April 21, 2005

SCHOOL SCENEin Almaden Valley

Graystone kids kick off ‘Save Our Programs’ fund-raiser with pep rally

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Fifth grade Graystone girls show that they have the spirit. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

We all know the drill. Lack of education funding the past three years has significantly affected public school curriculum throughout the state. Therefore PTAs and Home and School Clubs turn to parents to replenish their budgets for such extracurricular programs as music, science, art and library programs.

Almaden Valley schools are no exception. Last week Graystone Elementary School kicked off a fund-raising event with a pep rally comprised of spirited fifth grade girls.

“We are excited to be here today,” said Principal Dave Beymer to the 800 students sitting atop the school’s blacktop while eager cheerleaders, pep squad and pompom girls anxiously waited to show their spirit. “We have a great school and great parents in the Home and School Club.”

Parent-organized Home and School Club Co-President Melanie Weinstock announced the activities planned for the spring celebration to “Save Our Programs,” which include a walk-a-thon, barbecue dinner, music, silent auction and raffle. All proceeds go to fund Graystone’s science, music and media [library] programs. The goal is to raise $45,000 to cover these beneficial programs cut from state funding. This is Graystone’s third year fund-raisers were needed to continue the curriculum.

“It’s amazing how much the community stepped up to help,” said Home and School Club Co-President Katherine Cance. “This is the first time we will have a Friday family fun night to help raise the funds.”

Home and School Club Co-President Melanie Weinstock announces “Save Our Programs.” Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

The walk-a-thon is scheduled for May 2. Graystone students will collect sponsor pledges from family, friends and neighbors. A student turning in an envelope containing $30 or more will receive an event T-shirt. A walker who collects over $100 or more will be invited to an ice cream party. Students who participate in walking laps around the school field will receive various prizes and raffle tickets at specified distances. Prizes will be a Nintendo Game Boy DS, a cd radio and a new Razor scooter. Lunch with a teacher, be principal for an afternoon or read the morning announcement are also highly contested awards.

And if that isn’t enough, a pizza party will be awarded to two classes that have the highest participation at Amato Pizzeria.

$2 raffle tickets will be sold for a grand prize of a two-night stay at Tenaya Lodge in Yosemite. Other prizes include local restaurant, dry cleaning and gift certificates from area sponsor businesses.

Graystone’s “Save Our Programs” dinner and dance will be catered by Time Deli with hamburger or hotdog, potato and green salads, baked beams, chips and a drink. A snack shop will sell cookies, crackers and other treats. Local band Sage will entertain with music and dancing. There will be a silent auction for Boulder Ridge and Almaden Country Club golf, Pajaro Dunes, Tahoe retreats and gift certificates from local area businesses.

But for now it’s back to the pep rally. The fifth grader girls are doing the right moves to “Celebration” and “Walking on Sunshine.” Appropriate songs for energetic kids and their motivated parents who will, once again, come to the rescue of their threatened science, music and media programs.

Bret Harte career day prepares students for high school, college and beyond

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

What do you want to do when you grow up? A common question for adolescents was given a sharper focus during Bret Harte Middle School’s newly improved career day last Wednesday.

Bret Harte eighth graders taking personal survey to identify aptitudes. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Attitudes in Achievement began with a rousing welcome for featured celebrity guest speakers, San Jose Sharks play-by-play announcer Dan Rusanowsky and NBC11 News chief meteorologist John Farley. They presented their life stories along with anecdotal messages of “go to college,” “keep your options open” and “no time like the present to plan your future.”

Equally thought-provoking for the students were the Leland students’ presentation “Life at High School,” “Thinking about College” presented by Leland’s college and career counselor Joan Albers and “Identifying your Aptitudes” by Bret Harte language arts instructor James Delong.

Attitudes in Achievement came about after parents Amy Consul, Connie Krashoc and Leland High leadership teacher Stafford Beham were brainstorming about how to put on a more all-encompassing career day than those held in the past. The half-day event focused on preparing eighth graders for their entrance into high school and goals for the future.

