GILROY
– Although Principal Bob Bravo can’t remember a year when Gilroy
High School made so many headlines, in some ways, he says, the
2003-04 school year was like many before it.
”
It’s sort of like pulling apart how things look as headlines and
then what things look like on a day-to-day basis,
”
he said.
GILROY – Although Principal Bob Bravo can’t remember a year when Gilroy High School made so many headlines, in some ways, he says, the 2003-04 school year was like many before it.
“It’s sort of like pulling apart how things look as headlines and then what things look like on a day-to-day basis,” he said.
Now, he is looking toward making some changes for next year. Among them, the new English textbook will be a major focus.
The department’s teachers will receive training in the new program during the summer, but “there’s nothing like the first year with a new set of materials,” he said.
Bravo also hopes to have a math mentor, at least part-time, similar to the district’s literacy mentors at each school.
Improving math scores at the high school is a priority for next year and mentors support teachers in a variety of ways, such as modeling certain lessons.
“We also like to acquire some software that would allow parents to see their students records in real-time,” Bravo said.
With a password, parents would be able to see their child’s grades or even the number of classes they have missed.
Improving communication with parents continues to be an objective, although one that may be negatively impacted by the district’s tight budget.
“Everything costs time or money, so we’re trying to find ways to up communication, but that’s a hard thing in terms of cost,” Bravo said.
The school’s new block schedule, which became a matter of debate this year, will not be changed come fall.
In a survey, 67 percent of GHS teachers said they preferred this year’s two-hour block classes that alternate every other day to last year’s shorter blocks and Mondays with seven 50-minute classes, Bravo said.
Teachers did not want to have all seven classes every day of the week.
A parent poll on the GHS Web site showed that parents preferred block classes to having all classes each day, Bravo said, but they favored last year’s schedule.
After informally surveying some students, Bravo said they strongly preferred this year’s schedule.
This school year saw some improvements in student behavior that Bravo hopes to continue next year, as well.
“I think one thing we’re really happy about is, we’ve started the process of really communicating out a higher level the expectations in student conduct and behavior,” he said.
The numbers of both tardies and student referrals were much lower this year, he added.
“(Students) have responded well to the effort, I think, and teachers, too, have cooperated with that.”
Lori Stuenkel covers education for The Dispatch. She can be reached at 847-7158 or ls*******@gi************.com.
