Bob Ralston – Ninth Grade Academic Advisor

• 23 years as Teacher/Baseball Coach at the High School, Community College and NCAA level
• Graduated with Bachelor and Masters Degrees from Cal State Hayward
• 1984 University of Arizona (Baseball America) 1^st team All- American
• 7 year Professional Baseball Career (Minnesota Twins and Oakland A’s)

Educational Philosophy

“Great leaders lead by example.  If you want your students to work hard, you better work harder.   If you want your students to care for others, you better care for each student.   Respect is earned through actions.”

Ninth Grade Academic Department Objectives

• Support and be an advocate for 9^th grade students as they transition into high school.
• Ensure students understand the “A-G” courses required for college prep and help students navigate curriculum.
• Monitor students academic progress and make sure students get the support needed to succeed which includes our Target Case Management plan for students who are struggling.
• Educate students about the high school environment (academic, extra curriculum activities, social influences).
• Teach students skills and behaviors needed to succeed including problem-solving, time management, organizational skills, self-advocacy and understanding where to go to seek help.
• Build and maintain trusting relationships throughout the school.

Parent Communications

Informing freshman parents of department objectives is vital.  We need to ensure that each family understands the commitment and requirement to successfully navigate their student through the rigorous process to graduate and succeed in life.

I believe the toughest job a person will ever have is being a parent.  Teach your kids, love your kids and let them grow up.  No child is perfect.  They will learn through their own journey. 

Addressing Challenges to Succeed

Freshman year of high school may be one of the most important transitions in deciding if a student will be able to succeed in higher education.  Failure to graduate from high school is strongly tied to ninth grade course failure. 

That is why it is critical that we identify our students early who need help in the transition process.  At progress report time, we will identify all freshman students who are receiving an F or D grade.  We will meet regularly with these students to discuss grades, attendance, discipline, study skills, monitoring work progress and tutoring/Saturday Bridge.

The biggest challenges for ninth graders are increased academic demands and social pressures of fitting into the school.