For some teens, success in a conventional high school setting doesn’t come easily. Graduating on time—or at all—is difficult because of challenges ranging from poor academic performance to personal adversity. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) offers specialized programs to give these local students additional opportunities to earn their high school diplomas.
At a ceremony held at the Sacramento Scottish Rite yesterday, nearly 100 SCOE high school students from multiple Community Schools and Senior Extension Program sites celebrated their achievements as they received their high school diplomas, making this the largest graduation the program has held to date. Some students completed their high school education in four years, while others needed extra time to graduate.
Principals Lisa Alcalá and Craig Bradford presented diplomas with help from Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon and Deputy Superintendent Nancy Herota, along with Sacramento County Board of Education Trustees O. Alfred Brown, Sr., Bina Lefkovitz, and Paul A. Keefer, Ed.D., MBA.
Delivering the commencement address was Marcus Strother, President and CEO of MENTOR California, an organization dedicated to expanding mentoring for California youth.
In his remarks to the graduates, Superintendent Gordon said, “Many of you overcame real and nearly impossible odds to get to this point in your lives. And here’s what you discovered: You have great potential. Please do not underestimate it.”
The Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium (SECC) streamed the ceremony via YouTube.
About the Community Schools Program
Community schools provide an alternative education program for students, who may be referred by Sacramento County school districts, School Attendance Review Boards, or the Sacramento County Probation Department. Community schools provide core academics and interventions aligned with education standards, along with additional support, counseling, and the opportunity for career exploration and career technical education courses.
Senior Extension Program Helps Students Complete Their Education
SCOE’s community school sites also serve as hubs for the Senior Extension Program, which involves a combination of independent study and classroom work. The program aims to re-engage students who are in jeopardy of dropping out of high school—or who have been out of school and want to return to complete their graduation requirements. Students earn credits while still fulfilling work and family obligations—things that would otherwise have prevented them from completing their high school education.
Senior Extension is offered at the following SCOE school sites: North Area Community School, Nathaniel S. Colley, Sr. High School, and Elinor Lincoln Hickey Jr./Sr. High School.