A tour of Anderson W. Clark Magnet High School with Emphasis on Science
and Technology (Clark) begins with a visit to the main data frame room,
the core of the school's technology infrastructure, dense with wires,
boxes, and dials. Explains Principal Doug Dall, "When we converted a
middle school to a technology high school in 1998, we wired it for the
future; we've had five upgrades of computers and have yet to go back to
the district for improvements in our infrastructure." The wiring in all
the classrooms is in wire mold and cable trays above the ceilings,
configured for easy access; all the desks, cabinets, and furniture are
wheeled, so classrooms can be easily rearranged and converted to new
uses. The school has a simple color scheme---green, grey, and beige---so
that everything always matches, is orderly, and easily cleaned. The
classrooms are logically numbered by floor and building, and the numbers
are also used for computer addresses and phone extensions. Everything at
Clark has a plan and purpose.

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="2.997916666666667in"
height="2.107638888888889in"}Neatly dressed students arrive by bus from
across the district for the school day. The school dress code is
"business casual"---solid-colored, collared shirts and khaki pants or
skirts (no jeans or corduroys). Faculty members dress the same. Students
demonstrate their pride in the school by keeping the building clean and
behaving maturely. As one student explained, "We do not do that here,"
meaning use bad language or get in fights. Administrators and teachers
remind visitors to think of high school as a business; that is, the work
of education at Clark is serious and directed towards a goal. At Clark,
the quality instruction and academic supports result in graduates who
not only go on to but complete post-secondary school.

More than ten years ago, a planning task force (the Founders) including
more than 80 volunteers from the Glendale Unified School District, area
business and industry, and institutions of higher learning worked
together to create a ![](media/image2.jpeg){width="3.2916666666666665in"
height="2.7430555555555554in"}high school that promotes academic success
and career preparation through science and advanced technology---"the
literacy of our future," as they termed it. The Founders surveyed the
community to determine interest and needs and drew on then-current
research (*Second to None, Aiming High,* and *Breaking Ranks*) about
small secondary schools with rigorous core curricula. They based Clark
on the premise that, in order to be contributing adults in the 21st
century, high school students needed to be literate in all aspects of
science and technology, both structural and applied.

Today, Clark's stakeholders meet annually to analyze student performance
data in an effort to link the classroom hands-on approach to learning
content standards. Annually updated, the school plan becomes the map for
the next year's improvement goals. Currently, these goals emphasize
integrating writing and literacy in all content areas and improving
problem-solving skills for students scoring below proficient math
standardized tests. Professional development is aligned with the annual
goals.

The Founders also embraced the School to Work model, which makes strong
connections between school and career. In a foundation course called
Technology Literacy, all entering ninth graders are introduced to
Clark's four curriculum strands: Math/Science/ Engineering, Computer
Applications, Technology Systems, and Digital Arts. In their College and
Career Prep class the ninth grade students strategize and map out career
plans and high school coursework that is carefully monitored for each
student by guidance counselors and administrators. Conceding that some
educators resist having students make decisions about their career at
such an early age, Principal Dall argues that research shows that high
school students who set clear pathways to careers are more likely to
finish high school and succeed in college. Clark's graduates frequently
return to visit and tell faculty how well-prepared they were for
college; for some, college seemed easier than high school. The school's
alternating day block schedule supports a college-like experience for
the students.

