Photos and article by Margaret Hopper

From left, OHS Principal Jason Ping meets with teachers, Stephanie Tedford, Mark Martinez, Peter Limardo, Pat Kimmick, and Dixine Moore.

OHS receptionist Kalah Carrasco, meets with teacher Limardo.Fridays are different at Opportunity High School this year. Students have already been assigned their community contacts, for the most part, and few of them are present. Those who are there are waiting for meetings with staff or working on a project. The five teachers who are staff are in session with Jason Ping, principal, who is going over the present work in that first hour, handing out assignments still needed to get the new program off to a good start.

Academics are worked on in the classrooms Monday through Thursday. Career readiness is the business of everyone on Fridays. At the beginning of these changes, Ping said staff was heavily involved with community contacts, from May to August, learning which local businesses would be ready to interact with students who were seeking interviews and possibly offer volunteer assignments for the semester.

Early on, student assignments were to write a resume and make some business contacts. More work was needed immediately, said Stephanie Tedford. GǣSome students didnG