Former OHS administrator Vizzolini principal at Valley Charter

The educational opportunities available to high school students in Stanislaus and surrounding counties includes an early college charter school overseen by a former Orestimba High teacher and administrator.

Valley Charter High School blends high school and college studies, explained Principal Bob Vizzolini of Newman, who recently finished his fifth year at the free, public charter high school in Modesto.

Valley Charter, located next to the Modesto Junior College East Campus, is one of 33 early college high schools in California that are part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Early College initiative.

Freshmen and sophomores are introduced to college academics and the many programs offered by MJC. As juniors and seniors Valley Charter students attend high school (three to four hours each day) on the MJC campus while enrolled in tuition-free college courses at MJC.

“Our juniors and seniors actually take their high school classes in Founders Hall at MJC. It connects them to the college environment,” Vizzolini explained. “We have kids who graduate from high school with 30 or 40 college credits.

“The whole idea behind it is to make the transition from high school to college less of an obstacle for students, particularly for those from families that do not have a lot of college experience,” he continued. “By the time they graduate from high school, they know how to handle college.”

Students are not left on their own to handle the college environment. “They have our support while taking the college courses,” Vizzolini explained. “We work with them to make sure that they are doing well in the college classes.”

Students are given 10 high school credits for every three college credits they earn.

Vizzolini said four core values drive the charter school program: Academics, attitude, attendance and accountability.

Students learn the same core academics taught in traditional high schools, he noted, and are held to the same standards and take part in the STAR testing program. Valley Charter’s ranking of 8 on the 1-10 scale comparing performance of all high schools statewide was second highest in Stanislaus County, Vizzolini added.

Valley Charter also offers an independent study option in which students meet weekly with teachers but do their school work independently at home. Appointments can be scheduled to accommodate carpooling by students from the same outlying area.

Valley Charter is open to any student from Stanislaus or neighboring counties who are eligible to attend their own high schools. It is not an alternative for those who have been expelled or fallen behind on credits at their school.

Unlike typical transfers between schools, Vizzolini said, no inter-district approval is required to enroll in Valley Charter.

With 260 students, he added, the charter option offers a personalized, small-school atmosphere.

“Teachers get to know their students, which benefits everybody, especially the students who might slide by under the radar at a larger high school,” Vizzolini remarked. “It really is more of an individualized learning program.”

Those interested in the program are cautioned that a charter school setting is not for every student.

Transportation is not provided, charter schools do not have the traditional campus facilities and there are no sports programs.

“Students do give up some things to come to our school, but in exchange for that they get tremendous support and smaller class sizes,” Vizzolini reflected.

Valley Charter is an independent school district authorized by the Stanislaus County Office of Education.

Persons seeking additional information about the charter school may call 238-6800. The school will also have staff and student representatives at the Vintage Faire Mall Saturday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.