Did you know that school-age kids can get free homework help at the library?  Pass! Partners for Achieving School Success kicks off a new school year at the Oakland Public Library on Tuesday, September 3^rd.  This inspiring program offers free after-school homework assistance Monday through Thursday from 2:30 to 5:15 pm on days that the library is open.  To get free help during those times, students should bring their homework down to one of eight Oakland public Library branches including Brookfield, Cesar E. Chavez, Eastman, Golden Gate, Main Youth Room Melrose, Temescal, and West Oakland.

PASS! is designed to serve the needs of 2nd through 8th grade students, however all interested students with homework are welcome. Last year, over 950 students registered to participate in this popular program. In addition to providing quality, supervised homework assistance, PASS! encourages library use and provides library instruction, develops students to be independent learners and members of the community, and reaches out to families and the community as an extension of Library Services.

Most PASS! sites have at least one bilingual homework mentor or program staff person Languages used in the homework centers include Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and French as well as English.

For more information call PASS! at (510) 238-3848 or visit the Library's Web site at www.oaklandlibrary-org. PASS! is funded by the Oakland Public Library Foundation and the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth. The Oakland Public Library is a department of the City of Oakland's Life Enrichment Agency.

TEEN HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE PROGRAM KICKS OFF FOR FALL

The best students have been keeping a secret from the other students! The secret is the best students get tutoring before they get into academic trouble. Middle and high school students can get that help at the Oakland Public Library's Homework Assistance Program. Starting Tuesday, September 3rd, the library begins a new school year of free homework help provided by a dedicated and skilled staff of tutors to help young people achieve academic excellence. Our subject strengths in math and social science cover the topics in which students say they need the most help. Over the past five years, we have built a solid program delivered through the following two library locations. Note below that for the 2002-2003 academic year, Teen Homework Assistance is available four afternoons a week, no appointment necessary, and all help is free.

HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE LOCATIONS & TIMES

Main Library     Wednesdays 3:30-7:30 p.m. 125 14th Street

Sundays 1:00-5:00 p.m. 238-3850

And

Golden Gate Branch 5606 San Pablo Ave 597-5023

In addition to our tutoring services, the Homework Assistance Program plans to deliver a series of workshops to improve students' study skills. Topics will include reading strategies, note taking and memorization techniques, and library skills. Dates and times for the skill workshops will be announced on the library’s website and in the library's "Calendar or Events." For more information, please call the branch at the number above, contact the Anthony Bernier of Teen Services at (510) 238-3850, or visit the Library's Web site at www.oaklandlibrary.org. The Oakland Public Library is a department of the City of Oakland's Life Enrichment Agency.