from your district office support team · from your district office support team volume iv, issue 3...

From Your District Office Support TeamVolume IV, Issue 3 Summer 2007

Dear Staff, Parents and Community,

As the 2006-2007 school year comes to a close, it is important that we look back and reflect onour accomplishments and the lessons learned in order to shape our vision for the future. This yearhas been a tremendously rewarding one, with the passage of Measure B, the $109 school facilitiesbond the crowning achievement, thanks to the San Leandro voters. I am grateful for the hard workof our two co-chairs, Deborah Cox and Leroy Smith and the Measure B Steering Committee, as wellas the many parents, teachers, administrators, classified staff, Board and community leaders whoworked the phone banks, walked the blocks, displayed Measure B signs, and carried the vision ofwhat our schools will be. Thanks to you and the voters, we will leave a legacy for current and futureSan Leandro students. Of course, the work is only just beginning! In March, the District held three Measure B Town Hallmeetings, and appointed a Citizens Oversight Committee, which has now met once. FiveConceptual Design Teams on the major Measure Bprojects were formed and have met numerous timesover three months to complete a major scope of workthat will greatly enhance and inform the next designphase, which has now transformed into the SiteSteering Committee, with some members of theConceptual Design Team transitioning to this nextteam. As part of the planning, we are positioningourselves and applying for grant funding to leverageMeasure B monies; and the recent purchase of theFord lot brings us closer to our final goal ofestablishing a 9th grade campus to relieveovercrowding at the main campus and provideimportant supports for students in their most criticalyear of high school. You can read more about the Measure B work beginning on page 2. This final 2006-07 issue of BridgingCommunication also includes highlights of other District-wide and site-specific accomplishments, aswe continue to create a culture of change to benefit all students and provide an optimal environmentfor academic achievement. I want to thank everyone who participated and contributed to improvingSan Leandro schools. In addition to work on Measure B, this includes volunteering in the classroomor at the site, and attending parent trainings, conferences and school or District events. I also wantto acknowledge the Superintendent’s Parent Leaders Council, which you can read about beginningon page 2. It takes a village to raise—and educate—a child. The students of San Leandro UnifiedSchool District are very fortunate to have such a caring village. We hope you enjoy this look back at 2006-2007, and look forward to the new opportunities awaitingus in the upcoming year. Thank you for your commitment to education.

Sincerely,

Christine Lim,Superintendent

The 9th Grade Campus Conceptual Design Teams break intosmall groups and “build” versions of the new campus

2 / Bridging Communication / Summer 2007

How are we addressing academic excellence for all students?

Update on Measure B Projects

Property Purchased for Future 9th Grade Campus Good news! We havesubmitted an application andare in line for an anticipated$2.95 million land acquisitiongrant from the Office of PublicSchool Construction (OPSC).The District will be able toleverage bond monies for the9th grade campus, which is tobe built on the former Ford loton Bancroft and 138th

Avenues The Ford lot was purchasedwith funds generated throughMeasure B, the $109 millionschool facilities bond. Thelocation of the Ford lot is ahighly desirable one because ofits close proximity to the mainhigh school campus. TheDistrict worked hard with theseller to arrive at a price thatreflected fair market value. Aftersix months of negotiations withthe seller, both parties agreedupon a final cost of $6.2 million($53 sq. ft.). The appraisedvalue came in at $5.9 million($51 sq. ft.). The matching land

Making History: Superintendent ChrisLim and former Assistant SuperintendentLeon Glaster sign papers on the Ford lot.

acquisition grant, made possiblethrough Measure B, results ina net cost of $3.25 million or $28sq. ft. for the property. Securing the best location iskey in fulfilling the Measure Bprojects. After an exhaustivesearch for suitable land, theBoard and staff, along with alarge cross section of the SanLeandro community, looked atthree sites and the Ford lot wasidentified as the preferred site forthe 9th grade campus. Thispurchase is a critical piece of a

complex puzzle to addressovercrowding at the main highschool campus. Relocation ofparking is another piecenecessary in order to constructa modern Arts EducationCenter which includes atheater (for school andcommunity use), music, multi-media, and visual andperforming arts classrooms. In

addition, the library will beexpanded, and the careertechnical education buildingwill be upgraded and renovated.The final piece of the puzzle isthe construction of the 9th gradecampus on the Ford lot. Basedon the above information, theSLUSD Board of Educationapproved the purchase of thiscritical piece of property for the9th grade campus, ensuring thatall the pieces come together: thePG&E parking lot, the ArtsEducation Center, the SanLeandro High School libraryexpansion, and the CareerTechnical Education Buildingrenovation and enhancement—all for the benefit of ourstudents and community. Thanks to San Leandro Votersfor their commitment andforesight when passing MeasureB. We have now taken the firststep in providing a model 9th

grade campus that will relieveovercrowding at the high school,and address a statewide trendof an extraordinarily high 9th

grade drop out rate by providinga small school environmentduring this most critical year ina high school student’s life.

Bridging Communication / Summer 2007 / 3


Measure B and Proposition 1D:Working to Maximize Our Dollars toPrepare Our Students for the Workforce

In 2006, theCalifornia Department ofEducation announcedthat the state hasearmarked $500 millionof Proposition 1D fundsto support the expansionof Career TechnicalEducation (CTE)programs. These dollarswill provide support toschool districts forfacility modernization and newbuilding projects that enhanceCTE program capacity. In order to qualify, schooldistricts must provide a dollar fordollar match for each fundedproject. In anticipation of the 1Dallocation and requirements, theDistrict specifically craftedaspects of Measure B to gainaccess to these dollars. As aresult of these efforts, we areuniquely poised to expand our

Measure B career educationfacility projects. The District is applying forProp1D funds to supportfacility modernization and newbuilding activities for thefollowing programs:• Automotive• Metal• Wood• Business and Finance• Academy/Marketing• San Leandro Academy for Multi-Media (SLAM) The applications for Prop1Dwill be reviewed and scored ina competitive process. Iffunded, Prop1D money,combined with Measure Bfunds, will be used to buildstate of the art career educationworkspaces and classrooms foreach of the programs, purchasethe latest technologicalequipment, and build a newcareer center. All of this workwill help prepare our studentsfor future education and jobopportunities, giving them ahead start in their careers.

We would like to thank themembers of the Conceptual

Design Teams for anoutstanding job!

The four Teams are:1) 9th Grade Campus 2) Arts Education Center 3) PG&E Parking Lot 4) Career Technical Education/Industrial Arts Building Rennovation 4) San Leandro High School LibraryExpansion.

If you would like to learn more aboutthe work of the Conceptual DesignTeams, please visit our website atwww.sanleandro.k12.ca.us and

click on Measure B.

