Santa Susana High School
Focus on Learning
"Going from Good to Great!"
A: Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership and Staff, and Resources Focus Group Report
A1: To what extent does the school have a clearly stated vision or purpose based on its students needs, current educational research and the belief that all students can achieve high levels?
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The Santa Susana High School (SSHS) community maintains exceptionally high and ever increasing expectations for student achievement. The motivation is found in the school’s collaboratively developed and adopted mission statement: to promote academic excellence, provide a challenging curriculum emphasizing the arts, information technology, and advanced academics, and prepare all students to meet the demands of the 21st century. Emanating from students, staff, community members and district office staff, and based on a careful self-analysis and student achievement data, the mission statement was crafted to serve as an exemplification of the vision that the community embraced when SSHS was founded. The mission is realized through collaborative work and shared decision-making. Additional self-study efforts involving all stakeholders led to the development of the SSHS Expected School-wide Learning Results (ESLRs) as reflections of our mission statement. Self-study and analysis is inherent in the way Santa Susana “does business.” The mission statement of Santa Susana specifically follows Board of Education direction and district goals and is reviewed annually as the district plan is updated. The development of rigorous content and performance standards has come from the SSHS community’s vision for student achievement. The district has adopted state standards and curriculum is regularly reviewed and revised through district subject area committees and the district’s curriculum council. At Santa Susana, the adoption of standards in all departments in 1998 preceded statewide adoptions. The transition to state standards was without hesitation on the part of faculty. The SSHS curriculum is now appropriately aligned with state standards, state frameworks and model curriculum guidelines in each subject area as appropriate. New textbooks that include state standards are adopted in each subject area by the Board upon recommendation from faculty committees. The selection process for new textbooks and materials is rigorous with input gathered from various levels of staff and the community. Books and instructional materials are provided for all students on a one-to-one basis where appropriate. New course outlines that reflect key content and performance standards are in the process of being updated in all core subject areas. Fitness testing and curriculum alignment in PE meets state, district and department standards. Visual and Performing Arts classes have been updated to meet the UC (a-g) requirements. The school’s leadership promotes the school vision and exhibits a continuing commitment to excellence and meeting standards for all students. Teacher evaluations are based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) and all teachers must write annual goals that include the arts and technology in presenting curricula. Each department must place an emphasis on content and performance standards based on analysis of student outcomes. The Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) and integrated department action plans for allocation of funds are written specifically with achievement of standards in mind. To augment SPSA funds, and within the purview of the school’s mission and plan, a number of grants have been written and earned over the past few years including the Digital High School Grant (state), A.P. Challenge Grant (state), Carl Perkins Grant (district), two School-to-Career Grants (county), a Video Production grant (county), a Specialized School Program Grant (state) and a Smaller Learning Communities Grant (federal). Each of these grants has supported the SSHS mission statement and has been based on the vision of high achievement for all students at our school. The principal’s belief in shared decision making is manifested in regularly scheduled staff and School Site Council (SSC) meetings. In addition, the principal holds a Technology meeting each Monday and a Performing Arts meeting each Friday to maintain consistent communication with faculty and to regularly address topics of the school structure and its programs. The principal also meets regularly with parents through the PTSA, PACT and Booster groups and seeks opinions about the school through monthly “Principal’s Coffees.” The Leadership Team (two administrators, a counselor, five WASC focus group leaders, nine department chairs, a student, and all interested parties) meets every June to establish annual goals that are in line with WASC recommendations/Action Plan and are based on school-wide data analysis. The work of the Leadership Team is overseen by the School Site Council (administration, staff, and parent and student representatives as required). The Team meets quarterly throughout the year. Weekly staff meetings are held at the Friday Morning Meetings (FMMs). Each FMM throughout the month has a specific purpose: general staff meeting, data analysis, WASC/FOL, department meetings. Classified office staff meets formally once a month with the principal and other classified employees meet at least twice a year with the principal. Because of the SSHS culture of shared ideas and shared decision making, by the late 1990s staff had already implemented many of the characteristics noted later in Aiming High (2002): modified block scheduling, portfolio and/or project-based assessments, Advisory classes, access to ROP classes, mentored tutorial after-school programs, weekly staff development meetings, site and community e-mail