Rocklin Unified School District offers a secondary summer school program each year, spanning four weeks and 20 school days, aimed at helping students from Rocklin, Victory, and Whitney High Schools recover necessary credits for graduation. However, this program is not just about getting credits it is about giving struggling students a second chance to pull through.

Dr. Sylvia Mardsen, who has been teaching Math, English, and History at Granite Oaks Middle School for five years, also has been serving as the ELA III instructor in the district’s summer school program. Reflecting on her experiences, Dr. Mardsen shared, “It’s been a good experience. The kids come in wanting to be successful, wanting to do their work. I like the laid-back nature of summer school; we get to come in and hang out with the students.”

“I believe everybody makes mistakes, and we all deserve second, second chances. That’s what summer school is. It is your second chance”

Dr. Mardsen mentioned the importance of building relationships with her students since there are various reasons why they are in secondary summer school. “I think that the biggest key to navigating that is building relationships and building an understanding of the students,” she said. 

“And so that’s why I do a daily prompt every day to learn more about my kids, more about my students,” said Dr. Mardsen.

The program’s main emphasis is on student accountability and growth. Dr. Mardsen had noted instances where she has supported students through challenges such as absenteeism and plagiarism. Regardless she said she always strived to provide opportunities for redemption and academic progress for her classes. “I believe everybody makes mistakes, and we all deserve second, second chances. That’s what summer school is. It is your second chance at whatever class it is to kind of pull through and get those credits.” she said. 

Julia Nguyen, who will be a junior at Rocklin High School for the 2024-2025 school year, serves as a peer teacher for Math Integrated II under Mr. Ehsan Taghavi, who is a math teacher at RHS. 

“Mr. Taghavi would goof around with the students a little becoming friends with them…He teaches quick, creatively making scenarios and little things to help you learn and remember,” she said.

However, regarding her role as a peer teacher, Nguyen said she initially volunteered because she was good at math and wanted community service hours, but she started becoming excited to come to volunteer every day for new reasons. “It felt really good to be able to help out my classmates,” she said. 

“I’m glad it does help and gives our students who struggled the past year…hope”

“This was a learning and growing experience for me. I got to know my peers better..it was an opportunity to reach out to them and help our community,” Nguyen said.

Mr. Michael Knight, in his first year as principal of the secondary summer school program and also a teacher at RHS, said the program leaves a positive impact and brings a sense of community. “We just remind the students that, ‘hey, we’re here we can get through…you can get credit to stay on track to graduate,” said Mr. Knight.

Furthermore, Mr. Knight highlighted the supportiveness of the program, “I think this is a great program. It helps our students to stay on track to graduate so they don’t have to drop out or do a fifth year.” 

“I’m glad it does help and gives our students who struggled the past year…hope,” said Mr. Knight. 

Danielle Pittman, an RHS student in Dr. Mardsen’s class, shared about her time in the program. “I had personal struggles the past school year that led me to be here in summer school. But I’m glad I got a second chance,” Pittman said. 

Initially apprehensive, she found the program more enjoyable than expected. “At first, I was pretty sure this was going to be bad. But I had friends here and I made friends here,” she said. 

Pittman also praised the staff and the atmosphere at secondary summer school “The staff is nice. My two teachers really try connecting with the students. I bonded with Ms. Mardsen in just four weeks…We also had spirit week and we get a ton of Otter Pops,” she exclaimed happily.