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="2.3381944444444445in"
height="3.3090277777777777in"}While Clark is a choice magnet school, it
is not a school for gifted students. Clark recruits incoming 9th graders
from the district's four middle schools and area private schools.
Administrators visit these schools, hold student and parent meetings,
and invite interested families for a Saturday Expo on campus. Entering
9th graders must demonstrate a readiness to take algebra and must have a
C average in middle school. Typically about 600 students apply for the
300 slots in 9th grade. Admission is by lottery.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="2.9520833333333334in"
height="2.513888888888889in"}Mr. Dall feels that students at Clark show
maturity by choosing their high school. "Because they were chosen," Mr.
Dall said, "they think they are the smartest kids in the district." He
added that while all Clarke's students are not high-achievers, Clark's
goal is to make its students think they are the smartest kids around. It
is all about confidence, he said. Students said that Clark is known as
the voc tech school or "geek" school because of its computer and
technical approach to learning but once at Clarke, students are
surprised by the challenging curriculum. In a focus group, one student
reflected that his time would have been diverted to "other things" in
other high schools. "Here I do not have to watch my back," he said.
Another said, "School is not only fun but I am learning useful things."
In a sign of pride in their school, at the end of a focus group,
students placed their chairs neatly next to the library tables, threw
away all the trash from the meal, and made sure their shirts were tucked
in as they left library.

Even as a high school of choice with only 1100 students, Clark's diverse
student population is similar to many of our nation's high schools. When
it opened in 1998, Clark reflected the student diversity at all the
district high schools; today, more students come from South Glendale, an
area of low-income immigrant families. Once one member of an immigrant
family who lives in the school district finds the resources at Clark,
other students from that community follow. In 2005-06, more than half of
the students came from families who do not speak English at home.
Students who do not have a command of English receive support at Clark,
as do students with learning disabilities.

Clark has won many international, national, and state awards as one of
America's most successful high schools. The key strategies behind the
school's success appear to be intentionality of purpose, a
student-centered culture, and high academic expectations.

**Plus 2 Plus 2**

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="4.363194444444445in"
height="2.915277777777778in"}Founded on school to career principles,
Clark students begin electives in one of four technology pathways
(math/science/engineering; technology systems; computer applications; or
digital arts) early in high school. Many begin their initial computer
networking (CISCO Academy) and computer repair (A+) certifications
through industry-based certification programs. Many Clark graduates
attend Glendale Community College at minimal cost, to complete a further
two-year Cisco computer networking certification along with general
degree courses, then transfer to a four-year university to complete a
bachelor's degree in management information systems, computer sciences,
or another field in their area of focus. This career path is called "Two
\[years in high school\] plus two \[years at a community college\] plus
two \[years at a four year college/university\]."

The Founders intentionally linked technology and science at Clark to
southern California's high tech and entertainment fields, and the school
has received numerous grants to support its technology programs. Many
faculty members have certifications in a trade or science/technology
field and these professional development activities are funded through
California/s Regional Occupational Program (ROP) or Career Technical
Education Funds.

**College and Career Prep**

Two 9th grade courses anchor students in the science and technology
path. In the one-semester College and Career Prep course, students
prepare digital portfolios that set the stage for their high school and
post-secondary plans. To reinforce their career planning, freshmen are
also required to complete at least 10 hours of community service work;
many exceed this number and continue in service work.

Using a software system, students take interest tests, explore careers,
and locate post-secondary institutions where they can pursue their
chosen careers. Students meet with guidance personnel periodically in
small groups and one-on-one to update their career plans and keep their
expectations for post-secondary education alive.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="3.623611111111111in"
height="2.4402777777777778in"}Many Clark students come from families
lacking both post-secondary school experience and funds for a four-year
college. In addition to the internships and projects that connect
students to area business for potential job opportunities, students use
their technology training in summer jobs to support their post-secondary
schooling. Advanced placement courses in the last two years at Clark
allow students to earn college credit. A substantial number of 12th
grade students also take advantage of the school's close relationship
with nearby Glendale Community College in order to attend college
courses through the "Jump Start" program. The guidance department works
closely with 11th and 12th grade students and parents to understand and
fill out the college financial paperwork and make sure students do not
miss deadlines.