Measure BCitizens Oversight Committee

The Measure B Citizens OversightCommittee. The purpose of the CitizensOversight Committee held its firstmeeting on May 16, 2007. Deborah Coxwas elected chair, with other officers tobe selected at the next meeting, whichis May 26. Committee members andtheir affiliations:Mary Beth Barloga—City of SanLeandro, History Museum and ArtGallery Education Director;CaliforniaRetired Teachers’ AssociationRobert Brannan—General Manager,Lloyd A. Wise/Marina MediaVision; BoardMember, Boys & Girls Club of SanLeandro; Recreation and ParksCommissioner’; President, San LeandroChamber of Commerce.Deborah Cox—President, Estudil loHomeowners’ Association; PACE; VicePresident, California ConservatoryTheater; Steering Committee, SanLeandro Leadership; Roosevelt SchoolSite Council; served as the co-chair on theMeasure B Campaign.Charles Gilcrest—Consultant, GilcrestManagement; Board Member, Halcyon-Foothil l Homeowners’ Association;Executive Board, Business Association ofSouth San Leandro; Board Member, SanLeandro Chamber of Commerce; Chair,Joint Project Area RedevelopmentAdvisory CommitteeJuan Gonzalez III—Principal, KPMG,LLP’s Investigative Practice; BancroftMiddle School PTA.Tom Guarino—Government RelationsManager, Pacific Gas & Electric;Alameda County Taxpayers AssociationAndrew Kopp—Attorney; Big Brother; hasserved as a voting precinct inspector;Judge Pro Tem for the Alameda CountySuperior Court.James Moher—Attorney, BullivantHouser Bailey PC; BroadmoorHomeowners’ Association; BuildingFutures with Women & Children.Gerald Shovlin—Teacher, BishopO’Dowd High School, Oakland; BancroftMiddle School Site Council; GATEAdvisory Committee; Superintendent’sParent Leaders Council.Abir Salamy / Briana Toney—SanLeandro High School juniors active instudent leadership, and who will co-share the seat.

Update on Measure B Projects

4/ Bridging Communication / Summer 2007


From the District Office

Collaborative Action Researchfor Equity (CARE) Teams

Inside of the draft brochure by theElementary Safe Schools Team

The words “rigor, relevance, andrelationships” are a perfectdescription for what it means tobe a Collaborative ActionResearch for Equity (CARE) teammember. The CARE team begantwo years ago and currently hasover 50 members, consisting ofteachers, support staff, andadministrators. The CARE team hasfacilitated the learning byadministrators and teachers inplanning culturally relevantinstruction, directly impactingthe achievement of our studentsof color. We have had all of ourschool sites represented, whichhas provided a wonderful venuefor some powerful reflection andcollaboration around lessonplanning and instructionalpractices utilizing themotivational framework,culturally relevant strategies,and strategies learned fromNsaka Sunsum in support of ourAfrican American and Latinostudents. The last CARE teammeeting of the year was on June4, where the sharing of lessonswas rich and creative, validatingthis critical work. CARE team

members have opened theirminds, their hearts and theirclassrooms, allowing all of us awindow into what culturallyresponsive classrooms can looklike. CARE team members,thank you for your courage andcommitment to this work.

Secondary and ElementarySafe School Support Teams Do you recognize these names?Barney Frank? David Kopay?Audre Lorde? Barney Frank wasfirst elected to the House ofRepresentatives in 1980 andrepeatedly reelected. Known forhis wit and keen strategic skills,this Boston representative hasbeen a vocal leader for the liberalopposition. In 1987, Frankbecame the first member of theU.S. House of Representatives tocome our voluntarily as a gayman. David Kopay is a formerpro football player who hasplayed for the San Francisco49ers, Detroit Lions, WashingtonRedskins, New Orleans Saints,and Green Bay Packers. In1975, Kopay became the firstplayer in the National FootballLeague to openly come out asgay. As a 6ft, 200lb athlete,Kopay has helped to dispel

stereotypes about what it meansto be gay. Audre Lorde, a poetwho grew up in Harlem, was animmigrant from the Caribbeanwho graduated from and latertaught at Hunter College in NewYork. Lourde served as the NewYork State poet from 1991 untilher untimely death. Lorde wasa self-described “Black, lesbian,mother, warrior, poet.” As part of the Lifeskillscurriculum being piloted inseveral Grade 9 English classesthis year, gay role models suchas the above were studied. Thiscurriculum addresses diversecontent, such as:examininginternal prejudices, providingstudents opportunities to voicehis/her thoughts, providingstudents with facts regardingLGBTQ issues, reflecting on theways in which everyoneexperiences discrimination,learning about sexualorientation as a civil rights

As a result of Superintendent Lim re-ceiving the 2006 ACSA Valuing Diver-sity Award, she was invited to give thekeynote speech at this year’s Region VILeadership Summit. “We do this worktogether as a team,” the Superintendentsaid, and thus, invited seven membersof the Equity Team to join her.

Superintendent Lim and Equity Members Highlight Work at ACSA

The presentation was so well received, that more invitationshave been forthcoming, including the statewide 2007 Leadership Summit.This work is important, and other eductors are taking note.




ARCHES The Alliance for RegionalCollaboration to Heighten Edu-cation Success (ARCHES) is amulti-agency collaborative thatincludes the District, SouthernAlameda Regional Education Al-liance, Southern AlamedaCounty Alliance of AfricanAmerican Educators, ChabotCollege, Cal State East Bay,Alameda County Office of Edu-cation, and the California De-partment of Education. Its ex-plicit focus is meeting the needsof African American students byensuring them access to collegevia information, opportunity,and education. ARCHES addresses institu-tional inequities through evalu-ation of data, professional de-velopment, and program evalu-ation via alignment with currentstructures that already existwithin the District (i.e. Equity/CARE and MSI teams). It alsoprovides access to resourcesoutside the District, such asteacher education, college ac-cess workshops for parents,brochures, trainers, research,facilitation, and coaching. The major curricular focus ismathematics, although empha-sis is also placed on exposureof Grade 8 students/families tocollege access programs, imple-mentation of culturally relevantand responsive curriculum, andaddressing beliefs and expecta-tions around students and stu-dent achievement. ARCHES isan added value and a strategicmeans of helping us close theachievement gap and providemore opportunities to students.

issues with historical roots,engaging in human rightsanalysis, having the opportunityto learn about the personalexperiences of sexual minorityyouth, and conducting role-playsto have students practiceinterrupting name-calling andslurs. The pilot ends this schoolyear and revisions will be madein preparation for integrationinto the core program at SanLeandro High School. Thiscurriculum is one more way thatwe are working to ensure thatevery student feels safe,respected, and valued in everyclassroom. Many thanks to the membersof the Secondary Safe SchoolSupport Team for their hardwork this year. We look forwardto their continued work in 2007-2008. At the elementary level, theSafe School Support team hasbeen hard at work preparing fornext year. Recently they met tofinish their brochure, which isdesigned to help familiesunderstand why this work isimportant; create discussionquestions to use with ageappropriate picture books; seekgrant funds to purchase booksfor library collections; continueto find creative ways to integrateinclusive literature into the corecurriculum; and finalize theirdraft poster design. They arealso planning professionaldevelopment for the fall. Manythanks to the members of theElementary Safe School Team fortheir hard work this year!

