New program, possible name change for Iowa Street School

In March, parents of home-schooled students in San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties will be able to enroll their K-8 children in a new Fallbrook Union Elementary School District (FUESD) alternative core program in language arts, math, science and social studies.

Registration will continue through August 28 and coincide with the 180-day commencement of the 2008-2009 district school year.

The new program, Track B, is in addition to Track A, the existing home school curriculum administered by the district through Iowa Street School, under the direction of Principal Tom Rhine.

Track B will consist of two-day-a-week core instruction at the school site, where academics are reinforced and supplemented through assigned work that is taught at home the other three days a week.

“With this track, there is also a possibility of offering classroom lab and enrichment electives for the third day,” says Marqui Molo, Iowa Street School PTA public relations officer.

In addition to the new alternative core program, plans include enhancing the Track A program, which offers enrichment workshops including technology, visual and performing arts, Spanish and physical education. This month, a school site meeting will be held to discuss these improvements.

School site councils consist of 10 members; five are parents or community representatives and five are school staff, including the principal, teachers and classified personnel.

The new track is being offered to retain students currently traveling outside the district to take advantage of core instruction programs in Escondido, Oceanside and Temecula.

Track B classes will be taught by veteran certificated teachers who will provide parents with lesson plans and pacing guides. Parents embarking on this program will have the support of these teachers five days a week.

All home school classes administered by the district follow state-mandated standards and testing guidelines.

“Two to three percent of students in the US are home schooled,” says Rhine from his new leadership position of the enterprising program that was one of the first in San Diego County to offer home schooling in a public school district.

Iowa Street School has been in existence for 13 years. At present, 210 students are enrolled.

The advantage to students, says Rhine, is that in a usual public school setting an ideal class is 20 students to one teacher. In contrast, home schooling is one on one.

In addition to the new core program, if the FUESD board accepts the proposal of the school’s site council, the name of the school will change to Fallbrook Home School Academy, a title consistent with the school’s education category.

The name change will make the school more identifiable for parents seeking home schooling in Fallbrook and could contribute to increasing enrollment overall for the district, says Rhine.

Home schooling is an alternative method of education which gained popularity in the 1970s and is now firmly entrenched in America. To find out more, consult the Home School Association of California Web site at http://www.hsc.org.