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Lancaster Math Annex Grand Opening
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New Math Annex Opens at Desert Sands Charter High School

On June 7, 2004, Desert Sands High School’s Math Annex will celebrate its grand opening at the Lancaster campus. In effect since November 2003 at the Palmdale campus, this program for math has helped to graduate nearly 150 students and now will continue to help high school students at both campuses.

The Math Lab has a series of math specific courses taught by math-credentialed teachers. It was originally implemented to meet the need for supplemental mathematics education for the students of Desert Sands and to provide personalized instruction to the students.

"We found that 68 percent of our students had approximately a 6.9 grade level in math and reading," said Donald A. Manzo, District Educational Administrator for both Desert Sands campuses. "We realized a need for additional help in these areas. The new curriculum in the Math and Reading Lab is geared to meet the needs of the low achieving student. The curriculum combined with a highly qualified teacher seem to be a solution to improve student ability levels."

The program begins by screening the students to determine proper level placement. The students are then placed into one of two tracks, the ‘A track’ for low-achieving students, and the ‘CP track’ for college preparatory students. Both curriculums meet state standards for high school mathematics education.

"The students ability drives the curriculum completely," Manzo said. "They go at their own pace and the teachers personalizes their lessons around the students’ understanding of the topics."

Xenia Summers, a student attending the Math Annex at the Palmdale campus, speaks highly of the program. "I find math easier in this class and I like the fact that you do the work on your own. I can always ask the teacher to explain something to me if I need additional help," Summers said. In addition to attending Desert Sands, Summers also works full time.

Desert Sands High School is a charter school providing Antelope Valley students an alternative route to getting a high school diploma. With 1,115 students currently enrolled at both campuses, it is the third largest independent study high school in the state of California. Desert Sands targets at risk students and those that are academically challenged; however, many students simply chose the independent study format over the traditional high school academic structure.

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