 |
 |
Dear Kern High School District Parent, |
California’s budget crisis has presented a variety of challenges to the state’s public school districts including the Kern High District (KHSD), but I foresee the 2009-10 school year as being yet another successful year in the District’s 116-year Tradition of Excellence.
The KHSD was founded in 1893 when Kern County Union High School opened with 32 students. Today, the KHSD is the largest 9-12 high school district in California with more than 37,000 students. With the opening of Independence and Mira Monte High Schools in August 2008, the KHSD now has 18 comprehensive campuses (offering the full array of academic, athletic and extracurricular programs), five continuation high schools, a state honored adult school, a distinguished Regional Occupational Center and numerous Special Education sites.
The 2009-10 school year will be notable in District history for the launch of the KHSD’s new Career Pathways program. The District’s renewed emphasis on Career & Technical Education (CTE) will intensify student preparation for the workplace whether they plan to go to college or enter the workplace immediately upon graduation. With the advent of the new “Pathways” graduation requirement starting with this year’s freshman class, students will enjoy a wide range of CTE offerings. For a look at the KHSD's array of Career and Technical offerings click on the following link to access
the KHSD's 2009-10 Career and Technical Catalogue .
The 2009-10 school year will also reflect the District’s continued efforts to increase student achievement. The District’s score on the Academic Performance Index (API), a state measurement of district success, has increased every year for the past six years. We expect to see that trend continued this year with the benefit of numerous instructional programs such as Professional Learning Communities, 9th Grade Intervention, California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) remediation efforts and after school tutoring.
District students will continue to benefit from a wide array of extracurricular opportunities. District athletic teams continue to distinguish themselves in California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) athletic competition. District teams competing in such programs as FFA, Mock Trial, "We The People..." and Academic Decathlon also continue to grow in prominence in state and nationwide programs.
Success achieved in all of the above areas will be due in large part to the efforts of one of the finest teaching staffs to be found at any school district in California. The District has long prided itself on recruiting and retaining the best teachers to be found anywhere in the nation. These efforts have resulted in a staff of more than 1,700 highly qualified teachers fully committed to educating the young people of Kern County.
My optimism about the 2009-10 school year is also rooted in the District's continued emphasis on teamwork with the parents and community it serves. A school district is most successful when parents, teachers, students, and the community all partner together for student success. For that cooperation, I thank all in advance.
Sincerely,
Donald E. Carter
Superintendent
|