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Adults will get a chance to go 'Back to School' Program offers nostalgia, progress report By VICKI GUARINO Kids go back to school every fall. Parents go back to school for concerts, science fairs, teacher conferences. Now everyone else gets to go back to school: The Medford School District is joining districts across the state in Oregon's first-ever Back to School Week. The Statewide Organization of Schools is sponsoring programs for the public throughout the last week of April. All 18 Medford schools are planning something special April 24-28. McLoughlin Middle School will give visitors a chance to shadow students through their class schedules. Kennedy Elementary School will challenge all comers to take the new state achievement tests -- tests leading to the CIM, Certificate of Initial Mastery. South Medford High student leaders what to give tours of their school. School board member Peggy Penland is going to pull out her old McLoughlin letter sweater for a historical bus tour of the district. Medford schools veteran Boyd Gibson, who has some 40 years of district stories to tell, will lead the tour with help from folks like Penland. Penland says she wanted Medford schools to be involved to encourage the public to see what is going on in their schools. She says it's a much-deserved chance for staff and students to show off. And it will help students feel valued by the community, she adds. "I think public schools are better for having the community involved," she says. "You don't have to have kids in school to be involved." She hopes that through a visit, community members might become inspired to get involved in school programs. The idea behind Back to School is simple but important, say organizers at Statewide Organization for Schools: to reconnect residents with their schools. SOS is a non-profit group of civic leaders, business people and neighbors working to bring communities back into schools. Many adults have lost touch with their local schools because they don't have children in school, SOS leaders say. They have no contact with curriculum, technology, or social issues. Penland says, "We need some fans in the stands for public schools. Not just for athletics, but for other programs, too." All administrators are asking visitors to register as soon as possible. "This is quite an ambitious endeavor with 18 schools participating," Penland says. Additional information is available from each school. A full schedule of events is available at the district office, 500 Monroe St. Interested people also can call Penland at 773-1599 or Tammy Johnson at 772-9534. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA