EDUCATIONALLY SPEAKING -- Gay Geiser-Sandoval

Parking is a problem for new drivers under the best of circumstances.

My daughter has been driving solo for three months now, and still

appreciates having her zero-period class that enables her to get a nice

wide parking spot before there are any other cars around.

That is probably why I have so much sympathy for the kids at Newport

Harbor High School when their Political Action Committee gave a report to

the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education on the

parking situation there.

Since the freshman class is a third larger than the senior class, this

problem is going to grow proportionately. Once the kids become eligible

for their driver’s licenses, they have a six-month prohibition against

taking passengers, which further exacerbates the situation.

The thought of all of those teen drivers running out during their

10-minute break to play musical parking places in the two-hour parking

zones seems like a disaster waiting to happen. One mom told me her son

had already racked up $300 in parking tickets when he didn’t get back to

his car soon enough to move it.

This problem was brought to the school board’s attention about 10

years ago. Let’s hope we aren’t still talking about the need to solve it

in another 10 years.

***

Last week, I reminded you to write a nice note to your children’s

teachers. Well, parents at Sonora Elementary School took my advice to

heart and asked me to publish their letter. I know that it applies to all

teachers in our district, so you can cut it out and paste it up at your

school. Just change the name of the school. Here it is:

Sonora Elementary School teachers are the best!!

In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week we, as parents of Sonora

students, want to brag to the world (or at least throughout Newport-Mesa)

about our great teachers at Sonora Elementary School.

When we got together to decide what we should say in this letter,

every parent was excited to include appreciation for the awesome things

their child’s teacher had done. Collectively among the parents, every one

of the 25 kindergarten through third-grade teachers was represented.

Unfortunately, the letter would be much too long to print if we

included acknowledgment of even just one great thing each of these

teachers had done.

In listening to each parent tell about his or her child’s teacher, we

found a common theme. Every Sonora teacher is caring and dedicated. They

work together as a team under the leadership of a great principal, Lorie

Hoggard, to provide an excellent education to every student. Not only do

they provide each student the guidance, direction and encouragement to

excel, they provide individual challenges to each student based on their

specific needs and capabilities.

These awesome teachers go above and beyond in so many ways. They often

spend many of their own resources to provide incentives and recognition

to their students -- everything from candy and toys to showing up to

cheer them on in their Saturday sports activities, dance recitals and

birthday parties.

On top of all of that, they communicate regularly with the parents of

their students, letting them know the great things their child is doing

or the extra help that they need. Even after a long hard day, they are

always willing to spend the time with a parent who wants to talk about

their child.

We can never thank these great teachers enough. They, along with a

great principal and support staff, are what make Sonora a great school.

We invite all parents with children entering kindergarten in the area to

come and visit Sonora and enroll your children. Once you do, we know you

will love it too.”

* GAY GEISER-SANDOVAL is a Costa Mesa resident. Her column runs

Tuesdays. She may be reached by e-mail at GGSesq1@aol.com.