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The two large rooms of Jordan Middle School’s library buzzed with activity. It was 3:45 p.m. and class had been dismissed about an hour before. Joleen Roach, an adult, was flanked on both sides by inquisitive middle-schoolers asking about negative numbers, history and what that green squiggly line is in Microsoft Word.
“Miss Roach is a big help to everybody,” eighth-grader Jessie Martinez said.
With assistance from a $5,000 grant from the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund this past spring, the homework center has been able to pay Roach and librarian Anne McQueen and buy school supplies and snacks.
The homework center is largely funded by the Palo Alto Unified School District’s discretionary funds. This year, because of budget problems at the state level, there is considerably less money for the discretionary fund. The grant given by the Holiday Fund helped to bridge the gap.
Roach runs the Homework Center from 3 to 4:30 p.m., three days a week at the Jordan library.
Roach, McQueen and several tutors help more than 75 students with a variety of homework questions. Students are provided with 30 computers with Internet access, calculators and a space where they can concentrate.
“I’d spend hours on homework at home and not get anything done,” sixth-grader Cleneisha Turner said.
Eighth-grader Mario Pulido agreed. “At home you got sports, church. You’re busy with things to do,” he said.
Mario said that since he started going to the homework center, he has been able to concentrate more on his assignments and said his grades have improved “from C’s to A’s.”
The homework center started in 1999 with the goal of providing assistance and the after-school activities that many students need. Almost half of Jordan’s students who are enrolled in Ravenswood City School District’s Voluntary Transfer Program attend the homework center regularly.
Philip Lally started tutoring at the homework center after his church enlisted him. He has tutored science at the center for four years.
On Tuesday, he was teaching eighth-grader Ramon Mendoza about the solar system.
“I think it primarily gives students the opportunity to do homework and get some help,” he said.
“It helps them from getting stressed out,” Ramon added.
Volunteer tutors keep a regular schedule so students can come on a specific day and get help with particular subjects.
“Two people I’m thinking of are engineers, and they have such a depth of knowledge. It’s great because they can help kids apply ideas to the real world,” Roach said.
Some tutors are even homework-center alumni. Roach said that she has students from Palo Alto High School come back to Jordan to volunteer at the center.
Another resource the center has is McQueen, Jordan’s librarian. She stays on after school and helps students take full advantage of the library. Roach said McQueen is one of the best resources the students have.
Students also have each other to rely on. Groups of friends sit together and work through assignments. Roach emphasized the importance of students feeling comfortable at the center.
According to eighth-grader Tim Tran, who has been going to the center, it’s a simple equation: “It’s a nice environment to get work done. It’s like a classroom.”
Information about donating to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund is posted here.
JLS also has homework habitat and math lab after school to help kids with homework. I expect Terman has something similar.
this really isnt a story. what middle school doesnt have a homework center?
I agree this is not really a story. I believe PAUSD is trying to show up that they need money to keep the good things they do for our students,and at the same time they are letting us know that they might not do it if the parcel tax increase does not go through. Enough is enough.
Its more a promotion for the Holiday Fund then any covert activities by the school district.
And Ms. McQueen and Ms. Roach are absolutely awesome!
What a bunch of cynics. You people are making a lot of assumptions. Can’t people simply appreciate how beneficial this program is to the students and see it for what it is? Of course paid staff is necessary and the money has to come from somewhere. I remember reading years ago that Holiday Fund paid for the JLS homework habitat. Gosh, give people something for free and they think it’s worth nothing.