District Benchmark AssessmentSystemWe have completed another yearof our K/1 English/Language Artsassessments, Grades 2–8English/Language Arts and Mathbenchmark assessments, anddata analysis using Edusoft.Based on teacher feedback, we aremaking more revisions to thepacing calendars andassessments, with a final versionbeing prepared for the firstquarter/trimester of the 2007-08school year. The high school isalso exploring the use of Edusoftand department assessmentsaligned to the standards andcurriculum. Having a K-12assessment system will ensureteachers have ongoing informationabout the academic progress oftheir students in order to usewhen making instructionaldecisions. Much appreciation toour teachers whose input,patience, and support have helpedmake this year’s implementationmeaningful and effective.

Physical EducationOur Physical Educationdepartment formed a 5-YearStrategic Physical EducationPlan Task Force to create andimplement a high quality, K-12standards-based physicaleducation program. The TaskForce has developed anddistributed several needsassessment surveys to schoolstaff and administration in orderto design a comprehensive, well-rounded plan. Survey analysiswill help shape the plan, re-define and improve our existingPhysical Education program.




Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) In May we held our BTSA Colloquium to recognize and celebrateour Participating Teachers’ hard work in the program. The eventwas well attended. It was truly exciting to see our ParticipatingTeachers sharing and reflecting on classroom teaching and learning.In addition to the Colloquium, each Participating Teacher recentlyhad their Induction Portfolio reviewed by members of the East BayBTSA Consortium. The Induction Portfolio is a new requirement

Year 2 Participating Teachers at theBTSA Colloquium

Food Service Department Offers HealthyChoices Our Food Services staff is dedicated toproviding a nutritious meal to students and takesdaily pride in their work. As of May 31, we haveserved 724,915 lunches districtwide. We followthe Board adopted Wellness Policy in designingour menus. Our middle schools are soda free andsoda replacement is being phased in at the highschool. By the 2007-08 school year, 50% of drinksneed to be electrolyte replacements, water andfruit juice. By 2008-09, no soda will be sold oncampus. Samples of the offerings are bagels,baked chips, yogurt parfaits, and reduced fatchocolate chip cookies. Our department creates nutritionally soundmenus that students enjoy, such as chickenfajitas, rice bowls, baked chicken nuggets andchicken and beef patties. All schools have saladbars. Students enjoy a variety of fresh fruit, greensalad and toppings daily. Middle school studentsenjoy pizza made with wheat/white flour and lowfat mozzarella cheese. All chicken entrees arebaked, not fried, and wheat flour is used for thebreading. High School students enjoy a BBQMondays and Fridays. The cafeteria offers pizza,hot and cold deli sandwiches, and rice bowls withteriyaki chicken or orange chicken, chicken andbroccoli casserole, pasta and baked chickenpieces. San Leandro students are learning thatflavor is not sacrificed when making healthychoices.

this year as a result of SB 2042 legislation. Year Two ParticipatingTeachers who complete all of the requirements of BTSA and have apassing Induction portfolio can be recommended for a clear credential by the Consortium. At thistime we have nine teachers who have passed. We congratulate them and wish them much success asthey continue to develop and grow within the teaching profession.

Mathematics Support Initiative (MSI) Twenty-five teachers participated in the MSICalifornia Mathematics and Science PartnershipGrant, which focused on Grade 5 Algebra teachers.Its success has had a direct impact on the Districtmathematics work, including implementation ofeffective instructional strategies and increasedstudent achievement. We are hopeful that otherswho are teaching students in Grade 5 Algebra willtake advantage of this powerful resource andnetworking opportunity. Below is a recap of thegoals and professional development offered throughthis grant:Goals:• Enhance teachers’ content and pedagogicalnowledge• Prepare mathematics teachers to provide standards-based instruction• Eliminate the achievement gap in mathematics forAfrican-American, Latino, and socio-economicallydisadvantaged studentsComponents of the Professional Development:• 5-days of ongoing training for Grade 5 throughAlgebra teachers• Combines best elements of Math professionaldevelopment institutes and SB472 training; modifiedACCLAI• Translates math concepts and formulas intoengaging instruction that deepens studentunderstanding• Develops strategies for differentiation of instruction• Develops assessment of student work• Develops intervention to meet the needs of trugglingstudents• Develops lesson plans (modified lesson study)




Summer Professional Development This year’s summer brochures for elementaryand secondary offer a variety of teacher trainings.Over 100 teachers will be participating in one ormore trainings that include:

Elementary: MSI, REAP Math Cohort II, BoardMath, SB472 Sadlier Math, Frontloading,Differentiated Instruction, SIOP (ShelteredInstruction Observation Protocol), SB472 HoughtonMifflin/Lectura, SB472 ELD Highpoint, SB472REACH and a new SB472 English Learner Institute.

Secondary: MSI, REAP Cohort II, SALT (SecondaryAcademic Language Tools), SIOP (ShelteredInstruction Observation Protocol), DifferentiatedInstruction, SB472 McDougal Littell, SB472 PrenticeHall, SB472 Holt, SB472 ELD Highpoint, and SB472REACH.

Tech Update Thanks to the San Leandro communitywho passed Measure B, we have begunto upgrade our data and telephonenetworks. We have now completed localarea networks at every site. Everyclassroom now has a live internetconnection, and soon we will begin toupgrade networks that have been in placesince NetDay 96. Working with AMS.NET,we are planning hardware upgrades tosupport Voice over Internet ProtocolPhones (VOIP) in every District classroomand office. By the end of the 2007 calendar year,every classroom and office will be part ofthe same unified phone and data network.Every phone will have voicemail that willbe available via the phone or the Districtemail account. District users will have theability to contact any other District userat no additional cost. Every phone will beable to transfer and forward calls, searchthe District phone directory, and makeconference calls inside and outside theDistrict phone network. The real beauty of the VOIP Network isthat we can streamline our phone systemand save money. On the network infrastructure side, weshall move our network from individualT-1 lines to one optical fiber networkthrough AT&T and the Alameda CountyOffice of Education. This network, knownas OPT-E-MAN (Optical EthernetMetropolitan Area Network), offers greaterbandwidth at a lower cost. With the help of our E-Rate Consultant,Rick Del Valle and AT&T, our E-Rateapplication has just been approved. Thiswill save us up to $358,000 in AT&T billsfor the coming year. E-Rate is a federalprogram, a part of the FCC. If you examineyour phone bill (home or cellular) you willnotice a charge for Universal Service. Thatcharge is what funds E-Rate.

