November 4, 2004

ValleyViewpoints

Thanks for a thoroughly researched and thoughtfully written article

Editor,
I wanted to thank the Almaden Times Weekly staff writer Kymberli Brady again for writing the article about the national award our Anne Frank Wall project received from National Semiconductor.

Now that I’ve had a few “newsworthy” experiences, I’ve realized in a new way how difficult it is to get the full story. Each of Brady’s three articles on our project has really been thoroughly researched and very thoughtfully written.

Brady really has been able to articulate the essence of what our project is trying to accomplish. Simply put, she does a very difficult thing well—she is an excellent writer.

Thanks so much for your hard work in sharing our efforts to realize a project that makes our world a little bit better place to live in.

Jim DeLong
8th Grade Language Arts
Bret Harte Middle School

Please keep Castillero Middle School open

Editor,
I am very concerned about the recent notification we received regarding the closures of schools. The overall student enrollment is declining within the San Jose Unified School District, however the southernmost portion of the district, our Almaden area, continues to grow. It would be unwise for the district to close Castillero Middle School, which is in a growing area. The superintendent has said on numerous occasions that neither programs nor teachers would be affected by the June school closure. Attempting to recreate the special facilities required to house the instrumental music programs and the dance and drama programs that are currently thriving at Castillero would incur capital expenditures that the district can hardly afford. Keeping Castillero open would avoid these large expenditures and also preserve and continue these widely acclaimed programs.

For the past decade, the mantra in public education has been about school accountability performance. Our society demands that our schools prepare students to be productive members of society. How can anyone who claims to support public education advocate closing a school with such high performing students and one that is a productive community icon? The SJUSD, like many California school districts, is suffering from inadequate education funds. However, it is irresponsible to balance the district’s budget by closing a successful school such as Castillero Middle School.

I urge the school board, please keep Castillero Middle School open.

Mary Edwards
Springpath Lane

Keep Castillero open!

Editor,
I’m joining many Almaden residents in my sentiments to keep Castillero Middle School open. As a homeowner, voter, working professional in Silicon Valley, and concerned parent with a child in the San Jose Unified School District, I have trouble with the potential decision to close Castillero Middle School. Why? Much of the logic seems flawed. Closing Castillero is shortsighted and simply bad management. I’ve borrowed from the savecastillero.com Web site to reiterate the points below.

1) Overall student enrollment is declining within the San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD). However, the southernmost portion of the district, our Almaden area, continues to grow. It would be unwise for the district to close a school in a growing area.

2) The SJUSD, like many California School districts, is suffering from inadequate education funding. However, it is irresponsible to balance the district’s budget by closing a successful school.

3) The superintendent has said on numerous occasions, that neither programs nor teachers will be affected by the June school closure. Attempting to recreate the special facilities required to house the vocal and instrumental music programs and the dance and drama programs that are currently thriving at Castillero would incur capital expenditures that the district can hardly afford. Keeping Castillero open would avoid these large expenditures and also preserve and continue these widely acclaimed programs.

4) The superintendent presented the district’s Vital Few Priorities at the community budget meetings. These priorities include: prepare all students to meet standards; establish a college going culture; engage parents and community as an integral part of the education process. Castillero Middle School has the highest API scores of the middle schools under consideration for closure and the second highest middle school scores in the district, which speaks directly to the first two priorities. Castillero is also a Blue Ribbon School with Parental Involvement Commendation, which speaks directly to the third priority. Additionally, the Superintendent has said at the same meetings that academic performance, test scores, National Blue Ribbon or California Distinguished status does not factor into the school-closure equation. It is unconscionable that the district administration establishes school-closure criteria that do not consider their own vital few priorities.

5) For the past decade, the mantra in public education has been about school accountability and performance. Our society demands that our schools prepare students to be productive members of society. How can anyone who claims to support public education advocate closing a school that produces high performing students and is a productive and accountable community icon?

6) For the past 10 years, SJUSD has been under a court order to ensure fair and adequate access to quality education in a diversified environment. Castillero Middle School has been held out as a prime example of the district’s adherence to the court-ordered mandate. This is demonstrated by the well rounded fine arts and academic education offered to students from throughout the district. The demographic makeup of the student body at Castillero fully supports a diversified educational environment, with 54 percent of the student population falling into a minority category as well as a diverse socioeconomic environment. Now that the desegregation mandate has been satisfied and the court order has been lifted, is the District no longer held accountable to offer the highest academic opportunities to all students throughout the district? By closing Castillero, the district is eliminating one of the premier ‘choice’ schools available to students.

Nancy Lichtle
Whitbourne Drive

Fields belong to all 95120 residents

Editor,
I am getting weary of the verbal battle for the sports fields. It is unfortunate that some people are so selfish that they feel the world belongs only to them, but the reality is, it is here for everyone’s enjoyment. Particularly, this parcel, which belongs to all the residents of the 95120 zip code.

Pat Dando’s closing statement at the community meeting, summed it all up. Water will not be an issue, the residents will have first choice should water become scarce, traffic will be accounted for and dealt with and as for “not in my backyard”, this parcel is already city property and therefore is paid for.

So I feel it is time to get moving with the project!

Denise Kennedy
Almaden soccer mom of four and baseball mom of two

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