Pacific Horizons Alternative High School

Pacific Horizons Alternative High School was the first (and only?) school in Stockton USD's history to offer curriculum resulting from student/teacher collaboration. Students were selected from applicants from 3 local high schools Edison, Franklin, and Stagg. The selection process included parent/teacher panel interviews where students answered questions about their suitability and commitment to their education. A subgroup of students then spent the first summer collaborating with staff to help direct Fall course offerings. The first year was modeled after a typical college program where students could select courses of interest in addition to state requirements with classes being held on alternating days for up to half the day. This, in addition to the low student/teacher ratio allowed for more focused instruction and student/teacher interaction. The following year the school transitioned from the college modeled program to an apprentice/career program requiring students to enter the community and recruit a professional in their chosen career to apprentice with. A project paper and presentation was due at the end of the year to show what the student had learned. The original faculty consisted of a principal/headmaster and five teachers:

Hugh Norris-principal
Don Hanham-Science
Pam Hanham-Language Arts
Pete Hernandez-Math
Carl Toliver-Social Studies
John Spooner-Art

Carl is now the superintendent of Stockton USD