Students making a presentation in a summer school government class are (from left) Lynn Chouw, Suzanne Yamaguchi, Steven Chen and Marie Hollenhorst.
YouthTalk
Summer school keeps many students busy with studies
By Joanna Chan and Laura Lin
While many perceive summer to be a time of relaxation from the stress of the demanding school year, this is not so for some 700 Los Gatos and Saratoga High school students. For these eager students, this summer is about catching up or getting ahead in various subjects.
Even though the regular school year officially ended in June, Saratoga High has not quieted. The high school continues to offer six-week classes for students throughout the community.
This summer, Kerry Mohnike assumes the role for the first time as the principal of the high school program. During the normal school year, Mohnike teaches junior English classes. As the summer school principal, she takes on tasks that she didn't do as a teacher.
Mohnike handles everything from discipline and attendance to supplies and Xerox malfunctions.
"My duties as principal seem to be light years from my classroom duties," Mohnike said. "I spend much more time disciplining and running errands and far less time working with students."
Serving as the principal has given her an opportunity to test the "administrative waters," to see whether she would enjoy being an administrative figure more than holding a teaching position.
"I wanted to make sure that the classroom environment offered me the most job satisfaction," Mohnike said. "I also have been able to work with my teaching colleagues in a different arena. I have been so impressed with what many of the teachers are doing in their classrooms--things I don't generally get to see during the school year."
This job has allowed her to see that teaching is truly her passion. In addition, it has offered a different light on many aspects of teaching that have helped her to gain further insight and enhance her teaching career.
"I've come to realize or perhaps been formally reminded, how much I enjoy working with the students one-on-one," Mohnike said. "I certainly miss that aspect and am envious of the teachers at times."
The summer school courses offered include math, various history courses, government, economics, biology, general English classes and state and local requirements.
Many incoming seniors are taking the government and the economics classes for credit in order to free up a period, or take an alternative elective for their senior year. Though many students claim that the two-hour classes are too long, there are advantages that go along with the problems.
"With two-hour classes, there is more time to actually learn material," said senior Jennifer Chan. "In the usual 50-minute classes, it is hard to really learn, and you usually have to go home to learn the material on your own. With two-hour classes, you save a lot of time by learning the material in class and review at home."
Teachers also find that the two-hour period provides smoother running of the class.
"There's more continuity," said English teacher Paris DeSoto. "The classes can work on major projects in one long period rather than two short periods. It's less disruptive."
The teachers in the summer program come from various nearby districts. Most find teaching at Saratoga High a worthwhile experience.
"The staff at Saratoga summer school has been very friendly and supportive," said DeSoto, who teaches at Los Gatos. "The students, for the most part, are attentive and motivated."
Del Mar history teacher Darren Spence also agrees with DeSoto. "Now I see why the teachers enjoy teaching at this school and at Los Gatos. The experience here is very positive, and I enjoy that the students are motivated even though it can become boring because the [history classes] are four hours."
Got a news tip for YouthTalk? Contact Joanna Chan at 408.867.6766 or princessJO@aol.com, or Laura Lin at 408.867.6606.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