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply.Willing is not enough; we must do.”

—Goethe

BoardMath (K-5) Tuesday 6/26

9:00-2:00 District Office

SB472 Sadlier Monday-Friday 6/18-6/22

8:00-3:00 Madison

Differentiated Instruction

Tuesday-Thurs. 7/31-8/2


MSI Math Training (5th –Algebra 1)

Monday-Friday 8/20-8/24

8:00-3:00 ACOE

SIOP Wednesday-Fri. 8/8 – 8/10

8:00 – 3:00 District Office

Differentiated Instruction

Tuesday-Thurs. 7/31-8/2


SIOP Wednesday-Fri. 8/8 – 8/10


MSI Math Training (5th-Algebra 1)

Monday-Friday 8/20-8/24

8:00-3:00 ACOE




Volunteer &Employees of the Year The District is proud to honor the Volunteer and Employees of the Year for the 2006-2007 schoolyear. These individuals give tirelessly of themselves to their students and colleagues. We are inspiredby their passion and commitment to our students and schools.

Billy and Eve Hustace,Volunteer(s) of the Year Mr. and Mrs. (Billy and Eve)Hustace have volunteered atWashington Elementary for thelast eight years, givinggenerously of their time andextensive talents. This energeticcouple has unconditionallyprovided enriching experiencesfor students, such as after-school clubs for art, science,gardening, and chess. They havemade enormous contributions toWashington, serving on the PTABoard and Dad’s Club, holdingOutdoor Education fundraisers,volunteering for the Fall Festival(setting up and helping with theDad’s Club BBQ) and evencamping out in sleeping bags tomake certain nothing isdisturbed the night before. Their artistic talents areevident in the wonderfulphotographs taken by Billyposted on our school and district

website and in the yearbook.They have enhanced studentlearning with their informativeslide shows and presentations.The Hustaces organize theScholastic book fair and produceimaginative displays to enticeour students and community toattend. These fall and springbook fairs have generated PTAfunds and added many books toclassroom libraries, the schoollibrary and the Paw Print Store.They make students feel specialand teachers feel supported.They have been room parents,donated school items and treats,given class piñata parties,helped supervise field trips, andare always available to help outwith class projects or PTAluncheons. This will be Mr. and Mrs.Hustace’s final year atWashington School. Theircontributions been significantand impactful, but it is their kindand respectful manner withothers—always cheerful andmodest—that encapsulates whatit is to be a school volunteer.Whenever parents are asked tosupport a school event orfunction, the Hustace family hasalways been present. They area tremendous and inspirationalfamily who will be sorely missedwhen they move to Bancroft nextyear, where we are certain, theywill have a similar positiveimpact.

Karen PerezCalifornia

StateEmployee

Association(CSEA)

Employee ofthe Year

The 2006-2006 recipient isKaren Perez, Employee BenefitsSpecialist for San LeandroUnified School District. Karenhas been with the District foralmost 19 years. Her cheerfuland warm professionalism isappreciated by all, and she hasone of the most trafficked officesin the District. Beyond Karen’s administrativerole, Karen is serving her fifthyear as CSEA Secretary. She alsovolunteers for her son’s school,serving on a fundraisingcommittee where she haslearned all sorts of golfterminology, such as mulligenand silly string, helping to raiselarge amounts of money whilehaving fun in the process.Karen’s positive attitude andsympathetic ear has earned herthe respect of her colleagues,and this last December shereceived recognition by earningthe Courage and CommitmentAward from her peers at theDistrict Office.




This year, volunteers turned out in the hundreds to staff the phone banks, chaircommittees and organize block walks for the victorious Measure B campaign,which was chaired by last year’s Co-Volunteers of the Year, Deborah Cox and

Leroy Smith. Measure B will benefit our students for many years to come.

Chuck Leming, Teacher of the Year

John Muir Middle SchoolMath teacher Chuck Leming hasserved San Leandro students for17 years. He has taughteverything from basic math topre-calculus to students ingrades 7 through 12, and hisleadership recently earned JohnMuir the distinction of beingrecognized as an AVID NationalDemonstration School.Students and colleaguesappreciate Chuck’sintegrity,rigorous teaching style,eagerness to embrace newinstructional strategies andphilosophies, and his wise andnurturing attitude. Chuck hasserved as both a BTSA and PARSupport Provider. As a MasterTeacher, he has fostered twostudent teachers, including

SLHS Associate Principal LindaGranger. Chuck’s reputation forcommunity service is alsorespected, and serves as aninspiration to students, familiesand colleagues. Chuck and hisAVID students raised over

$2,500 for Heifer International,a non-profit charity whose goalis to hel end world hunger andpoverty through self-relianceand sustainability. Hisclassroom canned food drivesare temenendous success, andhe participates in other kinds ofcharitable events, such asKatrina Relief, Pennies forPatients, and clothing drives. Hecan be counted on to work phonebanks for school bonds andparcel tax meausres, and forpublic television.Students are drawn to Chuck,who is all work-and-learn first,relax-and play later, as theyappreciate a purposeflu teacherwith firm standards. He raisesthe bar and encourages everyoneto work hard and achieve.

Geri Isaacson, Administrator of the Year

According to her staff atMcKinley Elementary School ,Geri Isaacson “has brought abreath of fresh air to our school.Her collaborative approach witlall staff has turned our schoolinto an exciting learningcommunity.” She supports herstaff in innovative projects andencourages staff to growprofessionally, encouraging herteachers to constantly reflect on

their teaching practices. Herwealth of knowledge andexperience make her a trueschool leader. At heart, she is ateacher and truly cares aboutevery student. McKinley School,and the District, is fortunate tohave her. Her heart, passion,commitment, understandingand relationship building skillsmake her a wonderful asset toour community.


