Alta Vista High School in Mountain View received recognition from the California Department of Education Feb. 10 as one of the state’s 36 Model Continuation High Schools.
The Mountain View Los Altos High School District continuation school will retain the designation for three years and be honored at the California Continuation Education Association Plus 2022 State Conference in Long Beach in May.
The Model Continuation High School Recognition Program, a collaboration between the CDE and the CCEA, acknowledges continuation high schools that offer exemplary educational opportunities for their students.
“It’s a designation that means, ‘Hey, we’re doing some really cool things to help the most at-risk kids,’” said Alta Vista High principal Bill Pierce.
Not only is the accreditation an honor for the school, but the program’s recognized schools also commit to serving as a resource for other educational agencies.
“As a part of the model program, we open our doors to other continuation high schools, teachers, administrators and sometimes politicians to come see what it is we do that makes us a model in the state,” Pierce said.
Alta Vista High is not new to the accreditation. The school has been recognized as a model school for the past 25 years, beginning one year after Pierce became principal in 1996. The school must undergo a rigorous application process every three years.
“Every three years, we go through this whole process of self-study and asking ourselves what we can do better and what programs we should be offering,” Pierce said. “So it’s really a validation of all the hard work that the staff does to get us to this point.”
Pierce praised staff as a key component of Alta Vista’s success. He said he hires individuals who are both excellent educators and care deeply for students. He also highlighted the individual attention teachers can afford to students by offering small class sizes and a dedicated social worker on campus. The intimate relationship between students and staff engenders a higher rate of success in students who were previously at risk of not graduating.
“We are able to address the whole child, not just the math student in my classroom,” Pierce said. “Because of that, the quality of work goes up, they start earning As and Bs, and they get back on track for graduation.”
Lasting legacy
The achievement bookends Pierce’s run as Alta Vista High principal. His retirement was announced at an MVLA board meeting last month, marking the end of 36 years as a continuation school educator in the district. Superintendent Nellie Meyer and board members commended him for the impact he has made on the community over the past three decades.
“He encourages diversity of thoughts, creates a culture of trust, has an unselfish mindset and fosters leadership in others,” Meyer said.
Pierce will serve as principal until the end of the school year and has released no information on plans for his replacement. Many board members expressed that they will continue to sing his praises until that day comes.
“You gave kids hope who had given up hope,” trustee Phil Faillace said. “You got the community behind the idea of your school, and I think that’s a tremendous accomplishment.”
