Redwood Revamp: Understanding the Academy Model Transition

With about 2,500 students, how does a school manage to represent and help every single voice? This year, Dr. Gridiron plans to target support for each student at Redwood High School with an academy model.

By: Isabel Barycki

With about 2,500 students at Redwood High School, trying to represent and manage each individual student can be a difficult task. As a way to take on this task, Dr. Brandon Gridiron, Redwood’s Principal who has been working in school administration for 14 years, has transitioned Redwood into an academy model.

Dr. Gridiron describes an academy model as a way in which schools structure support for their students. This can be seen through specialized pathways, targeted support, skill development, and more.

Through an academy model Dr. Gridiron says, “We identify that there are groups of kids within grade levels that may need additional support and more targeted support.”

The academy model implemented this year includes a group of teams for each grade level. Each group consists of a Principal, administrative assistant, as well as two counselors. “Kind of like a school within a school,” says Dr. Gridiron. Each grade level has specific focuses and needs, and with one group of staff pertaining to one specific grade level’s needs instead of an entire school, it allows for a better represented group.

But how does the needs of each group differ? 9th graders typically need the most support as they are learning how to acclimate to a high school. Dr. Gridiron says, “what we want to do is we want to make sure we have a team of people that target support for them, that is focused really on that 8th to 9th grade transition.”

While Freshmen learn to acclimate to high school, Juniors and Seniors are learning how to transition out of it and into college. Dr. Gridiron says, “the goal of an academy model is that when they leave us by their 12th grade year that they’ve learned all the things they’ve needed to learn at each level to be successful, and then that they graduate.”

“I really want people to understand that it’s not necessarily anything new, it’s a more structured way of providing support for students,” says Dr. Gridiron.

Roy Orosco, who has been assistant Principal for 4 years and has been in education for more than 10, is Principal for the Freshmen academy.

As Principal of the Freshmen academy, his role is to, “support the students and support the teachers,” Mr. Orosco says.

Support can come in many ways, what Freshmen need most, Mr. Orosco says is, “they just need guidance.”

Mr. Orosco has been guiding Freshmen in multiple ways, “I recently have been completing Freshmen class presentations on the academic dashboard, so they can monitor their progress and academics,” he says.

Not only students, but parents are supported as well, “I plan on holding some workshops for the parents this year,” says Mr. Orosco.

More experienced students, like Juniors and Seniors can also play a role in helping Freshmen’s success, Mr. Orosco says, “Juniors and Seniors guiding the Freshmen on the social norms at Redwood, will be huge to their success.”

Anna Ramirez, Principal of the 10th grade academy, has been in education for about 26 years, and administrator with Visalia Unified since 2019. She is in charge of the Sophomore academy as Principal.

As Principal for the Sophomore academy, Mrs. Ramirez says her role is to, “ensure and provide support in all areas for the tenth graders to ensure that they are successful.” Mrs. Ramirez says, “not only for the 10th graders but for the staff as well.”

Before the school year started, Mrs. Ramirez was involved in helping support Sophomores through a Sophomore Social. “they need to be involved in positive activities at school” says Mrs. Ramirez.

“Hopefully it’s the first of many to come,” Mrs. Ramirez says. To support Sophomores, Ramirez along with parents and staff have meetings planned to collaborate and put more positive events into motion.

Not only the Sophomore academy Principal, but as administrator over all interventions, Mrs. Ramirez notes the menu of interventions added this year for all grades. the menu of interventions essentially provides support for all students whether they are struggling with academics, attendance, or behavior, by acknowledging those behaviors and providing any resources that they may need. interventions can be seen through, “enrichment, support, as well as activities,” says Mrs. Ramirez.

“I feel that having the Academy Model that we have, and especially for our Sophomores, its going to elevate the level of success for the Sophomores,” Mrs. Ramirez says.

Christopher Frankland has been in education for 22 years, 3rd year as Principal at Redwood, Junior and Senior academy Principal at Redwood.

Mr. Frankland describes his role as Principal for Juniors and Seniors as supporting them whether that may be helping them get in contact with the right people. Schedule change issues, counselor concerns, and parent concerns are all things that Mr. Frankland helps oversee.

Mr. Frankland notes the importance of academic interventions for Juniors and Seniors success. Mr. Frankland says, “having something in place so that if students are struggling academically, we can intervene and get support for them.”

This year, there is a focus on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASP) english and math scores for Juniors. Mr. Frankland plans to help Juniors by, “getting into classrooms and talking to our students.”

For Seniors, Senior slump is a real challenge, what Mr. Frankland says is most important for Seniors, and Juniors as well, is, “goals, I think that they need to show up with a purpose.”

“I’m excited about it, I’m excited to work with the students that we have here, I do hope to get in front of students more and just kind of lay out expectations, even if its just to encourage students,” says Mr. Frankland.

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