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Their New Day: Hesperia Community Day School Teachers Bud and Ruth Forman Reflect on Accomplishments, Talk About the Future

Posted on: Thursday, 1 June 2006, 12:00 CDT

By Hesperia Star, Calif.

May 23--Over the last several years as co-teacher of the school district's Community Day School, Ruth Forman has faced a veritable mountain of minutia that she conquers every day. But in a matter of hours the never-ending to-do list will disappear.

"I want to get to the place where I ask, 'What can I do? What can I do?'" she said.

"She wants to be bored," added her husband and co-teacher, Bud Forman.

On Thursday, May 26, the Alternative Education Center's dynamic teaching duo will retire from a program they built from the ground up. After tending to the needs of students with issues, the couple's focus will shift -- at least for the foreseeable future -- to themselves and their families. Soon, the couple, which married three years ago, will sell their Apple Valley home and move to a rustic, cabin-like abode being built by Bud and his sons on a 36-acre spread about 40 miles east of Kingman, Ariz.

"We're just about finished," Bud said. "We like the High Desert area, but it's getting a little crowded."

Leaving a legacy

The Formans will leave behind numerous friends and co-workers -- and a legacy of lives turned around by their expertise, direction and care.

Community Day School is a last-chance opportunity for troubled students to receive an education in the Hesperia Unified School District. To get to the school, which is located on the Alternative Education Center site on Third Avenue that is also home to Mojave High, most students have been expelled for behavior issues, or on probation.

"Most of them are expelled," Bud said of the school's nearly 30 students. "We tend to believe they're not bad kids. They've just made bad choices."

Although a few are at grade level, most test far below. Some high school-aged students read at elementary school levels.

Not surprisingly, those who got lost in the school shuffle come into the program seemingly with little hope of graduating high school. Even in the most severe cases, the school offers real hope.

"Some came in with 100 units behind but graduated," Bud said.

The school gives each student a collection of tools to succeed: structure, extra help, smaller class sizes and individualized assessment programs. It's a diversified program that concentrates on remedial reading and math.

"We're really proud of the individualized programs," said Ruth, who was named the school district's Teacher of the Year in 2001.

As a result, it's not unusual for a student to leap-frog two grades of math in just one semester.

But instead of teaching from the chalk board, the Formans work one-on-one with students.

"Here you're doing mostly pencil-and-paper work," Bud said. "They're kind of on their own, but there's help."

Grading is set up for success: No work below a grade of 80 percent is accepted.

"They've had enough Ds and Fs. A lot of these kids never experienced success in school."

When a student gets below the minimum standard he or she will do more work and test again.

Teaching new habits

Almost every Community Day School student brings baggage that hampers life success. Some come from families whose parents show no or little interest in their school success. Often students bring foul language habits, which must be broken. Many have developed manipulation techniques to get what they want.

The biggest lessons they are taught, moreover, are not making excuses and not blaming others.

"Taking responsibility for your actions is very important," Ruth said.

The Formans use the Why Try program, which focuses on "teaching social and emotional learning and life skills."

"We're just completely sold on this program."

Recently, when one 15-year-old student was named "Student of the Week," it was the first time his mother ever put one of his school accomplishments on the family refrigerator.

"Is that cool?" Ruth smiled.

"Not all of them make it, but we give them the opportunity," her husband said. "We give them tools to work with."

Bud founded the HUSD Community Day School program more than six years ago after living for years in Northern California where he worked in the juvenile justice system at California Youth Authority. In 2002, Ruth transferred from Ranchero Middle School to the program. Over the course of time, amid the intense learning environment, the two fell in love.

"I think there was a great friendship," Ruth said.

Mutual respect is at the center of their relationship. Ruth cites the "connection he is able to make with the students "as one of his most impressive traits. "He's established such a great rapport, and he's very, very compassionate."

Bud is especially impressed with his wife's ability to assess each student's needs, and he appreciates her calm demeanor.

"She's pretty patient," he said. "I've yet to hear her raise her voice."

After spending ample time relaxing in their new home, the two are leaving the door open to consulting or teaching. Meanwhile, Bud expects to work on creative projects -- teaching construction, gardening and handiwork skills to students has been one of his most rewarding activities -- while Ruth tries to enjoy the simplicity of rest and relaxation.

The two will continue practicing what they've worked so hard to teach their students.

"We treat them with respect," Bud said.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Hesperia Star, Calif.

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Source: Hesperia Star (Hesperia, Calif.)

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