California Charter Academy -- Public Safety Academy Begins First Full Year at San Bernardino Airport.

News Editors/Education Writers

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 2003

Premier Public Safety High School Offers Hands-On Training by

Professional Public Safety Officers and Allows for Immediate Public

Safety Career Opportunities and Higher Education Acceptance Upon

Graduation

High school begins this year for California Charter Academy's -- Public Safety Academy cadets on a new campus at the San Bernardino Airport with classes also held at the nearby San Bernardino City Fire Station #232.

"After three years of guiding and growing my dream of a high school public safety training academy we are here! Our program is located at a fire station which exposes our students to the daily ins and outs of a fire-fighting career," said Michael Dickinson, a retired firefighter and the program's director. "That coupled with the extensive public safety subjects such as First Responder, Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and Emergency Medical Training gives our students real knowledge and experience in public safety careers. We are graduating young men and women who excel in academics, public safety, discipline, community service, and personal interaction. I am proud to serve next to them."

After experiencing a severe injury on the job as a San Bernardino City Firefighter and Arson Investigator, Dickinson was no longer able to serve in the department. Keeping his passion for fire fighting and public safety and his connections within the industry, he decided to reach out to the young people in San Bernardino to give them opportunities that had never been available to them in the past. In the fall of 2000, Dickinson opened up CCA -- PSA with just a few students who studied their academic subjects independently while they attended career oriented seminars at the San Bernardino Professional Fire Fighters Union Hall. They started the 2001-2002 school year with 40 students. Dickinson continued to develop curriculum and work towards a professional academy experience and in the fall of 2002-2003 they moved to a storefront in the City of San Bernardino and transitioned the high school students to a seat time program for both high school credits and career training subjects. This year the academy opens with 110 students, six certified core subject teachers, and 10 part-time certified instructors teaching the public safety curriculum.

While meeting the state standards of the core high school subjects, to keep subjects relevant, the academy integrates public safety into class lessons. Much of the English and grammar lessons are spent on report writing as the importance of good grammar and clear and concise writing is emphasized. Students are required to defend their reports and the way in which they are written. Students also practice advanced public speaking in English class. This year the history classes will be doing reports on 9-11. Math classes integrate public safety lessons such as fire ground hydraulics, gallons per minute, ballistics, blood spatter analysis, and traffic collision skid patterns.

Students participate in professional academy style physical training (PT) daily. These lessons are aligned with physical administration entrance exams for police and fire academies. Students learn to march in cadence, drill and ceremony marching, scaling walls, throwing ladders, pulling hoses, and obstacle courses along with stretching, conditioning, aerobic exercise, and weight lifting.

In conjunction with Crafton Hills Community College, many of the public safety classes offered at CCA -- PSA count as college survey classes in the public safety fields. Currently students take Fire Science 101, Paramedic Training, and will have Criminal Justice 101 approved later this semester. The academy is adding a Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate program this year as well.

Career experiences at CCA -- PSA expose students to a variety of public safety jobs through many events. The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department does weekly training on such subjects as policing and hand cuffing techniques, penal code, and the constitution. Students also participate in fire-fighting activities under the supervision of the city's fire department such as the obstacle course, controlled burns, hose techniques, fire musters, and maintaining a fire station. The students are exposed to a variety of unique experiences such as last year's tour of Air Force One.

Students participate yearly in the "Will to Survive" exercise wearing a "red man" suit, a body protected suit. They run for five minutes and box for three minutes. The lesson teaches an important public safety skill, the will to survive. This skill carries over into on-the-job situations such as being stuck in a collapsed building or being shot. The officer can reach into him or herself and extract just a bit more energy to survive the situation.

The goal of each student is to excel at academics and personal discipline. Some students decide not to pursue public safety careers upon graduation, but the majority do and have already crossed many of the hurdles needed to enter careers and college public safety programs. For example two graduates last year were hired by the California Department of Forestry, having already completed their vocational training in the academy and one graduate, the valedictorian, now attends Pepperdine University with an undeclared major.

About California Charter Academy -- Public Safety Academy

Public Safety is a very demanding occupation that requires intensive training and education. High School students interested in this field will find the training they need at the California Charter Academy's Public Safety Academy. The academy is a school that links students with peers, teachers and community partners in a disciplined environment fostering academic success and mental and emotional health. Our school was created to help students obtain a meaningful educational, as well as occupational experience. CCA -- PSA allows our youth to belong to a smaller educational community and to connect what they learn in school with their career aspirations and goals. Students receive state approved high school credits and industry approved vocational training through the teaching of our credentialed teachers using state and industry approved curriculum. For the school year 2003-2004 we will have 110 students.

About California Charter Academy

California Charter Academy (CCA) is made up of four charters, leading California's parents and students in the opportunity of choice in education. CCA's first charter opened its doors in 1999 and all staff and teachers work toward our mission of providing quality education through creativity and innovation. Many of the students CCA serves are those who have had trouble excelling in the traditional school setting and CCA believes that all students should have the opportunity of a quality education. Educational programs at CCA are customized to fit the educational needs of the communities they serve and include customized high school completion programs in conjunction with several local non-profit organizations, in addition to educational programs designed for specific immigrant populations, community-based elementary and high school programs, and many others that cater to the needs of California's diverse populations. CCA's headquarters are located in Southern California and they have programs across the state.