November 10, 2005

SCHOOL SCENEin Almaden Valley

Wiggling, giggling young poets

Author shows Williams School students how to have fun with poetry

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Ever heard of a whale reciting poetry? Well, it happened at Williams School this past week.

Just like her mommy and daddy would do at a book signing, one student had author Bruce Lansky autograph her book. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Coinciding with Williams School read-a-thon, author Bruce Lansky entertained and visited with the William’s Whales—kindergarten through sixth grade students—and taught the kids that poetry is easily accessible today.

One by one the kids entered the cafeteria eager with excitement to see the animated Lansky known as the “king of giggle poetry.” There the children’s author amused with readings and humorous interactions with the students.

“I like to begin with the kids telling me why it’s hard to write poetry,” said Lansky.

“I have them create a list of why they can’t write poetry: ‘can’t make it rhyme,’ ‘my hand gets tired’ or ‘nothing comes to mind.’ We put it all together and we make poem. I like to get the kids excited about reading.”

And from the beginning of the presentation, Lansky had their attention. The kids learned how to write poetry and also that verse is everywhere: music, advertising, even greeting cards. And with Lansky’s titles you can see why the kids get excited. “My Dog Ate my Homework” and “If Pigs Could Fly” have the kids laughing and calling him the “poetry guy” long after he’s left.

And Williams’ teachers had prepared their students well for the anticipated event.

“There was a lot of excitement with Bruce Lansky visiting,” said teacher Susan Byshenk. “We read a poem every week so they were excited to meet a real author.”

Author Bruce Lansky and student Kevin Sung read “Mary had a little Jam” at Williams School.

“And he’s funny,” said 5-year-old Ayla in Byshenk’s kindergartner class. “I like poetry.”

Lansky leads the students to create new verse for Yankee Doodle.

“Yankee Doodle came to town riding on a…?” asked Lansky.

“A chicken!” called out an eager first grader.

“Great—now what rhymes with monkey?” asked Lansky.

“Funky!” “Chunky!” “Punky!” the kids quickly answer.

Yes, Lansky makes poetry fun. But how did this event happen at Williams School?

“The teachers appreciate the PTA for supporting visits from children’s authors,” said Principal Karen Heverling.

PTA President Mollie Tobias, member Christine Dirksen and others worked to arrange author Bruce Lansky’s visit.
Happening in tandem with the school’s Read-a-thon, the students will read on their own, in class or with family and friends. The new fundraiser not only creates pledges but encourages reading and literacy skills. And since the school’s motto is “Williams Whales always do their best,” we know the kids will succeed.

Four sets of brothers keep in tune with each other

It’s a family thing for Pioneer’s jazz band

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Playing cool jazz licks is even cooler with your brothers jamming by your side. In a serendipitous turn of events, four sets of brothers are now Pioneer High School’s jazz band class—four sets of brothers enjoying the opportunity to play together.

These brothers stick together. From left, first row: Ken Earl, Bryan Valko, Sean Voight, Matt Malvase; second row: James Earl, Kevin Valko, Kevin Voight, Tyler Malvase, Josh Malvase.

Although he’s had brothers in his class before, having four sets of brothers is special, according to Pioneer band director Ken Roberts. “Having nine out of 21 band members be brothers is something,” he says. “There’s camaraderie in jazz band as you depend upon each individual while working together as a team—and we have a pretty tight-knit group.”

Roberts believes that the brothers influence each other. “No one wants to sound bad in front of his brother,” he says with a smile.

The Malvase brothers
The Malvase brothers, senior Matt, junior Tyler and freshman Josh, started playing in band at Castillero Middle School and credit Castillero band teacher Joe DeMar with inspiring them to pursue an interest in music. “They have an awesome band program there,” says Matt, “I received a solid foundation from Joe DeMar. I want to carry on his legacy.” The Malvase brothers say that Ken Roberts, their current jazz band teacher, is also a good teacher and a fun guy.

Matt plays alto sax, Tyler plays baritone sax and Josh plays bass trombone. Matt and Josh both got their his feet wet with beginning band in sixth grade, while Tyler dove in during seventh, and they haven’t looked back since.

