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Summer programs, biliteracy, Plein Air, acting classes, ‘Race to Nowhere’

Education Roundup

Sonoma is ahead of the curve in that it already awards a seal of biliteracy on the diplomas of high school students demonstrating true biliteracy. Education Week this week reported that Gov. Jerry Brown and the California Legislature have adopted a new official state “seal of biliteracy.” This graduation diploma seal will be issued to high school graduates who demonstrate fluency in English and another language. Sixty school districts across the state, including Sonoma, began issuing their own seals during the last few years. The seal is intended for all students, not just those who are learning English. Students must prove dual language proficiency by passing an advanced placement exam; completing a four-year high school course in a foreign language with 3.0 GPA; or passing a district’s foreign-language exam at a proficient level or higher. Mary Ann Spitzer from Flowery School organized Sonoma’s effort to begin awarding the seal. Last year, 10 students at Sonoma High received a diploma with the seal.

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Now is the time that parents and students should be making summer plans if they include camps or summer academic enrichment programs. These sleep-away experiences, even if they are only a week long, are a great way for students to experience life on a campus or away from home. Camps can be expensive though, so I am going to try to pass along information about residential camps and summer programs that are less than $1,000 a week, with some as low as $350. One of my favorites is the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA), a prestigious four-week summer session for ninth-through-12th-graders at the CalArts campus near Hollywood. Students choose their area of concentration and receive intensive training from professionals in music, theatre, video and film, visual arts, dance, creative writing and animation. At $1,550 for four weeks, this is a bargain, as it covers room, board and tuition and further financial aid is available. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 28 (www.csssa.ca.gov) and about half of all candidates are accepted. If you know of other great, relatively inexpensive programs, please let me know.

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Bilingual sophomores and juniors who are interested in the medical field should plan to attend an orientation meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Summer Health Careers Institute at SRJC. Last year, three Sonoma High School students, Lizbeth Cabrera, Ana Lagunas and Miriam Tinoco, were selected after an application review and interview. They attended a five-week introductory course, received 15 high school credits and five college credits, CPR and First Aid Certifications and a $500 stipend.   

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El Verano School is putting the finishing touches on its performing arts mural; the school has worked closely with artist Gail Manfre and with the entire El Verano community in the design and painting of six beautiful murals on campus, all funded with donations from Plein Air. Plein Air contributed $66,500 to 12 Sonoma Valley schools for visual arts education this year. In addition, they donated a total of $22,000 to the Sonoma Valley Art Museum, the Sonoma Community Center and the Arts Guild, all to further their work in getting kids interested in art. In the past 10 years, they have donated $545,405 to our schools and the previously mentioned nonprofits. It is truly wonderful to know that there are so many stakeholders involved in the education of our children.

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Silver Moon Theater is now offering acting classes for students aged 11-to-18 at the Sonoma Community Center on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The classes begin Tuesday, Jan. 17 and end on Tuesday, March 13. Classes are taught by Nellie Cravens and Sue Martin and will include acting exercises, theatre games, building a character, voice and diction, scene study … and more. The nine-week class is $145 (SCC members $130). To register, call 938-4626.

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Crescent Montessori School is hosting a screening of the controversial documentary film, “The Race to Nowhere,” on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at Community Center. Tickets can be bought at www.rtncrescentmontessori.evenbrite.com/ or at the door. Crescent Montessori’s Community Center classrooms will be open to the public at 6 p.m. A panel of parents and educators will lead an important discussion prior to the film. For those who didn’t catch the film when it aired at the Sonoma International Film Festival, here is your chance to see it and join the dialogue about the problems plaguing the education system in America.

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There is a great opportunity for Sonoma sophomores and juniors to take an ACT Practice Test on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sonoma Valley High School. Students must sign up (cost $10) at the Student Activities window before Jan. 18.

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A few more students have heard from their first choice Early Action or Early Decision colleges. Congratulations to Allison Howlett and Megan Durfee who were admitted to Santa Clara University and to Mills College. 

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On Thursday, Jan. 19, a representative from “Students Rising Above” will offer an information session for juniors at the high school. This scholarship program is for Bay Area students who have a 3.0-plus GPA; who have had to overcome adversity and/or are first generation college-bound; and who are motivated to attend a four-year college (www.studentrisingabaove.org).

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Sonoma Valley High is offering a “Cash for College” workshop to help students to fill out the FAFSA (federal financial aid application for two-year and four-year colleges) in the library, on Saturday, Jan. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students participating will be entered into a drawing to win $1,000.

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One-hundred percent of the net profits of the soon-to-open Republic of Thrift will go to the Sonoma Valley public schools. Jeannette Tomany reports that she has leased a space at 17496 Sonoma Highway (the old Shaker-Amish furniture place) and expects the grand opening to take place sometime in late January.  If you are cleaning out your closets, remember Republic of Thrift. Tomany is currently accepting donations of clothing, shoes, toys, housewares, furniture, etc. She’ll be working in the store setting up in January, so put your donations aside. But if you need to get your donations out of your house/garage/life before then, give her a call at 480-3523 or email at jtomany@republicofthrift.com.

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Jim Witous will reopen Café Mac at a new location on lower Broadway, adjacent to the bike shop and across from the high school, later this month. The space will house a retail store and a place where students and adults can hang out, take classes, and try out new Apple products and services. Witous will also offer a type of “Genius Bar” where clients can get their Apple products upgraded or fixed. It was great to hear that Sonoma Valley teachers will be provided with classes free of charge. Witous can be reached at 287-4651 and the store address is 20093 Broadway.

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Congratulations to Sonoma High senior Jonathon Wieland, whose food and clothing drive for the homeless brought in more than 5,000 pounds of clothing and 3,000 pounds of food.