connections, a required senior culminating project, and the development of several computer labs – all aimed at new and innovative ways to address curriculum and instructional strategies, assessment and accountability, technology, and professional development. Following a thorough review of student needs and school programs in 2002-2003, careful consideration of the principles of reform in Aiming High, Breaking Ranks II, State Superintendent Jack O’Connell’s High School Initiative and other resources, and a sincere desire to veer away from doing “business as usual,” the SSHS learning community was inspired to formulate three goals congruent with the mission statement: develop and implement a system of Schools and Academies, implement flexible scheduling, and target underachieving students. Capitalizing further on effective schools research and our own ideas and progress, the SSHS staff wrote a Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) Grant proposal and it was awarded in September, 2004, by the U.S. Department of Education in the amount of $287,000 through school year 2006-2007. The development of SLCs allows SSHS to focus on specific learning concerns within our curriculum. Wasley’s 2000 study of Chicago small school models clearly supports Santa Susana High School’s need for a School Within-a-School design. The finding that “smaller school size is consistently related to stronger and safer school communities,” that “historically small schools produced higher one-year gains in both math and reading than larger schools, even after controlling their demographic profiles,” and that “on average students attending smaller schools complete more years of higher education,” address many of Santa Susana’s needs. The SLC model affects all students on campus, particularly those with academic deficiencies. The grant provides funding for our DART Program (Designated Academic Research Time), structured tutor-led periods for students having difficulty with their classes, an Intervention Specialist (IS) to identify “early on” students not meeting academic proficiency standards, time for teachers to collaborate in the development of teams and/or themes within core academic strands and to develop additional school-to-career opportunities. The goals are directed specifically toward raising the expectations of academic success, students meeting academic standards, as well as fostering a supportive environment in which improvement can occur. Using the resources of the SLC grant, SSHS has assumed an entirely new look with smaller, focused learning communities that students belong to and can identify with, an increasingly rigorous, standards-based curriculum with instruction shaped by individual interests of the students, an extended day/bell schedule (see Appendix) to provide students access to a wider array of curricular choices, and the implementation of intervention programs to provide additional help to those who might “fall through the cracks.” Seeking relevance in the curriculum, SSHS is also focused on creating a school environment of student learning that expands beyond the barriers of the schoolyard and into the community through the Regional Occupation Program (ROP), work experience and valuable internships according to student needs and preferences. The Ventura County ROP, with its specific curriculum and learning objectives/outcomes, currently provides program support at SSHS in the areas of performing arts (stagecraft), visual arts (video production) and technology (service/support, web-site design and Virtual Enterprise)—ten sections in all serving approximately 220 individual students. Santa Susana High School is also privileged to maintain an “Artists-in-Residence” program in which sixteen members of the professional arts community spend time on our campus working with students and teachers. This program is now in its eighth year and has served thousands of students. The Simi Valley Unified School District is provided with updates at board meetings regarding the progress of Santa Susana High School and information regarding grants and new programs as they are developed. At school board meetings, the members publicly acknowledge support of SSHS programs and the direction the school has taken. A variety of methods are used to communicate our mission, results of assessments, and specialized programs with the community: the school’s website (www.SantaSusana.org), the Troubadour Express (a free electronic weekly newsletter sent to 900 subscribers), the School Accountability Report Card, School-of-Choice assemblies, Open House and Back-to-School Nights, frequent (six times a year) special meetings and tours, televised Board presentations (one to two times a year), Principal’s Coffees (monthly) and PTSA/Booster and Performing Arts Center Team (PACT) meetings (monthly/semi-monthly). A district translator provides foreign language communication to the community as needed. The Ventura County Star, the Los Angeles Daily News, and the Los Angeles Times are the local newspapers that publish state and College Board test results and feature articles about SSHS. The School Accountability Report Card itself is on the district web-site: www.simi.k12.ca.us; copies are maintained at the school site for general distribution.
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A2. To what extent does the governing board have policies and bylaws that are aligned with the school’s purpose and support the achievement of the expected school-wide learning results and academic standards based on data-driven instructional decisions for the school?
To what extent does the governing board delegate implementation of these policies to the professional staff?
To what extent does the governing board regularly monitor results and approve the single school-wide action plan and its relationship to the Local Educational Association (LEA) plan?
