A.V. HIGH TURNS CORNER GRADES, PRIDE ON THE RISE.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - With test scores lagging, Antelope Valley High School in 2003 was ordered to replace its principal and other top administrators.

Under state education officials' orders, the school had to seek help from education experts, who came in and produced a report on its shortcomings and advised steps to correct them.

``That was a low point. Nobody knew what was going to happen,'' guidance counselor Peggy Duffy said. ``When they first came in, there was a lot of despair. The faculty was nervous about the changes coming, but I think they have guided us through it.''

This year, Antelope Valley's Academic Performance Index ranking is up by 50 points, student misconduct is down by 54 percent, and state monitors are saying that oversight could end this year.

Like the construction renovation that's been going on at the campus, students and staff say there has been a dramatic change in the school environment, for the better - student fights are down and spirit is up.

``Education-wise, classes are quieter. Kids are coming here to learn. Tardies and absences are down. Kids are showing school pride,'' said senior Camryn Prevost, 17.

The high school and three other Antelope Valley schools were among 24 statewide that state education officials ordered in 2003 to participate in a school improvement program.

Though the high school was not among the lowest-ranking schools in California, its Academic Performance Index scores failed to meet state-set targets for two years in a row.

Antelope Valley's API scores were 563 in 2000, 554 in 2001, 541 in 2002, 533 in 2003 and 583 in 2004. 2004 was the first time in four years that Antelope Valley met its target growth.

State officials want schools to score 800, which only five Antelope Valley schools do now.

This year's 50-point jump exceeded both Antelope Valley Union High School District and state averages, Principal Karen Patterson said. While it posted the largest point increase, Antelope Valley still had the lowest overall score among the local comprehensive high schools.

To exit the state monitoring process, Antelope Valley High must improve its API score by one point to 584 in 2005.

Education experts named Patterson, who came in to run the school in July 2003, as a major factor behind the improvement.

``I don't know anybody who could have turned this school around and taken the leadership role that Karen has taken,'' said Maryellen Bergh, who headed the School Assistance and Intervention Team, or SAIT, that evaluated Antelope Valley High School.

``To not only move the school forward academically, it was a huge task and still is a huge task, but taking this huge ship of a school and turning it around. When you realize that part of the SAIT process was structural changes and changes in administration, Karen provided the strong leadership to put the systems in place that have allowed the school to make a tremendous change,'' Bergh said.

But Bergh also stressed the turnaround was not her work alone.

``The one thing to really keep in mind, moving a school forward is not just one person. Under the leadership of Karen and the administrative team, it's been everyone working together to create change,'' Bergh said.

Other factors mentioned were creating a uniform curriculum, providing teaching coaches, and bringing in community mentors to student clubs that promote tolerance and help out ninth-graders. Starting school an hour later at 8:30 a.m. resulted in more students showing up for first period.

Even hula dancing has had a role, a product of the school's Mix It Up Club, in which students perform dances from different cultures to encourage diversity.

School officials have established a ``culture of high expectations,'' both academically and behaviorally, the principal said.

``We had to raise the level of expectations by frequently communicating to my students what my expectations are for their behavior in the school and in the community. We follow incidents with consistent discipline. It's one that is enforced,'' Patterson said.

Senior Patricia Hart, 18, recalled the fear she felt upon entering Antelope Valley High as a freshman, having heard it was a ``horrible'' school. It was, she said.

``Between the whole four years, we started Mix It Up and got a whole new administration that changed the whole school around,'' said Hart, who is a member of Mix It Up, Link Crew, student government and the Black Student Union and is a cheerleader.

Fights seemed to occur every week in her freshman and sophomore years, but now are not common, Hart said.

A flare-up occurred last Thursday when nearly a dozen fistfights broke out, the result of ongoing racial tension between groups of African- American and Latino students, sheriff's deputies said. Four teens were arrested.

Even then, on Friday, things were calm at the school, said junior Nichole Patterson, 17, a Mix It Up member.

``Everything settled. Those people are gone. Today it seems like everything is better,'' said Patterson, who is not related to the principal.

Cindy Gonzalez, a 17-year-old senior, said the clubs are trying to send a message to younger students that ``We are here to study. We are not here to create riots. High school can be fun but the main thing is to get an education.''

The Mix It Up Club has about 70 students, and the Link Crew between 70 to 100 students.

On the instructional side, the teachers now have a common curriculum from the ninth through 12th grade in English and math that allows for teacher collaboration, provides standards-based textbooks, and creates a focus on academic standards, Bergh said.

Three teaching coaches specialize in English, math and special education, Bergh said.

``The coaches are in the classroom. They are providing techniques and strategies on how to improve instruction. They are also doing model lessons, providing follow-through and accountability in professional development,'' Bergh said.

Patterson described community involvement as ``unprecedented'' through a mentoring program in which about 25 people, including retired firefighters and sheriff's deputies, pastors and deputy probation officers come and talk with 10th-graders about the importance of education.

``They work on self-esteem for the students, social skills, study skills, motivation. They encourage them and let them know how important education is. That's a tremendous asset when you have adult role models,'' Patterson said.

Patterson downplayed the difficulties she faced when she took on her job.

``I think it's easy to hit a target when you have a clear vision and agreed-upon strategies on how you are going to get there. When the SAIT process started, we had a clear outline of what we needed to do and when we needed to complete it by. We have a committed group of teachers who are working hard to move the students ahead and having a clear vision and committed school and support of the community and parents has made a tremendous difference,'' Patterson said.

The current staff is made up those who want to be at Antelope Valley and chose not to go elsewhere, said Duffy, who has worked in the district for 18 years, the last three at Antelope Valley.

``Everyone here now wants to be here. We are all pretty dedicated to helping the students,'' Duffy said.

Said community outreach coordinator Susan Hernandez: ``we all had to adapt. The strong survived and we are still here, standing for what is best, the education of children.''

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Photo:

Antelope Valley High School Principal Karen Patterson, second from right, chats with students, from left, Nichole Patterson, 17, Cindy Gonzalez, 17, Patricia Hart, 17, Kevin Herron, 17, and Camryn Prevost, 17.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer