HITTING BOOKS OUT OF SEASON; CAMPUSES THROW OPEN DOORS FOR SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

Rebecca Martin had an incentive Monday in rising early for classes as most of her Valencia High School classmates began enjoying their first full week of summer vacation.

She sees a set of wheels in the near future.

``I have to take driver's ed and health. I'm looking forward to getting my license,'' said Martin, who just finished her sophomore year. ``I'm going to be 16 in September.''

Martin signed up for an algebra course, too. ``It's easier to get it over with in the summer,'' she said.

Martin was among the thousands of youths who marked the second day of summer Monday by heading back to class, as Santa Clarita Valley school districts began their free summer programs.

The William S. Hart Union High School District offered the biggest program. Based on figures from last week's registration, more than 3,300 high school and junior high kids had signed up for classes held on the campuses of Canyon, Hart, Saugus and Valencia high schools, said Gary Wexler, the district's director of curriculum and assessment.

This year's schedule includes 27 free courses - four-week sessions culminating July 17 for junior high students, and six-week sessions through July 31 for high schoolers, Wexler said.

Registration was greatest at Canyon, where 940 students had signed up as of Thursday. Hart High has 919 students, Valencia, 741, and Saugus, 707.

Martin's friend and classmate Amy Jimenez signed up for summer algebra, a strategic move meant to simplify the upcoming 11th grade, she explained.

``I want to have a kick-back, laid-back year,'' Jimenez said at Valencia High.

The Saugus Union School District also began summer school classes Monday - open to all students who enrolled, but classes will be held on only four sites. The sessions will run until July 10 at Cedarcreek Elementary, and through July 17 at Highlands, Rosedell and Santa Clarita elementary schools.

Elementary pupils are divided by grade level, and their summer instruction will consist of math, reading and language arts.

Because the Newhall School District will switch to a year-round schedule July 6, there will be no summer school.

Classes will begin June 29 in the Sulphur Springs School District, where 770 kids have signed up for the free classes - to be held this summer at Canyon Springs Elementary - and there is a waiting list, said Kathy Wright, assistant superintendent of instructional services.

As is the case in the Saugus district, Sulphur Springs will group classes by grade level. They will learn math, language arts and reading during the weekday program, which will run through July 24, Wright said.

Monday was also the first day of summer school at College of the Canyons. Actually, COC's first phase of summer classes began in May, but Monday marked the start of their second six-week phase, said campus spokesman John McElwain.

While most students paid the usual fee of $13 per unit, many could take classes for free. That offer was extended to high school students in the concurrent enrollment program that allows them to take community college classes for dual credit, McElwain said.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Students write down information for a math problem Monday during the first day of summer school algebra at Valencia High School.

(2--Color) Many students are shunning the sun and sand and hitting the books in area district summer school programs.

Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News