UPDATE : We are in process of sending an email to all 11th and 12th grade students and parents in which we lay out the number of credits that each student has. We also included the criteria for being moved to intensive credit recovery. Please take a few minutes to discuss your child's credit situation with them and then watch this video that explains everything regarding credit recovery. We have 280 sophomores who also need credit recovery, we will be reaching out to you all this week as well.
Information
We have faced and are in process of overcoming multiple challenges as we begin the school year. We have overcome the challenge for the most part that was our schedule, and our challenge in the parking lot has subsided substantially. We are now facing a few more challenges, one of which is a daunting challenge that is going to require the understanding, grace, and willingness of every stakeholder in our school community: students who are behind in credits. Our second challenge right now is student behavior, specifically vaping and aggression. Let me explain where we are with each, the WHY behind our challenges, and our plan to address these areas of challenge immediately.
Student Credits
In order to graduate our students need to earn a total of 22 credits. Currently, we have 776 students who are in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade that are behind in credits: nearly half of the student population in those respective grade levels. Of those students, we have over 200 who will not graduate on time (112 seniors, 51 juniors, and 43 5th and 6th year students) without intensive intervention. How did we get to this point? I do not have a definitive answer for that, as our administrative team is new to this campus, but what I can tell you is that as the principal and the leader it is my responsibility, and we must address this quickly and effectively.
Plan Moving Forward
Regardless of how we got to this point, this is where we are, and we have to address it. Our students deserve a path to success. I will be rolling out a proposal to our staff on Tuesday to address this issue, once the staff has reviewed our plan, I will then send it out to our parents, students, and community. We will ensure that every student who is willing to do the work and has a desire to graduate on time will have the opportunity, if physically possible, to do so.
Vaping - Repeat from Last Week, However, VERY IMPORTANT
We have had more than 20 incidents of students who have been caught with either THC or nicotine vapes since school started. I do have concern about the amount of THC and nicotine vaping that we have seen on campus in the last few weeks. Parents, please talk with your students about the dangers of THC / vaping on the developing brain.
1. According to Mr. Michael DeLeon, a nationally respected and known speaker, researcher, and film-maker on this topic, Alcohol, Nicotine, and THC use prior to the age of 18 are precursors to heavy drug use and abuse. Not everyone who uses these products will become an addict, but in Mr. DeLeon's research, 100% of addicts he has spoken with have used these three substances prior to age 18.2. Vaping is rampant and widespread nationally among young people. Parents and students, this is not an issue that is unique to Casa Grande or to Arizona but is a nationwide issue. We need your help. Please talk with your children about these products and help us to help our students kick them to the curb. The absolute best way for our kids to stop this from happening is to not use them at all. One Juul pod, the number one nicotine vape in America, is the equivalent to the nicotine in 20 cigarettes. An Elfbar 5000 contains the amount of nicotine equivalent to 400 cigarettes (we are seeing more and more of these). The majority of THC products that we confiscate on campus are "black market", meaning that they come from unregulated, non-scientific labs whose only objective is to hook and harm our children.Here is a resource to help guide that conversation.
Moving Forward
We are working to provide a class for students to take on the dangers of vaping for the first offense. Upon completion of the online class we will potentially reduce the original suspension. Additionally, we have purchased vape detectors that will be placed in the restrooms. These detectors will send a text message to security, me, and Mr. Raymond with the location and time, as well as kick the camera on outside of the restroom where this is occurring so we can identify those involved. We are, in accordance with our student handbook discipline matrix, cracking down hard on this violation. Students can receive 10 days suspension for a THC vape and 5 for a nicotine vape on the first offense. Both are illegal for young people under the age of 18. If a student is caught more than once, it is possible to go to a long-term suspension hearing (up to a 365 day suspension). We want our kids in school, we want our kids safe, and we want our kids successful. Don't do it, if you choose to do it, do not bring it to school.
Aggression
Since we began school we have had a multiple instances of aggression (fighting) between students that have resulted in 6 suspensions. Let me be very clear about this, this behavior is absolutely unacceptable on our campus.
Moving Forward
We are acting within the parameters of our student handbook discipline matrix and are suspending students who are involved in fights. Additionally, we have a few cases where, due to the nature of the fight, we are recommending those students involved not be allowed to return to school for up to 365 days. I want to be really clear about this with all of our students, parents, and community members: violence is not an answer to any problem a student may face on our campus. If you fight on the campus of CGUHS you will be suspended and you may receive the any or all of the following consequences dependent on the severity of the altercation: law enforcement contact and criminal charges, short-term suspension, long-term suspension or in the most severe cases expulsion (you may not attend school in an Arizona public school). If you are having a problem with someone on campus, come to an adult and allow us to help you and the other party to solve the problem peacefully and productively.
