Dear Parents and Community:
It is my hope that this report will provide interested
members of the community useful information about the
school. Central Valley High School is a
comprehensive high school offering a variety of quality
academic, extracurricular, and co-curricular programs to
meet as many of students' diverse educational needs as
possible. If you have an interest in learning more
about the school, or wish to find out how to become more
involved, we welcome your inquiry.
For several years ahead Central Valley High School will
face exciting and challenging opportunities to change,
grow and improve. The stimulus for change can be
traced to two major events:
·
The Washington State Education reform that came to us in
HB 1209 and resulted in the Essential Academic Learning
Requirements (EALRs) and the Washington Assessment of
Student Learning (WASL) and the Certificate of Mastery
(CoM)
·
A capitol improvement bond passed in the fall of 1998 to
replace both of the District's high schools
Block
Schedule, Curriculum, and Instruction
In response to State education reform, the teaching staff
at Central Valley High School sought and gained approval
from the school board to implement a four period
trimester block schedule in 1997. Now in its third
year there is considerable support for the schedule from
teachers, students, and parents. As with any time
schedule there are difficulties. Curriculum and
instruction need to be further developed to meet the
state reform requirements and to most efficiently utilize
the block schedule to enhance student learning.
New
High School Design and Construction
The staff at Central Valley High School have been engaged
in the development of educational specifications and
design for a replacement of the current school building.
With the leadership of superintendent, R. Wallace
Stanley, the School Board, and with considerable input
from the whole community complex issues regarding student
housing, design, and phasing have been successfully
resolved. The design of both of the District's two
high schools have emerged with nearly perfect parity
while managing to retain some of the unique
characteristics of each of these schools. There is
a tremendous excitement mounting as construction is about
to begin in the late summer of of 2000.
Grade
Configuration Transition
Central Valley High School will transition from a grades
10-12 to a grades 9-12 configuration upon the completion
of the new high school in the fall of 2002. The
school is in the process of exploring and developing
programs that will address the unique social and academic
needs of ninth grade students entering the high school.
Maintenance
of Successful Programs in the Midst of Change
The best education of our young people requires that it
be a priority throughout the whole community. With
changing demands on people in the workplace, and with the
growing number of opportunities and pressures that face
our youth, schools cannot simply sustain a status quo
program. We believe that while maintaining
the quality programs that exist, we must also continually
find ways to improve and change.
Even though change demands much of our attention,
we are committed to our primary responsibilities of
providing a safe and positive learning environment and
the very best possible learning opportunities for the
current students at Central Valley High School. We
are determined that all students find their time at
school productive, rewarding, and enjoyable.
It is written on a mural inside the entrance of the
school, "Through these halls walk the finest people
in the world." That statement could not be
more true. We know, thanks to you the parents,
grandparents, aunts and uncles, and the whole community,
that we are fortunate to have wonderful and capable young
people in the halls and classrooms of Central Valley High
School.
Sincerely,
Paul Sturm
Principal
