Eighth in a series
Re “You Have to Work Here to Earn Good Grades, Says Farris”
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Principal Dylan Farris and wife Lindsey, the high school's cheer coach.
At first hearing, it startled:
Principal Dylan Farris announced at a School Board meeting that 28 percent of freshmen at Culver City High School fail one or more classes.
Is that a common proportion among contemporary ninth graders?
“I would guess it is pretty normal,” Mr. Farris said.
“As I have said before, when students come here from other schools, there is an adjustment to the way we do things, even from the Middle School to the high school.”
The perspective on upper grade scoring of classes is stiffer, the principal noted.
“In Middle School, there still is very much a reward for effort, and appropriately so when you try hard,” Mr. Farris said. “‘You tried, so you are going to get this grade.’
“Here, though, the approach is, ‘You have to show us that you know it before you can get a good grade.’
“So there is an adjustment, from eighth grade to ninth grade, that they have to wrap their heads around.
“Even the concept of a final exam is new to incoming students. A final exam is a very big part of your grade and your assessment, showing you have acquired cumulative understanding of this material.”
What About College?
Earlier, Mr. Farris had said, with pride, that 42 percent of Culver High graduates qualified for four-year colleges, up from 38 percent.
Considering those figures and the 28 percent failure rate, what numbers would be acceptable in each category?
“I don’t have specific numbers in mind,” he said.
“Our approach is gradual, continual improvement.
“We want to see just growth, consistent growth, every year, without sacrificing the rigor, the high expectations.
“Expecting all of our kids will be on a college track is not what we are looking at,” Mr. Farris said while moving into the second half of his second year as principal.
What of the remaining 58 percent?
“Many go on to community college,” he says, “a large number to West L.A. College and SMC. The number who go to a post-secondary education is huge, huge. Forty-two is just about who is qualifying for Cal State and U.C. right away.”
Mr. Farris may be contacted at dylanfarris@ccusd.org
