Steve Curiel
Principal
scuriel@coasthighschool.com

Danny Morris
Assistant Principal
dmorris@coasthighschool.com

After a successful start to the new school year, we always look forward to meeting those students who will be enrolling during the next few months. It is during this time period that we build a large portion of our student body.

During the first few months of class, some students in the comprehensive high schools begin to run into challenges that make attending school for five days a week, and seven hours a day, almost impossible.

The reasons are many. The students are pursuing a professional career in sports or performing arts; or some are working full time; or others, unfortunately, are dealing with problems beyond their control and warrant an alternative learning path.

Regardless of the reason, Coast is a fully-accredited independent study high school and can offer these students a standards-based curriculum in every subject area. The school adapts to their needs by working around tight schedules and helping manage workloads. Our instructors are highly qualified, and are experts in delivering individualized instruction.

Many students, and even the teachers at traditional schools, have a misconception that independent study is considerably easier than what they experience on their own campus.

But what they fail to take into account, or don't realize, is that many of these Coast High School students are also managing a full or part-time work or training schedule, in addition to their 20 to 40 hours of independent study.

Coast's coursework goes beyond the regular homework assignments in traditional classrooms, and is specifically designed to take into account the fact that the instructor is not around for most of the learning experience. This means that concepts are often explained in a written instead or oral format, so it is important that Coast students have strong reading and comprehension skills.

Although they may miss the benefit of having daily access to their instructor, Coast students are able to call or e-mail them for assistance. In addition to regular appointments, our students are also given the opportunity to attend a weekly tutorial if they need extra help, or to use a computer or view a video.

Although I have been the new principal here for only a year, I have heard at least a dozen different stories from students, parents and teachers about how Coast High School has made it possible for graduates to attain a high school diploma or jump-start a career. Some of these parents have even asked if their siblings can attend Coast as ninth-graders!

Steve Curiel