“We realized that eighth graders feel a bit lost entering high school,” said Consul. “We want them to think about the future and make the transition easier. Freshman year does count.”

Your career—how far can you go?
The day began with a rousing welcome in the gymnasium packed with 400 students. Moderator Amy Consul introduced the featured guest speakers, Rusanowsky and Farley, who shared the secrets of their success followed by a question-and-answer session by students. The speakers were a good fit for Bret Harte, because the school is a communications magnet.

Organizers and guest speakers for Career Day at Bret Harte included, from left, Dan Rusanowsky, Amy Consul, Connie Krashoc, John Farley and Stafford Beham.

“You spend 40 years working so you better choose wisely,” said Rusanowsky. “And there is no time like the present to plan your future.”

Rusanowsky majored in English and business at St. Lawrence University in New York. From the time as a child when he went to a hockey game at Madison Square Garden, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. He also knew his chances were slim to reach his goal of sports announcer for a major hockey league, but moved forward becoming a sports announcer at the university for eight years. He attended Clarkson University [also in New York], earning a master’s degree in business administration, calling it “my back-up plan.” He spent five years as the broadcaster for the New Haven Nighthawks. And then 10 years ago, during the San Jose Sharks’ first season, he obtained his dream of sports announcer. He has broadcast over 1,000 games.

John Farley has been with NBC11 News as chief meteorologist for seven years, but his career path was chosen later as he “didn’t think he could make a living at it.” He graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in business administration. Driving cross country, he became fascinated with the ever-changing weather systems and realized that was his dream. He earned a master’s degree in meteorology from San Jose State University and worked as weather producer at KRON and an intern for the National Weather Service for the San Francisco Bay Area before joining Channel 11.

“What if you want one thing and your parents want another?” asked one eighth grader.

“If your parents are paying for you education, you have to listen to them,” said Farley. “I paid for my college education, so it was an easier decision for me. You will have to negotiate with them.”

Life at high school
Leland High School Assistant Principal of Activities Paul Yllana introduced juniors Quiana Sanchez, Saree Skeen, Caroline Underwood, Elizabeth Nguyen, Justin Booth and Jason Pitlr, who shared their thoughts on entering high school.

Leland juniors presented “Life at High School,” from left, Quianna Sanchez, Saree Skeen, Caroline Underwood, Elizabeth Nguyen, Justin Booth and Jason Pitlr; standing, Leland Assistant Principal Paul Yllana.

Sanchez shared Leland’s dress code: two inch straps on tops with no collar bones showing and skirts no shorter than holding arms straight down the side of legs.

Boys are not allowed to wear cut-off shirts or have boxer briefs showing. No team apparel is allowed at Leland either.

“Girls dress for other girls,” said Sanchez. “They aren’t dressing for guys. Girls: respect yourself.”

Pitlr, a water polo athlete, stressed joining a sport team to build friendships and to have something to do on the weekends.

“Everybody is competing but it’s good,” said Underwood. “My message is don’t flake off in your freshman year. I did and now I have to work harder.”

“And do your homework every night,” chimed in Sanchez.

Thinking about college
Leland’s College and Careers Counselor Joan Albers’ presentation included the dynamics of the 21st century job market. She shared how technology has changed since she was in high school, before typewriters were replaced by computers and there were no DVDs, VCRs, cell phones or e-mail.

“You need to continue your education,” said Albers. “The more education you have the more money you will make. High school graduates will make $1 million over the course of their working career, college graduates $2 million.”

Leland’s college and career counseling provides information on college testing, career information, financial aid, military service, job postings, among others. Albers stressed students talk to their parents about what they learned at the career event.

Personal strengths
Bret Harte language arts instructor James Delong presented the four people styles: analytical, amiable, driver, expressive. Students completed a personal survey to find out how they handle problems and make decisions based on their own personality traits and others.

A summer job interview scenario approach suggestion was to practice, interview the potential employer and know the answer to the favorite opener “tell me about yourself.”

Delong presented tips on college, careers and coworkers.

