P.A.C.E.: Frequently Asked Questions

1.  How can students receive 12 units of credit by attending classes one evening per week, for a semester?

To be certified by the State of California, each 3-unit class requires 54 hours of attendance.. PACE classes meet for approximately 2 hours per evening, for 8 weeks a quarter (16). There are also 2 hours of instructional time for the 4 quarter Saturdays (8). This totals 24 hours – less than half of the certification minimum. Therefore, an additional 30 hours are required. The additional hours consist of:

A. Three Saturday afternoons: 18 hours
B. Tapes and/or Internet assignments: 12 hours.

Failure to complete the total number of State mandated hours is a serious concern.

2.  What if I am only taking one class per semester—do I have to attend the afternoon conferences?

See question #1. If you are only taking one class and do not attend the afternoon sessions (even though you complete all other requirements), you will be 18-hours short of State Certification requirements.

3.  Why must students sign-in at afternoon conferences?

To certify attendance required for State certification.

4.  Why are some classes allowed field trips while others are required to remain on campus (for afternoon conferences)?

PACE has too many students to be accommodated by the Music Recital Hall, making it necessary to stagger/vary conference locations.

5.  How and when can we contact the PACE Office?

Tuesday 1-6 PM
Wednesday 1-6 PM
Thursday 1-6 PM
Non-Conference Saturdays 8:00 AM -6:00 PM

Please Note: If you call PACE at times other than these, you are unlikely to interact with a "live" voice! Also, remember that the PACE staff is small: the Director is the only full-time support personnel. Therefore, if a student calls (during the indicated hours) and hears "voice-mail," it means that staff is on the phone or speaking with someone in the office. (Note: Being human, we are susceptible to illness and other frailties of human existence.) We will return phone calls as soon as we can. Also, the Director’s email and home phone numbers are "public knowledge":

[email protected]                  310-530-3580

6.  What if I don’t like the instructor’s teaching style?

This is the "real" world – does every employer, manager, or supervisor have the same "style"? People are many faceted entities, with a variety of personalities and "styles." If you plan to continue your education at a 4-year institution of higher education, get ready for even more "styles" (including instructors in classes that you "must have"). Prepare for this variation of styles.

7.  Do I have to watch the tapes?

See question #1. Remember that there are State certification hourly requirements. Therefore, if you do not view the tapes or complete the Internet assignments, you are failing to fulfill State requirements – meaning that you should not receive full credit for that particular course.

8.  Do I have to attend the Saturday afternoon conferences?

See questions 1 and 2.

9.  What if I miss a class – are there options?

Emergencies do occur, and the PACE faculty is not unsympathetic to unexpected situations. However, because of State requirements, we cannot allow students to simply miss classes: the program set-up should be known before taking your first class. Therefore, the following rules will apply:

A. Individual course instructors handle evening and Saturday morning class absences; thus you should speak with the instructor about "make-up assignments."

B. If you miss an afternoon conference, see the Director about a "make-up assignment" (which are, generally, 5 – 10 page papers related to that conference’s emphasis.

C. If you are consistently late to afternoon conferences, you will be required to "make-up" the time you have missed – or, you can accept lower grades in your courses of record.

D. If you "sign-in" for an afternoon conference but do not "sign-out" – you will be considered "absent" for the entire afternoon. Grown-up behavior is expected from grown-ups! If it is necessary to leave a bit early on a particular afternoon, simply speak with your instructor of the Director for guidance.

10.  What is the PACE Program policy on cell-phones and pagers?

Out of consideration for others, please turn cell phones and pagers off or to the silent or vibrate mode. These items tend to distract the other students when they ring during class discussions. While this may seem like a "no-brainer" policy, not all adults have mastered the acceptance of adult responsibility. Therefore, failure to adhere to this policy will result in the offending student being asked to leave class or conference. Also, answering the phone prior to leaving the classroom will also be viewed as an "immature disturbance."

11.  What are other specific forms of behavior that are unacceptable in classrooms?

EXAMPLES of things that cause one not to earn the best possible grade:

  • Doing homework in class

  • Not reading assigned material

  • Being disruptive

  • Arriving late, leaving early

12.  Where are Saturday morning classes held?

Instructors are responsible for informing students of where specific classes will be held on Saturday mornings. It is important to remember that, from time to time and for various reasons, room changes are made. Such necessities are rare for Saturday room assignments – which are maintained throughout the quarter.

13.  How will students be informed about Saturday afternoon schedules?

Again, this is the instructors’ responsibility. The goal is to publicize afternoon conference schedules a week or two in advance of the conference date.

14.  What if I cannot afford to pay for an off-campus field trip?

Students cannot be forced to pay for conference activities. It is suggested that students make a genuine effort to attend these field trips, as many of them allow students to invite children and other family members; other conferences may be directly related to class material. Generally, one Track will remain on campus while the other is at an off-campus site, so it may be possible to participate in the on-campus activity in lieu of participating in the off-campus activity. Approval by your instructor and the PACE director prior to the scheduled day of the activity is required.

15.  Can I bring my children to class with me?

The school cannot assume liability for non-students! Also, we have had a history of "good kids" (according to parents) being disruptive forces in the classroom (the reality). As indicated in #14, specific field trips allow children to participate.