Desperate to get out of small school at Berkeley High

I recently found out that my son, who is now a sophomore, did not get his request granted to transfer out of the School of Social Justice and Ecology at BHS and into Academic Choice, his top choice. His original placement was random and this year he didn't ''win the lottery.'' He will be entering his junior year and wants AP classes, Honors math, and a stimulating class climate. I've talked to teachers and counselors and hit brick walls. I haven't gotten a response from the VP. I'm afraid his opportunities for college and his emotional state are in jeopardy. I feel frustrated. He is a GATE student and formerly a high achiever in math, but due to the pace of his math class this year he's falling behind. Any tips from those who have fought their placement decision? Any inside info on why there is such resistance? He wants to stay at BHS and not go to a private school. Any support would be appreciated! Thanks. Frantic Mom of Math Geek

Transfer student assigned to SSJE - how to get into AC?

Help! Has anyone successfully exited a small school? My son transferred into BHS this year as a sophomore and was arbitrarily assigned to the School of Social Justice, which limited his math choices. At his previous school, as a freshman, he was a GATE student and advanced in math. He wanted to take Honors math, but it was not available in the SSJE. He wants to be in Academic Choice. I've talked to his teacher and counselor and have been met with resistance. He wants to be on an advanced math track! He is bored in math and getting A's. It pains me to think he is missing out on an opportunity. Who is the appropriate person to contact? Bored in Berkeley

I'm so glad that you emailed me. I have great news. I've been meeting with the Principal and the Math Department and next year SSJE students will be able to passport out for Honors. So your son can take Honors Algebra 2 next year if he takes the test in the Spring. Please spread the word and let me know how I can get the message out there. Thanks Kate Trimlett

Some people refer to all programs at Berkeley High as small schools; others make the distinction between the 4 small schools and the 2 big schools - AC and BIHS. If your child does not want to be in a small school and you enter the lottery on time, only fill in choices #1 and #2 between AC and BIHS, and you will get one of the large school choices. Right now, from what I hear from my daughter and her friends, both programs are relatively fine as long as you get good teachers (which is always the catch.)

BIHS has a strong program and is no longer brand new, but fewer choices for electives. If your child plays no BHS sport after school, it is hard to complete the PE requirement AND take science AND foreign language. This is a funky wrinkle and maybe they will fix it.

My daughter is an athlete and does well taking PE or dance everyday so is glad to be in AC. I loved their freshman curriculum and sophomore is fine too, so far.

Here is my pitch for excellence at Berkeley High - teacher performance reviews, peer reviews, and anything else that will improve teaching in all subject areas at all levels. There are some terrific teachers there and many who need a whole lot of help. Good teaching is the greatest factor to help close the achievement gap and will help *all* students, those who struggle and those who excel. Demand excellence, give teachers support to improve, and watch what can happen... Peggy

What is the ''small schools'' thing at Berkeley High?

I have a child who will be entering BHS in Fall 2007....I have some questions that I couldn't find answered on the archives (although maybe the moderator will point me in the right direction).

1. What is the ''small schools'' thing at Berkeley High? Are all the students in small schools, or is this system separate from the general high school population?

2. What is the procedure for getting into these small schools? I have heard that it is very difficult to get into the ''most academic'' one. What are the eligibility requirements, or how do they determine who gets into which school?

3. Is getting into small schools different for kids with disabilites? My child is a very high-functioning autistic young man....I guess I am wondering if his disability status will make him any more or less likely to get into a particular ''small school.''

Thanks for your help! anon

The small schools kids are not kept separate. They just mostly take classes together.

You get into a small school by indicating your preferences and entering a lottery (see http://www.bhs.berkeley.k12.ca.us/smallschools/lottery.html). I don't think disability status would make any difference at all.

I think the small schools have overall been a success at BHS. John

If you'd like further feedback from parents of students with similar disabilities, there is an etree for parents with special needs students within the Berkeley district. To join, I believe you can send email to BSPED[at]pacbell.net. anonymous

How can I get more information about the BHS small schools?

My son is an 8th grader on his way to BHS next fall. I need some feedback on the small schools, of which I believe, there are five. Can the readers of this site recommend any of these schools for a bright boy who gets bad grades because he lacks discipline? The Community Partnership Academy impressed me as the one that might do him the most good. But this is only based on the March 3 intro night we attended. thanks. RA

Editor Note see Community Partnerships Academy for a review submitted in response to this question.

Are "Small Schools" really better?

I want to start an informal discussion of the Berkeley High small schools program and whether these programs are really going to ''fix'' substantive proplems in the school. It seems like the idea was tried years ago, and the ''big school'' was meant to be an improvement... and now we're back to small schools.