However, this year is special as it marks the first and last time, due to their respective grade levels, that all three brothers have been able to play in the same band together. “When we auditioned, we were really hoping we’d all be able to be in it together,” says Matt. All three brothers enjoy the class immensely, as well as the opportunity to express themselves. “It’s a class that goes by fast,” says Tyler. “I just love playing jazz,” says Matt, “and it’s fun to be together, playing music with my brothers, sharing something we love.”

The Earl brothers
The Earl brothers (junior Ken and freshman James) started playing through Simond’s Band Program. Ken chose the saxophone for the challenge it presented, while James picked trumpet because it looked like it would be fun to play.

Voight Brothers: Sean plays bass guitar, Kevin plays drums.

For Ken, music, especially jazz, provides an escape. “It’s such a free and creative art form,” he notes. “I play because it’s fun,” says James. The Earl brothers think band teacher Roberts is cool. “He picks out good music for us,” says Ken. “He gives good direction and keeps us on track.” They both plan to continue playing in band through high school. “We’ve never been in a band together before,” says Ken. “Being with my brother during my last couple of years in high school is pretty cool.” James agrees. “It makes band more fun and exciting,” he adds.

The Voight brothers
Sean and Kevin Voight enjoy playing music together. Sophomore Sean started with bass guitar in sixth grade. “I like playing music,” he says. “And it’s fun playing with my brother.” Kevin, who calls Roberts “super great,” chose drums for their rhythm. “Being in class together adds a unique bond,” concludes Kevin.

The Valko brothers
The Valko brothers, Bryan and Kevin, delight in riffing off each other. Bryan, who has played guitar for eight years, credits his father with influencing him. “When I was little, my dad used to always play,” he says, “so I naturally turned to guitar.” For Bryan, music is a driving force. He composes his own material and hopes to start a band one day. “If I didn’t get to play guitar at jazz band class it wouldn’t be as good a day,” he says. Kevin’s been playing drums for five to six years. Although he played guitar for five years, he found he liked drums even more. “I like jazz. It helps me play other styles and be more versatile,” says Kevin. “It’s a way to express myself.” The brothers enjoy making music together. “We play off each other,” says Bryan. “We can read each other well and it’s cool having Kevin in class. He’s even better than our old drummer.”

Valko Brothers: Bryan plays guitar, Kevin plays drums.

Band director has taught 34 years
Band director Ken Roberts has shared his passion for jazz with students for 34 years. Roberts taught band at Castillero Middle School before transferring to Pioneer High School, along with his son. As Pioneer didn’t have a regular band program, from 1991-1997, he served as part-time band director in an after-school program. Since 1997, when the position grew to a full-time one, Roberts has continued to shape Pioneer’s jazz band program. “Jazz is really exciting and exhilarating,” he says. “It’s a style of music that’s invigorating, happy and fun.”

Roberts enjoys watching his students develop their musical talent and believes that jazz band provides them with an opportunity for self-expression. “In high school, their thought processes mature and their technique improves,” he says, “and the level of their soloing increases dramatically.” Roberts especially appreciates his students’ ability in creating on-the-spot solos, which fit neatly into compositions.

The Jazz Band will feature swing music at the Big Band Dance fund-raiser evening on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in the new Performing Arts Center at Pioneer High School. Call Linda Andrews at 535-6310, Ext. 583 for ticket information.

Former Bret Harte secretary pleads guilty

Barbara Price faces three years in jail; sentencing scheduled for Dec. 9.

By Sheila Sanchez
Staff Writer

Former Bret Harte Middle School secretary Barbara Jo Price, accused of stealing nearly half a million dollars from a student activity account, has pleaded guilty to one count of misappropriation of public funds and is facing a three-year sentence in state prison.

Price pled guilty to embezzling $483,000 during the course of seven years from the school’s Associated Student Body account on Oct. 17 in Santa Clara County Superior Court in front of Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Jean High Wetenkamp.

