River City High tries to reduce failure rate

Inside the gym of West Sacramento's River City High School, posters proclaim the success of about 500 students excelling in academics.

"Congratulations 3.0 + up," reads one poster acknowledging students with at least a B average last semester.

The students' achievement is not just personal – it's also an accomplishment for West Sacramento's struggling only high school.

Halfway through the school year, 33 percent of River City's nearly 1,400 students had at least one F, according to school records. Last year, 43 percent of students had one or more F's.

Students are failing core subjects, such as math, sciences and English, the records show.

The high number of failing grades was brought to the attention of the Washington Unified School District board in December by the board's student representative Matt Federighi. He told the board he'd heard that 50 percent of freshmen had at least one F.

Trustee Dave Westin investigated.

"It's evident that there are serious management and organizational issues at River City High School, and it's incumbent upon the board to find credible solutions to improve student achievement," Westin said.

River City Principal Stuart MacKay says the failure rate is unacceptable, but it's an improvement from past years.

"Our F rate is significant, but there is also a different picture here of a lot of students doing very well," MacKay said, explaining that 36 percent of the students earned a 3.0 grade-point average or better last semester.

The school's failure rate has caused a whirlwind of concern. While student test scores have improved, the graduation rate stands at 75 percent, compared with 85 percent countywide and 83 percent statewide, according to the state Department of Education.

The school has failed to meet the federal No Child Left Behind requirements because of its graduation rate.

Some parents fear the problem will continue at a new high school set to open in January 2009. They blame the low achievement, in part, on instability at River City that's lowered morale among staff and students.

Since 2005, River City has had three interim principals and several assistant principals, MacKay said. More than 20 new teachers have been hired to replace teachers who retired or moved on. Last semester, the school reduced its extra support classes and went from seven class periods to six to save money.

"Students don't have the ability to get the intervention they need, simply because it's not there," said Regina Jarrott-Briggs, a teacher at River City and president of the Washington Teachers Association.

Jarrott-Briggs said although the school has many dedicated teachers, River City is a magnet for new teachers who can get part of their student loans forgiven for teaching at campuses with more students in the lower socioeconomic rank.

Catherine Grisaffi, River City's counselor for at-risk students, said some freshmen are ill-prepared academically and emotionally to transition from junior high to high school. "Some ninth-graders feel the freedom and lose focus," she said.

About 90 percent of the failing students educators talked to said they are failing because they lack motivation, Grisaffi said.

"If you get good grades and nobody notices, it's like, what's the point," said senior Ariel Grassel as she helped decorate the gym last month to recognize student achievement.

Student government president Chris Brewer said he's worried that proposed budget cuts would lead to cuts in programs that make school more interesting and fun, such as River City's leadership class.

"Since the kids' academics aren't improving, they don't support (the leadership class)," Brewer said.

At the district's Jan. 24 board meeting, Westin, the trustee, requested grades for each student at River City and the names of elementary schools they attended. When the grades of special education students were taken into account and all subjects were considered – from math to physical education – 37 percent of River City students had earned at least one F.

MacKay said it is unfair to compare special education students with the general population or core subjects with electives.

MacKay said he's addressing the failing grades, trying to identify at-risk students earlier, offering more after-school tutoring and ramping up efforts to contact parents when their children are struggling with grades.

The school started a new Parent Institute of Quality Education that teaches parents to better understand the educational system and get their kids in college.

The courses – taught in several languages – are sponsored by California State University, Sacramento.

And the district is trying to address the problem of ill-prepared freshmen. The district is planning to phase out its middle school and replace it with K-8 campuses that educators say will create more nurturing environments before students transfer to high school. The plan got off to a rocky start in November, however, when a bond measure that would have helped pay for campus adaptations was defeated at the polls.

"I'm not against K-8, but I don't think it's the magic Band-Aid everybody portrays it to be," said Liz Bagdazian, a River City parent who voted against the bond measure.

"We know there are gaps in student achievement and it's not acceptable, but I feel good about the steps we are taking," board President Barry Kalar said.

As a graduating senior, Ariel Grassel offered some advice to younger students: "You can't just say you want the help, you have to be willing to go get it," she said.

About the writer:

• The Bee's Lakiesha McGhee can be reached at (916) 321-1121.