Education

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Written by: Editor

Published: 05 December 2011

SACRAMENTO – Middle and high schools can reduce the dropout rate by working together to plan the transition to high school, holding activities to familiarize students with the campus, and helping them feel connected to their new schools, according to a new report issued by the California Comprehensive Center at WestEd.

"The transition from middle school to high school can be challenging for students," Torlakson said. "The good news is that some simple steps to make students welcome, can give them the confidence they need to stay on track and stay in school."

The report, Making the Move: Transition Strategies at California Schools with High Graduation Rates, is designed to identify best practices among high schools and feeder middle schools.

The California Comprehensive Center at WestEd and its partner, the American Institutes for Research, worked with the California Department of Education to identify and gather information on schools with higher graduation rates than were statistically predicted for certain subgroups of students.

The work of the center is supported with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Researchers then interviewed administrators and conducted focus groups at some of the high schools and feeder middle schools. The research helped identify programs and strategies that help middle grade students transition to high school and ultimately graduate in preparation for college and careers.

"Successfully transitioning students from middle grades to high schools is vitally important to California education," said Tom Parrish, managing research scientist for the American Institutes for Research. "Students crossing this bridge successfully are much more likely to stay in school and graduate."

This study identified successful strategies that include:

• Creating opportunities for staff across school levels to jointly plan and collaborate;

• Arranging activities for transitioning students to become familiar with the high school campus and culture prior to enrollment;

• Ensuring all students feel connected to the new school;

• Identifying students who are struggling prior to transition; and

• Preparing timely and individualized supports for such students.

Researchers also found some prevailing themes in these strategies. For example, enabling collaboration among teachers, providing students with many opportunities for academic support, helping students feel connected to school, having a strong counseling program, maintaining high expectations for all students, and the importance of having a caring staff and caring environment.

"Steps like these are a central thrust of our Blueprint for Great Schools report," added Torlakson. "That is, great schools know they have to meet the needs of the whole student – not just their academic needs – to give them every chance to succeed."

For a copy of Making the Move: Transition Strategies at California Schools with High Graduation Rates, visit http://www.cacompcenter.org/cs/cacc/print/htdocs/cacc/resources.htm.

For more information on Torlakson’s A Blueprint for Great Schools, visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/bp/index.asp.

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Written by: Editor

Published: 02 December 2011

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport Christian Center Preschool is offering free registration to students who register in December.

The preschool has been serving the community for 25 years and offers a safe, fun, Christ-based full or part-time program.

Preschool/Pre-K & Kindergarten are offered with two to five days from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. NCO is accepted.

Call the Preschool at 707-262-5520 or come by for a tour.

The preschool is located at 175 "C" St. in Lakeport. Look them up online www.lcchub.com or www.facebook.com/lccpreschool.

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Written by: Editor

Published: 01 December 2011

SACRAMENTO – California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said a Dec. 2 Veterans Summit will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn San Diego-On the Bay will increase awareness for community college faculty, counselors and others of the issues that veterans deal with when returning from active duty and attending community college.

The event will provide an opportunity to better understand the needs of student veterans and how to support their transition from military life into civilian careers.

“This summit is an important resource for information and program models that our people can take back to their campuses across the state to better serve those who have served our country,” Chancellor Scott said.

“Summit attendees will learn how difficult it is for many students to transition from the military culture and combat environment to campus life, how to recognize and respond to challenges such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and how to make sure our student veterans are getting access to every resource available to them,” Scott said. “I’m proud that the California Community Colleges system is leading the way in higher education to better understanding and helping our student veterans.”

Approximately 80 percent of California’s returning veterans who utilize their educational benefits at one of the state’s public higher education institutions, do so at a California community college.

The veterans population in the California Community Colleges has been growing dramatically and is expected to increase further in 2012 as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to wind down.

Community colleges are a common destination as the returning soldiers look for a way to get job training so they can get into the workforce.

Topics at the summit will include evaluating military training and experience for academic credit, best practices in student services and at Veterans Resource Centers, mental health issues confronting veterans and accessing federal, state and local resources.

Guest speakers at the summit include Congressman Bob Filner (D- San Diego), the ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs; Ret. Major General Peter James Gravett, Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs; and Dr. Jon Nachison of San Diego, Chief of Psychology for Paradise Valley Hospital and co-founder and director of National Stand Down for homeless veterans.

The summit is jointly sponsored by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges Education Institute and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and is supported by a generous donation from JP Morgan Chase.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation. It is composed of 72 districts and 112 colleges serving 2.6 million students per year. Community colleges supply workforce training, basic skills courses in English and math, and prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. The Chancellor’s Office provides leadership, advocacy and support under the direction of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.