Wasco Tribune - Serving the community since 1970

With the coronavirus pandemic requiring all of Shafter's schools to begin the school year with distance learning, the Shafter Learning Center has played a vital role in the education of students, aiding the wonderful job that local schools have been doing to provide a quality education.

There are challenges that parents and students face as they navigate virtual learning. Some parents have said the course material is a lot different than that which was taught when they were in school. There is also the level that each student is at in their learning career. Some learn a little quicker than others and also learn at a different pace.

Tutoring allows students to get the extra help they may need as they attempt to complete their assigned work.

The Shafter Learning Center is there to help. Their services have adapted to the needs of students and they have launched their Virtual Shafter Learning Center and will continue offering academic support online.

According to Learning Center director David Franz, the center is offering small group math and reading tutoring. "We have a great team of tutors ready to help our students, all of which are bilingual and have strong academic records," he said.

Many of the tutors also have obtained bachelor's degrees in a specialized field of study.

This center's services are available to Shafter community members and students who attend a Shafter school. If you would like more information on the Virtual Tutoring program, you can go to their website http://www.shafterlearning.com or you can contact program manager Amerika Nino-Rodriguez directly at [email protected].

The schools in Shafter will be revisiting the virtual learning issue again at the end of the first quarter, which is next week. Whether the schools stay with distance learning or return to an in-person instruction program, the Shafter Learning Center will be offering this valuable service to help the students of Shafter.