Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How will the Mark Twain Academies differ from RHS, SMHS, and PVHS?
A: The existing high schools are comprehensive high schools which means they try to be all things for all students. The schools have 2000+ students and many get lost in the shuffle. Eventually, the ability of the students to choose from a variety of academies will be our greatest difference, but in the beginning, the primary differences will include: an emphasis on "belongingness," students learning at their own paces, parents sharing in student learning and the governance of the school, and, most importantly, the fundamental belief that the learning of every student should and can be maximized.

Q: How much does it cost to attend the Mark Twain Academies?
A: Since the school is a public, charter high school, students attend for free.

Q: When will the school offer all of the academies?
A: The academies will be added one at a time (we hope one each year). The order of adding the academies will be determined by two factors: demand and facility constraints.

Q: How will students be chosen to attend the school?
A: Students will be recruited from a wide range of backgrounds. Students will not be excluded because of race, gender, or ability level. Students will be strongly cautioned that the academic expectations of the school will be far higher than the expectations at any of the other high schools. However, the expectations are dependent upon individual ability. The goal of the school is to encourage each student to maximize her learning potential regardless of how high or how low that potential may be. Students will never be discouraged from attending our school because of low learning potential, only because of a lack of motivation.

Q: Will students be dropped from the school?
A: We hope not. Our goal will be to encourage every student to be successful. Yet we will not allow any student who is not making a genuine effort to succeed to take the place of any other student in the district who truly wants to learn. Every student will have weekly, individualized learning plans that will be based on the ability levels, goals, and preferences of each student. Students who do not meet their goals will be placed on probation. Students on probation will be expected to have parents and/or guardians play a more active part in the construction of the learning plans.

Q: When the academies are created, will students who attend the academies only learn about fixing cars for example?
A: No. All students will spend some part of each week completing the high academic standards of the school. As students meet and exceed their academic goals, they will earn increasingly greater freedom in attending classes within their respective academies. The academies will serve as an incentive to encourage performance in the four core areas of English, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

Q: Will students have the opportunity to learn foreign languages?
A: All students will become bilingual in Spanish. We believe that by specializing in Spanish, all students can gain mastery far beyond what could otherwise be attained. There will be immersion periods, reading, listening, and role-playing activities on a daily basis as well as recommended summer and after school programs. We will encourage communication and school summer exchanges with sister cities in Mexico, Central America, and South America. However, students who may desire to learn additional languages will be encouraged to study these languages as projects within their respective academies. Students will also be encouraged to take these classes at Hancock College after school.

Q: Will students be able to take sports?
A: We are now exploring the possibility of having our own teams in some sports. If we do decide to have any sports, no students will be "cut" from these teams. We are presently exploring other options for our students and will update this question as we gather more information.

Q: Will students take P.E. classes?
A: Students will take P.E., but the classes will be much different. Students will be expected to spend one half-hour three times a week engaged in aerobic conditioning. The other two days will be spent learning a lifetime sport of their choice such as yoga, dance, cycling, kayaking, or many others. Everyone at the Academies (including all staff) will be expected to participate in the conditioning. Students and staff will exercise together.

Q: What will the student/staff ratio be in the academies?
A: This ratio will vary from academy-to-academy. Student-directed and managed learning provides the foundation upon which the school is based. Most students most of the day will be working in one of the learning centers where there will be many tutors. We will encourage prospective teaching interns from the area colleges, parents, and retired teacher-volunteers to join the technicians and teachers from the school. We expect the student/adult helper ratio to be under 20. However, this ratio will depend upon the ability of the Academy to attract quality, energetic individuals who want to enrich the lives of young people.

Q: Where will the school be located?
A: We are still not certain about a site. It is probable at this point that we will have our own campus adjacent to the SMHS campus. However, many factors will play into this decision. It will be at least February or March before this decision will be made by the SMJUHSD Board. Wherever our school is located, however, it will be a clean and safe campus. If we are located adjacent to the Santa Maria campus, our school will be entirely separate from SMHS in every respect.