Photo Osmín Herrero Hispanic.

Lee Reiter teacher of the 2nd one. Grade registering the child Gaitán, he is accompanied by his mother, Mónica Gaitán.

Ediza Vega
Washington Hispanic

With the motto “I believe in me” and chorused to the unison for thousands of students of the Public Schools of the County of Montgomery (MCPS, for his initials in English), beginning happened to the program “Saturday School“ (Saturday School), which develops simultaneously in 12 secondary schools of the county in mention.

Hundreds of family parents met in the different places where the program develops to receive orientation and to register his children, and mentioned that they had many expectations in which they will receive the assistance that they need to improve his learning results.

Mónica Gaitán said: "I have registered my son 7-year-old Samuel, because it is somewhat slack in reading; it is difficult to him to read very much and at home I do not know how to help it, that's why I have brought it so that they help him”. While Maria Santana showed: "I have received very good references of this program on behalf of my friends who have his children here, that's why I have brought my daughter who is in 5to. grade so that it improves his yield in all the matters. For his part Susan Flores student of 7mo grade, said that this is the second year that is present at the program:“ I was a student of the ‘Saturday School’ two years ago, but we change to California, now when we have returned to Maryland, I have wanted to return because really I learned very much and it helped me to improve my qualifications.”

Maria Hernández mentioned that his son Kevin, who goes to the 2nd grade, needs support in writing because he is made difficult very much. “I am very interested in that my son takes part of this program because it is very intelligent, but a bit a mop and needs major dedication”, it indicated.

School reinforcement
The “Saturday School” is a program of reinforcement that tries the excellence in the academic achievement of the students of 1ero to 12do school grade and is developed by George B. Thomas Learning Academy in coordination with MCPS. This program offers tutorship in the mastery of the such fundamental matters of study like mathematics, language, reading and writing, as well as consultancy in his school tasks and skills to produce successfully the local and national examinations. The education matters are aligned by the program curricular of the MCPS and it develops individualized instruction strategies, they have more practices time and it helps them to develop to the maximum his potential to reach the best results during the school year.

It is needed from the pupils to fulfill high places resulted from yield and conduct including assistance and punctuality. In the same way they are forced to present his quarterly qualifications to determine support strategies and monitorear the impact that the program has in the academic progress of the student.

The classes in the “Saturday School”, give every Saturday between 8.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m in the following secondary schools: Sherwood, Springbrook, Paint Branch, John F. Kennedy, Northwest, Montgomery Blair, Gaithersburg, Wheaton, Albert Einstein, Watkins Mill, Cabbage. Zadok Magruder and Rockville. In every center certified teachers and voluntary tutors offer assistance personalized to the pupils in the matters that more I support need.

In these twelve centers, at the same hour and in simultaneous form, the students meet in the auditorium where there takes place an emotive meeting of motivation that lights the spirit both of students and of tutors and family parents. Such is the case of Lakeisha Lashley, Director of the Center of Gaithersburg who gets up at 4 a.m. a.m. to come on time every Saturday from Pensylvannia where it takes root, to his school center. “East is the fourth year that was employed at the ‘Saturday School’ and I have no plans of moving back” there says this educator who adds, “I like being employed at this program because it is a very important initiative that helps the community and especially to the students, who represent our future.” Lakeisha indicates that to the moment it has registered nearly hundred pupils, of whom Latin students are 20 per cent.

There are still vacancies
For his part Michael Thomas, Executive director of George B. Thomas Learning Academy, organization without ends of lucre that develops this program, makes sure that to the moment in twelve centers where the “Saturday School” develops already 2.059 students have registered, number that will go increasing in the following weeks. Thomas said that last year the “Saturday School” served to 3.426 students, of whom 37 per cent were of African American origin, 34 per cent were of Latin origin, 13 Asian per cent and 9 per cent of white race, and 7 per cent of other races.

Thomas ended up by saying that this program was created 22 years ago with the intention of looking for the excellence in the yield of the students Afro Americanos, but then it spread to other minorities being the Latin students second most of the minority groups in benefiting.
The “Saturday School” is within reach of everything the pockets, the only payment that the family parents have to do is of $ 20 dollars for pupil like the only payment. The program provides all the study materials.
The family parents who still have not registered his children yet can do it. If he wishes major information it can call 202-320-6545. There is service in Spanish.