Skunking the flunking

So far this school year, 100% of Orange Coast Middle College High School students have avoided failing grades.It is probably the least-talked-about site in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and by far the smallest: two buildings tucked at the back of the Orange Coast College campus, so obscure they’re not even visible from the street.

But Orange Coast Middle College High School, which combines high school and college courses, has a remarkable streak going this year. When the 94 students returned from winter break on Wednesday, not one of them was failing a single subject.

“I think the odds are good that every student who is in our program now will graduate in June,” said principal Bob Nanney.

At the end of the school’s first semester, which ended in December, no student at Middle College had an F on his or her report card. If the campus stays on track for the next five months, it will have achieved a perfect academic year -- a first for Middle College, and a rarity for schools in general.

Middle College, which opened nine years ago, is the most selective campus in Newport-Mesa. To enroll in the school, students must complete their 10th-grade requirements, submit applications and provide referrals from staff at their previous sites. While at Middle College, they must take a minimum of three units at OCC each semester in addition to their high school work.

Due to its strict requirements and small class sizes, Middle College frequently produces some of the highest marks in Newport-Mesa. Last year, the school’s Academic Performance Index -- a statewide indicator that rates campuses’ growth by standardized test scores -- was the second-best of any high school in the district.

So far, 2005-06 is a banner year for Middle College. Nanney said that only seven students at the school even have Ds on their report cards, while 22 students have three A’s or more -- triple the amount from the previous year.

Teachers and students at Middle College said they were impressed by the numbers, but many shrugged them off as business as usual.

“I’m aware of it in my classes, certainly,” social science teacher Stephen Harper said of the perfect record. “Because we’re a small school, we’re able to provide services to students. We’re not patting ourselves on the back. This is how it should be.”

Students, who arrived Wednesday morning to pick up their schedule cards for the new semester, said the combination of high school and college courses motivated them to study harder.

“The students who would have gotten Fs were motivated by teachers saying, ‘No, you won’t,’” said senior Alyssa Koestner, 17. “Our principal knows us by our first names. Our counselor knows us, and they all care.”

Alyssa had covered her college units for the semester by enrolling in English and psychology classes at OCC. Other students made unique choices: Senior Dan de Arakal, 17, was taking Music as a Business, while classmate Monica Melgar, 17, had opted for a stretching class.

The OCC classes are good for high school elective credit at Middle College and also help students work toward an associate’s degree. Some students earn their degree and diploma at the same time, although it isn’t mandatory.

Taking courses at both levels, Monica noted, can lead to some displacement.

“Sometimes I’ll look around my college classes, and everyone’s acting like they’re in high school except me,” she said.20060121itbgfrncDOUGLAS ZIMMERMAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Orange Coast Middle College High School student Stephanie Finney picks up her schedule from office manager Dawn Jack on Wednesday.