Barrio Logan Kids Get a Special Summer Offer: School

Summer school will be offered this year to as many as 115 elementary students in the Barrio Logan area as a result of an unusual collaboration between the San Diego city school district and UC San Diego, which school trustees are expected to approve today.

The principal of Torrey Pines Elementary School in La Jolla has arranged for UCSD to help sponsor for two weeks in August transportation and special instruction for students--and their parents--who voluntarily bus to the school every day under the school district’s integration program.

Most of the schools in the students’ neighborhoods are on year-round schedules and do not offer summer school within walking distance.

Transportation the Key

“We’ve had an obvious concern that many of our (bused) kids don’t have summer school opportunities,” Principal Barry Bernstein said. “Many of these kids could benefit from a chance for some enrichment and motivation during the summer, but the main hurdle has always been to get them transportation,” since many of the families have no cars.

Students living in the La Jolla area have family transportation and are able to take advantage of summer school offered at nearby La Jolla and Pacific Beach-area schools, Bernstein said.

Because of limited district funding, Bernstein earlier this spring contacted UCSD officials with whom he has established an informal working relationship.

Joseph Watson, UCSD vice chancellor for undergraduate affairs, said: “Bernstein approached us and indicated that, given our closeness to his school and our interest in having a diverse student body, it might be a good idea if UCSD would work with him to encourage students and parents to start thinking about college early.”

Watson oversees UCSD programs that encourage more minority students to attend college, which Watson believes must increasingly reach not only high school juniors and seniors, but students in elementary and junior high schools as well.

“We told Bernstein that his was an excellent idea, particularly if we can get both students and parents to think about getting a good, early, solid start on academic matters and develop skills early,” Watson said.

Parents Will Visit

He has made available about $1,000 in discretionary funds for transportation. In addition, teaching assistants from the UCSD Teacher Education Program will help in classrooms during the two-week session, as well as with parents who will visit both Torrey Pines and UCSD twice during the program.

“We’d like to have more than just two weeks, and I know that there is a limitation to what we can do academically in that time,” Bernstein said. “But the motivation and inspiration aspects will have an effect over the long run, and just as important for some of the children is the maintenance English program during the summer months, because many live in Spanish-speaking environments.”

The parent component will continue into the regular school year next fall, Bernstein said.

Watson said that, although the UCSD commitment is not “institutional in a major way,” it could pave the way for larger future efforts with elementary schools, “particularly with community-initiated efforts.”

“We have a lot of optimism but also some caution. . . . This is a seeding effort but not a long-term commitment.”