STUDENT SERVICES SOUGHT PARENTS DROPPING KIDS OFF TOO EARLY.

Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE -- Air Force officials want to open a before- and after-school tutoring and mentoring program at a former middle school that was closed by the Muroc Joint Unified School District as a cost-saving measure.

The proposal came about in part because Muroc students, whose parents work but do not live on Edwards Air Force Base, were being dropped off before school started, in some cases as much as 1 1/2 hours before doors were opened.

``It was proposed in large part because students were being dropped off at hours way outside school hours,'' said 2nd Lt. Brad Kimberly, acting chief of public affairs. ``These kids had nowhere to go and nothing to do before school. On occasion, they were being picked up late, so they had time on their hands after school.''

The plan calls for opening a Center of Excellence at what used to be Edwards Middle School. Muroc officials closed the campus in 2005 to cut costs. There are four Muroc schools on the base.

The center would be open from 6 to 7:30 a.m. and 3 to 6:30 p.m. and be staffed by members of the Junior Force Council, an organization of young airmen.

``We thought it would be a great opportunity to provide a service to students and give an opportunity to Junior Force Council members to be engaged in the schools,'' Kimberly said.

Tutors could include engineers who would help students with their math and science homework and provide guidance on how to seek careers at Edwards' Air Force Flight Test Center or Research Laboratory Propulsion Directorate, commonly referred to as the rocket lab.

``In the future, we foresee the school being used in the evening for college classes so it becomes an education center for the community,'' Kimberly said.

Muroc officials welcomed the program and said it would serve not only students who were being dropped off early but others who would like to take advantage of the tutoring and other services.

``We are very excited and grateful to the military for stepping in and proposing something that can be worthwhile to students and the base,'' Muroc Superintendent Rob Challinor said.

``We have many kids where their parents work on base and live off base. The parents have jobs where they have to arrive earlier than when the schools start. They don't have a suitable place to go.''

Challinor said the number of students who are being dropped off early ranges from 10 to 25. Some of them end up hanging out at stores.

The Muroc board is expected to take action on a lease agreement for the school at its February meeting. The Air Force would pay a nominal fee under the lease. It was not known when the program might start.

``Initially, there was talk about the military purchasing the facility, but I think it would be shortsighted on the school district's part to sell something we may need five to 10 years from now,'' Challinor said.

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