New principal at Simonds Elementary School wears bright pink toenail polish and gives out cookies instead of lectures
By Barbara Luis
Staff Writer

It's hardly the image one might expect of an elementary school principal, but then Simonds Elementary School's new principal Linda Kakes is not the "usual" administrator.
She's really a no-nonsense (well, maybe a little) veteran educator who has just taken over the helm at Simonds this fall, but so far, doesn't see any cracks in the school's everyday machinery.
"Sometimes there's a perception when a principal comes in that changes need to be made and that's really not the case here. There's nothing here at Simonds to fix, it is a wonderful, wonderful school. It is to my mind, everything a school should be."
Kakes points to her student's exceptionally high scores on statewide STAR testing. She says she's also very pleased with several existing campus programs such as "Peacebuilders" and "Cornerstone," which spotlight and encourage character development. The school's music program has also continued to thrive and grow with the direct financial support of Simonds Elementary parents.
Mike and Kathy Reickerd have two youngsters who attend Simonds. They say they're especially pleased with the school's musical arts program. Mike Reickerd calls Simonds "a great school with a lot of parental involvement," while sons Kyle and Tyler both agree that the new principal is "nice."
Second grade teacher Ginny Klein describes her new boss as "kid friendly" and "hands on" with new ideas like the "Campus Cookie Club." That's described as a reward system for students who show extra regard for others by being courteous and helpful.
First grade teacher Monica Pluise says Kakes is great for "positive feedback" in the classroom. "Just knowing that her presence is here is really important, I think."
Kakes is married to a financial advisor and is the mother of two sons. Oldest son Jeff is 25 years old and works for Ebay while her younger son Billy, 23, can be found at his job at Apple Computer. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and was successfully recruited on campus for her first job by San Jose Unified School District to teach at Almaden's Henderson Elementary (which is now Almaden Country School).
She stayed until it closed in 1982, transferring to Castillero Middle School, where she eventually was named Assistant Principal of Public Instruction.
Kakes made national headlines with her next assignment in 1992 as principal of Williams School, the first public school in the nation to require student uniforms. She laughingly recalls being interviewed by six network news organizations. "It was pretty amazing. That was the hottest story going that a public school would have uniforms. That was really, really a biggie at the time."
From there, she switched to Randol Elementary where she served as principal until her reassignment to Simonds this year. The campus is located at 6815 Grapevine Way in Almaden Valley, just behind the local library and community center, which is set for expansion. Kakes says she's not worried about the development spilling over onto school grounds because she's been assured construction will not extend past city-owned property lines.
When asked about life after school, her response is an emphatic "What life?" Kakes says her job is rewarding, but very time-consuming. When pressed for more, she does admit to being a travel bug. Over the years, she and her husband have vacationed all over the world, with stops in London, Germany and Paris. They have been on a number of cruises to Alaska, the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera. Kakes also describes herself as an avid reader and loves grabbing lunch or dinner with friends on weekends or even after a busy workday.
But keeping watch over the Simonds campus is her number-one priority. During a quick afternoon tour, Kakes gestures to the empty schoolyard and exults, "I'm just thrilled to be here." And judging from the positive reaction of the students and staff she enthusiastically leads, the feeling is very mutual.