The second 9th grade course that lays a foundation for the science and
technology pathway is Technology Literacy (Tech Lit). Aligned with
California technology standards, this four-quarter course taught by
subject-area experts introduces students to electronics and computer
hardware, to computer business applications, to Internet use and
research techniques, and to principles of computer graphic and media
design. Each quarter focuses on one of Clark's four academic strands.
One student said she had felt "quite dumb" around computers; after Tech
Lit she realized that "computers are not all that bad," and went on the
take an AP Computer Science course. A freshman at the California
Institute of Technology, she realizes that "all well-paying jobs require
at least some degree of computer competence. I'm glad that I had the
opportunity to take these courses \[at Clark\] that prepared me for
computer use in college and in my future career." Clark faculty refer to
Tech Lit as the "great equalizer." "Even if some kids come to Clark
thinking they know computers, all students finish 9th grade really
knowing technology applications."

**Block Schedule**

Clark uses a block schedule. Most classes meet every other day for 90
minutes. Entering freshmen learn how to manage their time and homework
assignments in the every other day course schedule. These management
skills transfer easily to college and the workplace.

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="3.422222222222222in"
height="3.13125in"}Teachers have been specifically trained in
instructional strategies for the 90-minute block and report that block
scheduling gives them time to "jigsaw" different learning opportunities:
direct instruction, student presentations, student collaborative work,
and class discussions. Principal Dall says he sometimes recruits
teachers with elementary school backgrounds because they adapt easily to
the 90-minute teaching periods and the school's project-based
instructional approach; teachers hired by ROP from business and industry
appreciate the long teaching period for hands-on technology and science
projects. All Clark teachers are certified in their content areas.

Clark's teachers use the block scheduling in different ways. In one Tech
Lit class, students downloaded images from CDs, the Internet, or digital
cameras to illustrate vocabulary words, consulting with a peer or the
teacher when necessary. In a small-business class, students learned how
a laser engraver works, then wrote business plans and worked in teams on
production, marketing, accounting, website development, and sales for an
imaginary business. In another Tech Lit class, after doing research on a
topic of interest on the Internet, students created newspaper articles
with columns and pictures. A history and English teacher shared a
90-minute block, meeting every day, and co-taught a double class (with
more than 60 students). The teachers "chunk" instruction into 10-15
minute increments that meet state standards for both English and
history. Daily activities include vocabulary and oral language, lectures
to extract meaning from homework assignments, and group or individual
work on long-term projects.

**Enrichment and Networking Time**

Two daily features are built into the block schedule: Enrichment (35
minutes at the end of each day), and a common snack and lunch period.
During Enrichment, all teachers are available for extra help; some
students are requested to attend Enrichment for identified reasons;
others get a pass to go to see a teacher if they have questions.
Students who don't need or want extra help during Enrichment Period use
this time for extracurricular clubs, attending Distinguished Speakers
presentations, or participating in intramural sports and other enriching
activities.

Every morning from 9:30 to 9:45, students can visit several outdoor
snack locations, and all students have a common lunch period from
11:20-11:50 a.m. These common food periods intentionally give Clark
students time to discuss course work, projects, and just hang out
together.

![](media/image8.jpeg){width="4.061805555555556in"
height="2.9340277777777777in"}By design, Clark is a closed campus. At 3
p.m., buses leave for the long rides home, some as long as 45
minutes---time which some students use to make friends. Clark has no
team school sports, cheerleading, ROTC, or band; however, students can
return to their neighborhood high schools for such activities after the
final block. About 150 students do so. A large intramural program gives
non-team sports students the competitive experience during several
different intramural tournaments.

**"Can-do" Culture**

Clark is a non-departmentalized high school, and faculty, explained
Principal Dall, must be able to collaborate to plan an integrated
curriculum aligned with California standards and to work with students
on performance-based projects. They fit into Clark's "can-do" culture,
he said. In addition to industry professionals, funded by ROP dollars,
he looks for elementary school and middle school teachers since they are
high energy, often trained in teaching to multiple intelligences, and
they know how to "chunk" learning in 15 minutes activities. Veteran
Clark teachers mentor new teachers in being accessible to students,
planning as team members, and developing effective content-area lessons.

