LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Last week was the halfway point in the fourth grading period.

Carlé High School might be one of the only schools that gives students full credit updates or report cards twelve times a year or every three weeks.

Halfway through the grading period students receive credit checks. The students go around class to class and find out how much credits they got in each three week period.

Most students really appreciate the opportunity to have constant feedback and appreciate how the school meets each time in advisory to make sure everyone is on task to meet their goals.

Students believe that it is useful for people trying to keep track of credits, it helps you set your own pace, it shows you how far away from graduating you are and how far you have come.

We have elected a new student council, and our principal, Mr. Strahl said, “Student council helps plan all the activities we do for the school year, they also go over the funds we have for all of our activities.”

Full updates on members and activities will be reported in the next article.

Carlé High School would like to thank students Quintessa Strahl and Blake VonRekowski for filling in for our secretary, Barbara Dye, a former KUSD Classified Employee of the Year, who was out sick with the flu. Barbara has never taken even a single sick day off before this for the last 17 years!

Next week 10th grade students will be taking the California High School Exit Exam, or C.A.H.S.E.E. Students are required to take the take the test in order to get their diploma.

Carlé High School is in the middle of a mouse pad contest. Last week Cole Wynn had his portfolio celebration. He did a great job and has been a truly wonderful student and role model during his time at the school.

Student of the week last week was Vanessa Leon. Carlé High School congratulates her. This is a well-deserved reward for a student who had been nominated multiple time before.

Carlé High School welcomed one new student last week, Richard Deurloo. He has already fit right in and is fast at work on his graduation.

Finally, teacher Alan Siegel – who already had the honor of being on this year's State Teacher of the Year selection committee and will help run all the audio visuals and host the winners, finalist and semifinalist during the State Teacher of the Year celebration in Sacramento on Feb. 16 – recently was selected to be a founding member of the new state Gold Ribbon Schools Committee which will replace the Distinguished Schools program while the state testing system is being perfected.

“I truly appreciate the Konocti Unified School District board for giving me the opportunity to make sure students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds have an opportunity to have access to programs and rewards like these,” he said. “I am proud to go and help give students and staff from our community a chance to have a voice and advocate on the state level.”

Doyle Conatser is a student at Carlé Continuation High School in Lower Lake, Calif.