Barbara Jo Price

Deputy District Attorney John Chase said the 44-year-old woman pled guilty to count one and that count two, accusing her of grand theft, was dismissed, as it was the same crime under a different legal theory.

She remains in custody pending sentencing on Dec. 9 before Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Ronald T. Lisk.

“She knew that the evidence was very clear,” Chase said. “These were a bunch of checks deposited into her account with her endorsement on the back.”

Chase said Price’s attorney, Stephen P. Naratil, could dispute the total amount of the theft for purposes of the restitution order, which will require Price to prove that some of the amount alleged to have been stolen was not stolen. The order will require her to return what she stole as well as other losses suffered by the district as a result of the crime.

Naratil, with the Crime Attorneys nationwide law firm, did not immediately return phone calls and e-mails from the Almaden Times Weekly. Last month he told the Times that his client had gone through an extremely traumatic couple of years while working at the school, particularly after losing her 15-year-old son in a dentist’s chair in 1999, her husband being diagnosed with a terminal illness and her daughter becoming very ill.

“Her husband was the breadwinner and couldn’t work. Luckily he’s still alive, but he wasn’t expected to live. She became the breadwinner and was grieving the loss of her son. She was under a lot of stress and wasn’t making the best judgments in her life. That’s why she’s in this predicament now,” Naratil said.

A felony complaint against Price accuses her of committing the alleged crimes between July 6, 1999 and Jan. 28 of this year while being employed by the San Jose Unified School District and being given the responsibility over receipts, safekeeping, transfer and disbursement of public money, which prosecutors alleged she did without authority and used for her own use and the use of another.

Prosecutors allege she stole the money by completing fraudulent invoices and writing checks to non-existent businesses by forging Bret Harte Middle School Principal Donald McCloskey’s signature and then cashing them herself and paying her personal credit cards.

Chase said the guilty plea lessened her prison sentence by avoiding trial, which could have resulted in a four-to-five-year prison term. “She accepted responsibility early so she gets three years,” Chase said.

After the district placed Price on administrative leave in January, pending the outcome of the criminal investigation, she sold her home and skipped town. The district terminated her employment in March.

That same month, police began searching for Price who was believed to have been fleeing authorities and staying with relatives in Texas.

In April Price sold her home in the 600 block of Chynoweth Avenue in San Jose.

On June 11, Price surrendered to police without incident after being a fugitive for approximately three months. She remained incarcerated at the Elmwood Correctional Center for Women in Milpitas on a $500,000 bail.

On July 7, she was formally arraigned on two felony counts.

During her court appearance in June, the judge increased her original bail amount from $300,000 to $500,000 as at the time the original warrant for her arrest was secured prosecutors had miscalculated the amount they allege she embezzled.

Chase also said the bail increase was requested because she was considered a flight risk as she purportedly sent a 14-page letter to him and other involved parties in the case, after leaving the state, indicating that she would not turn herself until certain conditions were met, such as promising she would receive counseling and no time in prison, said Chase.

According to San Jose Police Detective Chris Wilson, of the department’s fraud unit, an investigation into the missing funds began when district officials began questioning Price after an auditor discovered the discrepancies in the account.

The district hired Price in 1993, when she began working as a campus assistant at the school. She was then employed as a student body clerk and then as a school secretary. She was the only person responsible for the ASB account, according to Fuqua. In 1997, district officials believe she began the alleged illegal transactions, which were discovered in January.

Karen Fuqua, a spokeswoman for the school district, has said that Florence Eng, the district’s internal auditor, discovered the alleged illegal transactions after an invoice came into the district’s general fund for reimbursement—money from the school’s student body account is not part of the general fund.

When district officials conducted a site-field audit, many errors were discovered which were reported to district police officers and to the San Jose Police Department, according to Fuqua.

“It’s a very unfortunate circumstance for Ms. Price,” Fuqua said. “It’s due process of the law. The district has looked at its accounting process and we’ve tightened up all our rules and regulations around student body funds.”

Graystone Elementary community bonds while
competing for mobile computer lab

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

Over the past few weeks, the Graystone Elementary School community has bonded together in an effort to win a nationwide contest. The prize: a mobile computer lab.