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The governing board continuously supports SSHS in its goal to provide meaningful instruction for all students. The Single Plan for Students Achievement (SPSA), bond initiatives, additional class offerings, curriculum and ESLRs are reviewed and approved by the governing board on a yearly basis. Under the guidance of the governing board, the staff at SSHS has implemented a new School and Academy structure and with it, new programs that directly support student achievement goals. As a result, SSHS has doubled its enrollment and views this as evidence of a successful high school model. The principal maintains constant contact with District Administration and the governing board to ensure that all site-based decisions are approved and supported by the district. Frequent meetings with central administration and detailed presentations to the governing board keep all necessary parties up to date as the school continues to base all decisions on data analysis, current research and student achievement goals. Based on a district initiative to increase the use of data in guiding instruction, SSHS has implemented a system of “Data Teams” that meet monthly to set goals and make consistent data-driven instructional decisions for the school. The school has taken the recommendation of the district to another level in its implementation of this innovative and progressive program. District provides further support of the school’s purpose by allowing site leadership to gear professional development opportunities to its own needs. The principal provides input to the district in the planning of district-wide meeting days and staff development topics. Schools are given opportunities for district-wide articulation and vertical planning during semester-break staff development days. Focused directly on the school’s vision for student achievement, and to provide students and teachers greater flexibility in scheduling and class offerings, the board approved a nine-period day allowing students to have more flexibility in their schedule with class offerings extending from 7a.m. and to 5p.m. Monday thru Friday (see Appendix). The governing board’s policies regarding the adoption of textbooks fully support the school’s mission to provide a relevant, standards-based education to all students. The adoption of books aligned to local, state and national standards approved by the district also enables more students to reach the expected school-wide learning results and master content standards as evident in the STAR scores. With the passing of the school bond in 2003, SSHS and the board have worked diligently to continue improving the opportunities offered to the students at SSHS. A new performing arts building has been designed with construction scheduled to begin in the fall of 2006. Upon completion of the new performing arts building, programs such as ROP Stagecraft, dance, theater, and vocal and instrumental music classes will have the capacity to expand their current offerings. Additional site improvements supported by the district include a new library and a variety of modifications and modernization of classrooms campus wide. Each year the Board approves the SPSA, budgeting monetary funds for staff development supporting student achievement. These activities include analyzing data from standardized tests, aligning standards and department assessments, and the ongoing sharing of instructional techniques and data. Each year the Board approves the SPSA as a primary source of funding for Senior Projects, a twelfth grade English requirement and activity unique among district and area schools. As a part of the school’s goal to provide a relevant education, Senior Projects were developed and have become the capstone of each student’s four-year course of study at Santa Susana. Senior projects are a four-year cumulative project that focuses on student learning and outcomes within their Schools and Academies, and have become a trademark of SSHS. Panels of teachers, students and community members observe and grade students on a variety of criteria. |
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A3. To what extent based on student achievement data, does the school leadership and staff make decisions and initiate activities that focus on all students achieving the expected school-wide learning results and academic standards?
To what extent does the school leadership and staff annually monitor and refine the single school-wide action plan based on analysis of data to ensure alignment with student needs?
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Data analysis has become the driving force behind the decision making process at Santa Susana High School. The on-going self-study process includes at least semi-annual analysis of school-wide data (June-September) from standardized tests such as the STAR, SAT, A.P. test results, student, faculty and parent surveys, grade distribution, attendance records, and a study of trends in discipline, including suspensions. Data is disaggregated by racial/ethnic groups, gender, socio-economic status, student achievement, students with disabilities and is presented to all staff and the School Site Council (SSC). Departments analyze the data to make decisions regarding intervention, remediation recommendations, and necessary curricular and/or instructional modifications. For example, the math department has instituted “DART-Math”, an after-school teacher-run tutorial program for students whose test scores indicate they have not mastered the necessary skills. The English department (ELA) now uses an independent reading program, Scholastic’s Reading Counts, to bolster reading comprehension scores. More than ninety percent (90%) of Santa Susana teachers offer extra help to students before or after school on a “drop-in” basis. The Troubadour Advisory Program (TAP) is another vehicle created by school leadership to provide valuable information to students and staff. To further educate the students about their progress towards graduation, transcripts and “a-g” requirements are analyzed in TAP classes. The TAP advisor talks in groups and individually with students about what they need to accomplish to achieve their postsecondary goals. The Leadership Team will continue to meet each academic quarter to examine the school’s progress in meeting the SSHS Action Plan. At each meeting, an update will be provided to the Leadership Team by the staff. A formal assessment will be written annually. Information from student-parent-staff surveys will be compiled and presented to all stakeholders. The Student and School Profile will also be updated yearly as test information and other data are received. The formal assessment and the Profile will be reviewed and approved by the Leadership Team at its third quarter meeting. This assessment will be shared with all stakeholders via the Troubadour Express, the Web-site and other publications and will be part of the school SPSA written each May. The Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) supporting the Action Plan is monitored regularly as well. The annual SPSA, as in the past, will be approved each June by the School Site Council. |
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A4. To what extent does a qualified staff facilitate achievement of the academic standards and the expected school-wide learning results through a system of preparation, induction, and ongoing professional development?