“Know your strengths and weaknesses,” said Delong. “Know when a strength becomes a weakness and now your uniqueness.”

Bret Harte eighth graders were given a lot to think about during the morning marathon, but one thing is for sure—they are better equipped to answer future questions because of Career Day.

Here are the seven transportation options

These are summaries of the options presented to the San Jose Unified School Districts board. The seven options were determined from input from the Budget Advisory Committee, the Voluntary Integration Committee and a meeting on April 6 with school principals.

Board members will vote on the options Thursday, April 21. They can vote for a single option or combine different options.

- Option A—Provides annual savings of $765,240. It would discontinue home to school transportation for grades nine to 12 (about 336 students) and increase walking distance for grades nine to 12 from three to four miles providing VTA passes to eligible ninth to 12th grade choice students. It also would reduce school bus stops to school sites for elementary and middle school students requiring them to walk to the nearest school for pickup (3,400 students would have modified transportation services).

- Option B—Provide annual savings of $663,460. Increases walking distances for kindergarten through fifth grade from 1.5 to 2 miles and from 3 to 4 miles for students in sixth through 12th grade. Under this option 1,616 students would no longer receive transportation.

- Option C—Annual savings of $656,110. This would discontinue all transportation for grades nine through 12, affecting 1,628 students.

- Option D—Annual savings of $1,002,750. Same as option C except adds all middle school students. In other words, 2.491 students in grades six through 12 would no longer receive transportation.

- Option E—Annual savings of $210,000. This option discontinues elementary magnet transportation, affecting 393 students.

- Option F—Increases annual revenue up to $200,000. Approximately 1,350 students would be charged for transportation.

- Option G—Annual savings of $840,000. This would discontinue home to school transportation for kindergarten through 12th grade, affecting 1,679 students.

Quiet crowd poses serious busing questions to school board

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

A large but quiet crowd of parents and students listened respectfully to the seven busing proposals before San Jose Unified School District board members Tuesday night. And then they asked questions.

SJUSD parent Sherry Boynton offered a solution, a carpool campaign, to the transportation problem.

School board members are faced with seven options offering a range of savings proposals from $210,000 to just over a $1 million. One option offers annual revenue for the district of up to $200,000 by charging fees for transportation. These will be voted on at a school board meeting on Thursday evening.

While parents posed most of the questions, a few students noted potential problems and a grandfather even questioned the feasibility of youngsters walking longer distances to their schools. One of the strongest pleas, however, came from a school bus driver who asked the board to consider the safety of children, especially elementary and middle school aged children, taking the VTA bus or crossing gang territories on their way to school.

Others pointed out different solutions than those outlined, including carpooling. One parent noted that traffic problems would worsen without the buses and others pondered how their kids would safely get home from school while they were working.

Lourdes Carrera, a Spanish-speaking parent, required a translator to tell school board members that these options shouldn’t even be under discussion. It’s a case where the governor and the federal government should pay for the buses, she said in Spanish. The governments are cheating the children. “Instead of squandering money on a war that no one wanted, the president should give back to the children,” she added.

Others questions were less pointed. Clair Teal, who lives in New Almaden on Alamitos Road noted that a handful of children live in that area and get bused because they are so far from their schools. She understands the need for the money currently spent on busing to go to textbooks and other budgetary items that the children need.
However, she’s worried about the traffic impact. “There are only a few kids in New Almaden that need to get to school. Our community has to get to school but the district can’t spend the money. You can’t alter the global program for just a few people. It’s a huge problem for the district,” she said.

Teal liked the idea of carpooling, but questioned how people who work will solve the problem. “We can get the kids to school, but we work, how do we get them home,” she later told the Times.

Teal’s youngest child is in high school. Many of the other parents attending were more worried about middle and elementary school students. Pat Pizzo, whose grandson attends Hacienda Elementary, is concerned about safety.

He noted that it takes about an hour to walk two miles to school. “If I walk down Lincoln Avenue it’s safe, but what about the children that have to walk in rough neighborhoods. It’s scary. We need some sort of safety factor,” he said.

