Oct 03 2017

How to Help Your Child Use College and Career Support Services

The new school year has started. As a superintendent of two public middle schools and a comprehensive high school, I have reflected on how I can change some of our school’s procedures and programs to fully support our college and career ready students. Here’s a list of changes that we will implement this year: [Read more…]

Yvette King-Berg, College Readiness

Yvette King-Berg, is the Executive Director of Youth Policy Institute’s Charter Schools. She was the former California Charter Schools Association Vice-President of School Development and Outreach-Southern California. Ms. King-Berg has over thirty years of experience working with teachers, students, parents, and organizations in a variety of positions including Director, Assistant Director, Curriculum Advisor, Bilingual, and Title 1 Coordinators, classroom teacher (K-12) in Pasadena and LAUSD. She has been married for twenty-three years, and is the proud mother of her son, EJ, who attends UC Berkeley.

Aug 29 2017

My Only Son Leaves for College!

My Only Child Leaves for College!

As I prepare to move my only child into his college community, I am reflecting about all the people who have helped me guide him to become the person he is today. The values instilled in EJ throughout his childhood will now be tested as I let go and release him into a crazy college life full of potential. Hopefully, the trusted values by which our family has lived should help him make good choices. [Read more…]

Yvette King-Berg, College Readiness

Jul 04 2017

Oh No! My Son’s Off to College!

Oh No! My Son’s Off to College! How Do I Prepare for the Next Six Weeks?

After many years of dreaming, guiding, coaching, nagging, and finally helping our son graduate from high school, he will be traveling to a new home and a new school within the next few weeks. My primary concern is to help my son become adjusted to a new location, new people, and how to navigate through the new school system. My personal solution to these challenges is to help my son create a survival checklist of what to do and where to go when all else fails in this transition. My basic checklist at this time includes the following: [Read more…]

Yvette King-Berg, College Readiness

Jun 13 2017

They Can Do It…Really!

We always tell our children that they can do it; they can be whatever they want to be. When my five kids were young and as they grew up, I said the same thing. While I spoke those words, I also had an image of what “doing it” should look like.

Last week I attended my niece’s graduation from San Francisco State University. While I felt the exhilaration of her success, I pondered on how her journey had not taken the expected route. She had been interrupted, challenged and delayed. All the while, she had maintained the dream of graduating from college and becoming a social worker. [Read more…]

Rosemarie Perez, Parenting

Rosemarie Pérez has worked with English learners and their families in public education for more than twenty years. She has served as a bilingual teacher, professional developer, and district administrator. Administrative roles included serving as the Director of English Learners for an elementary school district and as a Coordinator of Reading and Language for the San Mateo County Office of Education. Rosemarie continues to work with families as she leads the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s Parent Engagement Initiative during the past three years. Ms. Pérez provides expert guidance to teachers, school site staff, and school administrators in creating culturally sensitive parent training modules and academic curricular units. She facilitates parent education and Common Core Standards workshops. Engaged parents are further trained to become parent leaders and advocates. Rosemarie is the mother of five adult children and three grandchildren.