The Community School teaching team helps kids succeed in getting an education. Shown here (from left) are teacher Karen Kurth, aide and computer tech Kim Cabrera, and counselor Ric Nelson.
The Community School in Benbow is a low-profile alternative educational program that helps kids who are having trouble in the traditional schools provided by the Southern Humboldt Unified School District. It’s funded and run by the County Office of Education (COE).
”We’re an alternative program to support the district,” says Community School co-founder and teacher Karen Kurth. Kurth is employed by the COE, which operates nine schools in the county. There are community schools in Hoopa and Fortuna as well as Benbow. There are five community schools in Eureka. Students come and go in the schools and some go from program to program within the Community School system.
”We get students all the time,” Kurth says. “They don’t all have to start at the same time. They work on their credits depending on when they start with us.”
Each student’s work is independently organized and the curriculum they study is based on their needs, their ability to do the work and what they need to finish high school.
”A lot of our students are just trying to catch up and they are only here two days a week. The staff is here three days a week.”
The staff at the school includes Kim Cabrera, who is both teacher’s aide and computer tech, and Ric Nelson who comes every other week to counsel students on drug and alcohol abuse.
”We take a team approach,” Kurth says. The team includes other agencies, such as the probation department.
Kids enroll in the Community School for various reasons. Some because they live so far out that getting to South Fork High School is so difficult they miss a lot of school. Some kids go to the school because they’ve been expelled from South Fork for behavior problems. And some kids just want something different.
Kurth helped start the Community School. She got her teaching credential from Humboldt State University and has been teaching in alternative schools her entire career.
”I love it,” she says. “To me it’s a breath of fresh air for a lot of kids that are kind of down and out and who don’t feel too good about themselves. But when they leave I think most of them feel pretty good about what their progress has been and realize they do have a future and a voice. I believe in independence and freedom and these kids rock.”
Having a school at Benbow offers certain advantages. The students can and do go over to the golf course to play golf for their physical education. They take advantage of the Benbow forest and the river to study nature. Their curriculum includes outdoor adventures and art studies with local artists.
”We offer different activities as they become available to us,” Kurth says.
Currently, the school has an enrollment of 12, five of whom are seniors.
”Three of the seniors will be graduating in June and the other two in January,” says Kurth. “The success rate is very good down here for those kids who sometimes have been written off. They are able to be successful here. They get one-on-one help. Kim gives us a lot of computer help here. So it’s very personal.”
So far the Community School is faring pretty well. Kurth says that their principal, Jen Fairbanks, has made good use of the Obama Administration stimulus money.
”She’s looking ahead, as all principals are,” Kurth says, “but we’re doing pretty good.”
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