By CRISTINA M. GARCIA
Special to the NEWS
When the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District (SBCISD) introduced the Gateway to Graduation program last school year, it was expected to succeed.
Those expectations were met this year, according to school district officials.
During the current 2010-2011 school year, 59 students are expected to meet the requirements to graduate. This is a gradual improvement from last year when 44 students completed the graduation requirements.
The students at Gateway must meet the same requirements they would have been expected to meet at San Benito High School, including passing all areas of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. The students who are enrolled in the Gateway program are high school drop-outs that range from the ages of 17-25. The district recruits students via advertisement. Aggressive recruitment begins at the start of the school year by contacting students through phone or by word of mouth.
Elaine Sandell, principal of Gateway Academy, said that many of the students enrolled recruit their friends and family to attend Gateway. Sandell said the improvements from this year to last are attributed to the technology they have implemented in their curriculum.
“We have changed up what we do in the classroom. We have added a lot more technology in the classroom, and the staff that we have here are teachers that have experience with students who are struggling,” Sandell said.
The students at Gateway work on laptops and receive more one-on-one teaching, which enables the students to learn both technological and oral.
“What makes it very different than being in a regular classroom is that they work at their own pace, and we take them from where they are at. Once they have completed their course credits, they get to move onto their next course work,” Sandell said. The school district does not expect a higher enrollment at Gateway next year because the number of drop-outs for the district is not on the rise, Sandell said.
SBCISD received the Texas Drop-Out Recovery Grant which provides monetary incentives to the students as they are meeting their goals. This grant is one contribution to the success of the program. The school’s staff works together to further the students’ education. “I think that our school district and school board have been extremely supportive of this program. The students of San Benito have been given our support. We all help them create and plan goals for their future, whether it includes college or not. We all help them with that support system.” Sandell said.
The students who will continue on to college are assisted in filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
“As of today we have 61 kids (who have graduated),” said Gateway Academy Educator Juan Manuel Gonzales. “We’re up 17 (from last year).”
When asked how teachers motivate Gateway students to not just graduate but continue their education, Gonzales said, “We suggest that we can help them fill out applications for colleges. Our counselor routinely has them come back and fill out financial aid forms. It’s so we can help make the transition into college easier for them. We’ve had quite a few kids come back and fill out their forms.”
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the June 1 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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