Rationale
My school, Mt. Pleasant High, is a part of the large urban East Side Union High School District. Mt. Pleasant High School, located in San Jose California is comprised primarily by minority groups. By far our largest population is our Latino students comprising nearly 70% of our approximately 1800 student populations. Asian, Filipino, and East Indian comprise another 25% of our student body, with the remaining being our African American and Caucasian students. Our school has a close to 20% EL or re-designated EL learners, which lends itself to a need of trained teachers who are able to apply EL teaching strategies. Among the parents of our students, approximately 76% of them have never attended or graduated from college. Many of my students will pursue a college degree, but they will be the first in their families to attend college. The major teaching challenges of school continue to be literacy across all subjects and a low percentage of college-ready graduates. Similar to other urban schools, Mt. Pleasant High School students face the daily challenge of their socioeconomic status, which includes poverty. Many are faced with crime, pregnancy, and turbulent lives at home, preventing them from focusing on their life as a student. 4
Comments: