The History of High School Prep
Beyond the Promotion: Why the Middle School to High School Transition Matters
I watched as Amanda strode across the Stanley Middle School stage. It was her eighth-grade promotion, and we were filled with excitement, but also apprehension. Stanley had done its best to prepare her, and we were grateful for the teachers and support along the way. But the transition from middle school to high school is still a big leap, and even after teaching in the Acalanes Union High School District for almost twenty years, I knew how quickly things can change once students hit high school.
I could tell Amanda was ready. She was excited to start at Campolindo in the fall, and I was proud of her.
For the first time, Amanda and I were about to be at the same school. I knew firsthand that high school is where everything starts to move faster, the stakes are higher, and everything counts.
I had actually been prepping for this moment for a long time, though. Four years earlier, I left my AP European History position at Las Lomas and moved to Campolindo as a Learning Skills teacher so I could be there for both of my kids during their high school years.
The Secret to Student Success is Systems
Over my two decades of teaching, I started to notice something: the students who consistently did well weren’t always the ones who came in “naturally smart.” They were the ones who had optimized their study strategies, knew how to advocate for themselves, and were fully bought in. I
thought to myself, how can we ask students to give it their best for more than six hours a day (not including homework) if they (a) are not given the right tools to succeed and (b) do not understand the whole picture and why it matters?
And honestly, I’ve watched too many great kids start to believe they were “bad at school” when they’re really just missing a system.
When Amanda’s name was called, I clapped, smiled, and tried to stay present, but my mind kept drifting. I looked around at all these families celebrating, taking photos, cheering for their kids, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the challenges ahead.
I began texting Amanda’s basketball teammates’ parents. “If I host a high school prep workshop this summer, would your daughter be interested?” All of them said yes.
So I got to work. I began creating a curriculum: goal setting, GPA clarity, study strategies, reading comprehension, organization, confidence, understanding GPA, and self-advocacy skills. I built it around the habits I’d seen in my most successful students.
High School Prep Workshop Begins
I taught my first workshop in the summer of 2014 and got raving reviews. I saw firsthand the impact the workshop had on my daughter, Amanda. Things started to click for her. She kept all her assignments in one place instead of trying to remember everything.
She stopped letting missing work pile up and started knocking out the small stuff first to build momentum. And when she needed help, she reached out. She emailed teachers with questions and asked for clarification before tests.
My son, Giorgio, was next. Amanda, who now had a whole year of high school under her belt, offered a new perspective, and the students loved having someone beside me they could ask questions to. Every summer since, she has taught these workshops with me.
As the student experience has changed over the years, we’ve continued to adjust the curriculum to reflect what students are facing now.
We’re grateful for every student and family who has trusted us over the years. And we’re just getting started.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and ensure your student is on the best possible path for their future goals.