GARFIELDGarfield gets the grant In early May we heard thefantastic news that Garfield YearRound School received theQuality Education InvestmentAct (QEIA) funding. Establishedin 2006 by Senate Bill 1133, thefunds will continue for sevenyears. Over 1400 Californiaschools, based on AcademicPerformance Index (API) scoresand socioeconomic status ofstudents’ families, were eligible.In Alameda County, 23 schoolswere chosen. Garfield Schoolhas shown improvement in theAPI score (we gained 57 pointslast year) and has demonstratedsuccess in meeting the learning,language and instructionalneeds of our students. Next year we will receive$153,860 to design a schoolimprovement plan. The grantcan be used for class size Grades4 and 5 reduction and stafftraining. In 2008 – 2014 we willreceive over $200,000 per yearto implement our plan.Teachers, students and parentsare excited about the possibililtyof having upper grade classeswith 25 or fewer students. Thestaff looks forward to crafting astaff development plan thatignites instruction for ALLstudents and works in harmonywith the DataWorks ResearchInstitute to provide support forintervention and instructiondaily. This new grant and theHigh Priority Schools Grant thatwe received last year bringapproximately $300,000 peryear to Garfield School! GoGators!

JEFFERSONCelebrating diversity Jefferson School celebratesand appreciates the beautifuldiversity that makes up ourschool community. One of theways we did this was to host aMulticultural Festival in May.The festival was organized byteachers and parents, andprovided activities for studentsand families to learn about othercultures and celebrate all thecultures in our school. Adepiction of the “history of corn”and making “papel picado”celebrated the Mexican culture.East Indian culture wascelebrated with “Henna” (handpainting) and belly dancing.Chinese culture was celebratedwith an activity teachingparticipants to use chop sticks.Nigerian culture was celebratedwith the creation of necklacesfrom African beads. And NativeAmerican culture was celebratedwith the creation of clay pottery.The festival culminated with abuffet that included East Indian,Chinese, Mexican and manyother dishes. During the dinner,a second grade Chinese-American student played thezither. Over 100 participantswere highly engaged. Theevening was a very specialevening of celebration ofcultures. Events like the MulticulturalFestival build community anddeeper understanding. In ourclassrooms, diverse studentcultures are reflected in theenvironment, and throughculturally relevelant instructionand practices. Jefferson is agreat school, made even greater

by the willingness of our diversecommunity to share theircultures with one another.Thank you to everyone whomade 2006-2007 great!

JAMES MADISONMadison to receive grant forAbilities Awareness Fair James Madison is receivinga $2,500 grant this monththrough the City of SanLeandro’s Community BenefitGrant Program. We held our firstAbilities Awareness Fair in 2006.Students quickly learned thatvisual impairments, hearingdeficiencies, use of wheel chairsand cognitive delays do not keepyou from learning new things andmaking great friends. We areexcited to expand our fair nextyear to include the public. Thefair will be open to Madisonstudents on Friday, September28, 2007, and open to the publicon Saturday, September 29,2007. Our school enrolls 420students, from pre-school throughfifth grade. Forty-four of thosestudents (nearly 10%) are part ofa Moderately to SeverelyHandicapped Special EducationProgram. Students served in ourschool have a wide range ofcognitive and physical conditionswhich require special servicesprovided by the District. It is ourgoal to provide all students withthe best possible learningexperience. Please mark yourcalendar for the James MadisonAbilities Awareness FairSeptember 29, 2007.


Elementary School Sites


Walker Creek Ranch—It is atradition at James Madison andother District schools for fifthgrade students to participate inOutdoor Education Programs.All of our fifth graders and theirteachers had the opportunity toparticipate in the Walker CreekOutdoor Education Programoperated through the MarinCounty Office of Education.Walker Creek Ranch is anaccredited public school facilityand the program is aligned withthe California ScienceCurriculum. The program fostersindependence and socialization.Every year, students come backbetter prepared for middle schooland the real world. The cost ofthis trip is $265.00 per student.Through many fundraisers, thegenerosity of the PTO and familycontributions, we have been ableto raise this amount for the 5th

grade classes for the past fouryears.

GATE students deliver thenews—Our Gifted and TalentedEducation (GATE) Program islearning about broadcasting thenews. With the help of parentvolunteer Theo Townsend,students developed topics, wrotearticles and produced MadisonE-News. Look for Madison E-News to be added to the GATEsection of our School websitesoon. The school website wasalso built by students with thehelp of Mr. Townsend.Latino Family Literacy Classcompletes its first year—NormaAlonzo and Maria Arechiga co-taught an eight week course to

support Latino Family Literacyby helping parents withstrategies and activities thatexcite learners about literature.The program will be offeredannually. I want to thankMaestra Maria Arechiga yMaestra Norma Alonzo fordonating their time to thisprogram, and the School SiteCouncil for funding the MadisonLatino Family Literacy Program.2006 – 2007 was a great year forJames Madison ElementarySchool.

McKINLEYInnovations and activities tosupport learning What a terrific year this hasbeen at McKinley ElementarySchool. We continued manywonderful activities and events,and also instituted a number ofexciting innovations: SoulShoppe was very effective ingiving students a commonlanguage to deal withinappropriate behavior; Mrs.Ullrich (Ms. “U”) helped us tointegrate test taking strategiesinto all of our learning; westarted a tradition of celebratingwith very big ice-cream sundaes,having built (with the help of ouroutstanding maintenance crewand volunteers) a 200 ft longsundae to celebrate increasedattendance during STAR testing;and parents and teacherscontinued to work above andbeyond to help all childrenachieve to the best of theirability. We had a very successfulOpen House, building a truesense of community. Over halfof all McKinley parents or

guardians attended and theteachers went all out to givepresentations, organize orparticipate in scavenger huntsand other fun, educationalactivities for everyone to enjoy. Ms. Meyer, Mr. Lease andtheir music students presentedtheir final concert to a standingroom only audience. Thank youto the music teachers andparents for all of their hard work!They continually support ourstudents in becoming successfulmusicians (And did you knowthat there is a strong link tomusic and math performance?One more benefit to having suchan excellent music program.) McKinley teachers, staff andI are looking forward to 2007-2008. We will miss those whoare moving on to middle school,but celebrate this next step intheir academic career. Teachershave already started planningand preparing for next year’sstudents. We hope everyone hasa wonderful time with theirfamilies, and will read someexciting books this summer.McKinley…What a GREAT placeto learn! Go Eagles!



