January 26, 2007

Evergreen SchoolScene

Evergreen schools are recognized by California Department of Education

Dove Hill Elementary, LeyVa Middle School, and O.B. Whaley Elementary to receive Title I Academic Achievement Award

The Evergreen School District was greeted with some positive news after the winter holidays. The California Department of Education has notified the District that three of its Title I schools, Dove Hill Elementary, LeyVa Middle School, and O.B. Whaley Elementary are receiving the prestigious Title I Academic Achievement Award. This award is authorized under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and is given to Title I schools that exceed Adequate Yearly Progress goals for two or more years, or significantly close the achievement gap among their school’s numerically significant subgroups.

Schools may also be awarded for doubling their Academic Performance Index (API) growth targets for two consecutive years. The Evergreen schools will be honored at a ceremony at the State Title I Conference in Southern California in mid-April.

“This award is validation of the high standards and hard work of the schools’ students and staffs as well as the incredible support that the parents and community provide,” said Kathy Gomez, ESD Director of Educational Services. “Congratulations to the Dove Hill, LeyVa, and O.B. Whaley communities.”

Congratulations are also in order for the Quimby Oak community. Project Cornerstone will be honoring the Quimby Oak students, staff, and parents for the hard work they’ve done this year in working to create a caring school community. The award will be presented at the Fairmont Hotel on March 1 at the Project Cornerstone Asset Champions Breakfast Award Ceremony.

Project Cornerstone is a community-wide collaborative effort that seeks to change the way communities view youth. Using an asset-based model developed from the research of the Search Institute in Minneapolis, Project Cornerstone works with schools, faith-based groups, and community-based organizations to help them give students the assets or positive skills they will need to grow to be healthy and productive members of the community.

Using the asset research of the Search Institute, along with the research on effective schools and safe schools, school staff developed a peer-advisory curriculum that is being used with students this year. The curriculum, titled “Preparing Adolescents for Success in School through Peer-mediation, Openness, Respect and Tolerance” (PASSPORT) is being taught as a mandatory elective for all Quimby students.

Veteran Evergreen School District Board Member retires

ESD Board Member Kathy Bowers retires after 20 years of service

At the Dec. 7 Evergreen School District Board meeting, longtime board member Kathy Bowers was publicly honored and acknowledged for her 20-year service to the Evergreen community.

Longtime ESD Board Member Kathy Bowers gets a round of applause from District 8 council member Dave Cortese for her 20 years of service to the Evergreen community.

District 8 council member and San Jose Vice Mayor Dave Cortese presented Bowers with a commendation on behalf of the mayor and city council of San Jose that highlighted some of her accomplishments as a member of the Board of Trustees. These accomplishments included:

- The building of six new schools – Chaboya Middle School, Carolyn Clark School, Dove Hill School, J.F. Smith School, Matsumoto School, and Silver Oak School

- The consistent rise of achievement scores as reflected in the State assessments

- Ten schools receiving National Blue Ribbon Award recognition

- Seventeen schools receiving California Distinguished School Awards recognition (10 of them have been recognized twice and six have been recognized three times)

- The participation in hiring two superintendents to lead Evergreen School District

- Being a proponent for educational opportunities for all students in the District and being a champion for kids in the west Evergreen area

- Overseeing the balancing of District budgets and keeping the District fiscally sound

- Demonstrating leadership in modernization of school facilities to enhance student opportunities and maintain attractive neighborhoods

- Prudently overseeing the passing of two Bond measures

- Advocating for hiring the best

- Having the confirmed belief that Evergreen is a world-class school district

After Cortese presented her with the commendation, Bowers said that she was proud that Evergreen School District continues to be a unique district in that “everyone pulls together and believes that every student should have the opportunity to reach their full potential.” She said she is grateful for all the friendships she has developed during her tenure and thanked the community for its support in building a state recognized achieving school district.

J.F. Smith Elementary PTA to host Casino Night Fundraiser Feb. 2

The James F. Smith Elementary School Parent Teacher Association will host Casino Night, a fundraiser benefiting the school, on Feb. 2 at the Ranch Golf Clubhouse from 7 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. Cost is $75 per ticket, and will include $100 in gaming chips, a commemorative wine glass, and one drink ticket. Delicious multi-cultural hors d’oeuvres will also be served.

Gaming tables, which are generously sponsored by several local businesses (see list below), will include Black Jack, Pai Gow Poker, Roulette and Craps. Tables will have a minimum bet of $5 per hand, but there will also be a high-roller table with a $25 minimum bet. A comprehensive Craps clinic will also be held for all interested parties at 6:30 p.m. Gaming table sponsorships are available for $995 and are tax-deductible.

In addition, there is also a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, which will require a $100 buy-in, separate from the $100 gaming chips attendees will receive upon arrival. Interested parties are strongly encouraged to register for the tournament when purchasing tickets for Casino Night.

There will be several fabulous prizes for winners of the event’s raffle, including home electronics, sporting equipment, fine jewelry, collectibles, hi-tech gadgets, special event tickets and more. Casino Night is for entertainment purposes only, and there will be no exchange of money nor will money be awarded as prizes. Donations are tallied at the end of the night and are tax deductible. This is a legal event, and as a non-profit organization, the PTA will file all appropriate forms with the IRS.

For children ages 2-13, there will be a children’s party, provided by the YMCA, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the J.F. Smith multi-purpose room. There will be food, games, crafts, Dance Dance Revolution, karaoke, pizza, goodie bags and movies for the children to enjoy. Cost is $5 per child. Children must be dropped off no sooner than 6:30 p.m. and prior to 7:15 p.m. (doors will lock at that time), and must be picked up by no later than midnight. Additional charges apply for pickups after midnight. Interested parents must pick up a registration form and an emergency card at the school office. Parents must be going to Casino Night. For tickets, call 893-8950.

Sponsors for Casino Night include JMH Weiss, Inc., Land Mosaics, The Hall Family, Woodenbridge Custom Cabinets, Albin Engineering, Dr. Thomas Chou, The Reddy Family, Baskin Robbins - Branham, Solect-ron, Clarity Medical Spa, Inc., Sports Chalet, Best Buy, McDonalds Corp., Coca-Cola, Hionix, Inc. (Mullapudi Family) and Intero Realty - Loretta Mosely.

For more information about Casino Night, please contact event coordinator Sandy Feldman at (4080 893-8950 or email sandy@yeababi.com. Additional information about Casino Night can also be found on the J.F. Smith Elementary School Web site, under PTA: www.eesd.org/jfs.