Free Homework Help Available For Local Kids

By MAGGIE MCMURRAY

Moapa Valley Progress

The beginning of school also brings the beginning of much-dreaded homework assignments. But there is a resource where local kids can go for help. There is free homework help and tutoring, provided by CCSD teachers available to anyone who needs it that can help students improve in areas they are struggling.
This little known tutoring program is provided at the Moapa Educational Support Center (MESC), located at 17 ½ Lincoln Street on the Moapa Indian Reservation. The program is funded by an educational grant.

Teachers from area schools travel to the MESC every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. They are there from 2:00 until 5:30 pm, available for students from elementary through high school. The Center also sponsors adult education on Mondays from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.

MESC Project Facilitator Della Frank explained that although the program is housed on the reservation, it is open to all CCSD students. “This program began in 2005 and I have been with it since 2007,” she said. “It is available for all CCSD students. Some people don’t realize that it is for everyone and not just kids from the reservation. We want everyone who could benefit to take part.”

Frank stressed that this is not just a drop-in tutoring program. Parents and students meet one on one with Frank and her staff to determine their educational needs and their goals. Then they sign a contract stating they will attend regularly. Frank stressed the fact that people who avail themselves of this great help really need to commit to seeing it through.

There are some qualifications for participating students. Students must be performing below grade level in one or more subjects, be in good-standing attendance-wise at their school with less than 10 unexcused absences or tardies, and they must have transportation home at the end of each instructional session.
Frank says their goal is to have one-on-one tutoring available for every child, or two-on-one at the most. To accomplish this, however, they still need more teachers, Frank said.

The Center is asking anyone who is interested to contact Frank. It is a paid position and teachers need to have a current teaching license and be a CCSD employee.

Students are taken on a first-come first-served basis and space in the program is limited. Registration began on September 13, with an open house following on September 19. Anyone interested in participating either as a student or a teacher can contact Frank at (702) 864-0315.