Strong Community Partnerships

Pajaro Valley High has a number of excellent partnerships. Among them are the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Watsonville Wetlands Watch. Our partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium begins in the freshmen year as an introductory foray into conservation and preservation of the ocean. Programs in the summer including institutes yearly offered for teachers for developing connections with their curriculum as well as projects. The WATCH program (Watsonville Area Teens Conserving Habitats) allows teacher to see hands on the varied ecosystems which are central to our school locale and includes a mentoring element where teachers later facilitate student driven research projects.

Similarly, Watsonville Wetlands Watch offers opportunities for restoration activities and learning to value the wetlands which surround our school and their inhabitants. Teachers have support in means of speakers and curriculum derived for the Project S.E.E. now published for teacher use district wide. Other partnerships in the beginning stages and sought are Lifelab, Ecology Action, and Second Harvest Food Bank for future areas of program growth.

Program Growth Potential

The opportunity exists for us to tap into our wonderful partnerships in a meaningful way. If grade levels could yearly build upon the work with these organizations we currently have working with PVHS, students could better respect the nature of these partnerships involvement in our community. Building upon a sense of community, and mining their rich resource is a way we can ultimately best help to achieve our expected student learning outcomes.