California GEAR UP e-Newsletter

Survey responses from fourteen schools who participated in the Continuing Sustainability Project are featured. More of the 2009 Evaluation Survey data is available on the GEAR UP website:www.castategearup.org

The California GEAR UP-Valley High School Collaborative began in 2005-2006 to provide information, resources, and support services for students, families, teachers, counselors, and administrators. While primarily focused on students, the Collaborative also provides services for the total school community.  The Collaborative began at Jackman Middle School with a cohort of seventh grade students.  In 2007-2008, the cohort matriculated to Valley High School as ninth graders.  Both schools are in Sacramento, California and are a part of the Elk Grove Unified School District.

California GEAR UP provides Educational Trust Awards for students in GEAR UP schools as well as for participants in Educational Talent Search – one of the federal TRIO Programs.  Each student receives a $2,000 trust award, which is deposited into an individual account that grows each year until redeemed.  From 1999 to 2009, 5,122 students have received trust awards.  Each school and program is responsible for identifying and enrolling students, and providing information about the award to their families.  Each school also identifies alternates.

Based on the school site needs, the Family Initiatives Project (FIP) provided a variety of services to more schools in the 2008-2009 schoolyear.  The comments from families (in italics) were positive and offered ideas on expanding.  

During Spring 2009 several GEAR UP schools held a Family University Day, presented by the GEAR UP Family Initiatives Project (FIP) staff: Marsha King, Project Coordinator; Jill Campbell, Project Assistant, Qiana Patterson, Facilitator; and Cloteal Herron, Facilitator.  Each school has a FIP contact and parent volunteers who invite parents and students to the sessions.  These one-day events were at the following schools: Martin Luther King Academic (San Francisco), Desert Willow Intermediate, Monterey Highlands Elementary School, White Middle School, Winton Middle School, and Shadow Hills Intermediate School.  Other schools held a series of Family Education workshops.

The Palmdale School District, led by CSP schools Shadow Hills and Desert Willow in partnership with California GEAR UP, is providing two AVID professional development workshops in September and October for all middle schools. This training includes newly selected GEAR UP schools Cactus and Mesa Intermediate.  

GEAR UP encourages and supports regional professional developments.  Please contact your Regional Coordinator if a group of GEAR UP schools in your geographic region is interested in conducting such a systemic effort.