Portola Valley may start a summer school Portola Valley may start a summer school (April 06, 2005)

By Marjorie Mader

Almanac Staff Writer

Portola Valley School District is considering offering a summer school to help students who need an academic boost in reading, math and writing.

Superintendent Anne Campbell is working on a detailed proposal for a four-week school this June that she will present at the next school board meeting on Wednesday, April 13. It starts at 7 p.m. in Room 1001 at Corte Madera School.

Surveys have been sent to parents to determine their interest.

The summer session would target students who have not achieved proficiency in math and language arts and would benefit from "an infusion of school" during summer months, said Ms. Campbell.

While Portola Valley students scored among the highest in the state in recent STAR testing, about 10 percent of the students in grades 2-8 have not attained the state's "proficient" ranking.

Ms. Campbell said 153 students in kindergarten through seventh-grade would qualify for the program, based on one of three criteria: they scored below the 60th percentile on last year's STAR test; they scored in the "basic" category and below on the California language and math test; or they were recommended by teachers in grades 3-7 as students who could benefit from summer school.

Preliminary plans call for offering the summer school at Corte Madera from 9 a.m. to noon for four weeks, probably from June 22 to July 20. The maximum class would be 15 students. There would be one teacher, a "para-educator" (instructional aide), and three volunteer student tutors for each class. Workday for teachers would be from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Estimated district cost, based on 60 students, would be $27,152, the equivalent of $452 per student. Funding would need to be built into the 2005-06 budget and represents a new expenditure. No state funds would be available, said Tim Hanretty, assistant superintendent.

There are other advantages to summer school besides academic support. It would be an opportunity to bring new students, coming from the Ravenswood School District under the Tinsley Voluntary Transfer Program, to Portola Valley for a "jump start" on their new school experience.

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