PRINCIPAL
Glenn Lipman, ACHS Principal
Telephone
805-389-6413
Email: glenn.lipman@ouhsd.k12.ca.us
Glenn Lipman, ACHS Principal
The school year is drawing near and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our returning students and incoming families - parents, freshmen, and new students. As an educator for 33 years, I am pleased to begin my sixth year as Principal of Adolfo Camarillo High School, one of the top academic high schools in the State of California. One measure of a school’s academic success is through the State Academic Performance Index (API). Our 2009-10 API was 832, the highest in school history! In fact, ACHS has experienced school-wide API growth of +103 points between 2004 and 2009. During this same timeframe each of our sub-groups has also experienced tremendous growth: Hispanic +124, Asian +105, White +107, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged +110, English Learners +108, and Special Education +92.
Adolfo Camarillo High School’s mission is to promote a college-preparatory learning environment that assists all students in attaining their highest level of academic achievement.
Adolfo Camarillo High School’s vision is to create and maintain a college-preparatory learning environment by providing college prep, honors, Advanced Placement, and career technical education courses that assist all students in attaining a high level of academic achievement as measured by state standards, common and individual teacher assessments, and classroom observations. Staff collaboration contributes to student success on all levels. ACHS will provide individualized assistance to students who experience difficulties and challenges. Safety and tolerance will be integrated across the curriculum to develop the necessary social and interpersonal skills to equip our college preparatory students to achieve success after graduation.
We continue to strive for increased student achievement and raising the academic bar such as offering all core college preparatory courses. Students are recognized for academic, athletic, and musical achievement at our many awards evenings including: Sting the STAR Awards, Sports Awards, Department Awards, Academic Awards, Senior Awards, and Band Awards. Last year our new Sting the STAR program to recognize academic success on the STAR tests was a tremendous success. The State of California mails students’ STAR test reports over the summer; please keep the STAR results for your students. Students who were freshmen through juniors during the 2009-10 school year who scored in the “Proficient” or “Advanced Proficient” range on at least 3 tests will be recognized as “Distinguished Students” for their academic success. Students who met this challenge during their freshmen, sophomore, or junior (2009-10) testing years will receive recognition as being “Distinguished Students” at the Sting the STAR awards evening on November 4 at 6:00pm. Distinguished Students receive a variety of items including, but not limited to, a Fast Pass (i.e., cut the lunch line) Stamp on their ID cards, certificate, lapel pin, $10 discount on the activity pass, and their name on the ACHS Stinger newspaper website. Please keep track of the STAR test results each summer because once students become seniors they will have the opportunity to wear a special lapel pin on their graduation gown for earning these high scores on the STAR test for 9 out of 12 tests. As seniors, students do not take the STAR test. In-coming freshmen will be encouraged and motivated to do well on the April 2011 STAR tests. Students who meet the Sting the STAR challenge in April 2011 will be recognized in the fall of 2011-12.
We implemented “safety nets” for students who find the curriculum challenging and are proud of our successes. For example, at-risk freshmen are offered the Silver Stinger program and sophomores are offered the All Star program. Briefly, Silver Stingers is an intensive program that helps freshmen gain study skills, improve grades, and increase self confidence in their academic ability. Our All Star program aligns sophomores with teachers who “adopt a student”; the teachers meet regularly with their adopted students to check on progress and provide any individualized instruction. In addition, this program is beneficial for sophomores at-risk of not passing the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) through use of specialized software that identifies individual areas of strengths and weakness that the teacher uses as a guide to help students improve academically where needed.
ACHS is dedicated to our students and education as we strive to maintain our positive school culture and provide excellent customer service. We are proud to provide a safe and secure environment for every ACHS student and staff member. We have strict, enforced no tolerance policies on illegal drugs, weapons, fighting and graffiti. Students who are in possession of or sell illegal drugs including any prescription not in their name face penalties ON THE FIRST OFFENSE: 1) automatic 5-day suspension, 2) police arrest, and 3) we may recommend expulsion from the district for 2 semesters. Students who are in possession of any weapon, dangerous object or explosive, any participant in a fight or physical altercation, or any participant in graffiti or vandalism face the following penalties ON THE FIRST OFFENSE: 1) automatic 5-day suspension, 2) police arrest, 3) recommendation for expulsion from the district for 2 semesters, and in the case of graffiti or vandalism, 4) restitution for damages. Students may anonymously report knowledge of any contraband, fighting, graffiti, or vandalism to our resource officer or any administrator. Our We Tip program through the City of Camarillo pays a student up to $50 for information that leads to the arrest of students who violate any of these four areas.
Communication is a key element to our school’s success and we offer many ways for students and parents to become involved. For all stakeholders, parents, students, staff, we have an “open-door” administration policy. We have 6 counselors, 3 of whom are bi-lingual. Your student’s counselor is based on his/her last name. We also offer online services and communication through our twice weekly email bulletins, website, and iParent. We are happy to communicate via individual email with parents as well. There are a variety of opportunities for parental involvement including PTSA, ACHS Foundation, Band Boosters, Athletic Volunteer Program, and Leadership Team. The marquee in front of our campus provides information on upcoming events and recent accomplishments too. Students have a special opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns to peers, teachers, and our administration during House of Representatives meetings which are held monthly.
I care deeply about every student, parent, staff member, and community visitor. I look forward to seeing all of our students on Wednesday, September 1 to begin another great year. We have a new bell schedule this year; however, classes still begin at 7:55 AM! Please contact us if you have any concerns. Have a wonderful and safe summer.
Sincerely,
Glenn E. Lipman, Principal
4660 Mission Oaks Blvd. Camarillo, CA 93012 |