In Times Like These, Schools Need a Helping Hand

Christina Glady, a teacher at , is no stranger to the Rancho Bernardo and Poway schools. Beside growing up — and attending school — in Poway, she's been an instructor in Rancho Bernardo for the last 10 years. But the last several years have been quite a challenge for this first grade teacher.

Class sizes have swelled from 20 students per room to counts in the mid- to upper 20s now due to budget cuts, Glady said.

The larger class sizes can make it more difficult for teachers to do their jobs, Glady said.

Glady's students fall within several different reading levels. The first grade teacher spends the first six weeks of school training her students to be independent workers so she can give the individual reading groups the attention they need. She relies heavily on parent volunteers to help her with the students while she can teach each of the reading groups at their levels.

As schools and teachers continue to face budget cuts, parents have become important to the success of the classroom, the teacher said.

"We really rely on parents, the PTA and foundations to provide supplies for the classroom," Glady said. "The parents are key to bringing in pencils, glue sticks and supplies for class."

Over at Westwood Elementary School, parent Rachel Goyette has a son in the first grade. Goyette considers herself an active parent volunteer and said she believes parents are key to helping the teachers.

"We moved here two months into the last school year. (William's) had great teachers. The staff is friendly and welcoming. He's really thrived academically and socially. We're really, really pleased,"  Goyette said.

She volunteered in William's kindergarten classroom last year. After attending a meeting for parent volunteers, she was looking for a way to volunteer on a school level. She then decided to become PTA president. Goyette continues to be involved on the classroom level as well. She volunteers at least once a week in William's room. 

"You've got kids who are barely learning to read with kids who are reading chapter books and writing summaries," Goyette said. "Same with math. There are kids who are just learning to add while others know multiplication.

"I'm in awe of the teachers that handle that and work toward the goals of all the kids. It's daunting as a volunteer. I can't imagine how the teachers feel."

Glady, the Chaparral Elementary School teacher, said the state of public education needs more attention today than ever before.

"We need to start having a voice for the schools. The state is messing with the money and schools are feeling the effects. This is our future," Glady said.

Goyette said it won't take much for parents to provide useful help.

"We have about 150 parents that volunteer at least weekly and show up for school events. But we can always use more. Even if you only have a few hours a week to give, we could use the help," Goyette said.