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Extra Credit

Daily education news and conversation

‘Trashtastic’ homemade/recycled boat event is this Saturday

Thursday, at 6:23 by

Reminder: The Trashtastic Boatacular fest is this Saturday in Santa Rosa. We ran a story last month about the efforts by Comstock and Santa Rosa middle school students to create floatable vessels to enter in the “competition.”  To read that story, click here http://bit.ly/11nGUmk The event, which includes a potluck picnic, is open to the public and will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Nagasawa Community Park on Fountaingrove Lake. The boat race is scheduled for 2 p.m. For… Read More »

Think your boat can beat the Crusaders’ vessel?

Thursday, at 11:22 by

Intrigued by the story that ran in today’s Press Democrat about Comstock Middle School and Santa Rosa Middle School students building boats out of recycled materials to compete in the upcoming “Trashtastic Boatacular”? Well the event is open to the public and organizers are still taking eager participants. The event is May 11 at Nagasawa Community Park on Fountaingrove Lake. For more information, see their Facebook page http://on.fb.me/11HrfOZ or call organizer (and make and art teacher) Dawn Thomas at 245-4735.… Read More »

Comstock’s Nagi is student of the month

Wednesday, at 6:01 by

Comstock Middle School’s Simran Nagi is Santa Rosa City Schools student of the month for February. Nagi is the school’s third highest reader, with more than one million words read so far this year. Last year, she provide Indian food as a treat for the school’s top readers. Nagi has earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average every semester she has been at Comstock. Nagi’s advanced algebra teacher, Mary Ann Simon, said Nagi is conscientious and an excellent student. “She… Read More »

SchoolsPlus ups its annual contribution to Santa Rosa schools

Thursday, at 10:34 by

SchoolsPlus is at it again. The nonprofit that has been supporting athletics and arts in all Santa Rosa City Schools middle and high schools for more than two decades has upped their annual contribution to each campus, according to the group’s leaders. This year, all five comprehensive high schools will get $20,000 (up from $12,500 last year) and middle schools as well as Ridgway High will receive $10,000 (up from $6,250 last year). The money is to be split evenly… Read More »

Which school has the best attendance rate? The worst? (And why it matters)

Wednesday, at 6:07 by

Santa Rosa City Schools has released its annual attendance rates for 2011-12, tallied by school. Here is are the average rates of absenteeism (ranked highest to lowest) on each campus: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Brook Hill, 5 percent Steele Lane, 4.94 percent Doyle Park, 4.71 percent Monroe, 4.57 percent Lincoln, 4.24 percent Biella, 3.91 percent Burbank, 3.46 percent Hidden Valley Satellite, 3.37 percent Helen Lehman, 3.31 percent Hidden Valley, 3.28 percent Proctor Terrace, 3.17 percent   MIDDLE SCHOOL Cook Middle School, 6.79… Read More »

SRCS sports report: Money spent and participation disparities

Tuesday, at 12:59 by

The annual sports report is out. Santa Rosa City Schools has released its competitive athletic unaudited fiscal analysis for 2011-12. The report details what the district’s general fund pays to support athletic programs at middle and high schools and separates funds that are received and expended via student body accounts or donations. That number grew by $42,185 last year from a total of $566,535 in 2010-11. The total general fund contribution to high school athletics was $811,549 and $227,763 for… Read More »

Locals ahead of the curve in kissing gags

Monday, at 6:22 by

Sorry. The first posting of this was entirely cut off. Let’s try again. The most recent edition of California Educator, the monthly magazine put out by the California Teachers Association, had a story about innovative fundraising events, including teachers and administrators kissing pigs. It brought to mind at least two local schools who used animal kissing rallies not as a fundraiser but a motivator to reach academic goals. To read about former Comstock Middle School principal Bob Dahlstet kissing a… Read More »

Comstock’s Alex Pineda is student of the month

Wednesday, at 6:01 by

Comstock Middle School’s Alexandra Pineda is Santa Rosa City Schools middle school student of the month for March. Known as “Alex” to her friends, Pineda is a wiz at math and a student many others turn to for help through the roughest algebra problems, according to algebra teacher Mary Ann Simon. Ms. Simon describes Pineda as a student with a sweet disposition who is eager to learn, a combination that makes her an ideal student. Ali Young, Pineda’s English teacher,… Read More »

SR Chamber celebrates top teachers

Monday, at 2:16 by

A handful of local teachers were celebrated for excellence in the classroom on the eve of the start of the school year. The annual “Education & Business Partnership Breakfast” put on by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce celebrated teachers from schools around Santa Rosa with a select few earning special commendation at the Aug. 11 event. Of the 58 educators from preschool programs to community college and four year colleges and universities, eight teachers were selected at top educators… Read More »