful context of real-world goals.
This month, the Health Academy at Sequoia High School was awarded the 2019 California Partnership Academies Distinguished Academy Award. The Health Academy is one of only eight out of the state’s 406 Academies to earn this prestigious award this year.
Not only do California Partnership Academy programs continue to thrive across the District, but many additional programs and environments are emerging.
The BioTech Institute (BTI) at Carlmont graduated its first class last spring. This CTE Pathway, which offers an alternative to the intense focus on Advanced Placement classes undertaken by many successful Carlmont students, brings 50-60 students per year into a three-year small learning community, surrounded by a close-knit peer group and a team of teachers delivering interdisciplinary content, with deep focus on the smaller student community. Of the initial graduating cohort of 36 students, three were accepted into the BioTech program at the College of San Mateo, three into the BioTech program at Skyline College, and the other 30 into 4 year colleges. BTI graduates achieved 100% college admission, knowledgeably selecting the colleges and programs that would effectively further their informed career goals.
The first lottery has been held for the new TIDE Academy. More than 180 rising 9th graders applied to participate in the pioneer class of 115 in our high tech small school. The TIDE building, in East Menlo Park, is nearing completion. The pioneer faculty is actively engaged in building and strengthening partnerships with the San Mateo and Foothill-DeAnza Community College Districts, with neighboring Facebook and several other major Tech industry partners, and with the K-8 Districts that send students to SUHSD.
Redwood, the Alternative High School for SUHSD, has been completely rebuilt, and is operating for its first year in a fantastic new building, with a new Administrative team, and significant growth and change across the faculty and staff. New CTE opportunities abound, including the Culinary Arts, Industrial Arts, and Media Arts programs. In addition to engaging and enabling success for current Redwood students as never before, Redwood is emerging as a destination of choice in the District.
An increasing number of new CTE Pathways are being developed on each SUHSD campus, while existing programs continue to thrive and evolve.
It is time to recognize that a third generation has emerged. As far as SUHSD has come from ‘Voc Ed’, we are also far beyond ‘CTE’. The focus of all of this work across the District is ‘College and Career Readiness’. Students are increasingly becoming lifelong learners, prepared to pursue their post-secondary opportunities through BOTH college and career.