The SLUSD Maintenance Crew “con-structs” a 200 ft long sundae for McKinleystudents


MONROEStudents’ futures, today andtomorrow At the close of this academicschool year, our school commu-nity reflected on the academicprogress made by our studentsand set goals for the next twoyears based on the data. Whilewe focus mainly on the data inplanning next year’s goals andaction steps, the needs of the“whole student” and their futuresuccess is also important to en-vision.We know that grades alone arenot enough. It takes instillingappropriate social values, mod-eling and reinforcing positivecharacter traits to nurture thewhole student and motivatethem with a “can-do” spirit. Canit be done? We will continuouslyask ourselves this question aswe reflect on our practices, sothat we never lose site of ouranswer: Yes, it can be done; wecan bridge the achievement gapfor all students. Saturday, May 25th, I at-tended Holy Names University’sgraduation in Oakland, Califor-nia. It brought me back to my

own graduation at Holy NamesCollege in 1981. I was one of asmall minority of students ofcolor, but that was not the casewith this year’s graduating class.I learned that 48% of the gradu-ating class were students ofcolor; 28% being African Ameri-can. Over 60% of these studentswere given full or partial schol-arships. I saw a sea of facesbeaming with pride. They hadbeaten the odds and were receiv-ing their degrees, undergraduateand masters. It was inspiring tohear their keynote speaker,Michael Morgan, speak of “giv-ing back.” He is the Director ofthe Oakland Symphony and anAfrican American. He spoke ofhow his successful career madehim mindful of the importanceof giving back to others and toone’s community. We can alllearn from this example of aca-demic success. I thought about our studentsof color that make up 47% ofMonroe’s student population.Paralleling our students withthese college graduates im-pressed upon me how importantour work of bridging the gap forstudents of color is at Monroe.It made me think long and hardon the importance of our Equitywork at Monroe and across ourDistrict. This work can make thedifference in our students’ livesand enable them to be a part ofa college graduating class. HolyNames University has met thechallenge of bridging the gap fortheir students of color, and atMonroe we have that same goal.We cannot afford to miss this op-portunity with our students.Our students’ futures depend on

the work we do today, and likeother schools who have met thatchallenge, we will plan to do thesame as we look forward to nextyear! We need the support of ourentire Monroe community tomeet the needs of our students.As we strive for high standardsand envision our students’ lifelong academic success, we needour parent and community sup-port next year. We invite you tobe school volunteers, ask themto come to our PTO/Dad’s Clubmeetings and English LanguageLearners (ELAC) meetings. To-gether we can all make a differ-ence in our students’ lives andfutures!

ROOSEVELTRoosevelt, a “Caring SchoolCommunity” Roosevelt School has areputation as an outstandingcommunity school stronglysupported by dedicated teachersand proactive and politicallyactive parents. The Rooseveltcommunity boasts an amazingDad’s Club, a hard working andexpert PTA, a forward thinkingand active Lesbian, Gay,Bisexual, Transgender, StraightAlliance and a consistentlycollaborative English LanguageAcquistion Commitee. Now asthe year ends Roosevelt hasadopted the Caring SchoolCommunity Program from theDevelopmental Studies Center inOakland. The Caring SchoolCommunity Program is a wellthought out four-part program



Principal Beltran and volunteers taketheir positions at the grill, where they willserve 160 students at Monroe’s PerfectAttendance Barbecue.


for creating a positive andproductive school environment.It specifically teaches studentsstrategies for problem solvingand conflict resolution as well asproactively involving students increating classroom rules andprocedures that they can use togovern themselves. This occursthrough a series of classroommeetings at the beginning of theyear that are then extendedregularly throughout the year toprovide on-going social andethical development. In addition to classroommeetings, the school will set upBuddy classes so older andyounger students can work inpartnership. Buddies help tobuild leadership and mentorshipamong older students andfriendly relationships foryounger students. Buddy classesuse collaboration among buddyteachers and students to builda stronger school andcommunity. A home/school componentallows parents to join in througha series of fun and interestingfamily assignments that can bedone together at home. Theseassignments are introducedthroughout the year in astaggered manner so thatparents with children at differentgrade levels can enjoyparticipating without being overloaded. The activities are notlabor intensive but ratherdiscussion oriented so they canbe done in the home language.As many activities are personalto the participants, they areculturally relevant and can be

successfully completed withease. A final Community Projectscomponent builds in communityservice and/or communityprojects that the wholecommunity can participate in.This is a perfect fit for acommunity such as Rooseveltthat is rich, diverse anddedicated to going from good togreat. All our wonderfulcommunity groups can jointogether into one RooseveltCaring School Community. TheCaring School CommunityProgram will begin in 2007.

WASHINGTONVisual and Performing Arts inEducation There are many factors toconsider when thinking aboutmoving a good school to a placeof greatness. Qualityinstructional programs arealways in the forefront of ourthinking, planning and actions.This year, teachers took learninga new levels by incorporatingmonthly academic walkthroughsinto our professional practice.These teacher classroom visitsled to reflection about ourcurrent practices and thedevelopment of action steps tohelp us continue to improve thequality of our instructionalprograms. Then, the unexpectedhappened. This past winter,schools were pleasantlysurprised by a state grant tosupport Visual and PerformingArts and Physical Educationprograms. This grant allowedour school to think about howwe might bolster our current



Enrichment Programs with ouracademics. As educators wehave looked at integrating SocialStudies and Science within theLanguage Arts curriculum. Nowwe have the opportunity to seehow we might integrate Artacross other content areas andbuild on strengths which ourstudents already bring to school.Staff developed a list of prioritiesfor fund allocation, with twoareas of focus: instructionalmaterials and staff development. Support for the Arts issomething valued by both staffand parents. Arts programsallow children’s gifts to emerge,be identified and nurtured, andallow us to connect with thewhole child. Studies have shownthat there is a strong linkbetween art, critical thinkingand innovative problem solving.Works of art can and are usedas starting points for adiscussion historical issues orliterary themes. We also knowthat the same connections canbe formed through theperforming arts. A child whouses his/her mind to coordinatebody movement will have aneasier time visualizing angles,the arrangement of space (3-

Karen Koizuimi, (far right) receives Wal-Mart’s Teacher of the Year Award and$1,000 for Roosevelt School.


dimensionally), distance andhopefully will begin to find Mathand Science easier tounderstand. We collaborated with theOakland based, non-profit groupALICE (Arts and Literacy inChildren’s Education). Theyestablished a residency atWashington where four gifteddancers provided our staff withtraining in how to incorporatedance and movement into ourwork with students. The dancersbrought a variety of styles andcultural expressions. Theyworked directly with thestudents and the teachers,where each class received four45-minute sessions of dance andmovement. Zenon Barronworked with our Kindergartenand First Graders on MexicanFolklorico dance. He broughtbright costumes and describedthe various regions of Mexicofrom where each danceoriginates. He described theclimate, food and customs ofMexico. The students andteachers all grew from thisexchange. Tom Segal broughtmodern dance, ballet, tango andmusical theatre to hisinteractions with second andthird grade students. ReenieCharriere led fourth graders inexperiencing dance as story-telling, with stretching,choreography, improvisationand teamwork built in. MyrthaMuse helped our 5th graders seedance as fitting within historicaland cultural frameworks thatbegin with African dance andmoves onto hiphop and moderndance. Each lesson was builtupon California’s Visual and

Performing Art: Dance ContentStandards. One outcome through thiscollaboration and Arts residency,teachers were provided withexercises that they couldreplicate with their students. Weare inspired to incorporatemovement into the instruction ofany subject area. In a report byC. Carger, “Art and Literacy withBilingual Children”, he proposesthat “every student who could beturned on by exploratorysubjects may not get thisstimulation if the curriculum isnot integrated to include Artexpression.” During this four-week Arts residency, we learnedthat art can serve as a vehicle tobreak barriers for students whomay not be fully engaged in themore traditional learningexperiences that we offer atschool. Is it possible that art canhelp move our school from Goodto Great? We’re counting on it!

