Kids have the same classmates all day. A social worker and two social worker interns have been assigned to the school. The nurse runs a support group for former smokers. After-school activities include afternoon football to homework tutorials. With district officials hoping to turn the Long Beach Preparatory Academy into a national model, the pressure is on to make the school work, says Reyna Rosas, a physical education teacher.
B is for better For teachers, it can be a tough assignment.
The kids' abilities veer all over the map. More than a dozen students are bright enough for placement in the Gifted and Talented Education program. A number have been diagnosed for the first time with learning disabilities, such as attention deficit disorder, although school officials declined to say how many. The problems that got them to the school are equally diverse, from hyperactivity to broken homes. During breaks, the campus crackles with a frenetic energy.