FOCUS ON EDUCATION
VALLEY CHARTER HOSTS OPEN HOUSE
Valley Charter High School, a public charter school that operates in collaboration with Modesto Junior College, will hold an open house from 7 to 8p.m. Nov. 4 at the school, 108 Campus Way, Modesto. The school offers classroom-based and independent learning programs with online course options. Students will discuss Early College options, choir, robotics, sports, leadership and club opportunities. The free event is open to families planning for next year or interested in enrolling now. For more information, call (209)238-6800 or go to www.valleycharterhighschool.org.
SCREENING OF ‘THE LIVES OF OTHERS’
The Modesto Junior College Foundation and Associated Students of MJC are sponsoring a screening of “The Lives of Others,” the 2006 Oscar winner for best foreign-language film. The event will be at 7p.m. Nov.6 at the State Theater, 1307 J St., Modesto. Doors open at 6 p.m. Cost is $5; free to MJC students with valid student ID card. The film, set in 1984, centers on an agent of the East German secret police, drawn into the life of a couple he has under surveillance. The screening date coincides with 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The film received a record 11 nominations at the German Film Awards. It is in German with English subtitles, rated R and runs two hours, 17 minutes.
OAKDALE TEACHER WINS GRANT
California Casualty announced that Elizabeth Thompson, a primary special day class teacher at Oakdale’s Fair Oaks Elementary School, is the latest winner of a $2,500 Academic Award, a gift to teachers for use on classroom supplies. Thompson said she spends $1,500 of her own funds each year to buy classroom supplies. She said she plans to spend the award money to purchase a rug and an iPad and to stockpile snacks for low-income students. Entries for the next Academic Award are open until Dec.5 at www.calcasacademicaward.com.
FREE HOMEWORK HOTLINE OPEN
Students at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind., are available on the college’s Homework Hotline five nights a week through the school year to provide free math and science tutoring to students in grades six through 12. The hotline has fielded 500,000 calls, online chats and email resources since opening in 1991. Hours are 4 to 7 p.m. PST, Sunday through Thursday, through May. Call (877) 275-7673. Submit questions by email at www.askrose.org. Tutors do not give answers, but are trained to guide callers through homework problems. They have access to current math and science textbooks. The service is funded by the Rose-Hulman and Lilly Endowment Inc.
This story was originally published October 22, 2014 at 12:40 PM with the headline "FOCUS ON EDUCATION."