February 5, 2009

SCHOOL SCENEin Almaden Valley

Ecobots support plastic grocery bag ban

Pictured from left to right are Ecobots Matthew, Olivia, Justin, Diana, and Nathan, who not only entered a robotics contest, but researched the ecology of plastic bags and have come out against them.

The Ecobots, a fifth-grade robotics team from Williams Elementary School, has done a project on reducing plastic bags. The five team members also wrote a note to Mayor Chuck Reed in support of his proposal banning plastic bags in San Jose. The team describes itself as “ecologic robots, which means our main goal is to help the environment. We also know about the economic and environmental crisis the world is in. We think that everybody should start to help fight global warming.”

The group members researched the environmental crisis, and interviewed a farmer and an assistant manager at the PW Store. They also held a garage sale and the proceeds went to buying reusable plastic bags to give to shoppers who agreed that reusable bags are the way to go. The team members also made a video to educate the Almaden community on the dangers of plastic bags. To watch, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juDivlDLCx4.

In addition, the team, in its first appearance at a tournament, won a second-place award for teamwork.

Leland Parent Club donates technology

Leland High School’s Parent Club announced this week that the membership drive fundraiser was met with positive response from the community, parents and staff. Funds donated to date have reached $45,000 toward the target $50,000 goal.

“We’d like to thank everyone in the community who has helped to support the school and students by participating in the Leland Parent Club membership drive,” said Tom Norton, president of the club. “Our team of volunteers has been working extra hard this year toward making our goal a reality. Our premier goal this school year is to provide technology to all the classrooms at Leland and we are now able to fulfill that objective.”

Every classroom at Leland will now be equipped with an InFocus LCD projector. This technology empowers teachers with up to date tools, which are an integral part of the curriculum to educate the students. The Parent Club also made a donation towards the new electronic display in front of the campus.

“Our Parent Club has always been very generous with their donations to support our teachers and school. This year they have continued this generous practice and have decided to provide LCD projectors for every classroom,” said Principal Liz Chamberlain. “The LCD technology is an excellent teaching tool that allows our teachers to incorporate the most up-to-date information, illustrations, and video clips into their curriculum. The Leland parent support continues to be an invaluable asset to our school community for which we are extremely grateful.” 

The Almaden Women’s Club also provided a $1,000 grant to the club in support of the technology to the classroom goal. AVWC is a nonprofit community service organization that raises funds to support local service and charity organizations through the annual Almaden Art and Wine Festival.

The projectors were presented to the staff of Leland on Feb. 3 and will be installed by the end of February.

About The Leland Parent Club
The Leland High School Parent Club strives to make a positive impact on the classroom environment and student programs. The Parent Club is led by an all-volunteer parent executive committee, which meets monthly during the school year to coordinate fundraising activities and allocate expenditures for the school. The committee works closely with the principal, administration and staff to help determine the fiscal needs of the schools programs and successfully meet those needs while building a solid foundation for continued growth. For more information about the Leland Parent Club, visit the Web site at http://lelandparentclub.com/.

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