EDUCATIONALLY SPEAKING -- Gay Geiser-Sandoval

Hear ye, hear ye! The district’s College Night is coming to Newport

Harbor High School gyms on Tuesday, Oct. 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. There will

be more than 120 colleges from across the nation to answer your students’

questions and discuss their post-college plans.

Are you thinking about an Ivy league? They will be there. Cal State

Universities will have representatives from seven campuses, and eight

University of California schools will be there. The list of private

colleges and universities from throughout the country is astounding.

Obviously, these colleges know where to look for quality students to fill

their hallowed halls.

Our community owes a big thanks to the PTAs of Corona del Mar and Newport

Harbor, who put this on every year. They are the only PTAs in Southern

California to undertake the task. Most are organized by school personnel.

The PTAs are targeting juniors and seniors, as well as their parents, to

attend the night. They see it as a way for the students to obtain a lot

of information about their different choices, as they are about to make

that all-important choice of where to send in applications.

I, however, suggest that we target a second audience. I think seventh and

eighth graders should go. In this day and age of ever-increasing numbers

to fill select college spots, an eighth grader needs to commit to the

college prep track. In order to take all of the classes that most

colleges want, it is a good idea to take algebra and foreign language in

eighth grade. The grades for those classes show up on high school

transcripts sent to colleges.

So, how do you persuade a lackadaisical teen to rework that essay or

study for that test? You tease them with the prospect of an exciting time

at college. Who better to do a sales job on the wonders that await them

at college than the reps at college night?

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How many new clerical positions do you add at a school that has increased

its student population by 48% in the last 5 years and added more

teachers, counselors, and administrators? What if the school is applying

for a Digital High School grant, a Blue Ribbon, and its accreditation?

You guessed it: none. Some Newport Harbor High parents aren’t pleased

with that answer. How long do you keep the doors to the school open to

students from throughout the district and the county, when other schools

have space to burn?

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Mariners Elementary School was featured at last week’s school board

meeting. It is a kindergarten through sixth grade school where parents

make up for district shortcomings. The Mariner Foundation has raised more

than $300,000 in money and services. This money has led to an expanded

Project READ, an after-school homework center in the library, teacher

training in science with the Beckman Institute, facility upgrades,

playground spiffing, and 30 new IMac computers in the technology lab.

The PTA has added to those services with a night to display every

student’s unique artwork, plus visits from the Ballet Pacifica and the

Imagination Machine. A recent Wish Night resulted in parents donating

$21,000 for teachers’ wishes that go directly into their children’s

classrooms. The most important attribute conveyed at the meeting was the

feeling of camaraderie by staff, students and parents. They led songs,

held cheers and bubbled with excitement as they left that evening. It

confirmed my faith in what a caring community we have when it comes to

the education of our children.

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The school board also adopted their 1999-2000 goals and priorities. The

board did admit that they have been through this before, and those goals

have sat on the shelf collecting dust. I will attest to that fact.

However, this time there are strategies and action plans to go with them,

which has only been done once before. The new goals can be found in

binders in the superintendent’s office.

There are two ways to work action plans. One is to focus the

organization’s time and energy on implementing the actions. The other is

to do business as usual, then try to fit those actions into one of the

action plan’s categories. In my opinion, the district used the latter

method for many of last year’s goals.

Some of this year’s strategies include:

1. Provide differentiated training to elementary school teachers so they

can use differentiated learning based on student’s individual

differences. In English, that means kids are different, so learn to teach

them in the way that works best for that kid.

2. Use common language and avoid acronyms.

3. Give the teachers the results of their student’s tests, especially

pre-tests and post-tests for the standardized tests, so they can work on

that student’s weaknesses.

4. Have the necessary textbooks for every child. Bar code the books so

they can be tracked.

5. Offer a variety of fine arts courses at the high schools.

Unfortunately, funding the arts was not one of the strategies.

6. Discuss standards for visual and performing arts and set up a

committee.

7. Integrate technology throughout the curriculum, including distance

learning and teleconferencing.

8. Review current extra curricular activities and compensation, including

role and recompense funding.

9. Identify customer needs.

10. Ensure budget alignments with the strategic plan.