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The Simi Valley Unified School District places a high priority on hiring only highly qualified teachers. Santa Susana’s certificated staff consists of fifty-three teachers, three administrators, two counselors and one librarian. All teachers hold full credentials and are highly qualified (NCLB), twenty-six teachers hold Masters degrees, and the remaining faculty members hold Bachelors degrees. Forty-four teachers are “tenured” or hold permanent contracts; nine teachers hold “temporary” or “probationary” contracts. Due to retirement and significant growth, SSHS gained ten teachers for the current 2005-2006 school year, all of whom hold full credentials and are highly qualified (NCLB). New teachers are selected through a rigorous interview procedure involving at least three separate interviews: first, at a job fair by district level personnel and principals, then in a group setting with principals and members of the department. Finally, in an individual interview before which the individuals credentials and resume have been checked, new teachers are rated under the auspices of the district office to be “highly qualified” as stated in the No Child Left Behind act. To implement NCLB, “the State Board of Education… worked extensively with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)… to integrate the new federal requirements with California’s existing teacher preparation and credentialing process” (EdSource, 2004). Before beginning their assignment, new teachers receive a full day of training provided by the district office and the school site. A New Teacher BBQ supplements a summer meeting welcoming additions to the SSHS staff and providing information to ensure them a smooth transition. New teachers are provided ample support by administration through classroom visitations, informal discussions and a new teachers meeting with the administration once a month, reflecting the school’s professional environment of mutual support and collaboration. Additional support for new teachers is provided at the district level through the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program which includes administrative observation three-to-five times per week their first semester. School principals provide assessment of their progress. Monthly “new teacher” meetings are held with administration in which procedures and any problems are discussed. Department chairpersons also aid new teachers with course outlines, sample lesson plans, and introductions to other teachers in the department who teach the same subject. Santa Susana recognizes that all research on effective schools confirms that a highly qualified teaching staff directly relates to improvement in student achievement: “Each dollar spent on recruiting high-quality teachers and deepening their knowledge and skills, nets greater gains in student learning than any other use of the educational dollar” (Quality Teaching, 1997). The school-wide professional development plan is based on identified needs, school-based data and current research. Staff development at SSHS aims to improve teacher ability to engage students in a challenging, rigorous and relevant curriculum. In response to a call for high school reform by State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O’Connell, SSHS has dedicated itself to modeling practices after those presented by the High Performing High School Initiative. It is, therefore, the goal of SSHS Leadership to offer as many professional development opportunities as possible to its faculty through our state and federal grant monies. The continued development of its teaching staff is a priority of the school, as faculty continually strives to maintain the highest quality and most effective programs and instructional practices. The grants provide a blueprint for long-range planning and professional development. The Specialized Secondary Program (SSP) grant provides support for defining/refining the school’s academic curriculum issues, and the Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) grant supports the goal to “improve proficiency in Literacy and Math, ensure academic success of every student, and to develop and support a more rigorous curriculum for all students.” Incorporated into the grant budgets are substantial funds for professional development. The Specialized Secondary Program grant provides $13,000 per year for professional development for the life of the grant and is renewable. The Smaller Learning Communities grant provides approximately $10,000 a year for professional development for three years. In years past, School Improvement funds were allocated for conferences and workshops. Recently, however, state budget woes have caused the majority of those funds to be directed toward instructional supplies, leaving grant monies as the major source of professional development funding. To support our goals, teachers are using grant resources to attend conferences that provide articulation between high school and college, standards-based learning, a variety of instructional strategies, high school reform, increase knowledge of subject matter, and for visitations to observe other high-performing high schools with similar programs. To update and enhance faculty knowledge and assure a highly qualified staff, a professional development plan has been established by the Leadership Team to address the following focus areas: Advanced Placement training; collecting and using data to improve student achievement, standards-based