School Days

Mariners Christian School sets $3-million goal

Administrators from a Costa Mesa private school have announced they will

embark on a campaign to expand its campus facilities over the next year.

Officials at Mariners Christian School want to raise about $3 million to

improve and upgrade several facilities. With a goal of beginning

construction by June, parents and teachers want to add a high-tech arts

center, an athletic building with locker rooms and enhance existing

classrooms.

“With the enhancements proposed, the campus and the overall program will

be even stronger,” said parent Doug Schneider, the campaign’s chairman.

The school, which offers pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade classes,

hopes to garner funds from various public and private sources. So far,

about $313,000 has been raised.

In addition to the scheduled improvements, the school would like to

establish a permanent endowment to fund teacher training and scholarships

for families with financial problems.

For more information, call the school at (714) 437-1700, Ext. 180.

Sonora Elementary spotlights literacy

Sonora Elementary School will host a family literacy event from 6:15 to

7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Students and their families will be able to visit various literacy

activity stations. School officials intended the booths to educate

parents on strategies they can adopt at home to help their children

become better readers.

Former California Angels baseball player Jay Johnstone will cap off the

evening by reading a short story and talking with parents about the

importance of reading.

The night will include a raffle of several books that have been donated

to the school.

For more information, call (714) 424-7955.

OCC offers nine-week European humanities course

A nine-week course that examines European humanities will be offered this

fall at Orange Coast College.

The class will begin Monday, Oct. 18 and conclude Dec. 17.

Two sections of the three-unit class will be offered -- one on Monday and

Wednesday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. and the other on Tuesdays and

Thursdays from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The class will explore how literature, philosophy, history and the arts

intersected to have an effect on culture. It will also look at how the

European humanities contributed to Western civilization.

For registration information, call (714) 432-5072.