El Centro Jr./Sr. High School hosted a fall graduation yesterday, presenting diplomas to four high school students who had turned their lives around. With determination and support, they chose a path that allowed them to complete their graduation requirements and earn college credits through the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) dual enrollment program. Cheered on by school staff, probation officers, family, and friends, the young adults proudly accepted their diplomas.
“Life is full of twists and turns, and every day is a new adventure. You are now prepared to handle the road ahead,” Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon told the students. Principal Barbara Modlin and Sacramento County Board of Education President Paul Keefer, along with Board Trustees Bina Lefkovitz and Mariana Corona Sabeniano, helped congratulate the graduates.
Superintendent Gordon encouraged graduates to apply for the $1,000 Gary K. Hart Resiliency Scholarship, which helps students who have completed SCOE programs pursue higher education opportunities and vocational training beyond high school.
El Centro is WASC-accredited and operates year-round using state-adopted curricula. Students attend five class periods per day. The school provides each student with the educational support needed to transition back to a comprehensive high school, alternative school setting, earn their high school or HiSET (High School Equivalency) diploma, attend community college, participate in career technical education (CTE) courses in construction technology and culinary arts, or continue to a vocational training program or community college. To help each student meet this goal, SCOE transition specialists develop individual “Student Success Plans” that ensure students receive ongoing support that positions them for success upon their release.
SCOE operates El Centro Jr./Sr. High School with support and supervision from the Sacramento County Probation Department.