San Diego State University has proposed changing its policy of providing a local admissions guarantee for our students. These are students who meet all Califonria State University admissions requirements. The policy has given them priority over out-of-town students. this guarantee has helped local students who are qualified for CSU, but who cannot afford to move to and set up residence in another city.

This year, SDSU accepted 54% of its students from our local area. The proposed change is for SDSU to lower that percentage to only 37% of its local students. This, obviously, means many deserving students will not be accepted at SDSU.

A special meeting will be held on Monday, November 9th at 4:00pm by the Board of Education at the Ed Center. This meeting will give local stakeholders a chance to speak in defense of our students who are in the process of applying this month for college entry.

Make your opinions and ideas known by writing the San Diego Union Tribune at letters@uniontrib.com

For more information on this issue, read this article in East County Magazine:
http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/taxonomy/term/195

Community members (high school and college students, retired individuals, parents, young professionals, and every in-between) are volunteering in San Diego City Schools. Background checks are moving quickly to keep volunteer enthusiasm high.

On October 9th, the kickoff for The Year of the School Volunteer was held at Spreckles Elementary District A. OASIS volunteers (ages 50+), parents, Spreckles volunteers, board members John Lee Evans and Richard Barrera, Interim Superintendent Bill Kowba, district Community Relations representatives and the media turned out to support increasing the number of volunteers in our public schools.

Reading with a student of students in grades K-12 is the focus of this year's effort.

Reading with students:

• increases the motivation to read for pleasure and learn skills necessary for assigned reading
• improves reading fluency and comprehension
• teaches new vocabulary in context rather than in isolation
• offers children the opportunity to say what they think, ask questions, think deeply, and analyze the story events and ideas

And that's only a few of the benefits students receive when you read with them. That's a pretty big bang for the volunteer buck! If you are able, volunteering at some of our needier schools outside of  your neighborhood is appreciated. And we certainly welcome volunteers who are interested in opportunities other than reading.

Check the district website for further information: www.sandi.net. Year of the School Volunteer is on the right side of the page.

You can also contact:

Ellen Tiffany:  Questions regarding the many volunteer opportunities through the district's School Volunteer and Partnerships in Education programs, as well as the policy and procedures for all volunteers can be directed to Ellen Tiffany, Manager, Community Relations.   
619-725-5594
etiffany@sandi.net. 

Nancy Hemmings: Contact for OASIS or the district's  service learning program, LEARN & SERVE San Diego.  
619-725-5599
nhemmings@sandi.net

See this link for media coverage of The Year of the School Volunteer:
http://tube.sandi.net/video/play.php?vid=118

Or click here to see the media coverage on the district website.

  Comments, concerns, ideas?  Contact SDPE: