Balboa High School Law Academy
2000-2001
Mission Statement
The Balboa High School Law Academy prepares juniors and seniors for college and careers through a rigorous academic program and an emphasis on community and interdependence. The academy promotes the success of all participants and empowers students with methods to create social, legal, and economic justice in their communities.
Program Goals
- Prepare
students for college and career by helping them to envision the future and
to acquire high-level academic and career skills.
- Instill
in students a sense of community and interdependence to promote the
success of all participants.
- Empower
students with methods to create and inspire social, legal, and economic
justice in their communities.
Projects and Student Work
- Each
student will create a resume and have extensive practice in interviewing
skills.
- Each
junior will take a practice SAT at least twice a year and visit at least
two Bay Area colleges.
- Students
will demonstrate proficiency in each district writing type for their grade
level.
- Students
will produce one major research project per semester.
- Students
will improve their reading scores on the STAR 9 by at least 5%.
- Students
will complete a survey evaluate their sense of community at the beginning,
middle and end of the year.
- Each
student will successfully complete a conflict resolution and communication
skills workshop in the fall.
- Students
will create a database of targeted community members to whom they will
disseminate information.
- Students
will identify a community need or political issue and address it to a
relevant audience.
Courses Offered
§
American Literature
§
U.S. History
§
Pre-Law
Fall 2000
Traditionally, Law Academy teachers have encouraged students
to challenge, question and reflect upon the history and literature they
read. The U.S. History course focuses
on individuals’ rights and resistance to oppression, and these themes resonate
throughout all of the courses. This
fall, the theme of prisons, both as a reality and as a metaphor, will be the
foundation for all instructional units.
Students will be asked how history and the justice system can both
imprison us and how it can be used to liberate us.