Criminals' open house highlights centennial

This school year is filled with milestones at Yuma High. Among them? The 100th open house.

A century of Criminal activity is one of the many topics on the table at the school's open house Thursday. One official says it's also a great way to get to know the school's expectations.

"I want to communicate and collaborate with parents and students," said Lilian Campa-Serna, assistant principal of academics.

The open house will welcome parents and students to Snider Auditorium, 400 S. 6th Ave., at 5:45 p.m., where they can pick up student schedules. At 6:20 p.m. after the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem, introductions will be made, followed by a presentation about school regulations and upcoming events for the centennial year.

Yuma High achieved several milestones recently, including highest scores in the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards for writing within the district, first school to have a dress code in the district and first school to provide an alternative night school to prevent dropouts, Campa-Serna said.

Along with history and activities on tap for the coming year, the presentation will explain how progress reports will be handed out from now on and how semester grades will be mailed, Campa-Serna said.

From 6:45 to 8 p.m., parents have the chance to meet teachers and tour classrooms and the library. However, parents will not be able to have conferences with teachers but may schedule one if they leave their names and telephone numbers on a sign-in sheet.

Activity clubs and athletic teams will set up information booths. The Century of Criminal Activity Committee will be selling tickets for the Yuma versus Kofa High School football game Oct. 31, while tickets for a pre-game barbecue will be sold by the Future Farmers of America.

Amada Edais, 17, a senior who graduates next spring, said the open house is important especially for the freshmen to get to know the teachers and get a feel for the campus.

Classmate Alex Stratton, 17, another senior graduating in the spring, stressed the need for parents to establish relationships with teachers particularly for parents of younger students.

Alex, a member of the basketball and baseball teams, is also in the National Honor Society, which will be recruiting that night.

"It's a top-level student organization," Alex said. "Our focus is community service but you must have a 3.5 GPA (grade-point average) or higher."

Amanda, who is in the yearbook club, El Saguaro, said they will be selling the current yearbook and many previous editions dating back to the 1970s. School spirit T-shirts will also be for sale, she added.

"We want to emphasize the parent/teacher relationship," Amanda said. "A lot of students don't let their parents in their homework life. But if parents got to know the teachers, they can work with each other and help guide students who might be drifting along."

Also at the open house, Fisher Chevrolet of Yuma will display the 2009 Chevy Aveo it will give away next May for a student with perfect attendance as part of the fifth annual "It's Cool to Stay in School" program. In addition, during the fall and spring, each male and female student with perfect attendance can win a new bicycle provided by the Horace Mann Companies.

"Open house boils down to mutual trust between Yuma High School and their families so we can provide the best education in the county," Campa-Serna said.


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William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.