Our School : The Inspiring Story of Two Teachers, One Big Idea, and the School That Beat the Odds

Honest, engaging, and inspiring, Our School tells the story of Downtown College Prep, a public charter high school in San Jose that recruits underachieving students and promises to prepare them for four-year colleges and universities. The average student enters ninth grade with fifth-grade reading and math skills. Many have slid through school without doing homework. Some barely speak English. Tracking the innovative and pioneering program, award-winning journalist Joanne Jacobs follows the young principal who tries to shake the hand of every student each day, the dedicated teachers who inspire teens to break free from their histories of failure, and the immigrant parents who fight to protect their children from gangs. Capturing our hearts are the students who overcome tremendous odds: Roberto, who struggles to learn English; Larissa, a young mother; Pedro, who signals every mood change with a different hair cut; Selena, who's determined to use college as her escape from drudgery; the girls of the very short, never-say-die basketball team; and the Tech Challenge competitors. Some will give up on their dreams. Those who stick with the school will go on to college. This gritty yet hopeful book provides a new understanding of what makes a school work and how desire, pride, and community--ganas, orgullo, and communidad--can put students on track for success in life. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 1 Crossing Over......Page 14 2 Fighting the Blob......Page 22 3 A School of Our Own......Page 28 4 Downtown College Purgatory......Page 42 5 This Is DCP!......Page 52 6 Vamos, Caballeros......Page 60 7 Conflict and Resolution......Page 70 8 Strike 67......Page 84 9 Outside the Box......Page 90 10 Life Dreams......Page 96 11 On Trial......Page 102 12 The Shortest Basketball Team in America......Page 110 13 Last Chance at First Semester......Page 116 14 The Zoot Suiters......Page 122 15 Red Flag......Page 132 16 The Efficiency Expert......Page 136 17 Patience......Page 140 18 Carrying the Torch......Page 148 19 Principal's Day......Page 152 20 The Knife......Page 160 21 F No Es Fabuloso......Page 168 22 Class of '06......Page 178 23 Awake......Page 184 24 Altius, Fortius......Page 190 25 Building for the Future......Page 198 26 Ride the Carrot Salad......Page 208 27 Lessons Learned......Page 214 28 The Charter Debate......Page 222 29 Commencement......Page 226 Appendix: How to Start a Charter School......Page 234 Notes......Page 238 C......Page 244 E......Page 245 M......Page 246 S......Page 247 U......Page 248 Z......Page 249