mhatfield's blog

I'm sure many of you have already started making plans for your children throughout the summer months -- whether to keep their brains or bodies active.  For those who haven't, or those who don't realize how many options are out there, here's an example:

Modesto Junior College is offering a summer track and field camp for youth ages 8 to 18 years of age.  The camp is Monday, June 14, through Thursday, June 17, from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and will be held in the MJC Stadium located on East Campus, 435 College Avenue in Modesto.

The camp will emphasize ways players can improve their track and field skills, stretching, speed development, sportsmanship, leadership skills, balance/coordination, and flexibility.

As college graduates finish school and head into the world (and try to find jobs), some financial aid places are offering advice on how to manage money, especially student loans that will come due within the next several months for repayment. 

Here are a few suggestions:

I came across this story from the San Francisco Chronicle a few weeks ago.  It talks about how skilled student programs, like Gifted and Talented Education, are getting less funding and focus as schools spend resources on struggling students in an effort to meet test score minimums.  Schools are focusing on getting students at the bottom to score proficient on tests that students at the other end of the spectrum get shortchanged, some say.

And as the state gives districts flexibility in filling in budget gaps, the problem may get worse.  To help minimize the budget cutting, the state is allowing districts to move money from certain funds to the general fund.  GATE is one area districts can siphon money from to cover the bottom line.  I know local districts are feeling that pain.  Some are asking Parent-Teacher Associations to pay for GATE and similar programs.

Here's an interesting opportunity for some local students:

Six students from the University of California at Merced will be part of the Latino Leadership Initiative (LLI), a

I've gotten lots of emails submitting responses to the Governor's Revise, which was released Friday.

A resourced I've used for stories in the past is the California Budget Project, which provides independent fiscal and policy analysis aimed at helping low- to middle-income Californians, according to its Web site.  To see the Project's quick and dirty May Revise brief, click here.

The May Revise is simply a proposal -- the state's budget needs to be negotiated with state legislators.

Some of you might be interested in an effort at the California Department of Education to improve rigorous academic course work with career technical training.  You can read the report here.

Don't get too excited -- overhauls to the public education system take a long time.

Here are some key items in the report:

In case you missed it in today's paper, here's a story about a new program at three Patterson schools that makes parents a part of their children's education.

Finally, we could cover a schools story that didn't involved budget cuts and reductions in programs.  A grant funds the program, which teaches parents how to read, write and speak English.  The more literate and involved at their kids' schools parents are, the better the students will do in school. 

Some interesting stats that I couldn't fit into the story (provided by the Toyota Family Literacy Program):

I recently learned about a cool event at Keyes to Learning Charter School.

The academic competition is for students in grades 3 through 6 and covers material students have learned in history, geography, science, literature, music and art throughout the school year.  It's done "Jeopardy" style with a board and buzzers. 

There's also a parent vs. students round for fun -- and this year the students won.  The competition was held on May 3.  Organizers say it's a great badge of honor for winners and it helps build school spirit. 

Similar to academic decathlons and pentathlons, this sounds like an interesting contest that could be done at other schools with little expense.  Keyes people says it encourages learning and makes academics fun.

-- Michelle