April 21: This week’s best tips, resources and events for Sonoma students, parents and teachers…

There will be some sprucing up of Sonoma school campuses this summer. The projects slated include: roofing, flooring, window covers and paving projects across all campuses; another portable classroom for special-education classes at Altimira Middle School; some prioritizing among the master plans at all the campuses, including the new splashy wish list for Sonoma High; improving the wifi access on various campuses; planning for recycled water at the high school fields: a furniture pilot for next fall; and a new monument signage plan for all campuses. The budget is just over $2 million, which comes from a restricted facility fund, not the general fund budget and not the Measure H bond dollars.

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On the topic of facilities needing sprucing, I was sad to hear that the track team cannot host home meets at Sonoma Valley High this year because of the poor condition of the track, as well as the pole-vault and long-jump areas. Coach Linda Patterson spoke movingly about the need for repairs at the most recent trustee board meeting – and was clear the situation also affects the middle school students who use it.

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Sonoma Valley High School and its leadership students will host an orientation event for all incoming freshman from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Friday, May 1. Visiting students can learn about SVHS and tour the school to get a feeling of what high school will be like, with activities and games. Email freshmenosvhs@gmail.com with any questions.

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An article titled “The 5 Things Your Kids Will Remember About You” really caught my eye. It is worth reading in full, but author David Willis said it really boils down to these five:

1. The times you made them feel safe.

2. The times you gave them your undivided attention.

3. The way you interacted with your spouse.

4. Your words of affirmation AND your words of criticism.

5. Your family traditions.

The entire piece is online at www.patheos.com.

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I love a hot topic and was interested to read, “Why Middle School Should Be Abolished” in the Daily Beast last week. The author, David Banks, is a long-time educator and author, and he said, “America should do away with middle schools, which are educational wastelands. We need to cut the middle out of middle schools, either by combining them with the guidance and nurturing that children find in elementary school, or with the focus on adult success that we expect from our high schools.” tinyurl.com/ngxpcs6

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I was disappointed that no Sonoma Valley elementary schools participated in the Sonoma County Office of Education’s annual Science Olympiad competition this year. More than 300 local students in grades 4 to 6 rotate through a series of hands-on team events that require them to build a paper airplane that illustrates aerodynamic concepts, protect an egg from a high drop, and/or explain the results of a science experiment. scoe.org/pub/htdocs/science-olympiad

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The Masons of Sonoma invite the public to celebrate Public Schools Month by nominating a teacher of the year. This annual Masons program honors an outstanding local teacher who:

• Inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn

• Has the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues

• Plays an active and useful role in the community as well as in the school

• Is an exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled teacher

Nominations from the community will be accepted until Thursday, April 30. theilendesign.com/pages/temple-lodge-toy.html

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As I get anxious about losing my memory, I was interested to read about the top brain foods, not just for young developing brains but also for adults eager to ward off Alzheimer’s and dementia. They are: cocoa (hooray for dark chocolate); omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon, flaxseed oil and chia seeds); walnuts; Magnesium (found in avocado, soy beans, bananas and dark chocolate); and blueberries. You can read more in Science Daily at tinyurl.com/mlty2hz

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If you are concerned about your child’s understanding of their online presence, Common Sense Media has introduced a game that introduced middle school students to the fundamentals of digital citizenship. The site offers animated, choose-your-own-adventure interactive experiences. Students can tackle digital dilemmas, make good (and not-so-good) decisions, and try out possible solutions through stories and mini-games – all without risking their real-world reputations. digitalcompass.org

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There are openings on the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Bond Oversight Committee. The group oversees the spending of the district’s Measure H bond money. Needed at this time are a district parent (who is active in a school PTO) and a member at large. I gather this is not a huge time commitment, as the Committee meets only a few times a year. Call Chief Business Officer John Bartolome at 935-4249 for more information.

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As you shop for toys to keep your children amused this summer (perhaps on long car trips or plane rides), you might browse Amazon.com’s new dedicated STEM toy shop. You will find a variety of items that encourage kids to develop science, technology, engineering and/or math-related skills. The site explains why the toys were chosen and groups toys into useful categories (like top picks in circuit toys). Don’t forget to enter the site via smiles.amazon.com to have a portion of your sale go to a school or nonprofit of your choice. smiles.amazon.com/STEM

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Gifted education and acceleration are controversial topics in most school districts. It can be hard to justify funding for students who are “ahead” when there are so many students “behind.” A new two-volume longitudinal study weighs in – “A Nation Empowered: Evidence Trumps the Excuses Holding Back America’s Brightest Students.” The report is designed to “empower” parents, educators, administrators and policy-makers with evidence and tools to implement 20 types of acceleration, which include early entrance to school, grade-skipping, moving ahead in one subject area, or Advanced Placement courses. tinyurl.com/mfa4a3e

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In a recent speech, UC President Janet Napolitano cited facts to address some common myths about the UC system. She said:

• University of California is now home to more than 235,000 students, and nearly 90 percent of the undergraduates in the system are from California

• 55 percent of California resident undergraduates pay no tuition thanks to the UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, which provides full coverage of tuition for families who earn $80,000 or less

• The state now provides the exact amount of dollars to UC as it did in 1997. Meanwhile, UC has enrolled 75,000 additional students - the equivalent of adding three more UC Riverside campuses.

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With the hope that empathy is something one can build in a child, I was interested to find a list of TV shows and movies that said thought to promote empathy. Some of the top picks by Common Sense Media are the movies “Dumbo,” “Bully,” “A Little Princess” and “Maya the Bee Movie”; and the TV shows “Scorpion,” “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and “Glee”; and the PBS radio show “This American Life.” The complete list is at commonsensemedia.org.

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The deadline for Beach Blanket Babylon’s Scholarship for the Arts is Friday, April 24. Three $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to Bay Area seniors, one in each of the following categories: Voice, Acting and Dance. Finalists will be notified by phone on May 4, and will perform their selection live in San Francisco on Monday, June 1. beachblanketbabylon.com

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Congratulations to Index-Tribune reporter/intern Pio Valenzuela who was recently honored at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges’ annual convention in Sacramento. He writes for Santa Rose Junior College paper, The Oak Leaf, which received a General Excellence award and he was honored with a first place award for his on-the-spot news coverage.

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Santa Rosa Junior College info/events:

SRJC is offering a Career Expo from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22. This free event is open to the public and it is a great opportunity for high school students to learn more about various career paths. Some of the businesses attending include Sonic, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sutter Health, Robert Half International, Mesa Beverage Company, UPS, Exchange Bank and Kaiser Permanente. Location: Bertolini Dining Commons, Santa Rosa campus.

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SRJC’s Black Student Union and Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan club are hosting the ninth annual free Youth and Parent Conference from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.

As many as 800 local students and their parents are expected to attend to hear guest speakers and to attend workshops on how to prepare for college, suicide-prevention training, stories from first generation college students, music as an art form of empowerment and consciousness, mathematics from the Mayans and immigration law. srjcmecha.org/