Legislator visits as families study

EDUCATION: San Jacinto parents enter the bilingual skill-boosting program and reciprocate by tutoring.

SAN JACINTO—A program to bring adult bilingual education into neighborhood schools while helping parents take part in their children’s education drew a visit from Assemblyman Russ Bogh on Friday.

The Hyatt Elementary School program started last year as a way to help parents who don’t have transportation to reach separate adult schools. Classes include lessons in English and computer skills.

Parents learn basic language skills. They are encouraged to continue their studies toward high school equivalency degrees, college or citizenship. They enter the program under an agreement that they will reciprocate by tutoring children at the school.

Many parents opt to fulfill the obligation by tutoring their own children.

The adult students are often shy or insecure about their ability to help with schoolwork, teacher Bertha Alvarado said. But the tutoring can be as simple as helping children use flash cards. It can be in math or science as well as English.

And it gets them involved.

“This is a system they chose for their children, and we just need to make them a part of it,” Principal Marina Brubaker said.

Bogh, R-Cherry Valley, visited two classrooms at the school, as well as day-care center set up in the multipurpose room for young children of the adult students. He also visited Mountain View Adult School, where the San Jacinto Unified School District’s other adult-education classes meet.

He said he plans to talk to colleagues in Sacramento to find out if similar programs exist — and possibly discuss using the Hyatt program as a model for other schools.

“I think that the best way to help kids is to get their parents involved,” Bogh said. “It’s a phenomenal concept.”



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