Cathy Oliver is a school bus driver who attended the meeting not to save her job but to speak out for the kids who ride the bus. She said that riding a school bus is not a luxury, but a necessity. Her primary concern is for the safety and welfare of the children, especially middle school kids. In addition to kidnapping and traffic concerns, gangs could pose problems. For example, in order to walk to school, some students would need to go through rival gang territories, which would not just be scary and intimidating but pose definite safety threats.

Danielle Ramirez, who graduated from a SJUSD high school last year, noted that there are a number of problems with public transportation. First, VTA buses are often late, making students tardy. She rode VTA buses from third through 12th grade, she said, and there are “crazy people” on public transportation.

No matter what the question, school board members who were all present at the meeting, will vote on the seven options at a board meeting Thursday evening.

‘Annie’ arrives in Almaden for limited engagement

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

A lot has happened to the feisty little redheaded orphan Annie since she made her debut performance in Harold Gray’s comic strip on Aug. 5, 1924.

Alongside her dog Sandy, several notable actresses, including Sarah Jessica Parker, have belted out renditions of “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life.” But now it’s seventh-grader Emma Hopp’s turn, as Annie comes to Almaden for a two-night engagement at Castillero Middle School.

The classic tale rips the headstrong girl out of a dismal orphanage and drops her into the lap of luxury for one week—all part of a publicity stunt for the very wealthy and sometimes callous Oliver Warbucks, who gets more than he bargained for when she manages to work her way into his heart.

Over the past 82 years, Annie sang her way on to NBC’s Blue Network and lit up the big screen before becoming a long-running Broadway musical—even a commemorative U.S. postage stamp. Many adaptations, both on stage and screen, have continued to spring up around the world.

But on Friday and Saturday night, she’s all ours, as the 52 members of the cast, including Daniel Byshenk as Oliver Warbucks and Drew Commons as Miss Hannigan, sing and dance their way into our hearts, with the help of a 30-parent production crew and impressive sets leased from the Children’s Musical Theatre.

Tickets are $5 and $7 for both 7:30 p.m. performances and will be available at the door.

Leland senior earns Gold Award in Girl Scouts

Melanie Nimori, a senior at Leland High School, recently reached the highest level of achievement in Girl Scouts as an independent scout.

To earn her Gold Award, Melanie spent about 65 hours preparing for and instructing an after-school art class in the homework center for elementary school children in the Franklin-McKinley School District. As a Cadette Girl Scout, Melanie also earned a Silver Award by collecting clothing and items for battered and homeless women.

Melanie entered Girl Scouts as a Daisy Scout in kindergarten in 1992, joined some other youth programs and returned as a Brownie in Barbara Giusti’s Troop #226. She has spent a total of 11 years in Girl Scouting. 

“Our troop was obsessed with food and we were probably the only troop that continued with snack time until the very end,” recalls Melanie, who originally lived in Evergreen and continued to meet with her troop even when she moved to Almaden Valley.

“We stayed with our troop in Evergreen as our troop was close, and so there was no interest in switching troops,” says Sandra Winkler, Melanie’s mom, who purposely chose a location that would permit her to drive back and forth to Evergreen so Melanie could stay with the troop. 

Melanie still maintains friendships with girls from her original troop, even though it technically disbanded when leader Giusti moved to Virginia. This is why Melanie earned her Gold Award as an independent scout without a troop. 

Before the troop dissolved, however, it was very active, holding regular meetings and attending generally one fun activity per month, often on the weekends.

“I think all the girls enjoyed the arts and crafts projects done at the regular meetings the most,” says Winkler.

“This brought out their creativity while allowing them time to just chat and be girls while doing their projects.”

Winkler attributes the troop’s cohesiveness to Guisti’s amazing ability to manage the girls and activities in a way that kept them all together and interested. The girls learned to take responsibility as Guisti minimized the number of adults who came along on the outings. The girls had to tow the line in terms of organizing and doing chores such as cooking and cleaning while camping.

When asked to sum up the value of her years in scouting, Melanie says, “I have the ability to lead the community just as any man.”

Williams Elementary School students and staff create a ‘Whale-of-a-Wall’

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

With smiles and brows knit in concentration, students gathered around tables at Williams Elementary School this week, joyfully painting pictures of fanciful whales and seascapes on tiles.

The tile wall will complement Williams’ seascape mural featuring its mascot.

By creating pieces of a tile wall, they were participating in a very special fund-raiser that will leave a lasting impression on their school.

This Whale-of-a-Wall (WOW) tile project brought children, teachers and staff together to create a work of art that will become a legacy to their school. Once completed, the tiles, depicting the school’s mascot, the Williams Whale, will adorn a wall situated by first grade classrooms, the playground and a new shade structure.

“We’re the Williams Whales,” noted WOW Committee co-chair Lynn Murtha. “And we have a mural with a whale, so we thought it would be cute to keep a whale theme going.”

Committee member Jennifer Silverglate appreciated that this fund-raiser involved the whole school and focused on the children. “It’s a fun project,” she said. “And it will be fun for them to look for their pictures later on.”

Past Williams students as well as those coming to the school in the future were invited to paint tiles.

Committee member Kerry Allen purchased a tile for both her incoming kindergartener and 2-year-old son for sentimental reasons. “When I was in school, we made a mosaic wall and I was part of that,” she said. “I still go back and show it to my kids, so I think this is a great project.”

In addition to paying $75 for a tile and $50 for each additional tile, Williams’ families also contributed money toward teacher and staff tiles. Murtha is pleased with the school community’s response. “It’s going really well,” she said. “All of the different grade levels are participating. We sold 350 tiles so far and received enough donations to have all of the teachers and staff create a tile.”

The funds raised from this project will enhance student enrichment in areas like art, the technology center and recess activities, as well as provide instructors for these programs.

“I think it’s fun for the kids to create their own unique tiles and see them up on the wall,” said Murtha. “They can come back 10 years from now and know that while they were having fun, they were also doing something to benefit the school.”

Committee member Jill Eberle agrees. “They can be proud of showing off their artwork and contributing to their school,” she said. “It’s something that will be there forever.”

Made in the shade
PTA President Mollie Tobias is delighted with the recent upgrades to the school, including the leveling of the playground, and envisions the Williams community enjoying events under their new shade structure, with the tile wall creating a colorful backdrop.

“We’ll have a little corner of the school where we can hold events in the shade, with a beautiful wall with the children’s artwork to look at,” said Tobias. “It will be a nice lasting memory for all the children.”

From left, Ashley Yeh and Regina Meng decorate a tile together.

The shade structure was a joint effort between the San Jose Unified School Board and Williams Elementary School PTA. Solar panels were added to its roof, which will help to harness energy for the school. Williams is one of the pilot schools in this energy-saving endeavor. At this point, they plan to keep the area beneath the shade structure and their options open. There, children can play games out of the hot sun and teachers can teach while enjoying the outdoors. The structure can also be used for evening school performances.

“It’s nice that Williams’ parents recognize when there’s a need and provide for it,” said Tobias. “It shows what a great community we have.”

The unveiling of the tile wall and shade structure will be held on Tuesday, May 24, in conjunction with Williams’ open house and silent auction. According to PTA member Barbara Tharenos, the heart of the silent auction is the class baskets, which have become a tradition at Williams. The idea is for each class to provide either something the children have made or donated items like event tickets, garden accessories and tables and chairs hand-painted by students. One popular auction item is principal for the day and lunch with the principal.

The funds raised from both the tile sales and auction will support enrichment and educational activities for the children that aren’t provided by the district, such as teacher contracts for art, technology and science, as well as organized activities at lunch recess such as games, drawing or chess.

“I think the tile wall is a great idea,” said Tharenos. “It’s a great way to bring the community together. It’s fun for the kids to produce artwork and leave something behind.”

Committee member Jeanne Toulouse Korns feels that in creating a tile, students are experiencing a sense of school pride and teamwork as well as memories to last a lifetime. “We’re creating a community treasure,” she said.