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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Long-time Kelseyville Elementary teacher Toni Brown, who coordinates the program at the elementary school and supervises the volunteers, says the research-based program has provided exceptional results.
“Eight of the 10 students identified for the program in fall were at reading level by January, so we exchanged those students for eight more who were struggling in January and by spring, again, eight of the ten students in the program had made up their deficits and were reading at grade level. The two students who stayed in the program all year tested the highest of all the participants,” she said.
Reading at grade level by third grade is important because this period marks the shift between learning to read and reading to learn.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s report titled, “Early Warning! Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters,” shows that grade-level reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a key predictor of high school graduation.
In fact, the foundation says, “The ability to read by third grade is critical to a child’s success in school, life-long earning potential and their ability to contribute to the nation’s economy and its security.”
Providing students with the extra help they need in kindergarten through second grade allows them to achieve mastery of the most essential reading skills in third grade, so when program coordinator Joan Reynolds approached Kelseyville Unified School District and offered the service, Superintendent Dave McQueen jumped at the chance.
Kelseyville Unified just finished its fourth year participating in the Schools of Hope program and the collaboration has been so successful, they plan to continue the program for the 2019-20 school year.
Brown credits the program’s success to the excellent curriculum, the supportive second-grade teaching staff, and the dedicated, high-quality volunteers, most of whom are retired teachers who have been with the programs since its inception at Kelseyville Unified.
Based on whether students are in kindergarten, first or second grade, the curriculum reviews phonemic awareness (sounds), phonics (associating sounds with letters), high-frequency words, fluency, and comprehension. Students meet with their tutor twice a week for 30 minutes in a structured environment that reinforces these basic skills.
Tutors include Lynn Andre, Mary Borjon, Bev Bresso, Ashlyn Hansen, Julie Hernaez, Kim Olson, Janice Pilcher, Gail Robello, Kim Shay, Cindy Wilson, and Kathy Windrem. Schools of Hope works with North Coast Opportunities to identify volunteers for the program.
North Coast Opportunities confirms background checks, fingerprinting and tuberculosis screening to keep the students safe.
Brown said the tutors are incredibly caring, generous people. As an example, when a fourth-grade student who was in the program as a second grader saw her former tutor, Cindy, on campus, she asked Brown if she could read with Cindy again.
Brown explained that tutoring was for second graders, but when Cindy learned of the request, she started coming ten minutes early with special books checked of the library so she could read with the fourth grader, too.
Although Kelseyville Elementary has enough tutors for the 2019-20 school year, volunteers interested in expanding the program to Riviera Elementary School should contact Joan Reynolds for more information.
Reynolds can be reached at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The deadline for submitting entries to the contest has been extended from July 1 to Aug. 1.
The essay topic is, “In my opinion, what it means to be an American patriot.” The essay is to be 600 words or less.
Eleventh grade students, teachers and parents became aware of the Americanism Essay Contest in late March.
However, with all the pressure of year-end exams and all that goes on during the final days of the school year, students did not have time to focus on writing an essay, even though it could mean money in their pocket.
When young people reach the 11th grade they have developed thought and writing skills and, in most cases, look for opportunities to use these skills to show their understanding of what the world is all about. This is an opportunity for them to let their thoughts be known by putting them in print.
The contest cover sheet must include only the name, address, email, phone number, school name and the name of the organization sponsoring the contest, which is “Lake County Republican Women Federated.”
Lake County Republican Women Federated Americanism Committee will judge the Lake County entries, honor the winning student at a chapter meeting where the student will receive an award of $100. The essay will then be forwarded to the division for further judging.
The division winner will be recognized at a conference or convention at a later date and may receive a monetary or other award.
Students should mail their entries to Lake County Republican Women Federated, Americanism Essay Contest, P.O. Box 1566, Clearlake, CA, 95422, to arrive no later than Aug. 1.
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- Written by: Mendocino College Foundation
UKIAH, Calif. – The Mendocino College Foundation is celebrating scholarship winner Hailey Choate for her academic excellence and contributions to student life at the college.
“Hailey Choate is a remarkable woman,” said her professor, Helen Falandes.
Choate has received multiple scholarships through the Mendocino College Foundation because she is simply an outstanding student.
She maintains a 4.0 grade point average at Mendocino College and is looking forward to the next chapter of her educational career.
Choate will be one of the first to start the college’s new Physical Therapy Assistant Program this fall.
She and fellow student Jennifer Nauert founded the Students for Recovery program at Mendocino College. They provide a weekly group for students in recovery and are a strong support for recovering addicts.
According to professor Christine Price, “Hailey is extremely dedicated and hard working. This is a student who attended every class, came prepared and engaged in all the activities offered. She shared lecture notes and helped form study groups to help herself and her peers. She also brings an enthusiasm which is infectious, sharing her positivity with those around her.”
“I have a strong belief that service work is the key to my life having meaning, fulfillment, connection, balance, health and wellness,” said Choate. “By helping others, I help myself to heal; to grow; to be successful. I appreciate the help that I have received at Mendocino College and the scholarships have helped me reach my goals. I have used the funding to buy and maintain a car for traveling from Willits to Ukiah for most of my classes.”
In addition to her studies, she is a dedicated volunteer, and an accomplished instructor/coach for a local nonprofit Circus Mecca which is a circus school.
She volunteers at the Inland Mendocino County Humane Society and Mendocino Shelter Pets.
For more information about the Mendocino College Foundation or to donate to any of their programs, call them at 707-467-1018 or visit http://foundation.mendocino.edu .
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- Written by: Mendocino College
The Mendocino College North County Center in Willits is offering a full-time schedule held on Fridays and Saturdays for the upcoming fall semester which begins Aug. 19.
All courses meet IGETC (CSU and UC transfer) and Mendocino College General Education requirements.
Saturday classes are a mixture of online and face-to-face learning so they can be scheduled every other week. This gives students the opportunity to attend some or all of the Saturday courses.
The Weekends to Success class schedule includes:
Fridays
ENG 200 – English Composition (3 units), 5:30 to 8:20 p.m.
Saturdays
POL 200 – American Government & Politics (3 units), 9 to 11:50 a.m.
PHL 230 – Religions of the World (3 units), 9 to 11:50 a.m.
BIO 200 – Concepts of Biology (3 units), 12:30 to 3:20 p.m.
COM 203 – Intro to Public Speaking (3 units), 12:30 to 3:20 p.m.
AST 200 – Astronomy (3 units), 3:30 to 6:40 p.m.
AST 200L – Astronomy Observation (1 unit), 6:50 to 10 p.m.
A full-time course load is 12 units, but students are encouraged to enroll in 15 units per semester in order to complete an associate’s degree and/or transfer to a four-year university in two years or less.
Mendocino College also offers a variety of online courses suited to meet the needs of working students or those who may not have easy access to one of its four campuses in Ukiah, Fort Bragg, Willits and Lakeport.
To register for classes or view the entire Mendocino College Fall 2019 course schedule, visit www.mendocino.edu .
The Mendocino College North County Center is located at 372 E. Commercial Street in Willits. Please call 707-459-6224 for information or to schedule a counseling appointment.