Education

Hart High School senior Emily Horak has qualified for the National Championship Speech and Debate tournament to be held in Dallas, Texas on June 14 through June 19. The tournament is considered the largest academic competition in the world.
As the only Santa Clarita qualifier to participate in the West Los Angeles District League, Horak took first place in every round and became the overall West L.A. District champion in her event – original oratory.

Are you looking for something fun and educational for your kids to do this summer? Are they constantly using your kitchen utensils as microphones, banging on your pots like they’re drums or using your tennis racket like it’s a guitar? If that’s the case then you need to send them to one of our amazing camps this summer!

Classical education is like a very large museum with many beautiful, wonder-filled rooms that could be studied over a lifetime. It is a long tradition of education that has emphasized the seeking after of truth, goodness, and beauty and the study of the liberal arts and the great books. What are the liberal arts?

Whether or not your child is sometimes struggling in school, research tells us that students suffer from losing skills over the summer when they are not actively involved in academic endeavors. Here in Santa Clarita Valley we are fortunate to have an abundance of summer camps and opportunities for our students to enjoy outdoor activities and sports; there are not as many choices for gaining an academic boost or doing some catch up.

Last we month we explored the negative effects that delayed executive functioning skills can cause in a student’s life. Problems with the “brain’s CEO” contribute to numerous challenges:  difficulty initiating and finishing assignments, remembering homework assignments, organizing materials and information, controlling emotions, juggling many things simultaneously and planning for the future.  But there is hope!  

The College of the Canyons men’s basketball program invites boys and girls ages 6 to 14 to participate in the 2015 Howard Fisher Cougar Basketball Camp, with two sessions running in June.
Open to players of all skill levels, each four-day camp session will provide attendees with a unique opportunity to learn new techniques and strengthen current skills.

Mitchell Community School is a true community school nestled in the Sierra Estates neighborhood in the foothills of Santa Clarita, California. The park like atmosphere and location of Mitchell draws members of the community to our school in the evenings and on weekends to walk dogs, host soccer games, and enjoy the beautiful campus.

Teacher Tribute Honors some of our most exceptional teachers in the Santa Clarita Valley. Below are some comments from some Saugus Union School District Teacher Tribute Honorees on their profession.
Liz Ketterl, Bridgeport
When I teach, I … feel like I’m responsible for preparing my students for all the things they will need to know for the journey ahead.  My students know knowledge is power and character counts and when we work together, we can achieve anything!
Kyle Evans, Cedarcreek

When parents tell us their child has moved up from C’s to A’s, that reading has become a joy instead of a chore, or that their ACT/SAT scores have improved significantly, we know that we are bringing value to the community.
As Americans, we typically don’t start tutoring until after we receive a low progress report or bad grade.

In March, students from over 50 private and public elementary schools arrived at Occidental College for the Los Angeles Regional Science Olympiad to compete in 20 different science, engineering and technology events.

At the Board of Supervisor’s meeting on March 17.

How do we tell the difference between a child who is simply expressing their disappointment, disagreement or displeasure and one who is being explosive? Where is the line?  “Explosive” behavior is a form of maladaptive behavior that happens when the cognitive demands being placed on the person (child or adult) are greater than the person’s ability to cope with them. Common parent reactions include feeling their child is exhibiting the behavior on purpose or for attention, or that they must be doing something wrong as parents.

The Magazine of Santa Clarita wishes Leona Cox Community School a happy 50th Anniversary. This past February members of the community, current and retired faculty, alumni, and current students and their parents gathered together to look back at fifty years of rich history.

It’s time to start considering preschool for next year for your little one, but why? Why entrust your special little sunshine to others when you know he grows up so fast? And how do you find the best place?
The right preschool will give your son or daughter a place to thrive socially.

Students can get very confused when they hear the word “assessment”. They automatically think quiz or test, in which case they get nervous and start to panic. However, students need to know why teachers need to assess them. It is not to put them into a state of panic, but to help further their growth in the education process. An assessment is just a way to produce evidence in which teachers can evaluate students and help them attain a higher academic level. Teachers give these assessments to help their students monitor their progress.

The College Board has expanded their “Assessment Suite” to include a new PSAT8/9 to assess the foundations of understanding as students enter into high school driving the quest for better college readiness beginning in 8th grade! There will now be two PSAT exams, one for 10th graders and one for 11th.  However, only the 11th graders are eligible for the National Merit Scholarship program. This test will be launching in the fall of 2015.

Last week I was fortunate enough to make another visit to the Getty Museum on the hill above the 405 freeway in Los Angeles.  Every time I drive close to the Getty Center exit and see that beautiful, travertine marble edifice on top of the mountain, my heart quickens and my anticipation heightens to know I will be walking there soon.

Girl Scouts is much more than cookie sales.  Join us at 6 p.m. at the Girl Scout office, 21515 Soledad Canyon Road, suite 119 in Santa Clarita to learn S’more about Girl Scouts – S’More girls, S’more troops, S’more fun!