Strengths
The El Monte Elementary School CARES is a brand new program with strong support from our community partners as well as from our school site and administration. This support stems from a history of excellent programming, coordination, and strong program leadership within the Mt. Diablo CARES organization. Financially we are supported by grants from federal and city initiatives.
Challenges
In order to maintain high quality services being offered to our students and families, additional funding sources are continually being pursued. There is an ongoing need to maintain high quality training and mentorship for CARES staff to ensure qualified staff are serving our students. Opportunities for culturally diverse and enriching opportunities prepare students with the life experiences.
Programs for Youth and Families
After School Programming includes:
Homework Help, Academic Intervention Programs, Computer Based Math Proficiency Programs, Literacy Development, Business and Community Awareness, Nutrition Education and Cooking, Arts and Crafts, Gardening, Family Fun Nights, Fitness & Sports, and Enrichment Clubs.
Snack Programming includes:
Daily nutritional snack provided in partnership with Food Services Department and the USDA.
Links to the School Day
- School Day Teachers instruct CARES students in the Math Research Program.
- Representative of CARES in Student Care Team (SCT) and attends faculty, Leadership, and grade level meetings.
- Informal and formal means of communication in place to facilitate discussion between CARES staff and school day teachers.
- CARES staff complete and share Bi-monthly Student Progress reports with classroom teachers.
- CARES recreational specialists participate in the teacher mentor program and are allowed entry into classrooms to learn adoptable teaching techniques.
Description of Homework Assistance Programs:
- Homework Help: 1 hour of homework assistance daily.
- Computer Based Math Proficiency Programs: students in grade 3-5 spend 1 hour a week in the computer lab with our Academic Coach working to increase their math proficiency.
- Reading Buddies: Once a week cross grade partner reading is an activity that El Monte CARES students engage in. Our third-fifth grade groups read to our Kindergarten through second grade students and our fifth grade group reads to our second grade group integrating literacy and youth development.
Description of Enrichment Programs:
- Nutrition Education: 5 hours a week of nutrition education and physical activity promotion. Students participate in nutrition lessons, fitness card, cooking classes and field trips to the Gardens.
- CARES Gardens: Our two After School Gardens host daily classes in the garden serving all 18 CARES After School programs integrating nutrition, youth development and community development.
- El Monte CARES Clubs: Our 4 recreational specialists facilitate enrichment clubs that strengthen youth leadership skills and empower youth to make a choice. Club participants are rotated through various clubs for increased exposure to activities. Some of the clubs this year have been French, Fine Arts, Science, Dance.
- Family Fun Nights: At least twice in a school year El Monte CARES invites families to participate in evening activities.
Description of Peer Resources and Youth Development Programs:
- Middle School Volunteers: Middle School students are qualified 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who enjoy helping their peers learn. After homework and tutoring, volunteers participate in ongoing enrichment activities.
- Junior Achievement: El Monte CARES staff facilitates a youth, community, and business development curriculum to CARES students. The curriculum is titled Junior Achievement and teaches youth life long learning skills. In addition to this prior to receiving the curriculum CARES staff members are given a training on presentation of the curriculum by a Junior Achievement representative.
Who We Serve
Number of Students served: 84
Free & Reduced Lunch: %
English Learner: %
Special Education: %
Male: %
Female: %
Demographics
Filipino: %
Latino: %
African American: %
Indian: %
White: %
Other Non-White: %
How We Serve
Staff to student ratio: 1:20
Number of credentialed staff: 1
Number of volunteers: 0
Number of CARES staff: 6
Number of subcontractors: 0
Community Partners