Graystone Elementary parents meet in the computer lab before school lets out to boost the number of votes so the school can win a mobile computing lab.

Students, parents, teachers, friends and even acquaintances are working together to win the school the lab. Some parents are coordinating voting parties while others just show up before school is out to vote in the computer lab.

The top five schools, those with the most votes, will win a mobile computer lab courtesy of FutureReady.org. The organization is collaboration between Dell Computer and Microsoft to help students reach their full potential and equip their schools with the technology to reach their goals.

The lab consists of a Datamation 8-module notebook security cart; DSS 8 Plus Switch; six Dell Latittude Notebooks with Microsoft® Office OneNote® 2003 software; Orinoco AP700 Triband Access Point for secure high performance wireless networks; a Dell laser printer; and a Mothion Computing Tablet PC with Microsoft® software and a pen based computer tool. Couple that lab with a grant the school has written to get mobile computers, and the school will have a complete mobile lab.

The project started when computer teacher Sara Mijatovich entered Graystone in the competition. The objective is to get as many votes as possible over a particular period of time. The contest ends at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 22.

“That’s how it started,” said parent Jennifer Deghuee, who spoke to the Times late one night while voting on her laptop in her bed. Since then, “it’s pulled everyone together and it’s taking on a life of its own.”

“It has united Graystone as a community. This has been a big rally and it’s fostered school spirit,” said Katherine Canse, co-president of the school’s Home and School Club.

A group of eight to 10 parents are working on getting the community involved too. They are having parties and inviting parents to come early to pick up their kids so they can while away their time voting for about half an hour.
Some of the students are even spending part of their lunch hour in the school’s existing computer lab, voting for Graystone.

So far, Graystone is in second place. The school reached this pinnacle nearly two weeks ago. But it wasn’t until the school’s annual Pumpkin Bust that things really got going.

“Before the Pumpkin Bust, the numbers were climbing steadily,” said Deghuee. “I started voting when there were 40 days to go and we were in 40th place. The night of the Pumpkin Bust we got 25,000 votes. That extra 10,000 to 15,000 votes pushed us to sixth place and that’s when things really got going. “

In addition, students were sharing various ‘tricks’ with their parents and parents were showing other parents how to do it, she said, that’s when the whole school really got involved.

At approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday, with one week to go, Graystone had 329,188 votes. It was followed closely by a school in South San Francisco with 319,216 votes, a Sebring, Fla. school with 311,828 and a school in Eureka, Calif. with 307, 302. An Oklahoma school was in first place, far ahead of the others with 409,246 votes. Checking a couple of hours later, Graystone’s total had grown by more than 3,000 votes.

To keep the local school in the top five, parent Alison van Diggelen is planning a voting party this weekend and “…encouraging my other friends to host parties too.” Deghuee is pulling together a weekend pizza party to get people to vote. Other parents have made and put up posters and sent out flyers to get people to vote.

“It’s a nationwide competition, and some of the stiffest competition comes from Oklahoma and Florida,” Deghuee said. Those two schools rack up the votes during the day, she added, while California voters seem to push more at night, due to the time difference. “You can always tell when lots of people are voting. One school in San Leandro got 60,000 votes per day. It’s obvious that was a community effort,” she said.

Other voting sessions have been held at the Almaden Coffee Roasting Company at Almaden Oaks Plaza and at Unwined at Via Valiente Plaza.

If you would like to help, visit the Web at futureready.org. Click on the mobile computer lab contest and then enter the zip code and select the school. Typically, two Graystone Schools appear. While both are the same school, the one named Graystone Elementary is the one with all the votes. If that takes too long, go to the top five schools and click on Graystone.

You will then be asked to type in the six-character code. Sometimes this is difficult because it can be hard to read.

It can also be frustrating because you will think you have the correct code, but something backfires. “Hang in there, through the frustration, and eventually you will get it right. Some of the parents,” said Canse, “pick of number of tries and when their definition of the code fails they start all over again.” You can vote as many times as you like.

So, if you’d like, join the fun and help a local school win a top-notch computer lab.