curriculum and assessments; Troubadour Advisory Program; team building and planning; technology skills training; professional learning teams; curriculum delivery; vertical teaming; curriculum integrations; and accelerated literacy skills. Through attendance at Friday Morning Meetings, teachers receive information about the following training sources: county and district math, reading and language workshops; CLAD training; AP training; SLC, SSP conferences; CA Partnership Academy; CA State Leadership Training; Vertical Teaming; Ventura County Institutes for Administrators (VIP) and Teams for Success (T4S) conference series; “Making Standards Work” (Reeves); and the Center for Performance Assessment. Regional and area SSP meetings are devoted to providing examples of existing programs, demonstrating how the programs work and assessing success. Professional development is the focus of three of the four monthly Friday Morning Meetings (FMMs). It is common practice for staff members, who are valued as experts, to take the lead in providing professional development in departments, on professional development days and at FMMs. In-service topics have included technology updates, incorporation of standards-based learning and assessment, data analysis and a selection of specialized topics such as Adobe Photoshop, Grade Machine, or how to create advanced PowerPoint projects. Due to a small (<2% annually) turnover in the SSHS staff, teachers are able to benefit from information gained by those who have attended conferences in the past, and sharing ideas among colleagues is common within and between many departments. The California Standards for the Teaching Profession is embedded in the evaluation procedure. Administrative support for all classroom teachers is provided to ensure appropriate and adequate delivery of standards-based curriculum. Teachers are required to review the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) yearly and reflect on where they rate themselves according to the rubric’s continuum. They then meet with the administrator assigned to them to discuss plans for the year. At SSHS, each teacher completes goals for incorporating technology and the arts in their curriculum, and at least every three years goes through a formal evaluation. Teachers have a choice of evaluation format: if new to the profession, they have an administrative review; otherwise, they may select a partner or administrator review or develop a portfolio. Administrators meet prior to the opening of the school year to set goals for classroom visitations. Administrators keep a log of classroom visitations and make a concerted effort to observe classrooms regularly. Under the leadership of the new principal, classroom visitations have increased substantially. Teachers and students at Santa Susana have become accustomed to seeing school administrators “drop in” on classes on a regular basis.
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A5. To what extent are leadership and staff involved in ongoing research or data-based correlated professional development that focuses on identified student learning needs?
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Santa Susana High School attributes much of its success to the constant review of current effective schools research and the implementation of proven school structures, programs and strategies. Ongoing research, coupled with continual data analysis, has become the foundation for the way the school has structured and refines all programs and practices. With professional development a top priority, staff is provided frequent opportunities to read current studies, attend prominent conferences and seminars and update instructional practices in the classroom. These unique opportunities for extensive professional development have been made possible by grant funds awarded to SSHS by the state and federal governments. Both the Specialized Secondary Programs (SSP) and the Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) grants were awarded to Santa Susana in part due to the school’s focus on extensive and sustained research-based staff development. Santa Susana has worked and continues to work diligently to ensure that teaching and learning practices at the school closely mirror those of most successful high schools in the nation. Data analysis has become the core of much of school staff development. A team of teachers has been trained to lead monthly Data Team meetings that drive decision-making school-wide. The concept of Smaller Learning Communities has become the core of the personalized education provided to all SSHS students. Teachers are also encouraged to attend conferences throughout the school year. During the 2004-2005 school year, approximately eighty percent (80%) of faculty attended at least one research-based professional development workshop or conference recommended by school leadership. At FMMs Department meetings or general meetings, teachers share the information of new approaches, methods, and ideas with their colleagues. The school prides itself on the widespread involvement by staff in working to keeping programs current and relevant to the changing times.
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A6. To what extent are the human, material, physical, and financial resources sufficient and utilized effectively and appropriately in accordance with the legal intent of the program(s) to support students in accomplishing the academic standards and the expected school-wide learning results?
