October 22, 2004

ESUHSD NEWS BRIEFS

ESUHSD volunteers promote Measure K

Volunteers for the East Side Union High School District spoke to attendees at Day in the Park about the district’s parcel tax, Measure K, which appears on the Nov. 2 ballot. Funds generated by this $50 annual assessment, which ends after six years, will provide critical assistance in three vitally important areas: literacy support, school safety and technology assistance.

If passed, Measure K would bring $5.8 million into the district annually for six years, at a cost of just $4 per month per household. Measure K funds cannot be used to pay for administrators’ salaries. All Measure K funds will be spent in local high schools, and Sacramento politicians will not be able to take the Measure K money to spend it elsewhere.

Measure K would help ease the financial strain in the East Side by ensuring that there would be money available to provide just some of the following needed services:

- Full time credentialed librarians at all school sites. Many districts simply closed their school libraries. ESUHSD valiantly maintained them, but without Measure K, the district may not be able to do so in the future.

- Increased police/security services on each campus. The physical safety of staff and students is of paramount importance for the district, but to make sure that schools are truly safe takes additional funding. Measure K seeks to guarantee that collaboration with the local law enforcement agencies continues.

- Information technology support. ESUHSD has plenty of computers available for student and faculty use, but support to make sure that this equipment is always working and available takes the dedicated skill of professional technicians. Without Measure K, the district will not be able to repair and replace these machines for classroom use.

- Writing coaches. Everyone understands the need for our students to be able to write coherently and effectively upon graduation, but many of our students who are newly arrived to our country, have learning disabilities, or simply have not mastered the requisite skills will suffer in their future endeavors. The district will use the newest programs and skills available in helping teachers make writing the foundation of their instruction. In short—Measure K allows the district to promote writing across the curriculum.

Great Opportunity for high school students Nov. 1—College Night 2004

The annual San Jose Consortium “College Night” hosted by the East Side Union High School District will be held at Evergreen Valley High School, 3300 Quimby Rd., in the gym on Monday, Nov. 1, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

ESUHSD expects more than 100 colleges and universities to send representatives, including campuses of the University of California (UC) system and the California State University (CSU) system, all military academies, local community colleges, many private colleges as well as other colleges and universities throughout California and the country.

All students and their parents are encouraged to attend and take this opportunity to ask questions of the college admissions representatives. The timing of this “College Night ” is especially pertinent for seniors as the “admissions season ” generally begins in November for the fall semester of 2004. Juniors are also urged to attend.

East Side Union High School District counselors will be available to confer with individual parents and students on college admissions requirements and procedures. Information on admission testing, SAT and Advance Placement will also be available.

College Night is sponsored by ESUHSD, but it also serves students and their families from Gilroy Unified, San Jose Unified, Morgan Hill Unified, Milpitas Unified, Campbell Union and Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union School Districts.

Because this event includes 27 high schools throughout the San Jose region, average attendance exceeds 4,000 students and parents. Due to the large attendance, students and parents are encouraged to get there as early as possible. Parking will be available in both parking lots, located off Quimby Road. There is a lot below the school and one above the school.

BRICK Awards to recognize community work of young people
Deadline to apply: Nov. 1

A program of Do Something ( http://dosomething.org/ ), the BRICK Awards were created to recognize and financially support outstanding young people, to create a network of young community leaders across the United States and to inspire other young people to become active in their communities.

The program honors and funds the efforts of dynamic leaders age 18 and under who have devised and implemented innovative solutions to problems in their local communities in the areas of community building, health and the environment. Each BRICK winner receives a $5,000 higher education scholarship, a $5,000 grant for continued community work, pro bono services and other support and recognition.

Applicants must be 18 years old or younger on April 14, to be eligible. For more information and to download an application form, visit the Do Something Web site: http://dosomething.org/.

Interact clubs get youth involved in service on campus

Interact, the youth version of Rotary, is a community service club for high school students. There are approximately 6,000-plus high school students in more than 80 public and private schools in Rotary District 5170.

The San Jose East/Evergreen Rotary Club sponsors six clubs at Piedmont Hills, James Lick, Foothill, Silver Creek, Evergreen Valley and Accel Middle College. Most of the other ESUHSD schools have Interact Clubs, but Santa Teresa, Oak Grove, Andrew Hill, Independence and Mount Pleasant are sponsored by other Rotary Clubs. Youth at these schools are encouraged to get involved.

Interact stands for “international actions.” All the Interact Clubs do international, community, school, environmental and fundraising projects. Other high schools in our area are welcome and encouraged to form a club at their school.

Interested students should contact New Clubs Coordinator An Tran, Wondergurl_1626@hotmail.com, or Hannah Ahmed, talkingsmackk@aol.com via e-mail.

ESUHSD board race draws qualified Evergreen candidate Cecil Lawson

Cecil Lawson (right) meets with Ed Wong after a successful fundraiser just weeks before the Nov. 2 election. Lawson, an Evergreen resident, is one of seven candidates running for the East Side Union High School District board of trustees.

He draws strong support in Evergreen based on his qualifications as a past CEO, his present position as CIO for the San Jose Police Department, and his experience as an instructor at Evergreen Valley College. As a father of three children, he is also active in their schools and with Boy Scouts of America.