OCEANSIDE — An alternative high school program is offering a flexible class schedule to help students earn their diplomas while working or caring for family members during the day.
Oceanside Unified School District launched the Twilight Program at the start of the school year at Surfside Academy, the district’s continuation school housed at the former Ditmar Elementary School site.
Principal Eric Frandsen said the program was created to support seniors who struggled with the traditional high school schedule due to outside obligations, often working to help their families pay bills or caring for younger siblings or other loved ones.
“The traditional system just didn’t fit them, so we thought of what we could do to fit the needs of those students,” Frandsen said. “Because if they have a high school diploma, there are options available that aren’t if they don’t.”
The goal is to help students earn a diploma rather than drop out.
Students attend school for two hours a day between 1 and 6:30 p.m. to get support on assignments, then complete the rest of their coursework at home.
“A number of these students quit school because they couldn’t stay through the whole school day or couldn’t see themselves sitting in six classrooms every single day,” Frandsen said. “Now, they can come here to get help for two hours, then do the work at home in a comfortable environment where they can keep up the pace.”
According to Frandsen, several students in the program are high achievers who simply need to work at their own pace.
Students take one class at a time, with about three weeks to complete the 90 hours typically covered over a semester.
“Because they can work at their own pace, they can move through the assignments pretty quickly, and they can get help with the stuff they struggle with when they come to school,” Frandsen said.
He said the program offers a full curriculum that must meet the same standards as traditional classes.
“It’s exactly the same as earning a traditional high school diploma,” he said.
Students may graduate at various points throughout the year. Surfside will hold a small ceremony for them, and they can also participate in the districtwide commencement at Frontwave Arena.
The program grew quickly, enrolling more than 30 students at the start of the year. By year’s end, 34 students are expected to graduate. Three have graduated so far, with two more set to finish in the coming weeks.
Frandsen said he expects enrollment to continue rising, prompting adjustments as the program expands.
“We’re looking down the road to what happens when we get 60 kids, for example. Maybe we need to extend childcare hours if needed, or how we can ramp up support for students,” he said. “We’re just barely a third, or almost halfway, and already there’s a need to expand the number of kids.”
Options for Teen Moms
Surfside Academy also offers childcare for teen mothers attending school through independent study or direct instruction. Students can take classes during a traditional first-through-sixth-period schedule or enroll in the Twilight Program.
“Regardless of what they choose, we will take care of their baby while they attend school,” Frandsen said. “They can come to school, drop their baby off, and we will feed them, cloth them, have playtime and naptime, taking care of their baby the whole time until it’s time to be picked up. They can also check in on their baby, feed them, or whatever else they want to do while at school.”
Frandsen said the staff running the child development center are “wholeheartedly devoted to teen parents,” offering training sessions, holiday celebrations and gifts for their babies.
“These young people need support – they’re in a position they’ve never been in before, and a lot don’t see hope to get a diploma until they come across our programs and see that it’s doable,” Frandsen said.
While the Twilight Program is new, the district’s teen mother program has operated for nearly two decades. Other districts have phased out similar programs as teen birth rates have declined, but Oceanside has kept its program in place. Teen moms from other districts can transfer into Surfside’s program.
Whether supporting teen mothers or students who work to support their families, Surfside’s programs aim to meet students where they are.
“Our world is not cookie cutter – kids come from different backgrounds and experiences, so as a school district, our primary focus is to meet kids where they’re at and offer a menu of opportunities for them to get their diploma,” Frandsen said. “We’re working with a group of kids who are smart and have a huge future ahead of them – they just need to realize that, and the staff is here to help.”
Surfside currently operates on an aging elementary school campus undergoing a major $27.5 million modernization funded by Measure W.
The project will replace old buildings with new facilities, including a child development center, updated parking, basketball courts and playfields. It also includes upgrades to existing buildings, required ADA improvements and the replacement of modular classrooms.
The first phase — new administration buildings and eight classrooms — is slated for completion this spring. The full project is expected to be finished by late 2026 or early 2027.
