My wife, an English teacher at Pleasanton’s Amador Valley High School recently spent a week of her summer break to tutor at STEPS Community Prep School in Pleasanton for the first time. She was very impressed with the model behind this tutoring facility and the direct benefits it would have to the students. So I asked her share her thoughts about the prep school and how it is different from other facilities. Below are the benefits she saw in STEPS Community Prep School.

It is easy to see why so many Pleasanton families are choosing the tutoring services of STEPS Community Prep School. The team of teachers is comprised only of Pleasanton school teachers. This is what, perhaps, sets STEPS apart from other tutoring services. The teachers are highly skilled with the Pleasanton curriculum. They are able to combine their expertise with innovative teaching strategies. For example, a sophomore student seeking help in geometry will receive instruction from an actual geometry teacher from Amador Valley or Foothill High School. A student wanting to get instruction on writing will be taught the same format and requirements expected at Pleasanton middle schools at high schools. There is no question that this kind of specialized tutoring is rewarding for students when they see their own growth applied to the classroom.

A small group setting promotes individualized learning and in depth study. The Pleasanton teachers can adjust to students’ needs and foster meaningful collaboration among the students. In short, a student at STEPS can get the attention they need to meet their educational goals.

Classes are scheduled in relationship to the PUSD academic schedule. Continue Reading

This past Saturday, I attended the Purple and Gold Gala hosted by Amador Valley’s sports booster club. The affair was held at the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton and proved to be a big hit for both the attendees and Amador Valley’s sports program. Amador Valley, one of the three high schools in Pleasanton, hosts this event annually and serves as the major fundraiser for the year. With budget cuts on the horizon, the booster representative reminded the attendees that this was an opportunity to keep athletics funded; providing a quality athletic program at a low cost to the student athletes remains a priority at Amador Valley High School. The event was a comprehensive venture put together primarily by volunteers and community businesses who had donated most of the items for bid. Tickets for the event were $100 each which included dinner, drinks, music and a memorable evening. Since my wife is an English teacher at Amador Valley High School and the diving coach, we were invited as guests from the committee. The night started off with a silent auction featuring items such as a round of golf at Callippe golf course in Pleasanton, tickets to Tommy T’s comedy club, Beach Blanket Babylon and much much more. After about an hour of nibbling on hors d’oeuvres and enjoying some wine from the Mitchell Katz collection, we were asked to be seated for dinner and get prepared for the live auction. This is where the big bucks were collected.

Nothing stands out more in my mind than Continue Reading