Important Dates

23rd October - Peninsula Oktoberfest benefitting SCEF and Redwood City Education Fund (RCEF).

LITERACY

Early Literacy Program Facing Dramatic Cut Backs

"When children become good readers in the early grades, they are more likely to become better learners throughout their school years and beyond."- The National Institute for Literacy

Every year, our highly-skilled associates in the Early Literacy Program provide timely, individualized instruction to hundreds of SCSD children when they fall behind in their ability to read.

Our literacy associates meet with small groups of students several times a week at each school. Lessons may include phonics, punctuation review, reading and decoding strategies as well as increasing comprehension such as making connections, creating images, and retelling the story.

Teachers in our Early Literacy Program not only help at-risk students read at grade-level; they also play a critical role in the early detection of learning differences in some students. Educators say it is critical to detect those differences early in a child's life.

What Teachers Say Classroom teachers see first-hand how the early literacy program makes an impact on a student's ability to learn to read.

"Time after time I have referred struggling students to the Early Literacy Program," said Nikki Murgo, kindergarten teacher at White Oaks Elementary School. "I have found that not only did their official assessment scores improve, but their confidence, willingness to participate in literacy lessons, and enjoyment of reading blossomed under the care of the Early Literacy Program."

"I had a kindergarten student who was struggling," said Joyce Strauss, Lead Literacy Specialist of Brittan Acres Elementary School. "It was difficult for him to identify his letters. Because of the literacy program, within the same school year he could identify all of his letters, and he moved well above the standard for his grade level in sound fluency and letter naming."

What Parents Say Parents sing the praises of the literacy program.

"Before my son entered the Early Literacy Program in kindergarten, he was becoming increasingly frustrated with learning to read to the point where he was starting to give up," said one White Oaks Elementary School parent. "A year later, he tested at above grade-level reading. And since then, he's become a voracious reader who spends hours each day with his nose in a book."

You Can Help Thanks to your 2008-2009 donations, SCEF was able to fully fund literacy associates at all seven San Carlos schools this school year. With the school district facing an unprecedented $2.8 million budget deficit next year, the Early Literacy Program is a target for dramatic cut backs. To bridge the gap between district needs and state funding, the San Carlos Educational Foundation raises money for critical programs that otherwise would be cut, like the Early Literacy Program.

"The extraordinary times we find ourselves in can only be matched by the extraordinary efforts of the San Carlos Education Foundation," said Craig Baker, San Carlos School District Superintendent. "Simply put, the San Carlos School District cannot continue to provide our stellar literacy programs without your generous donations to SCEF."

Help keep quality programs at San Carlos schools by making a contribution today. If you have questions, please contact your SCEF school representative.

Thank you for your support!

MUSIC

SCEF Saves School District Music Program

With the current budget crisis, many crucial programs at San Carlos elementary and middle schools are on the chopping block. Without the continued support of the San Carlos Educational Foundation, SCEF, programs such as music, PE, science, library and technology might no longer exist. SCEF is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that raises funds to bridge the gap between district needs and state funding.

"Without donations to the SCEF, music would have been cut from the schools of San Carlos six years ago", says Joe Murphy, Band Director at Tierra Linda Middle School. "More than 50 percent of the student body is enrolled in band alone. Combine that with orchestra and music is a daily part of close to 70 percent of the students lives at Tierra Linda."

The San Carlos elementary and middle school music program provides students with a well-rounded education in music. Students not only learn about music theory and its history, but they also learn to play an instrument and have the opportunity to perform in a concert band, an orchestra or a choir. Many middle school students go on to join ensembles outside of school such as Peninsula Youth Orchestra and Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble.

"Music changes kids' lives," says Kristin Kunzelman, Central Middle School Band Director. "Parents tell me how much their students enjoy band and that it has filtered into their student's success in other academic areas. A former student was accepted to School of the Arts in San Francisco. Another student regularly composes music at home and continues to impress me every trimester with new compositions."

Students who study music score higher on SATs and are more likely to graduate from high school and go on to college, experts say.

"I believe that music is one of the essential elements in a student's education," Joe says. "The amount of brain activity required to play in a music program is tremendous. In a musical classroom setting, students are prepared to work as a group, think independently, think critically and think analytically."

Music can also have a dramatic effect on students.

"One of my students was having a difficult time making friends," Joe says. "I was also told that he needed complete organization and structure in the classroom in order to succeed. After working with this student, I found he was an incredible musician. He has become one of the best musicians in band. He has not only grown as a student in his ability to adapt to a varied classroom environment, but I see him making friends in class. Band has really done wonders for this kid."

What Parents Say

Jane Scolieri, a parent of a former Central Middle School student, says the music program made a crucial difference in her child's life."I think the wonderful thing about the Central Middle School's music program was that it provided a consistency to my son's musical education, nicely balanced with fun and belonging to a group," Jane says. "I think it was a huge contribution to his happiness in middle school."

Music Program Benefit Teachers

Teachers say the music program is a big help to them as well.

"Music for Minors brings music to the kids in a way I'm unable to," says Joan Schlinkert, K/1 educator at Charter Learning Center. "These programs help round our kids as human beings with many interests. They introduce the idea in action that there are many ways to be 'smart.' It helps our kids see that we are a group, that they aren't in this world alone and that there is fun to be had in learning about a variety of interesting things."

Help keep quality programs at San Carlos schools by making a contribution today. If you have questions, please contact your SCEF school representative. Thank you for your support!

Music In Schools; What's In It For Me?

Hear what leaders, educators and researchers have to say about the importance of music education.

- President Obama on the importance of music in education.
- Sunday Morning the impact singing in a chorus has on not just singers, but everyone in their community.
- The Case for Music Education why music programs create smarter students.