Teachers and students described Clark as a community built on trust and
respect. There's a sense of "oneness," a teacher said. Principal Dall
looks to hire "nice" people: "They make the best teachers. We can get
them certified and teach them how to use technology... positivity is
infectious," he continues, "A teacher sets the tone for 30 kids and
these 30 kids each affect another 30 kids." Dall models student-centered
learning by asking his teachers, "What can I do to help you do what you
need to do?" His most important responsibility as principal, he said, is
to decide, after two years, if a teacher merits tenure. "I really need
to know each teacher and know how they work with students and their
peers." Not all teachers can do this, he admits. As a requirement of
permanent employment status, all faculty become certified teachers in
their subject area and have met district requirements for additional
certification in multicultural education.

His faculty describe Dall as the "divine administrator," always looking
for the "right person" or the "next deal." When a problem occurs on
campus, Mr. Dall calls a "tune-up" meeting with the whole school in the
outdoor amphitheatre. It lasts only 10 minutes, he said: "We articulate
the problem, get input, decide on a plan, and do it." This kind of
transparency is reflected in the all-glass walls of his office, designed
to give him a clear view down two hallways. The vice-principal's office
is also walled in glass.

![](media/image9.jpeg){width="3.951388888888889in"
height="2.395138888888889in"}Teachers and students are always in
conversation; e-mail keeps faculty, counselors, students, parents, and
administrators in touch. Grade-level teams meet regularly to plan
curricula integration and discuss students. Teachers encourage students,
offering positive feedback for their participation in class. The
nurturing classroom climate and the constant use of technology in the
classroom motivates students' engagement and knowledge transfer. For
example, students use what they learn in their computer applications and
digital arts courses in presentations and projects in science, English,
and history.

**Data-Driven Instruction**

Data Director, a district-owned software program, gives teachers
detailed student test results based on curriculum standards and test
items. A student performing below proficient level will trigger a range
of responses: differentiated instruction in the classroom, peer
tutoring, supervision by the guidance department, or extra help during
Enrichment. Guidance personnel contact parents early when a student
appears to be having trouble. All parents are sent progress grades every
five weeks. The Student Study Team, composed of guidance counselors,
assistant principal, English language development specialist, and other
concerned faculty, meet as necessary, but usually only three or four
times a year, to review data on students who might need additional
support. The administration works with students at the "tipping
point"---just below proficient---to help them reach proficiency by the
next marking period.

**English Learners**

Students coded as needing additional English Language Development (ELD)
classes also do extremely well at Clark, in part because they are
treated as needing English language support, not as having learning
deficits, in part because the school provides programs to meet their
English language learning needs.

About 15% of Clark's students each year are classified as English
learners (EL) and spend a year or two progressing through the school
English Language Development (ELD) classes. Most EL students have high
literacy skills in their native language and progress out of ELD in one
year. Clark's student body is so ethnically diverse that EL students are
not readily identified. Teachers hold all students to high standards and
remarked that they do not know who the EL students are.

![](media/image10.jpeg){width="3.642361111111111in"
height="3.1444444444444444in"}Clark's ELD teacher specialist gathers
student test data from their middle schools and plans a course schedule
with the student and his or her parents. The schedule likely includes an
ELD reading class as well as a class focused on writing, which replaces
the grade-level English language class. Students at different ELD levels
may work in small groups with teaching assistants. At the same time, EL
students attend other core classes (technology, math, science, etc.) at
their grade level, and transition out of the ELD courses when they test
out of the program and can understand content-area material. The ELD
specialist keeps in touch with the classroom teachers in case there is
need for further intervention. Literacy for Success is an extra class
for all students who need additional help in reading comprehension and
for EL students transitioning to the mainstream in language arts.

