CAMARILLO : Suspended Students’ Classes Considered

A proposal to send suspended students to special classes at the Camarillo Boys & Girls Club merits further consideration, Pleasant Valley Elementary School District board members have decided.

School board members Thursday forwarded the proposal, which would cost $60,000, to the district’s budget committee.

Howard Hamilton, the district’s associate superintendent, said the committee--which includes teachers, parents, staff and a school board member--will begin reviewing all funding requests next month and will make recommendations to the board by June.

He said district staff will contact the Camarillo Police Department to see if grants are available for the program.

He envisions a 10-week program in which suspended students would receive individual attention from a teacher and teacher’s aide working at the club during school hours. After school, the students could participate in club activities.

Hamilton said the program would provide intervention for troubled students who now simply stay at home during the one- to five-day suspension period.

Hamilton said the program would target about 50 children in grades five through eight.

“The name of the game is to help change attitudes and build some skills for them to be successful,” Hamilton said. “Most of the kids are good kids--they just do dumb things.”

Jay Grigsby, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club, said it offers everything from recreation programs to league sports. Specific activities include a social development program, arts and crafts, woodworking, computers and a full gym.