WILSONLooking back;looking forward As the year comes to a closewe have been reflecting on allthat we have accomplished andall that we need to do next year.One way that we can look backis by listing some key items inour site plan that we havecompleted this year. Here is a listof some of those keyaccomplishments:• Surveyed staff on current levelof implementation of HoughtonMifflin and Sadler/HarcourtBrace math curriculums.• Analyzed responses anddecided next steps towards fullimplementation of board-adopted programs in languagearts & math.• Reviewed and exploredincreasing the effectiveness ofBoard Math for mathintervention.



A Bit of Magic (excerpt from Washington Elementary Principal ElviaTexeira’s speech at the Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony)

“We have given you all we can give – lessons, tools, skills, and values thatwe trust you will always hold dear. But I have this one additional item that Iwant you to carry in your pocket - a little bit of magic.

Once upon a time, I received one of these and I remember how it changedthe way I looked at the world. When you hold this little glass before you eyeand twist it, you see magic. I look at you now – the eldest scholars in ourland – and when I see you through this glass, you all collide – it is, as if I seeyou through a new lens.

As you leave Washington School, take this little “collide-o-scope” withyou – this wonderful magic eye. Promise me that you will use it to look atthings differently, that you will twist and turn it to view the world you areentering from every possible angle. View this world with the love, the attention,and the principles you carry in your heart.

My hope is that you will see all life and its challenges with a new lens – alens of hope, a lens of compassion, and a lens of kindness.”


• Coordinated integration of allTitle 1 programs with AcademicSurvey Results.• Explored and purchasedmaterials to align instructionduring Extended Day readingintervention with HM reading.• Set up extended day MathIntervention at two key gradelevels: 2 and 5.• Grouped 4/5 grade studentsduring Computer Split timebased on student need andstarted an online Interventionprogram aligned to the LanguageArts standards during ComputerSplit time (Study Island). Wealso more closely aligned ourELA Intervention to HoughtonMifflin.• Worked within our existingschedule to implement require

instructional minutes, includinguninterrupted 2 hour readingblocks at grades 4 and 5.• Developed common use ofstaggered time schoolwide• Supported continued trainingof teachers through statereading trainings with goal thatall staff receive the training.Principal & VP both attendedAB75 (state reading training foradministrators).• Increased school-wide use oftheme tests on Edusoft.• Created professionaldevelopment calendar to includecollaboration time by grade level(curriculum, embeddedassessment data, issues of datareview, instructional planning,and lesson delivery in reading/language arts & Math).

Middle School Sites

BANCROFT As the school year closes,there are many changes on thehorizon for Bancroft MiddleSchool. One of the biggestchanges to our course offeringsis in the 6th grade. Sixth graderswill begin taking a year-longScience course and Bancroft willbe in alignment with statestandards for science education.We are also introducing Spanishfor Native Speakers andGeometry as well as anOpportunity program for some8th graders. Finally, 7th and 8th

graders will no longer take PEtogether. State standards forphysical education are differentfor each of these grades, so the

classes will no longer beoffered to combined gradelevels. Other changes for thecoming year include changesin administration. Alex Harpand Jaliza Eagles will both bemoving on. Alex will be theLincoln High School principalhere in San Leandro and Jalizawill be a full time mom. I havebeen fortunate to work with sucha great team, and I wish themboth every success andhappiness. New Vice Principalshave been selected and I am verypleased to welcome Mr. J.C. Farrand Ms. Jeannette Gross toBancroft Middle School. I amlooking forward to another greatyear.



• Continued to utilizeHoughton Mifflin and coremath materials as the core oftheir language arts instructionusing the District PacingGuide. We also moved forward withthe District on many importantinitiatives such as K-1Assessments, a strengthened K-5 Biliteracy Plan, and specialmath trainings. Our work is far from done, ofcourse. We are proud to havecompleted a 2-Year School SitePlan based on continuing to dothese things listed above whilecollaborating to explore the bestways to make our programsaccessible to all students..

JOHN MUIR The school year ends withcelebrations for what our schoolcommunity has accomplishedthis year. Our focus this yearremained narrowing theachievement gap and providing an

Bancroft parents of color share theirperspectives and have a conversation withstaff about their experiences in theeducational system


excellent learning environmentand varied opportunities for ourstudents. We are proud of thispartial list of ouraccomplishments this year:•John Muir Middle School wasrecognized as a National AVIDDemonstration School.• We successfully implemented asecond year of our STAR testingschedule which accounted forabout 98% attendance duringthe four days of testing.• We continued with anexpanded second year of oursuccessful new SaturdayIntervention Academy forstruggling 6-8th grade Englishlearners and their parent. Thisprogram is designed to boosttheir students with their successat the high school and college. Arecord number of 40 studentsand their parents attended fourhours of learning at thisSaturday Academy for 6consecutive Saturdays.

• We introduced Robotics as anelective for our 7th and 8th gradeclasses and as a feeder programto the Robotics program atSLHS.• We held our very firstAchievement Night recognizingthe success and achievement ofour English learners inacademics, athletics, communityservice, and languageproficiency advancement.• We formed our Latinos Padres(Estudiantes) and LatinosUnidos (Padres) with successfulCesar Chavez Day andImmigration Pride Day activities.• We formed our Black StudentUnion and Black Parent Unionwith successful Juneteenthfestival activities and “Knowyour music; know your yourself”activities.• Our John Muir Middle SchoolBand performed in Disneylandwith a renowned Disney musicdirector for the first time inmany, many years.

• We produced and presented avery successful spring play,“James and the Giant Peach” incooperation with CaliforniaShakespeare Theater. Congratulations to our veryown Mr. Chuck Leming for beingrecognized as Teacher of theYear, and to Ms. Susan Smith,who was recognized as a teacherof excellence among specialeducation teachers in SanLeandro, San Lorenzo, Hayward,and Castro Valley. We aresurrounded with excellent staffat John Muir! Our teachers and studentsworked very hard this year.There are many moreaccomplishments inside andoutside classrooms that makeour school a special place tolearn. Each accomplishment isa mark of excellence in teachingand learning at John MuirMiddle School.

