About Us

Mission Statement:

Nueva High School fosters an environment that promotes student educational, vocational, and personal success. We strive to empower students to enter the work force or pursue post-secondary education, and to be responsible and productive members of society.

Nueva Continuation High School began operating during the 1970/1971 school year. Nueva is one of five continuation sites in the Kern High School District. Students who have reached the age of 16, or are juniors or seniors are enrolled at Nueva.

Most of Nueva’s students have generally been unsuccessful at a traditional high schools setting for a number of reasons: poor attendance, discipline issues, life circumstances, and more. Beginning in the fall of 2013, Nueva began offering an Opportunity Program for freshman and sophomores experiencing discipline issues at their home school. Nueva has always welcomed students of carious abilities and backgrounds.

Nueva students are taught by highly qualified instructors and attend state and district mandated academic courses necessary for high school graduation. Each graduate from Nueva must earn the district required 220 credits and receives a Kern High School District diploma. Additionally, Nueva students have access to a full time academic counselor and Nueva’s community specialist provides necessary, appropriate services to families and students.

In addition to providing state mandated academic courses for high school graduation, Nueva emphasizes guidance, career orientation, and work experience. Nueva offers Quest for Success (A Workforce Investment Act Job Program), junior college and private college visits and on campus visitations, and a career/college fair each fall and spring.

Each senior completes a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and parents are encouraged to attend a FAFSA workshop offered one evening each spring.

Beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, each student will participate in a Career Choice class. Students will participate in an interdisciplinary curriculum that engages them in an interactive learning process, helping them to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to successfully:

–  Examine their own lives

– Explore and evaluate a wide range of education and career options

–  Make reasoned and researched goals for their future

Each student will develop an individualized, online 10-year plan that motivates them to envision a self-sufficient, productive life beyond high school, college, or post-secondary training.

Nueva High School enjoys a strong, positive reputation. Students are provided with the opportunity to learn in small class sizes on an intimate campus where positive adult relationships are encouraged and fostered. Nueva’s reputation as a safe, inclusive campus where bullying isn’t tolerated and student and adult safety is paramount is well deserved. Student and parent surveys allow Nueva to continue to improve and grow along with the local community.

Nueva strives to provide students with challenging and rewarding experiences in a positive learning environment. Each class has a mix of high level and low level students, thus requiring a variety of teaching strategies and differentiated instruction.  Nueva began offering an Opportunity program in November 2013-2014 for those students under the age of 16 who would not otherwise qualify to attend a continuation school. Rather than stigmatizing the Opportunity students by having them attend a self-contained classroom, they attend the core and elective courses all students attend. Nueva’s intervention specialist works closely with the Opportunity students offering Forward Thinking, Brief Intervention, and Aggression Replacement Therapy as appropriate and necessary. Additionally, Opportunity students participate in Garden Pathways, AmeriCorps, and the upcoming Garden Pathway program for female students. Mentoring programs are provided, as well as access to counseling through Clinica Sierra Vista. Nueva works diligently to offer and provide as many programs and services as possible to meet student needs.

 

Nueva began enrolling small number of Special Education students during the 2016-2017 school year. These students have an IEP from their home school stating that placement at Nueva is in the student’s best interest and students receive support from the Special Education department of their home school. Also, Nueva’s community specialist or intervention specialist speak almost daily with the students to be sure their needs are being met.

 

Technology has become a major component of the school program.  Nueva is a W-Fi school. SmartBoards, digital overhead projectors, and document cameras are present in each classroom. Nueva has 160 Chromebooks and all classes have desktops or Chromebooks available for all classes and students. Nueva became the first school in the KHSD to be a one to one student ratio Chromebook or desktop campus. Four of seven teachers, and the site administrator, have attended a District sponsored GAFE conference and several teachers have attended district technology workshops. Additionally, staff led technology training in Google Classroom, Illuminate, Kahoot, Newsela, and more have been included in campus PLCs and staff meetings.  Technology is implemented with collaboration between Nueva’s staff, the Kern High School District, students and parents to develop a curriculum that is fully integrated with technology.