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California high schools range, like most across the nation, from those high in standards to those severely lacking in quality, in tools and materials, and in morale.

But as a community college instructor who taught at-risk students from the California high schools in the summer, I would like to focus on the quality institutions using the same information you can find on a number of websites.

HIGHEST RANKED CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOLS

The child left behind policy/program came along long after most of these schools were already reaching high. Such schools are ranked by the California Department of Education, given how they sit on the scale: the 1-10 indicating whether the school is in the top one percent through the top ten percent of all schools in the state. (Such demographics as follows are included in the ranking process: grade level, level of parents education, and number of students getting free or reduced-price lunch [according to greatschools.net].)

Here are some of the highest ranking schools, for example, in the San Mateo and San Francisco County districts:

At 9 are Aragon High School, Burlingame High School, and Carlmont High School.

At 8 is Hillsdale High School, which is in a more upscale neighborhood, by the way.

At 7, in primarily working-class surroundings, are El Camino High School, Capuchino High School, and Half Moon Bay High School.

And at 2, in the heart of San Francisco on Mission Street, is Jefferson High School.

MOST MANAGABLE CLASSROOM SIZED CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOLS

Another important criterion in the evaluation of high schools is how small the classrooms remain the teachers clearly able to provide more quality instruction to the more controlled sizes.

Keep in mind that while average size protocol hasnt changed all that much in many years, population changes have impacted the attempts to keep the average number of students per classroom down to between 20-30.

The following averages, then, according to the standards set by and the reports made by the Dept of Education and others, do not account for classes with more than 50 students (lecture classes, for example), classes taught by department chairs, or special education classes (according to CADOE, 2005-06):

With an average of 25 students per classroom, Jefferson might use this stat to account for its high success/ranking. Close behind 27 students per class on average is Hillsdale. Capuchino and El Camino follow with an average of 28 students per classroom. And with 30 per class on average are Carlmont, Half Moon Bay, and Burlingame. Aragon has 31.

CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOLS WITH SPECIAL SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMS

Might affordable nourishment also account for highly ranking success?

At Burlingame and Aragon high schools, 2 and 5 percent of the students reportedly participate in the federal free and reduced-price lunch program(s). 8 percent do so at Hillsdale High. Respectively, 13, 14, and 17 percent participate in the program(s) at El Camino, Carlmont, and Capuchino. And 24, 25, and 26 percent receive free or reduced cost lunches at High Tech High, Half Moon Bay, and Baden. And again, Jefferson High sees 44% of the students taking the free or reduced-price lunches.

Other factors are important in the assessing of California high schools, but classroom size reduction, the institution of affordable lunches programs, and the relentless devotion on behalf of parents, teachers, and high school administrators clearly contribute to the student’s successful futures.

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There has always been a lucrative market for books for children. Parents will know that the bedtime story is an opportunity for parent and child to bond. For some reason, human beings need stories and children particularly need that parallel world. Fairy stories, as well as being entertaining, also served to teach good moral values in the child. Then, books for children tended to split into stories for boys and stories for girls. This demarcation line is more blurred today.

Boys have always tended to read adventure stories involving pirates, explorers, and soldiers. Girls were apt to read about ponies, finishing schools, and training to be a nurse. Occasionally in books for children, there would be a tomboy such as George in the Famous Five books. The past told of an idyllic world where children could safely play all day in the woods or on the river, unsupervised by interfering adults. In today’s books for children, the girls get stuck into dangerous situations as much as the boys. Take Hermione Aprende from the Harry Potter books, for instance.

The modern reader may think the classic books for children from yesteryear to be a little quaint, but that’s part of their charm. Reading them is similar to snuggling in front of an old black and white movie. It’s a comfort blanket. The world of Peter Pan and Wind In The Willows is reassuring.

Every so often, children’s fiction throws up a genius. Roald Dahl was one such man, when he wrote books for children, creating edgy stories in which few grown ups were to be trusted. There is more cynicism and less naivety in his books. The world sadly lost Roald Dahl, but there was another genius waiting around the corner, and her name is JK Rowling.

The Harry Potter books seem to appeal as much to boys and girls. Boys who had never expressed any interest in reading voluntarily now await the next Potter book impatiently. Some critics say there is no place for religion in the Potter world, and children should not be exposed to the dark arts of magic. Read any of the Potter books for children, and the child will learn about comradeship, loyalty and courage. Not bad values for any of us.

Publishers are desperately looking for the next success story in books for children. It could be someone being rejected right now. JK Rowling was turned down nine times before her first book was accepted.

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Oh brother, not more Bratz dolls. Okay, I realize that kids go gaga over toys, but my seven year old daughter is killing me with all the Bratz dolls. She basically always wants a new one. What is this toy company trying to do? Oh yeah, probably make some serious dough. Well, we can all understand that. There are just so many toys to keep up with these days. Have you taken a gander at the infinite ads on television? Since my daughter is always watching those channels like Nick Jr and Cartoon Network, she is constantly flooded with toy advertisements. But we parents are on to these ad executives. We know their deal. They’re clearly trying to brainwash our little ones with enticing ads in order to get our hard-earned cash. Okay, who am I kidding; it’s working.

Have you ever dropped some cash on Bratz dolls? Actually, have you ever heard of Bratz dolls? Well, if you have a little girl, then your answer is probably yes. These contemporary, made-up fashionable toys can be spotted virtually anywhere. That’s right; you can’t escape the phenomenon known as Bratz dolls. My question is; what ever happened to Barbie? Wasn’t that the rage amongst young girls forever? Poor Barbie kind of got kicked to the curb when the new-age Bratz dolls came along. The funny thing about these dolls is the emphasis on their heads. If you take a look at a Bratz doll, you will surely know what I mean. Their faces are rather profound and perfectly painted with make-up. Certainly an emphasis on the old eye shadow, which is clearly a trend now days. This is the way the toy companies are appealing to the youths. Give them a doll that truly suits the era and fashion trends. Instead of the standard chipper, yet elegant and kind Barbie, you now have the more rebellious, yet beautiful doll that catches the young female eye. Let’s face it, we all want to be rebellious at some point.

Are you in search of some new Bratz dolls for your little lady? Toys R Us is loaded with these modern day gifts. In addition to virtually any toy store in town, the World-Wide-Web has basically every Bratz doll you could possibly dream of. Delve into cyberspace and find your child’s desired Bratz doll today. It’s never too early to start that Christmas and birthday shopping.

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