My personal concerns (in no particular order) are currently that:

a) Common Ground seems to have disappeared w/o a ripple -- what happened there? Will other programs vanish in mid-course? What happens to those kids?

b) CAS is well reputed but may have some problems bending UC reqs to their curriculum. I also don't understand their relationship to AP classes. CAS is also the most popular, too bad for kids who don't get in. Hopefully someone is working to replicate the good parts and fix the bad.

c) CPA kids can't take English or History APs, and the courses offered in place seem to suffer 'the soft bigotry of low expectation''. Easier courses, with gut finals and higher grades than outside CPA. Also CPA doesn't not to meet the ''diversity guidelines'' for the district, but because they have more kids of color no one seems to care. Unlike,

d) Academic Choice (not really a small school), which has been hammered by the district, for not having enough students of color, even though their program is the only one in the school that was previously open to ALL students choosing to enroll (until now). By the districts rules AC will now enroll kids by the new ''system,'' and be forced to stop accepting students when they run out of applicants from any one of the district identified racial groups. In theory that means the program next year will be EQUALLY represented (or under-represented) by all ethnicities... and size of the program will be limited to 3 times the number of the most under-represented group in the pool.

AHA and SJE are still unknowns.

The obvious advantage of small schools is the continuity and potential for smaller communities and closer relationships with teachers and fellow students. The advantage of the big school seems to be avoiding the disadvantages of the small schools.

When did school stop being about academics and become heavy-hand social engineering? Where do kids go who just want to be educated in a safe environment where most of the challenges are academic?

Anonymous at present

You didn't say whether you currently have a student at BHS or are considering the school for the future. I think you'll find the school as a whole has improved immensely. Also, there are lots of other ways to create a 'small school' for yourself: Through the arts, certain sports, certain academic subjects like Latin. A strong commitment to any one of these often forces you into certain scheduling choices with like-minded students, creating an unofficial, but real, community.

Also, the great thing about CAS and the other small schools, so far, is that they are NOT exclusive; students do participate in the diversity and excitement of the community at large.

Yes, CAS has developed a strong social-political component. Yes, there need to be a wider range of choices in small schools, for families who don't want that. But for many many of us CAS families, parents and students alike, this is the best part of the program.

And finally, being part of an academic community for four years resulted in a really meaningful and supportive college application process, from help choosing appropriate schools to apply to, to strong guidance through the essay-writing, to letters of reference from teachers who really really knew my kids. Once at college, my kids felt like they had a tremendous head-start, both academically and socially, over other freshmen.

been there

It is true that CPA is not as ''popular'' as CAS. There is less publicity - no trips like to Cuba at this time - and when CPA started as a PROGRAM rather than a full small school CPA's emphasis was to assist underachieving students to succeed - and for some this has translated into a fear that as a small school, CPA would settle for less academic rigor. I would say that CPA does have more of an emphasis on ''bread and butter'' than ''jelly'' than CAS but that approach has merits as does a more ''creative'' type of emphasis. Definitely, CPA is fully aware that the curriculum has to address the needs of students at all current achievement levels - because that should be the goal of ANY small school or BHS program AND that it is needed for CPA to be sustainable within a community that absolutely values the highest academic achievement (and after all - families of children that are not achieving aren't looking for the minimum either). I certainly expect my CPA child (who has always been an honor roll student) to be competive for UC or one of the better private schools (in terms of my child's ability and from his academic and personal preparation - and so far, I have seen the type of growth at CPA that would make him successful with that goal). In terms of diversity - as a true small school (as opposed to the program it was before this year) CPA must now enroll students using the same diversity formula as any District school (zip code, socio-economic, etc.) and is mandated to reflect the demographics of the BHS as a whole.

There is a CPA Parent meeting on Monday, February 7 at 6:30pm. in the room across from the library. Perhaps some of your questions/concerned can be addressed by attending this meeting or requesting a meeting with Flora Russ, the Director.

anonymous for my kid's privacy

However, I'm disturbed by the atmosphere of intolerance for open discussion that surrounds this revolution. I do not understand the antipathy towards those who want to preserve more demanding academic programs that seem to work for some of our children nor the antipathy towards those looking for new ways to engage our students. Why should access to any programs be limited by racial barriers instead of open to all? Why can't we find out which approaches attract our children, while meeting the requirements of various education and career choices, and then assign staff appropriately? Why should any respectfully-stated opinions need to be anonymous? I would hope that these discussions can find a place in the open, as well as in these pages. I would be interested in knowing about or creating public, constructive, non- antagonistic discussions of these issues at the high school.

Nicki