Alessandro Continuation High School staff is continuing to create new ways to congratulate students for their hard work. After the success of last year’s Achievement Assembly, staff decided to expand the recognition criteria to congratulate more of its students for their hard work.
Towards the end of last school year, staff hosted its first Achievement Assembly. One hundred and twenty-two students were recognized for earning a minimum of 30 credits in the first semester of the 2015-16 school year. However, many of these students earned well over the minimum requirement, some reaching 60 plus credits in one semester! Staff received a lot of positive feedback from staff and students and decided to recognize other student achievements. This year, students were recognized for earning 30+ credits in one semester, perfect attendance, career readiness, and Career Technical Education (CTE) certification.
The first category students were recognized was being on honor roll while earning 30+ credits in one semester. These numbers were from the last semester of the 2015-16 school year, because the first semester of this year is not yet over. Fifty-three students were given Applebee’s gift cards for achieving this. However, this number does not include the students who have since graduated.
Students were also recognized for their perfect attendance. Students who have received perfect attendance in triad one and/or two received a medal. Thirty-two students received a medal with a green ribbon for perfect attendance for triad one,and twenty-six students received the green ribbon medal for triad two. Six students were given a blue ribbon medal for their perfect attendance in triad one and two. Staff said if a student has perfect attendance all year, they will receive a black ribbon medal. Staff modeled this recognition based on the karate system of achievement.
Staff wanted to take the opportunity to recognize students they felt were college ready. In order to receive a lanyard, students needed to have 90% attendance, 97% promptness, demonstrate appropriate behavior, and outstanding citizenship and work habits. Forty-five students met these requirements in triad one and 43 in triad two.
Staff also congratulated and recognized the 16 students who received their certification in a CTE pathway. Three students received their certification, based on Riverside County Office of Education’s CTE requirements, in Criminal Justice for quarter one. An additional 13 students received their CTE certification for quarter one in the Emergency Medical Responder pathway.
Alessandro’s Principal Tara O’Malley said that students are traditionally recognized at Back-to-School Night or Open House, but this school-wide assembly allows students to be recognized in front of the entire student body. The assembly has already had an impact and staff has found that these assemblies motivate other students. “Many of the students at Alessandro come to the school because they are at risk of not graduating and these assemblies gives us an opportunity to recognize students for their perseverance and determination to overcome that adversity,” said O’Malley.
Thank you, Alessandro staff, for finding new and meaningful ways to congratulate your students on their achievements, and thank you to the students for your continued effort towards your education!