Academics
Dougherty operates on a daily schedule based around six periods, plus an early "A period" to students with an extra elective class in their schedules. The schedule includes a 15 minute "brunch" period early in the day, and a 35 minute lunch period later in the day. Classes at Dougherty start at 7:33 AM for students with an A period and at 8:30 for students without an A period. Wednesday is "Staff Collaboration" day, during which the staff holds a meeting from 7:30 to 8:25 AM. On this day, school starts an hour later for students, and each period is shortened. A 20 minute advisory period is held on Wednesdays to educate students on any additional information the staff wants them to know. A school day ends at 3:00 PM but the schedule is modified for "minimum days" and for final exams. The school's schedule has undergone two minor changes: initially, advisory was on Mondays and lunch was only 30 minutes long.
In order to graduate from Dougherty, students must meet all high school course requirements set by the SRVUSD. These requirements include four years of English; two years of mathematics with the completion of Algebra 1; one year of a life science course, including biology; one year of a physical science, including chemistry or physics. The required social sciences courses are one year of geography, one year of world history, one year of United States history, one semester of American Government, and one semester of Economics. The physical education requirements are one year of ninth grade PE and one year of a tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade PE course; these courses include net sports, team sports, body shaping, weight training, sports conditioning, power walking, and yoga. One semester of health is also mandatory in order to graduate. Many electives are offered. The school's music program, led by Teri Musiel, includes an orchestra, a jazz band, a symphonic band, a concert band, and a choir.
Greatschools.com awarded the school a perfect ten out of ten score, based on a comparison between the school's standardized test scores and those statewide; it is one of the few schools in California to be distinguished as such. In 2009, Dougherty had an Academic Performance Index rank of 905 out of a possible 1000, growing from the 2008 base score of 891. The school was the highest ranked high school in the SRVUSD, the 27th highest high school in the state, and the 744th highest school in the country by API score. In 2011, Dougherty Valley improved by 12 points the previous year with an API score of 921, making them the 3rd highest high school in Contra Costa County as well as the 1st highest high school in SRVUSD. Dougherty Valley also further improved with an API score of 937 in 2012.
Read more about this topic: Dougherty Valley High School
Famous quotes containing the word academics:
“Our first line of defense in raising children with values is modeling good behavior ourselves. This is critical. How will our kids learn tolerance for others if our hearts are filled with hate? Learn compassion if we are indifferent? Perceive academics as important if soccer practice is a higher priority than homework?”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)
“Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. Better that we should spell these out ourselves than leave that task to people with a vested interest in stressing only some of the implications and falsifying others. The idea that academics should remain “above the fray” only gives ideologues license to misuse our work.”
—Stephanie Coontz (b. 1944)