EDUCATION LEADERS TODAY
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SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL
Director Lynn Peebles developed the idea for Personalized Learning in the ‘90s and was determined to make it a reality. The system combines home schooling, traditional high school, online education and college classes, into one tidy package.
FEATURE | SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL
2 Winter 2010
SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL | FEATURE
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FEATURE | SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL
by Anne Brouilette
OPENING PHOTO: Shasta Secondary Home School 2010 graduates Amadeius Cheadle and Kaitlin Dewey. Redding Calif. Photo by Ryan Laughy. OPPOSITE PAGE: Family meeting with facilitator. Redding, Calif. Photo by Ryan Laughy. BELOW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Administrators Ben Claassen and Lynn Peebles. Redding, Calif. Photo by Erin Claassen; Shasta Secondary Home School Student taking a photograph. Redding, Calif. Photo by Peggy Pryor; Math teacher, Tawnya Hiscock with a student. Redding Calif. Photo by Erin Claassen; Students at Sundial Bridge. Redding, Calif. Photo by Ryan Laughy.
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Whether you’re Miss Teen Rodeo, an internationally recognized bass player or just a kid who isn’t challenged or interested by traditional high school, there’s a place for you at Shasta Secondary Home School, a 6-12 charter school in Redding, Calif. When a student enrolls at SSHS, he isn’t assigned six classes and a lunch period. Instead, he meets with his facilitator, a credentialed teacher who, along with the parent, oversees every step of the student’s education, to develop a custom-made curriculum. It’s called personalized learning and is the brainchild of Shasta’s director Lynn Peebles. Personalized Learning combines the best things about home schooling, traditional high schools, online education and college classes, wrapping them up into one tidy package. “The idea of personalized learning in general is really, truly, individualizing each student’s program to meet their current needs and future goals,” Peebles said. “So you can wrap together a particular student with
his individual learning styles and unique ambitions.” Peebles developed the concept for personalized learning while teaching music and working as a guidance counselor in the 1980s and 90s. When, Mike Stuart, his then principal became the district superintendent, he approached Peebles about making the school a reality. Peebles attended workshops and conferences, looking for help and ideas on how to bring his vision to life. SSHS finally opened, nearly 20 years later, in 1999. An innovative program like this, which must still meet state-wide education standards, would need California’s Department of Education’s support. That’s when Peebles discovered charter law. In 1992, California became the second state to adopt a charter law, which allows for both dependant and independent charter schools to be set up through the school district. As an independent charter, SSHS has its own board, runs its own budget and does all its own hiring. The district serves as an overseer.
SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL | FEATURE
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FEATURE | SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL
6 Winter 2010
SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL | FEATURE
If the charter school runs into problems, the district may take a more active role. “Our district has given the school a huge amount of independence,” Peebles said. In 2007, the California Senate, by Resolution No. SR36 recognized Personalized Learning as a specific learning style embraced by the state. In 2002, Peebles and other like-minded educators began to brainstorm and share best practices and it was out of these meeting that the term “Personalized Learning” was born. Also out of these meetings came APLUS+, an association dedicated to the personalized learning model (theaplus.org). Since starting over ten years ago, the school now has 250 students and 14 teachers. Everyone who works at the school who is a licensed credentialed teacher, even the business manager, are given students with whom they work very closely. When a student enrolls, he is assigned a facilitator, who oversees his course schedule. The facilitator often takes the time to mentor the student, works with him regarding his assigned work and meets with the student and his parents weekly. They are listed as the teacher of record for each course the student takes, whether it’s on campus at SSHS, online, at the local community college or learned at home. “It gives that teacher a great opportunity for a relationship with the student – to get to know that student and that family, to fine-tune their educational program. The faculty loves it,” Peebles said. Each student takes the types of classes that best suit his goals and abilities. Collegebound kids can start attending college classes. If a student is on a more vocational path, he can take, for example, a welding or mechanic course. Most kids take science, math and technology classes either at SSHS or through the local college.
When Peebles began to research opening the charter school, he polled the community to find out what was needed the most. There was a resounding call for better courses in those three areas, and SSHS has developed strong programs in all three. The digital arts classes are some of their most popular, and SSHS has two computer labs, both stocked with new and constantly updated equipment. Students may keep their phones and iPods with them when on campus, though they may not be used in class. Peebles knows that this type of mobile technology is an integral part of youth culture and rather than squash it, he embraces it. Next year they plan on podcasting some of their classes. The school has a Facebook group and is in the process of bringing Google Docs, a cloud-based word processor that allows file sharing, to the students. On a day-to-day basis, Peebles plays a very active role. Not only does he manage paperwork, but he facilitates 10 students. With help from the school’s administrative staff, he oversees State Department of Education requirements, budgeting and personnel matters. One of his most important tasks is meeting with students and their parents if there is a problem. If a student’s personalized schedule simply isn’t working, Peebles sits down with them to discuss better options. “We’re not here for the institution’s sake or for the teacher’s sake,” he said. For some students, the personal responsibility can be too much to handle. Many classes meet two or three times a week, more college-style, rather than every day, and depending on the student’s schedule, he may not have classes every day. But for the most part, a simple re-evaluation of the student’s
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OPPOSITE PAGE: Students at the King Tut exhibit at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco. Photo by Noel Van Slyke.
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FEATURE | SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL
ABOVE: Lynn Peebles with students preparing to view sun spots. Redding, Calif. Photo by Ryan Laughy. OPPOSITE PAGE: Three students in front of Shasta Secondary Home School. Redding, Calif. Photo by Ryan Laughy.
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goals and a revamping of his personalized learning schedule can solve the problem. SSHS has, like most other public schools, faced some hardships during the recent economic downturn. The school had been saving up to purchase a lot on which they plan to build a new facility. But as government funding decreased, they have had to dip into their savings in order to make payroll, purchase new textbooks and update their computers. “Hopefully at the end of this economic down turn we’ll get caught up and we’ll be able to move forward with our facilities program,” Peebles said. “But that’s on hold like so many other things right now.” Peebles remains optimistic about the future. He and SSHS staff are currently working to develop an even stronger academic program that will serve bright students who wish for a greater academic challenge and want to get a jump on college. The charter school already serves a lot of talented, college-bound students, and the SSHS staff wants to create a program to best meet their needs. But for now, Peebles is grateful to see this revolutionary educational style in action. In California there are now about 45 schools embracing personalized learning and the system has been mimicked by a few schools around the country. But it’s not about the recognition or being lauded as a visionary of educational reform; for Peebles, it’s all about the kids. “We are really, truly here for the students.” ELT
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SHASTA SECONDARY HOME SCHOOL | FEATURE
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