Clark's active, project-based learning approach suits non-native English
speakers, giving them (and other students) opportunities to master
real-life skills for career development while working in a collaborative
environment. Active classroom learning allows all students, regardless
of English language skill, to apply knowledge and demonstrate
higher-level thinking skills. Technology, science, and math courses
cross the language divide by employing universal concepts and theories,
so that EL students can still be successful. Clark's emphasis on
presentation skills gives EL students incentives and further practice in
using English. Mainstream teachers have also been trained in "specially
designed academic instruction in English," (SDAIE) which uses white
boards, graphic organizers, illustrations, posted vocabulary words,
among other visual aids. Computer repair, website design, and animation
courses are well suited to these strategies. Finally, project
assessments take students beyond paper and pencil tests and allow them
to demonstrate proficiency in other ways.

**Project-based Learning**

Clark's project-based learning supports the school's philosophy of
connecting learning to real-world applications and employment skills.
Teachers see themselves as facilitators, not instructors, and a student
explained, "We sit at tables and learn to work with others. There needs
to be compromises but you feel responsible for your own table's
presentation. This school is advanced in so many areas." In one hallway,
walls dispaced recent 9th grade student
![](media/image11.jpeg){width="2.2083333333333335in"
height="3.11875in"}essays, modeled on the "My Turn" column in
*Newsweek*, and so carefully written and formatted they were nearly
indistinguishable from the actual magazine. In the combined 10th grade
history and English class, honor students are integrated with regular
education students, although they receive different assignments based on
the same content area. Teachers strategically rotate all students to new
groups every 3-4 weeks. During the site visit, the student assignment
was doing an oral history of an elder on the topic of "The Greatest
Change in my Lifetime" which was connected to essays from an historical
text the students were studying.

Special Clark programs include Environment and Spatial Technology
(EAST), Robotics, and Senior Projects. Principal Dall hired a young
female marine biologist to be a role model for female students and to
teach EAST, a junior-level course which uses geographic information and
positioning systems and soft-imaging, animation, and computer-aided
design software to design environmental projects that benefit the
community. Currently the EAST class is conducting a study of heavy metal
contamination in Los Angeles harbor, aiding law enforcement officers in
criminal investigations who have to work in the contaminated water. "I
know our students are doing important research when the FBI Dive Team
calls to look at our findings," said Dall. EAST culminates in a trade
show where students present their findings.

![](media/image12.jpeg){width="2.660416666666667in"
height="3.1458333333333335in"}Engineers from the nearby Jet Propulsion
Laboratory teach Robotics, an elective ROP class. Designing and building
their own robots, Clark students compete in an annual regional
competition. This year's robotics season highlights included a win at
the San Diego Regional FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science
and Technology) Robotics competition and a trip to Atlanta, GA to
participate in the international robotics finals.

Clark's antidote to "senioritis" is a Senior Project, completed in the
spring of student's senior year. All faculty and many community members
participate, mentoring students, judging presentations, and reading
student essays. Working individually but with mentors, students choose a
career, hobby, or academic interest and must complete at least 15 hours
of fieldwork, a 6-8 page research paper, a portfolio documenting the
course of the project, a tangible product such as a book, model,
website, or physical demonstration, and a final presentation. Mentors
support seniors but sign an agreement "not to do the work for the
student" but "guide, answer questions, and give advice as needed,"
simulating an work situation. Many seniors partner with outside
businesses or pursue a career interest, which often leads to employment
later.

In June, seniors present their projects before a panel of judges from
the community. Rubrics guide faculty and community members in scoring
the portfolios and student essays and judging presentations. In 2006,
senior projects topics ranged from obtaining a real estate license and
practicing the trade and developing a business plan for a tea room, to
writing a medical billing training manual, coaching a basketball team
for middle school students, and beginning a career in child care.

**Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum**

![](media/image13.jpeg){width="3.4118055555555555in"
height="2.5618055555555554in"}Each student takes seven classes a year
and must graduate with four years of English, math, and science, and at
least two years of history and Spanish. One semester of economics and
government is also required for all seniors, and physical education is
required for four semesters. From the beginning of the school, most 9th
grade students have enrolled in a conceptual physics course that is
backed up by school reform research data as an excellent foundation
course for future science classes. When the State of California tested a
myriad of subjects under the Golden State Exam program, Clark's 9th
grade physics students scored better than the average 12th grade physics
students at more typical California high schools on the Golden State
Physics exam. Conceptual chemistry, and conceptual intermediate algebra,
courses have been recently added to help students who are not strong in
math to learn content through concepts rather than formulas; such
courses gives students another year of math and science and eases their
move to the next level. Students also take career-oriented courses such
as basic network design, e-marketing, digital photography, computer
animation, and small business, along with rigorous core academic
courses.

All Clark students are encouraged to take Advanced Placement (AP)
classes; while students earn additional grade points for taking AP
courses, they also build skills and gain experience and confidence in AP
course work even if their AP test scores are not high. A remarkable
aspect of Clark's AP program is the fact that a higher percentage of
Clark students attempt such classes than might be the case at a typical
California high school. The school's culture encourages enrollment in
higher level math and science classes, for example approximately 10% of
the school's students enroll in AP Calculus.

**Student Population**

![](media/image14.jpeg){width="3.2881944444444446in"
height="2.209722222222222in"}Clark's small personalized learning
environment is attracting more special education students and students
from immigrant neighborhoods. Once a couple students from a neighborhood
attend Clark and are successful, siblings and cousins follow. In
addition to accommodating a large Armenian population (approximately 60%
of the student body) Clark is striving to more closely match the
profiles of other high schools in the district by recruiting more
African American, Hispanic, and female students.

Administrators, teachers and students visit area middle schools to
clarify Clark's mission, which is not (as is popularly understood) to
skim the cream of the district's middle school students but to give
students opportunities they might not otherwise have. Clark is an
alternative for students interested in science and technology who might
not get that focus in their home high school. School leaders are working
with personnel from the feeder middle schools in order to recruit
students who would benefit from the Clark Magnet instructional approach.

**Teaching Faculty**

The key to sustainability, the principal Dall says, is hiring young and
versatile staff, likening his process to "seed\[ing\] a tennis
tournament." As the top seeds retire, younger talented faculty must be
ready to take their places. Many teachers request work at Clark, but
Clark faculty must be committed to personalized instruction, be
comfortable with performance-based learning, and teach using an
integrated curriculum in a block schedule. Administrators at Clark
remind visitors that a high school is like working in a business. "With
a little ingenuity," Principal Dall affirms, "anything is possible."

**Keeping the Mission First**

The annual Founder's Day celebration exemplifies Clark's commitment to
rigorous and relevant curriculum that connects school and career.
Students attest that science and technology, at the core of Clark's
mission, are foundational skills that they use in college and in their
careers. The administration is constantly challenged to look beyond the
campus for collaborative opportunities to support this mission while the
faculty continues to work collaboratively with students to accomplish
its mission.

  -------------------------------- ---------- --------- --------- ---------
  **Based on California High                                      
  School Exit Exam, Grade 10**                                    

  **% Proficient or Above                                         
  English/Language Arts**                                         

                                   2002-03    2003-04   2004-05   2005-06

  All                              81%        86%       87%       84%

  Socio-Economically Disadvantaged 77%        77%       80%       68%

  Limited English Proficient       73%        82%       76%       64%

  **% Proficient or Above Math**                                  

  All                              82%        89%       87%       90%

  Socio-Economically Disadvantaged 75%        83%       84%       78%

  Limited English Proficient       74%        82%       76%       81%
  -------------------------------- ---------- --------- --------- ---------

![](media/image15.jpeg){width="5.458333333333333in"
height="4.550694444444445in"}