Homework club pays off Homework club pays off (January 16, 2004)

Castro students boost English fluency at after-school program

By Julie O'Shea

Castro Elementary has successfully kicked off its fourth year of a state-funded after-school homework club that has help to boost students' standardized test scores and strengthen English fluency.

But more importantly, said Principal Carla Tarazi, the After School Learning and Safe Neighborhoods Partnership Program gives the roughly 100 participating students an enjoyable, supervised place to unwind after school and get some extra help with their classroom studies as well as practice their language skills. More than 80 percent of the Escuela Avenue elementary school's student body speaks a language other than English at home.

"This is really a strength of the city," Tarazi said of the program, explaining to the school board on Dec. 18 how many community organizations -- including the Community Health Awareness Council, Community School of Music and Arts, the Parks and Recreation Department and the city library -- are partnering with Castro to make sure children have a variety of different activities to choose from once they are released from class for the day.

"Students report they are more confident about their ability to complete school work, and they feel they are getting organized using their agenda planners," Tarazi said. She added that the grade schoolers are attempting more work on their own before asking for help from a teacher or adult volunteer.

"We do keep them involved in a lot of different activities after school," the principal said. "All of them (the activities) are vehicles to develop language as well."

While Castro has seen schoolwide drops in its state-mandated standardized test scores, Tarazi noted that students enrolled in the after-school program earned a small gain on their exams.

"Looks like an outstanding program, and you're doing really fine work there," trustee Ellen Wheeler said during the recent meeting.

Castro received a three-year, $255,000 grant from the state's After School Learning and Safe Neighborhoods Partnership Program and launched the homework club in the 1999-2000 school year. When the grant expired, school administrators applied for a second, three-year grant with the California Department of Education, and received $150,000.

The grant is funded to serve a minimum of 83 students; there are 109 participating in the program this year at Castro. Students must be recommended to the homework club by a teacher, and "for the most part, parents are real supportive," Tarazi said.

Currently, the program has 25 first graders, 15 second graders, 25 third graders, 14 fourth graders and 30 fifth graders.

When the program began in the 1999-2000 school year, there were 57 participating students. By the 2001-2002 year, that number nearly doubled to 106 and there was an 88 percent attendance rate. The program now operates on a 144-day cycle and runs from approximately 12 p.m. until 6 p.m.

E-mail Julie O'Shea at joshea@mv-voice.com

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