Beacon principal praises graduates for overcoming odds

A charter school fighting to overcome a troubled history will award diplomas to 90 seniors today.

Beacon Academy of Nevada, an online charter school established in 2008 to serve students who have struggled or failed in conventional schools, was threatened with closure earlier this year. The State Public Charter School Authority Board cited low graduation rates and poor performance.

The news galvanized students and their families to lobby the charter school board to allow the school to stay open during an April hearing. School supporters emphasized that Beacon serves at-risk high school students, including athletes struggling with academics, pregnant teens and those trying to complete high school while facing homelessness.

“We are here to serve the students, and many of them have faced significant challenges,” Beacon principal Susan Waters said Thursday.

According to the school’s 2014 application for reauthorization to the state, Beacon will be implementing changes to increase student success. That includes making placement tests part of the enrollment process. The school also plans to hire more mentors to work with students who are behind academically.

In the same report, Beacon reported that of students who enroll within their first four years of high school, an average of 57 percent are credit deficient. That means many students may take longer than four years to earn a diploma. In 2013, Beacon’s four-year graduation rate was 38 percent, according to the report.

During her 16 years in the education field, Waters has served Clark County as a teacher and administrator. She said she is proud of what her students have been able to achieve.

Ingrid Cabulisan, 18, is part of the 2014 graduating class. When her mother suggested she enroll at the online school during her sophomore year, she was uncertain about making the change.

“The transition was kind of weird and I did not know what to expect,” said the senior, who previously attended Durango High School.

Beacon turned out to be the right fit for her and her family.

“I work from home, and I like that I do not have to worry about the kids and we also get to spend a lot more time together,” her mother, Salome Cabulisan, said.

Ingrid’s younger brother also is a student at Beacon.

Ingrid worried that not going to a brick-and-mortar school would stall her social life, but that’s not what happened.

“There are so many activities and clubs. Everyone is so outgoing and friendly,” said Ingrid, who was president of Beacon’s SkillsUSA team. The main goal of SkillsUSA is to prepare students to successfully enter the workforce.

Although Ingrid’s high school career is ending, she was upset when Beacon was threatened with closure.

“When I heard about it, I was in a lot of distress. It was bittersweet and brought us all together,” she said.

For Waters, success is measured not only in the four-year graduation rate, but also in how her students overcome the odds when they are stacked against them.

“While it may take them longer than four years to graduate, we celebrate their perseverance and success,” Waters said. “I know these students’ personal journeys, and for me, that makes Beacon’s graduation ceremony all the more moving.”

Contact Review-Journal writer Paulina Rojas at 702-383-0206. Follow her on Twitter: @gingaspice22.