Photo Courtesy: PUSD
Diamond Point Elementary 3rd Grader, Jacob Oliva, presents his Camp Imagination project: a functional, three-dimensional model of the game Minecraft made out of recycled materials.

By Juliette Funes

Pomona – 3^rd Grader Walter Adling’s cardboard robot stands over two feet tall, with a long, long neck, a see-through brain and a transparent stomach filled with a rainbow of popsicle sticks and yarn.

“Its insides are made of infinite cherries,” Walter said.

Walter’s robot is one of dozens of toys created by students this summer at Pomona Unified School District’s first-ever Camp Imagination, a unique program in which 100 incoming 3^rd Graders from Diamond Point, Roosevelt and Washington elementary schools were challenged to let their imaginations reshape recycled materials.

“Students used their own creative instincts to find solutions to real-world problems, and though they were guided along the way, they were engaged in college-level work that involved research, innovation and collaboration to make their projects come to fruition,” Board President Andrew Wong said.  “I’m proud of all of our students, teachers and staff members who helped make this inventive pilot program a success.”

The literacy intervention program, which ran from June 15 to July 2, helped struggling readers to become engaged learners by promoting creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving.

It was inspired by the short film, “Caine’s Arcade,” which tells the story of a 9-year old East Los Angeles boy who, over his summer vacation, built an elaborate arcade out of cardboard and recycled materials in his father’s used auto parts store.

At Pomona Unified, students worked in small groups to strengthen their literacy skills, using such programs as Accelerated Reader, exploring scientific concepts and incorporating iPad technology for some of the projects, which ranged from three-dimensional Minecraft to life-sized playhouses.

“Programs that incorporate STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and make learning fun are critical to ensuring students are inspired to pursue these concepts as they move forward in their academic careers,” said Diamond Point teacher, Jorge Sanchez, who helped develop the curriculum along with the schools’ principals and teachers.

As part of the project, students also wrote business plans, created their own poems and songs, and made iMovies documenting their experiences.

“A lot of students were having so much fun that they didn’t realize they were learning reading, writing, collaborating, thinking critically and journaling,” said Janice Lim, a board member of the Pomona Unified Partners in Learning (PUPIL) Foundation, which helped fund the program and provided Camp Imagination T-shirts to students.

The support of the foundation – which promotes state-of-the-art student learning opportunities in STEM – has played an important role in increasing programs like Camp Imagination at Pomona Unified.

“The camps encourage hands-on exploration and enable our students to develop critical thinking skills, resourcefulness, empathy, perseverance, teamwork and other 21^st-century skills” said Superintendent Richard Martinez. “We hope to continue to explore STEM design concepts and academic rigor through this project-based format, and I want to thank PUPIL for their support in our efforts.”

Nearly 100 percent of students who attend the program go on to pursue a college degree.

Photo Courtesy: La Verne Media Relations
More than 60 college-hopeful high school students, including 21 from the Pomona Unified School District, participated in the 10th Annual REACH Business Summer Camp, hosted June 8-28 by the University of La Verne.

By Juliette Funes

Pomona – 21 Pomona Unified School District students spent three weeks getting a glimpse of college life during the University of La Verne’s annual REACH Summer Business Camp, where they experienced a stimulating and enriching academic environment as they explored the world of business.

As a way to help students “Reach” their potential, the camp – which is celebrating its 10^th anniversary – provides high school juniors from underserved communities with an introduction to the business field. Nearly 100 percent of students who attend the program go on to pursue a college degree.

“Working with the REACH program is just one of the ways Pomona Unified encourages students to pursue higher education,” Board President Andrew Wong said. “They learn that attending a university or college is attainable and feasible for them, and by getting an idea of what the academic standards are like, they are able to better prepare themselves for college.”

The University of La Verne’s College of Business and Public Management hosted the annual camp
June 8-28 for more than 60 college-hopeful students who took classes in accounting and finance, business ethics, economics, management and organization, marketing and website development.

Students also received valuable insight from local business owners who explained the key role leadership plays in entrepreneurship. They were also challenged to come up with their own ideas for a business and complete a thorough business plan.

“It was an amazing opportunity and unforgettable time for all of the students who gained confidence knowing that they can attend college,” said Monique Cardenas, a business teacher at Garey and Village Academy high schools, who assisted La Verne professors with lesson plans and helped students with their research projects.

“Students gained a unique understanding of the role of business in the economy and the importance of obtaining a post-secondary education,” Cardenas said. “It was exciting to see the sparkle in their eyes.”

