January 28, 2005

LETTERS2theEDITOR

Evergreen resident urges community to consider unification

Editor,
We live in a great community, and thanks to the hard work and effort of our academic leaders, teachers, staff, superintendent and trustees of the Evergreen School District (ESD), our children and families enjoy the benefit of one of the best elementary educations available in California.

But today, we all know that a great elementary school district is just not enough. We are well aware that the current configuration of our community’s educational resources dictates that our children leave this great elementary environment for the uncertainty of high school within the East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD).

I believe that this uncertainty is ripping at the very fabric of our community, as families begin to focus on developing coping strategies to reduce increasing stress as children approach high school age. Attending private school or moving from the community are only two of the most common options. Other alternative strategies are available and there are those in the community who seek your help in their full development.

As these alternatives are developed, it is quite likely that they will point the way to the need for changes in ESUHSD. This will be no easy task! But as embattled ESUHSD trustees deal with ever more chaos, it is becoming increasingly clear that ESUHSD may have outlived its usefulness to the community or simply grown too big to respond to local concerns.

Today, ESUHSD serves more than 24,000 students spread across 11 campuses, or 60 percent of all high school children in San Jose. Whatever the impact on ESUHSD of these developing strategies, their pursuit is in no way an indictment of the people involved in running ESUHSD, as we admire their resolve in these troubling times.

What we seek from both ESD and ESUHSD is their assistance in refining and shaping all community alternatives. We do this as a matter of practical necessity. For those of you who attended the ESD board meeting on Jan. 20, you heard my plea to the board—asking them to join with the community in a process called unification.

Unification is a serious remedy, a remedy with the advantage of enhancing community control over community educational resources. It is believed that more local community control—in the hands of trustees who more clearly understand community goals—will result in better academic articulation throughout a newly formed K-12 unified school district, enhancing the education experience for all children and families in the community. But unification is not without its risks.

The Evergreen community would suffer as a unified district if it were not willing to commit to these critical tasks:

- Supporting the financial need of ESD
- Rebuilding Silver Creek High School
- Stabilizing Evergreen Valley High School
- Building one or perhaps two new community high schools
- Establishing and funding the Evergreen Academic Performance

Trust
There are risks for ESUHSD as well. If Silver Creek and Evergreen Valley High Schools withdraw from the district, ESUHSD may lose a disproportionate amount of the state funding based on the average daily attendance (ADA). This is the result of the documented under-enrollment in certain ESUHSD schools, such as James Lick and Overfelt, and over-enrollment in others, such as Silver Creek and Evergreen Valley.

To avoid placing any community or school at a disadvantage during the transition to a unified district, ESD and ESUHSD trustees will have to work closely with the County Office of Education, under the leadership of Dr. Colleen Wilcox. This will be difficult, but under her leadership, not impossible.

There are also risks for the Evergreen community if this transition to local control is not managed successfully. One example is the outstanding work being done by the Evergreen Visionary Project (EVP) under the leadership of District 8 San Jose Councilmember Dave Cortese.

Following more than 24 months of intensive community outreach, this project will shortly reach City Council chambers for approval of a reported 4,000 to 6,000 new homes in our community. If the project proceeds, Silver Creek and Evergreen Valley High Schools will increase student population dramatically, perhaps reaching 4,000 – 5,000 while other schools in ESUHSD may lose students.

The topic of shifting attendance boundaries is a difficult one for ESUHSD trustees and is not a likely solution to this overcrowding. The dilemma this presents is that if EVP does not proceed, the Evergreen community will lose the economic benefit such development is certain to bring.

Yes, there are risks in the plan I have outlined. My wife Pam and I find them acceptable as we also find the thought of maintaining the status quo totally unacceptable. What we propose will not likely benefit my children, Andrew or Rachel, as we start this effort for those who will surely follow and see the need for change.

If you are such a person, know that your family is joining in an effort that will shape the quality and integrity of our community for years to come—an effort that will bind us together for life.

Our next major milestone occurs at the next ESD board meeting to be held on Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m., at the Quimby Oak Middle School gym, 3188 Quimby Rd. You have patiently heard what I have to say—now it’s time for you to hear from and be heard by the ESD board of trustees.

Pam and Paul Robichaux
Concerned Parents
Silver Creek area of Evergreen
prr@newera.com

Reader feels ET story captures the true essence of Col. R. Hipwell

Editor,
As a veteran of the United States Army myself, it’s always great to read a story of one of my fellow “Brothers in arms.” However, when it’s some-one I have personally known for 23 years, it’s even more special.

I wish to commend Justin [Petersen] for the outstanding manner in which he captured the man behind the story [Evergreen Times, Dec. 4-17, 2004]. I have seen, read and heard other stories concerning my friend before, however, in a televised piece by KGO-TV, I did not see the insight into Col. Hipwell as I have known him over the years.

When directed to Justin’s story, I was very pleased to see that the personality of the man was indeed found and spotlighted, in what I feel is a proper manner. I wish to THANK YOU for showing the public all sides of Col. Hipwell.

This is indeed a very modest man, I am proud to know and call my friend. One whom I too like to brag about, for he is one of a kind who lives up to the old Army slogan “Be All You Can Be.”

THANK YOU JUSTIN. I appreciate the story and your taking the time that really is needed to properly tell the story of what I feel is an American Hero. God Bless you.

Clement “Rob” Roberts
Santa Clara, Calif.

Have an opinion?

Let the Evergreen Times hear from you. In order to be considered, letters must be signed by the author or come with the name in an email and have author’s phone number, which will not be printed. Send letters to bea@timesmediainc.com, or via mail to:

The Evergreen Times
1310 Tully Road, Ste. 107
San Jose, CA 95122