Columbia River grad credits summer school with helping him finish on time

Alex Peterson, who pitched for Columbia River High School’s baseball team, knows all about curveballs.

He was thrown one during his junior year, when Peterson was a floundering Running Start student at Clark College and failed his classes. He was so far behind in credits that it would take extra work to get back on track to graduate.

“You learn from your experiences,” he said.

Peterson had to take morning and afternoon credit recovery classes last summer to make up two semesters of his junior English class. During his senior year, he took a full class load plus made up another half-credit history class after school in the computer lab.

“I thought I was going to have to go to school for another year, but I pulled it together,” said Peterson, who was a good student with a 3.3 cumulative grade point average before he enrolled in Running Start his junior year.

Peterson, 17, graduated on time from Columbia River High School on June 11.

“I really did have to focus more. I had to get stuff done to graduate on time,” he said. “Summer school did help me focus on school.”

Although Peterson originally wanted to become a chemical engineer, his experience failing classes made him lose interest in spending four years in college. He said he’d have a hard time getting scholarships with his failed classes his junior year and he didn’t want to take on student loans.

“I’m not going to college. I’m going to a naval school,” he said.

Peterson enlisted in the Navy and plans to pursue “a career in the nuclear field” with the goal of being a machinist’s mate on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. He ships out for basic training Dec. 2.

Saturday Peterson’s family and friends will gather at his family’s home to celebrate his graduation. In preparation for the party, a “Class of 2014” banner has been hung on the family room mirror.

Peterson’s advice for students who find themselves in summer school is: “Focus. Don’t get down about it. You can come back from it. I did. It’s not a deal-breaker. I am still able to do things I want to do in my life and not be held back because of summer school.”

Credit recovery summer programs, by district

High school students who failed classes may spend time this summer taking credit recovery courses. Here are the options offered by Clark County school districts this summer:

Battle Ground

The online credit retrieval program can be accessed at home anytime from July 14 through Aug. 22. Students can work on a computer at Battle Ground High School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, July 14 through Aug. 22.

Register: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 7-11 at Battle Ground Community Education, 406 N.W. Fifth Ave., Battle Ground.

Fee: $25 for the classes of 2014 and 2015; $100 for classes of 2016 and 2017.

Contact: Sarah Baran, 360-885-6671 or baran.sarah@battlegroundps.org.

Camas

An Algebra I credit recovery class started June 23.

Contact: Elise Anderson, 360-833-5765.

Evergreen

Where: Union High School, 100 Building, 6201 N.W. Friberg-Strunk St., Camas.

Classes: July 2 through July 28; no classes July 4.

Cost: $138 for in-district students; $165 for out-of-district students.

Register: call 360-604-4082; visit the district website and click on Community Education; or go to the district office’s tan complex, 13501 N.E. 28th St., Vancouver, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is closed 11 a.m. to noon.

Hockinson

FuelEd credit recovery program.

Contact: Hockinson High School, 360-448-6450.

La Center

Online credit recovery program begins June 30 but is already full.

Contact: La Center High School, 360-263-1700.

Ridgefield

Classes: June 17 through July 3. It’s too late to register.

Contact: Ridgefield School District office, 360-619-1300.

Vancouver

Register: In person at Bates Center for Educational Leadership, 2921 Falk Road, Vancouver, by July 3.

Classes begin: July 7.

Fee: $150 per course; $175 for out-of-district students.

Contact: 360-313-1259.

Washougal

Mandatory credit recovery orientation for student and a parent is 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. July 7.

Classes: 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday, July 8 through Aug. 14.

Fee: $50 for each half-credit course.

Register: Download registration form at by clicking here.

Contact: Kathy Douglas-Evans, 360-954-3040 or kathy.douglas@washougalsd.org.

Woodland

Online classes, but students work at Woodland High School under the supervision of a teacher.

Classes: June 30 through July 18. English, social studies and health classes are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; math classes are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Fee: $125 per class, but the district refunds the cost for in-district students who complete and pass their classes, said high school counselor LaJune Thorson.

Register: In person through today at the high school office, 757 Park St., Woodland; or in person through June 30 at the district office, 800 Third St., Woodland.

Contact: Woodland High School, 360-841-2800.