Kids Cram Fun, Last Bit of Books Into Final Days

Some things don’t change.

During the countdown of those last few days--or hours--of school, the Three Cs of Classroom Conduct manifest themselves, whether a student is 6 or 16: cut up, cram or cut classes.

Libby White, a Ventura High School freshman, said she thinks students at her school are running true to form, only more so.

The goof-offs will goof off more and the scholars will apply themselves more with last-minute cramming to ratchet their GPAs up a notch, she said.

Classmate Lisette Brom agreed. “This was my busiest homework weekend,” she said.

However, fellow freshman Nichole Holguin said that from what she’s seen, “No one even cares if they go to class. They still have other years to make it up.”

But Ventura senior Domonica Perez said she has just realized she is running out of time.

“I think I’ve been a better student this last week than all year long,” Domonica said. “I know I have to get everything together. I’m graduating.”

These last days are also filled with school picnics, talent shows and senior luncheons, but “we can’t fall asleep yet,” Libby said as she carried a geometry textbook home from school.

“You have to forgive us--we’re going through puberty affliction,” said freshman Tina Allen, who added that she wished she had a summer job, “but I’m 14 and . . . I’ll probably just go visit relatives.”

For Tina, who didn’t have makeup work to do, the main goal of the last week of school was socializing.

Jeff Hewitt, an eighth-grader at Colina Intermediate School in Thousand Oaks, said things have been even breezier for him.

“We’re really doing nothing this week,” Jeff said, adding that he had seen several movies at school, including “Contact,” “West Side Story” and “Apollo 13.”

Classmate Adam Borelli, the student body president, was not quite so cavalier.

“This week is tense because of finals, but after Wednesday, it’ll be cruising on in,” Adam said. “I had three tests yesterday, two finals today and two more tomorrow.”

Fellow eighth-grader James Arnold said the whole class deserves to cruise this week. “We’ve been looking forward to it the whole year. It’s the top of the food chain for eighth-graders.

“Now we have to go back and be on the bottom again next year,” he added.

At Balboa Middle School in Ventura, “The boys are getting a little hyper and wild,” eighth-grader Erin Fryer observed. “A little goofy.”

Balboa students also were rewarded with movies, such as “Star Wars” in science class if they did not have makeup exams.

“This is a catchall week,” Principal Helena Reaves said. “There are rewards for good production, a last chance to get assignments done or study. The main thing I tell the teachers is that this is the time to have the most interesting classes.”

Dennis Convery, superintendent of the Mesa Union School District, agreed with Reaves’ philosophy.

“The point is to have some fun and learn but still not force them to sit in their seats and read.” As usual, Convery said, the staff vs. students softball game ended with the students on top, 13 to 8.

Mesa’s faculty will spend Friday on a training outing to the Getty Center. “That means our students can begin field trips this fall to the Getty,” he said. “Teachers can’t take students until they’ve had a training day down there.”

Principal Sharon Anderson is taking 125 Ocean View Junior High School students “with perfect behavior all year” to the beach for the day.

“We call it the “Goody Goody Two-Shoes” trip,” she said.

The singular thing for teachers to remember in this final school week, when voices and energy levels are rising by the minute, is to keep everyone on track, Anderson said. “The kids are keyed up and you’re on your toes more, so plan activities that include races.”

And, said fifth-grader Roxanne Mooser from Conejo Elementary School, “Let us sit next to each other the last week so we can talk more.”