The camp is held at no cost to students, who live in campus dorms, eat in dining halls and sit in on classroom lectures for the duration of the program. Those who complete the camp earn five elective credits through the Pomona Unified Regional Occupation Program and one unit from the University of La Verne.

“Our students have taken a significant step toward their college degrees and now have a better understanding of the business field thanks to the REACH Summer Business Camp,” Superintendent Richard Martinez said. “I want to thank the University of La Verne and our other community partners for encouraging our students to explore their career aspirations and giving them the hands-on opportunity to do so.”

By Juliette Funes

Pomona – Pomona Unified School District plans to expand dual-language immersion programs and full-day kindergarten programs, and boost spending for secondary athletics, online Advanced Placement courses and technology support as part of its 2015-18 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

The plan – a requirement of the state’s school funding system – guides District efforts in improving student learning, with particular emphasis on foster youth, English learners and students who are socio-economically disadvantaged. It identifies goals for each year, strategies to achieve those goals and funding sources.

“During the course of our outreach efforts, we have found that the priorities of our parents, community members and stakeholders include rigorous academics and programs to ensure all students – including our foster youth, English learners and socio-economically disadvantaged – are college- and career-ready by the time they graduate high school,” said Board President Andrew Wong. “This plan builds on our District’s successful programs and creates new avenues for student support.”

The 2015-18 plan pledges to continue programs that have shown success in improving graduation rates and reducing absenteeism, dropout and expulsion rates, including professional development, the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) college preparation program, reducing student-teacher ratios in elementary and middle school math and English Language Development sections, improving access to technology and broadening the course of study.

The District will expand its dual-language immersion offerings to include an English-Spanish program at Montvue Elementary School and an English-Mandarin program at Pantera Elementary School. Full-day kindergarten will be added at 11 additional schools. All elementary schools will now have the program.

The District will also bring new programs forward, including a literacy focus program and extra support for arts and music programs. Schools will add learning support by way of more nurses, counselors, school site specialists and math coaches for elementary and high schools. Funding for technology devices and additional computer technicians will also be increased to boost student and adult learning.

Pomona Unified developed the LCAP after analyzing a District survey that drew more than 3,000 stakeholder comments, reviewing data on student performance and consulting parent, faculty, staff and student groups, including the Associated Pomona Teachers Union and California School Employees Association during more than 20 meetings between January and June.

Stakeholders asked for continued safe and clean schools, increased staff and a broader range of coursework, technology and health services. Top bright spots included PUSD staff; the rigorous academic courses offered; the academic and social/emotional support provided to students; parent involvement; and Adult/Career Education.

Other avenues the District expects to explore in the future include more science labs, school modernization projects and disaster preparedness.

“This year, the District has had a number of amazing successes, and we believe that with these expanded programs and new actions, our students will continue to excel in reaching their college and career goals,” Superintendent Richard Martinez said. “I want to thank our students and families, our teachers and staff and our community partners for generously contributing their thoughts and time to help us create a plan that truly reflects local control and accountability in education.”

Expansion of After-School Learning Program

By Juliette Funes

Pomona – Three Pomona Unified School District schools are among 67 schools in the state selected to share $4.6 million in state grants aimed at expanding before- and after-school programs to give students safe places to go outside of school hours, while also providing them opportunities to participate in enrichment activities.

The State Department of Education selected Barfield Elementary, Harrison Elementary and Lexington Elementary to receive $7,310, $37,060 and $31,277, respectively, to expand The Learning Connection (TLC), Pomona Unified’s after-school tutoring and homework assistance program.

“We are thankful that three of our schools will be able to use these grants to not only continue strengthening the valuable TLC program, but also provide our working parents and students, many of whom are low-income, academic assistance in a safe environment,” PUSD Board President Andrew Wong said. “I also want to thank our TLC instructors for serving as role models and inspiring students to achieve their maximum potential.”

The grants are part of the state’s After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program, which is known as The Learning Connection at PUSD. There, students can receive homework support, academic enrichment in the core subjects of literacy, math and science and additional enrichment that includes healthy living activities, exploration of the visual and performing arts, technology, engineering, service learning and leadership development.

TLC, offered at several school sites throughout the District, is staffed by credentialed intervention teachers who supervise enrichment activities that reinforce skills learned during the regular school day and act to build self-esteem and social skills.

“This is a true community effort, allowing our children access to a secure learning environment where they can both thrive academically and enjoy time with their friends after school,” said Superintendent Richard Martinez. “We are extremely grateful to our Learning Connection staff and to the California Department of Education for their generous funding to support student achievement.”

The program runs from the end of the school day until 6 p.m.

For more information about the program, visit www.pusd.org/TLC.