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Sleep, JC news, Seeds of Learning, techy teens, STEM teaching

Education Roundup

The National Sleep Foundation, which I assume isn’t trying to sell us anything, recently published a study of how much sleep children really need as they get older. They found: pre-schoolers need 11 to 13 hours, children ages 5 to 10 need 10 to 11 hours and teens need 8.5 to 9.25 hours sleep. According to their researchers, “There is strong evidence that sufficient shortening or disturbance of the sleep process compromises mood, performance and alertness and can result in injury or death.” Yikes! It can also cause cranky, unpleasant children … reason enough to make an effort to make sure they get enough sleep. www.sleepfoundation.org.

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Everyone can use great study/memorization tips, no matter what their age. Sue Shellenberger, of The Wall Street Journal, recently summarized the growing body of research on the best study techniques. 1. Review the hardest material right before bedtime. Going to sleep right away consolidates information in your memory. 2. Turn off music, text messages, TV and email. Distractions make you less likely to remember material you were studying at the time. 3. Test yourself repeatedly. Students remember more when they force themselves to retrieve concepts then when they simply reread their textbooks or their notes. 4. Eat oatmeal for breakfast. A balanced, slow-digesting diet provides a sustained flow of glucose to the brain.

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I was sorry I was unable to make Sonoma-based Seeds of Learning’s 20th anniversary party at the Community Center on Oct. 22. This Sonoma-based nonprofit (www.seedsoflearning.org) is dedicated to improving educational opportunities in rural Latin America by building and equipping schools in Nicaragua and El Salvador, educating children and adults and promoting cross cultural understanding. More than 120 guests and 35 volunteers attended the event and there was a great array of silent and live auction lots. Executive Director Annie Bacon said, “We were humbled by a very generous display of support during our Fund-a-Need portion of the event, in which we raised money for scholarships.” I am working on a story about them and have been really impressed by all that I have learned. If you are or have been involved with Seeds of Learning, I would love to hear from you.

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The California Department of Education issued a news release earlier this month announcing that nearly three out of four California high school graduates in 2008-09 enrolled in a college or university somewhere in the nation. 51.3 percent of college-going California graduates in 2006-07 (newest data available) enrolled in a California community college, UC or CSU. That didn’t surprise me, what did was the fact that it seemed to report that of those college-going grads, only 28.3 percent earned at least one year of credit within two years of their enrollment.  

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Along those same lines, a just-released report, by the nonprofit American Institutes for Research, found that from 2004 to 2009, California spent $480 million, far more than any other state, on full-time community college students who dropped out after their first year. The report highlighted a nationwide trend of increasing community college enrollment but declining completion rates.

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I was interested to read that Santa Rosa Junior College is interviewing for a new president and has identified two finalists for the position: Frank Chong, deputy assistant secretary for community colleges at the U.S. Department of Education, and Joel Kinnamon, chancellor of Chabot-Las Positas Community College in Pleasanton. Interviews and public forums are scheduled for this week at SRJC’s main campus.

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I was setting up for my workshop on researching colleges at the high school College & Career Center last week and a number of students stopped by after being summoned by CCC head Kathleen Hawing. It turns out she had compiled a list of every student at the school who is eligible to go to a four-year college, and was calling in the handful for whom she didn’t know their plans to make sure that they were in fact planning on applying to college or giving a good reason why they weren’t. Kathleen and the counselors at SVHS are working very hard to make sure no one is falling though the cracks. My last workshop for seniors is this Thursday at 11:35 a.m. in the CCC on “Navigating the Common Application.”

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Sonoma’s District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) is hosting a community forum on the school district budget reduction process on Monday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. at El Verano School (18606 Riverside Drive). Prior to the budget reduction discussion, the DELAC will host presentations from the Boys & Girls Club and the Drug Abuse Alternative Center (DAAC) of Sonoma County.  This portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. The meeting will be in Spanish with English translation. Childcare is available.  Call Maite Iturri, El Verano pprincipal, at 935-6050 with questions.

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Math and science faculty from Sonoma County middle schools, high schools and colleges will gather Nov. 8 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Cotati-Rohnert Park District Office Library to address the need for more STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degrees in this region. This is a forum for same-subject teachers across segments to share ideas and concerns, identify barriers to success, examine regional student K-16 data and pilot innovative solutions regarding student achievement. To register, go to www.stemevent.eventbrite.com. A week later, English teachers will gather on Nov. 14 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the SRJC Petaluma Campus Mahoney Library to address ways in which students can more successfully transition from level to level in their English classes. The free “Writing for Different Purposes Event” will provide a similar forum for same-subject teachers to that of the STEM workshop above. To register, go to www.writingpurposes.eventbrite.com/.

