Casey Anthony, the young mother and suspected murderer of missing toddler, Caylee Anthony, went to Colonial High School in Orlando, leaving in 2004 one credit short of graduation. The Home of The Grenadiers on Oleander Drive recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, but not their notorious former student.
On a Topix blog, former classmate Rob Swiebel described Casey as “normal,” “popular,” “fun loving,” and “very smart.” She belonged to a travel club and liked photography.
"Being brought up at Colonial High School, you know, like, not to trust authorities; I mean, that's just life at Colonial," Swiebel said. "You don't really learn a lot about books. You get street smart from that school; you're definitely street smart." Swiebel continued to describe how different high school life was at Colonial.
"I mean, you know how to talk to cops, you know how to do everything, that’s just the way of life there." Casey Anthony, 22, is in custody in Orange County facing charges of murder. She has been incarcerated off and on since July 15, the day Caylee was reported missing.She is still listed on Colonial High School’s reunion list at Reunion.com.
Colonial High School is getting a bum rap.
In 2005, Orlando Weekly ran a story featuring Colonial High School as a microcosm of diversity with an enrollment of 3,700 students, many of whom were products of "generational poverty," according to principal Dr. Paul V. Mitchell. The student enrollment was a mixture of one-third white, more than one-half Hispanic and a minority African-American population.
To fight failure, his school devised administrative calendars divided by subject matter. Each calendar states individual objectives of the Sunshine State Standard benchmarks, the number of days required to teach it, sources used to teach it and the assessment method used to measure it. In addition, each objective was integrated with subject matter.
"If a world history teacher is teaching 'main idea,' so is the English teacher," Mitchell said. "Even physical education teachers cover FCAT benchmarks." Teachers had magnetized benchmark banners which they posted on white boards to review skill mastery.
Mitchell also implemented a tracking system devised by a Colonial High resource specialist, through a networked database that enable tdeachers, guidance counselors, FCAT prep teachers, assistant principals and Mitchell to check each and every student grade, every single week. He also implemented after school and Saturday tutoring.
In spite of all this, Colonial High did not make "adequate yearly progress" as defined by No Child Left Behind. Mitchell was philosophical.
"A big inner-city school like ours; the president had some pretty good ideas. FCAT, well … it made me think of education differently. I saw the "A Nation at Risk" study come out. … We moved into whole language [a controversial educational theory] in the '80s. Now we're swinging back to basics. I've always been about kids and learning. I'm real proud of our kids and teachers. It's a good community, good kids. I tell them to roll up their sleeves, and let's show them. It's a challenge."
Does this sound like a school where authority cannot be trusted? Whatever Casey Anthony has done, the roots of her problems do not extend to Colonial High School.
Comments
How can people blame a school for one's actions? The problems stem at home. It may not even be caused totally by the parents. Casey chose her own path. My father had a saying for the five kids in our family; "The way you make your bed,is the way you are going to lie in it". My father was a wise man. My father was stern with us, we all finished high school and all had some college. Not one of us ended up on drugs, alcoholics, or jail baits. Although we all did not become professionals; we turned out to be good kids. Some kid's problems my stem from things they have gone through, but again, we all have a choice.
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casey anthony was way more than a credit shy of graduating--double check your facts--this 1/2 credit thing is the propaganda that cindy spreads when reality is casey was skipping so much school she missed an entire semester! also note this is when casey invented working at sportsmart and begining her alternate life and lifestyle.
as for the young man quoted in this article.....sad sad sad..........he speaks for himself and the quality of education he received.
I go to Colonial High School and I am receiving a great education. This man speaks for himself and the education he CHOSE to receive.
ok, please! Orlando high schools are a walk in the park compared to other city schools. Orlando is "disney land" next to say for example, the schools in Paterson NJ! Gimme a break!
Are you kidding me? Way to make the biggest and most inaccurate blanket statement, e.
Casey didn't know how to talk to cops, she lied and lied and she got caught. You don't lie to cops because they will figure out the truth.
I revisited this year and I noticed that they have a really good principal who's extremely dedicated, overall a great school, very conscious of their school image.
Besides the social class that we know that most of the kids belong to this school is nothing like it was in the past.
I have work in almost every high school in orlando every year for about 20 years. Some of the most friendly kids in orlando go to Colonial. They get this inner city bad rap that is just not true.
well to all the people talking shit about colonial high school, i just graduated june 8th 2011, and we have some of the smartest kids in orlando here, we ourselves as a class made a change to make sure that when dr. mitchell left the school this year it would be the best year ever. We are a B school now for the first time in the schools history. Theres barely any fighting and there is a very few number of gangs in the school. Every body gets along with eachother and they teach us stuff needed in the real world, not some stuff that we will never actually use.
So before it was the school that was being blamed for Casey's behavior, now it's her parents and her sexual abuse claim. Please get it right that Casey is responsible for Casey's behavior. She is too smart. She choose to walk the wrong path in life.
Inner city school ? Colonial is barely on the edge of Orlando "City Limits" ..... try going to school on the South or West Side of Chicago, you will know what inner city means then.
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