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As state budget woes translated into decreased funding and resources for education, Santa Susana staff has made a concerted effort to seek outside funding to sustain its programs. The forward-thinking nature of the school has resulted in significant monetary awards to continue to support students in accomplishing the academic standards and the expected school-wide learning results. The school administration divides responsibility among the principal and two assistant principals in a way that best supports the school’s needs. The three administrators are assigned to and effectively oversee each of the Schools (Academics, Arts, Information Technology). In addition, a teacher leader is also assigned to each School to guide staff discussions and address School concerns. The school utilizes funds provided by the district to sustain its Artists-in-Residence program which allows teachers to supplement instruction for students in the Arts with industry experts. Santa Susana’s specialized structure of Schools and Academies is supported by the physical location of specialized classes as facilities allow. Although the “Schools” are relatively independent of one another, the programs in one school and academy often support the programs in another. Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) resources have recently been redirected to cover basic instructional supplies due to the recent budget crisis. Resources necessary to sustain the school’s unique Academy courses, particularly in the Arts and Technology, are provided primarily by outside grant funds and business and community partnerships. SSHS was awarded a Specialized Secondary Program (SSP) Planning Grant (state) in August of 2003. The grant focused on the development of curriculum and student course of study – especially in the school of the arts. There was also a commitment to reorganize and redefine the role of the SSHS Schools and Academies, our Certification program, and to align and update them to better fit the needs and interest of students. In June 2004, SSHS was awarded an Implementation Grant from SSP through SY 2005-06. Grant funds are now being used to extend and build on the idea of the Schools and Academies, to implement an extended day Bell Schedule, and for visitations to expand additional curricular areas of study and devise new programs (See Appendix). In May of 2003, SSHS was awarded a Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) Planning Grant (Dept. of Ed.). This provided planning time and resources for a site study (academic success, curricular issues, student needs). Based on an analysis of school data and an evaluation of the problem in areas of test scores and achievement, an SLC Implementation Grant was written and received September 2004, through 2006-07 school year. The SLC grant allows SSHS to focus on specific concerns within our curriculum and provides time for teachers to collaborate and to develop additional school-to-career opportunities. The goals are directed specifically toward raising the expectations of academic success in a rigorous and relevant course of study and fostering a supportive environment. Adding a school-to-career component, SSHS began by offering a new ROP class (Technology Service and Support) in the 2001-02 SY. In that same year, SSHS applied for and received a School-to-Career Grant (Ventura County) which helped establish this new class with state-of-the-art equipment. Since then, SSHS has received additional county funds as the program has expanded to include ROP capstone courses within five Academies. The success of Santa Susana’s ROP programs has resulted in a strong partnership with the county office. In 2001-02, the Video Production program received a grant from Ventura County for the purchase of four iMac computers. This has allowed our video production program students the ability to better create and edit school-wide announcements and other school activities. During the 2000-01 school year, SSHS received an Advanced Placement (AP) Challenge Grant. Although no longer funded, the grant has provided SSHS with financial support to expand our AP program through staff development, student identification, and additional course offerings. Currently, SSHS offers fourteen AP classes and additional courses to individual students completing coursework independently. SSHS received a Digital High School Grant (DHS) through the 2001-02 SY for upgrading and augmenting technology for students and staff. Four computer labs received new equipment (CPUs, printers, projection televisions) and two received upgraded networking capabilities. Additional software was also purchased for classroom and lab use. Six multi-media mobile carts were assembled and distributed among various departments. Funds were also available for staff development opportunities in technology. The DHS grant funding was discontinued by the state of California as of the 2002-03 school year.
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Areas of Strength
- The Santa Susana school community has a clear and shared vision for the future.
- The Santa Susana staff constantly monitors and refines teaching methods and strategies, senior projects, intervention, TAP, and other important/ unique programs.
- Santa Susana places a high priority on keeping current on effective schools research and continual professional development for the staff and administration.
- Santa Susana leadership constantly seeks alternate sources of funding (Grants- SLC, SSP, Perkins, etc.)
- Santa Susana maintains good and regular communication with students, staff, and parents.
- Santa Susana needs to better communicate its programs to the Simi Valley community at large. W
- e must continue to focus on increasing student achievement of standards and Expected Learning Results.
- Santa Susana must continue to enhance the use of technology in the classroom in order to keep up with future demands made on SSHS students.
- The staff must continue the refinement and expansion of programs such as TAP, Intervention, Schools and Academies, DART, etc.
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