High School Sites

LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL& LIGHTHOUSEWhere would we be in gettingfrom good to great withoutpeople? Sometimes we’re in such arush to get to work in themorning, or in a hurry to pickup the kids, or simply going,going, going that we lose sightof some of the important thingsin life. To have a great school orgreat school district we needpeople who are willing to pushthemselves towards doing anincreasingly high quality job and

who have their sights on thosethings that will help studentsachieve and succeed. I have beenfortunate to work with severalquality people over the last threeyears at both Lincoln HighSchool and Lighthouse, ourDistrict’s Independent StudyCenter, who have had a positiveimpact on our students. I have seen Ms. Cynthia Wilsonraise the English academic skillsof her students; watched Ms.Anne Bengtson spend that extratime with students preparing fortheir science test; seen platesand silverware disappear from

the staff lounge only to reappearin Ms. Nancy Lovelady’sclassroom as part of an etiquettepresentation related to businessEnglish; discussed a student orissue with Lester Souza as hereflects on what is best for thestudent or school; and observedMr. Barantseff take on the mathcourses and computer lab. Andhave enjoyed the multitude ofspring wildflowers he hasnurtured from seed on our quadfor the pleasure of students andstaff.


Middle School Sites


At Lighthouse IndependentStudy, four dedicated teacherswork individually each day withstudents: Mr. Terry Minton, inrenaissance fashion, seeking outresources and working withstudents to promote learning ina number of subject areas; Dr.Susan Wirth following throughon details and meeting with astudent and parent in order toensure student success; Ms.Peggy Miloslavich not onlyproviding quality instruction butfollowing through on details toget extra information for astudent or parent; and, Mr. KarlBagwell taking on that studentwho needs a little more specialattention to get on track. Similarly, Mr. Bob Burgess,our soon to retire counselor, hasworked with students to makeand execute an academic plan toachieve success. And without adoubt, we couldn’t do the thingswe do without a caring, highlycompetent support staff likePaula Crosetti, Ilda Fontes, JudyMedeiros and our residentvolunteer Shirley Beal, or PaulaWilliams, who has taken on theresponsibility of campussupervision and help ensure asafe campus. (We have had onlytwo fights at our school thisyear). The list goes on from ourSpecial Ed support by ClaudiaStafinski, school nurse SueBlevins, a competentmaintenance staff, Cleo and theother fine persons from foodservice and every office in theDistrict Office. How do you get from good togreat? You stop from your

rushing around and realize thatit is the people—staff, students,parents and community—thatget us to great places and higherlevels of achievement throughtheir ideas, efforts, plans,lessons learned from failures,and persistence to succeed.

SAN LEANDRO HIGH SCHOOLThank you, Class of 2007! There is no better indicator ofwhether or not we are movingfrom good to great than lookingat our students. In the Class of 2007, over 200graduates will be receivingcollege grants and San LeandroFoundation Scholarships,totaling approximately$1,800,000. In our annual graduationsurvery, we heard from 72% ofthis year’s graduating class. Ofthose 371 students, over 89 %will be continuing theireducation! Fifty-five studentsplan to attend University ofCalifornia campuses; 119students plan to attendCalifornia State Universitycampuses; 18 students plan toattend 17 private or out-of-statecolleges, including Stanford andHarvard; 129 students plan toattend community colleges; 15students plan to attend technicalor trade school.; 8 students planto enlist in 4 different branchesof the armed forces; 6 studentsplan to join the workforce; and21 students are undecided. Throughout the year, ourgraduating scholars, journalists,entrepreneurs and athletes wonmany awards and honors,developing important skills andefficacy in the process.


High School Sites

messageyou

San Leandro High, BancroftMiddle and John Muir MiddleSchools will be piloting arevolutionary new parentattendance notification system inthe fall. Messageyou is designed anddeveloped specifically for schoolsand relies on using mobile phonetext messaging technology. Byintegrating directly with existingstudent management databases,Messageyou automaticallyaccesses attendance data in real-time, automatically applies theschool’s unique communicationrules and policies, thenconstructs and sendspersonalized text messages toparents. Parents are requestedto respond by a return text, aphone call or a note with thereason for the student’s absence. Research has shown thatparents prefer text messagingbecause:• Close to 75% of today’s generation own a mobile phone.• Parents are aware of text messaging.• It is a less intrusive form of communication.• Parents find the medium less confrontational and non- threatening.• Text messages are private and discrete.• People can always be reached via text messaging.• Students cannot intercept or erase messages left on landlines.

Thank you, Class of 2007, foran excellent year!

18/ Bridging Communication / Summer 2007


San Leandro Adult School

Celebrating More Successes and Opportunities for Adult School Students

This has been an exciting year for the San Leandro Adult School, beginning with the Grand Openingof the Adult Education Center in October. The new facility has allowed us to expand programs andhold events on our very own campus—one dedicated to lifelong learning. One recent event was the Career Fair in April. Enormously successful, theFair attracted over 350 students and community members seeking informationabout available jobs or educational opportunities. Representatives from ChabotCollege and Cal State East Bay, private nursing schools and apprenticeshiptraining groups were available to inform participants about the opportunitiesand services their institutions provide. Representatives from San LeandroPolice, San Leandro Human Resources, Kaiser, San Leandro Unified SchoolDistrict Human Resources, City of San Leandro, Girls Inc.,U.S. Marines, U.S.

Army, Boy and Girls Club, Costco, and many other local employerswere available to talk with attendees. Based on evaluations, the participants and vendors found the eventextremely helpful. Before the doors opened to the public, vendors wereescorted to the hospitality room where they enjoyed food and beveragedonated by El Torito, Fresh Choice, Starbucks and the Adult School.Vendors also enjoyed a slide presentation about the Adult School andthe services we offer. After this exciting presentation, many in theroom wanted to know how they could help and partner with our school.

We are excited by the enthusiastic response to the Career Fair, and look forward to next year’sevent. The San Leandro Adult School continues to explore new opportunities for our students, ensuringtheir future success.

Building Better Schools Through Measure B

San Leandro Unified School District hosted a “Building BetterSchools Through Measure B” Booth at the San Leandro CherryFestival on Saturday, June 9, 2007. Superintendent Chris Lim andBoard members Ray Davis, Pauline Cutter and Linda Perry workedthe booth and answered questions about the major Measure Bconstruction projects, funded through the $109 million schoolfacilities bond passed by San Leandro voters last November. It isestimated that 75-100 children built their own construction projects,

many learning how to use ahammer for the very firsttime. Thanks to all ourvolunteers who made thebooth an outstandingsuccess: Cindy Cathey,Song Chin-Bendib, AulaniCler, Greg Dyer, JoyceForsse, Emily Kaplan,Robin Michel, MikeMurphy and Jill Popjoy.

from your district office support team · from your district office support team volume iv, issue 3...

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