Calla High School Aims to Overcome Barriers to Learning “Kids come here with a new beginning,” stated Dan Beukelman, Calla High School Principal. “As a school, we understand they have a past, but we focus on their future.” Calla is one of Manteca Unified’s continuation high schools, an educational option for juniors and seniors deficient in credits and needing a personalized credit recovery program. While some students are just a few credits short and able to recover just in time to graduate at their traditional high school, others reach success at Calla. Mr. Beukelman is a former traditional high school administrator, which gives him a unique lens when working with students at Calla. He understands that students arriving to Calla need a specialized and individualized support system having been unable to reach success at a traditional high school — notably, a student who arrived this year from out of state with zero credits and has never attended high school. “You really get to know these kids on a personal level,” expressed Mr. Beukelman. “The focus is always individual student need, and from there we’re able to tailor their education and realign their personal goals to overcoming their past and looking toward a brighter future.” A large contributor to the school’s strategic plan for overcoming student learning barriers is the student success program known as Directive Studies, which is a class students remain enrolled in during their tenure at Calla. The Directive Studies program pairs every student with a teachermentor and together, the student and teacher-mentor create an individual pathway to student success. This program is in addition to the support of the academic counselor— who meets with students multiple times a year to discuss graduation pace and progress. The Directive Studies course also prepares students for their next steps beyond Calla whether it be college, the
workforce, or military. Students learn how to complete the FAFSA, create a resume, interview, and delve into career exploration. Another helpful component to the school’s plan is promoting healthy social-emotional development and assisting students needing to overcome social-emotional health-related barriers to learning by connecting them to counseling resources. There is a consistent presence of counseling services at Calla thanks to the District’s ongoing partnership with Valley Community Counseling Services. Calla’s course catalog consists of all core classes such as English 1-4, algebra 1 and 2, geometry, United States and world history, government and economics, physical education, life and physical science, and a fine arts class. The school is one of the only continuation high schools to have a leadership and yearbook/journalism class, even a prom. Though a continuation high school, Calla teachers and administration feel strongly about providing opportunities which encourage collaboration, preparedness, and critical thinking for their adult lives. Moreover, all students who graduate from Calla High School receive a diploma for meeting the California high school graduation requirements. A long-standing staple in the community, Calla High school receives immense support from local non-profits and agencies such as Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis, Mike Thomson Memorial, and Manteca Children’s Foundation to name a few. Every Calla graduation ceremony, thousands of dollars are donated to college bound students. This year Calla celebrates alongside over 100 graduating seniors! “Since becoming an administrator here at Calla, I’ve become a different administrator,” explained Mr. Beukelman. “At Calla we offer a safe, new beginning for students.”