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The event above will continue an important conversation on the teaching of STEM subjects in this area. A new report has found that that only 10 percent of California elementary school classrooms provide regular hands-on science experiments, and 40 percent of elementary teachers say they spend an hour or less teaching science each week. The report, commissioned by the think tank, West ED, and conducted by UC Berkeley, found analyzed data collected during the 2010-11 academic year and surveyed teachers, principals and school district leaders across the state. The full report is called “High Hope, Few Opportunities: The Status of Elementary Science Education in California.” And it can be found at www.cftl.org. I’m not sure where Sonoma schools stack up, but I’ll try to find out for you.

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On a happier note, more than 600 forensic debaters from all over the Bay Area will be arriving at Sonoma Valley High School on Saturday Nov. 12 at  7:45 a.m. for a big Golden Gate Speech Association Tournament. Volunteers are needed to greet students, assist with directing them to various buildings and act as judges (stay for an hour or stay all day). It is a great opportunity to support academic sports in Sonoma. Contact Janet Hansen at jhansen@sonomavly.k12.ca.us if you can help. I think it is fantastic that the high school is hosting this event and I’ll be there to write a story about SVHS’ forensics team.

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Last week I attended a nice Rotary Club reception at the Community Center honoring those who serve on City Council Commissions. The food was provided by the high school Culinary Arts Academy students, overseen by teacher Brigitta Crews. The food was delicious and Brigitta thanked the Teacher’s Support Network for providing her with both five regular classroom volunteers and new textbooks. She also mentioned that her students cater dozens of events for faculty members and local nonprofits each year. Our teens interested in a career in hospitality are lucky to have such a terrific program available to them.

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I was interested to read that a number of high-level executives in Silicon Valley are choosing to send their children to a Los Altos Waldorf school which eschews technology in the classroom and discourages it at home. The New York Times reported on Oct. 22 that the chief technology officer of eBay, as well as many employees of Google, Apple and Yahoo, have gone the Waldorf route and one high-tech executive is quoted saying he feels there will be time enough for technology later on, and no technology aids are needed for an excellent elementary school education.

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That said, if you have a teenager who knows how to write apps and is otherwise technologically advanced, they can access resources, find co-founders and even hunt down job opportunities through a new site, www.teensintechconnect.com. Founded by an 18-year-old, this network provides support and events for young entrepreneurs.

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Altimira is hosting a Harvest Fair in its front parking lot on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All local schools are invited to come sell their own produce and there will also be garden crafts for kids and garden-related activities and demonstrations.

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The Sonoma Valley Art Museum is offering a Music and Graphix Teen Workshop on Saturday, Nov. 5, from noon to 4 p.m. for ages 12 to 18. Teens will create and share a playlist, then design and produce an album cover using the traditional 12”x12” LP format. Students will review a selection of classic album cover designs and consider the importance of image and text. They will view and discuss Juan Luna-Avin’sinstallation in Sonido Pirata and show their finished work as a temporary component of his installation, Sueño Sicodelico. The class is taught by Juan Luna-Avin and the fee is $40. Call 939-7862 to register.

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Prestwood is hosting its last Garden Work Day of the year on Nov. 6 from 2 to 4 p.m for mulching, moving wine barrels, weeding and planting a butterfly garden along with spreading poppy seeds. The garden needs volunteers of all ages and no experience is necessary. Email Michelle at michellerulmont@yahoo.com with any questions.

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Flowery’s “Trick or Treat for UNICEF” is a long-standing tradition that is now a beloved part of the school culture. Throughout the past seven years, the school has donated more than $3,400 to UNICEF. “Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF is a simple, effective and fun way to help improve the lives of children around the world,” said Mary Ann Spitzer, academic coordinator at Flowery (and soon to be interim principal). “We are glad to be part of the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF tradition and are committed to helping children in every corner of the world have access to basic services. In 2010, we were one of the top donors to the campaign, raising $1,244.”

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Sassarini’s fourth grade’s recent “Sacramento Or Bust” car wash and bake at the Sonoma Chevrolet dealer raised $826 toward their field trip to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. The class will continue its fundraising efforts in the form of recycling and coin collections for the trip planned for April.

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The Presentation School is having its first admissions open house for the 2012-13 school year on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. in its library at 20872 Broadway. This event is for parents only and includes a question-and-answer session and campus and classroom tours. Call director of admission Beth Fox at 935-0122 to reserve a spot.