April 29, 2011 - Clayton Pioneer

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Page 8 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com April 29, 2011 Music Video Happy Hour Mondays 4pm to 8pm Complete Landscape Design & Installation �� Lawn & Plant Installation �� Retaining Walls �� Drainage �� Paver Patio & Walkway �� Low Voltage Lighting 925-672-9955 www.nicholslandscape.com Lic. 542812 Fully Insured 6096 Main Street, Clayton, 673-0440 Entertainment from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Apr 29, 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Desert Moon May. 6, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Relyks Karaoke Wed. nights Open Mic Thur. nights, 8 to 11 p.m. 2 for the price of 1 Clayton Handyman Services Home Improvements and Repairs www.claytonclubsaloon.com The UPS Store Independently owned and operated You don’t need an appointment. A notary is on staff when the store is open Store Hours Mon - Fri 8 am - 7 pm Sat 9 am - 5 pm Clayton/Concord Location: Vineyard Vineyard Shopping Shopping Center Center 5100 5100 Clayton Clayton Rd., Rd., Concord Concord ph: 925-689-6245 925-689-6245 FREE ESTIMATES Boyce Nichols - Owner Clayton Resident No job too small General Contractor at Handyman Prices Derald Clearwater Clayton Resident � Contracting since 1988 Bonded & Insured � Lic. # 524547 (925) 639-4209 Can you afford to retire? Beer only. Good anytime with original coupon. Exp. 5/12/11 That’s a question on many people’s minds these days. But you can take steps to help ensure you won’t outlive your retirement savings. I’ll work with you to develop a plan that considers all aspects of your finances. Then I’ll recommend solutions to help you put a confident retirement within reach. Start preparing today. Call me for a complimentary 30-minute consultation. Our Advisors. Your Dreams. MORE WITHIN REACH SM Call me today at (925) 685-4523. Mureleen Benton, CFP ® , Financial Advisor A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 5356 Clayton Rd., Suite 211 Concord, CA 94521 (925) 685-4523 Mureleen.M.Benton@ampf.com CA License #0692378 Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients. The initial consultation provides an overview of financial planning concepts. You will not receive written analysis and/or recommendations. © 2011 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. Charter School, from page 1 The school board has to consider all 36,000 students and 56 schools in the district.” STRIVING FOR LOCAL CONTROL The district currently spends more than 13 percent less per student and 2.9 percent less for teachers than the state average, says Middendorf. Faced with mounting expenses and falling revenues forcing school closures, layoffs, bigger class sizes and more furlough days, the school district is at risk of being taken over by the state. “It’s a broken system,” Middendorf says. A charter school would be more responsive to the needs of the students and have greater flexibility in curriculum planning and class size, according to Middendorf and McChesney. They were joined at the presentation by consultant Nick Driver of the California Charter Schools Association. “We want to see class size ratio reduced from the current 32:1 to 20:1,” said Middendorf. Athletics would be unaffected by the change, Accelerated Placement (AP) classes would continue and summer school would be part of the calendar year. Parents cheered when Middendorf said students would wear school uniforms. BOARD LOOKING FOR CONSISTENCY MDUSD must approve any application for charter status. “I haven’t seen a proposal yet,” says Moms, from page 1 from the others. “I think I thought when Seth was born that I couldn’t love anybody as much as I loved him,” she said of her firstborn. “But then Josh came along and I loved him just as much. I just didn’t realize that love expands.” Betty Mason of Concord has seven children, ages 22, 19, 18, 16, 14, 12 and 9. In case that weren’t enough, she works as a kindergarten teacher, with 17 5- board president Gary Eberhart. “So I don’t have an opinion. It depends on how it is set up.” To gain school board approval, the charter application must show a high level of community support and the approval of a majority of the teachers — in this case 39. The plan must also show financial viability. “We aren’t going to approve a school that will go broke in five or ten years,” Eberhart says. However, Eberhart is not deaf to the roar. The charter school issue notwithstanding, he says the district has a plan to address parents’ and teachers’ complaints. “The centerpiece of the plan is a new administration at the school, which will take form very shortly,” he says. Current principal Gary Swanson is retiring at the end of this school year and several staff members will be replaced. “We absolutely need to have a consistent approach to discipline on that site,” Eberhart says. “We don’t necessarily need more rules. We just need a consistent adherence to the rules in place.” IMPROVED FUNDING LEVELS Charter schools are public schools that receive funding directly from the state and federal government instead of the school district. If CV converts to charter school status, per student funding would increase from $4,900 to $6,240. Additional state grants are available for facilities improvements and upgrades, which could include a new library and 6-year-olds under her care to read “Cat in the Hat” and raise their hands before speaking in class She was pleased to find she enjoys her children every bit as much as adults as when they were cuddly kindergarteners themselves. “The happy surprise with my daughters as they get to be women is we’re becoming friends,” she said, smiling. “Oh my goodness, it’s like they take KELLY TUOHEY WITH HER THREE DAUGHTERS Madison, 4, Samantha 11, and Annika 7, remembers being surprised her first year as a mother to realize that the intense love she had for her new baby mirrored the feelings of her own parents for her. "It was fantastic," she said. Call me for any of your bookkeeping needs �� Tax Planning �� 2011 Business Planning �� Payroll �� Cash Flow Analysis �� General Bookkeeping �� Quickbooks Set Up and Training or theater. A five- to seven-member board of teachers, staff, parents, community members and a nonvoting student will govern the school and appoint a chief executive officer. Enrollment in charter schools is open to all students who want to attend. Charter schools may not “cherry-pick” students. Preferential enrollment is given to students within the currently defined boundaries. Students who do not want to attend the charter school may attend other high schools in the district. Charter schools are required to meet state academic standards. They also must allow unions. The teachers on site will determine whether they stay with the current union or form a new bargaining unit. According to Middendorf, a “straw poll” taken of the 55 teachers present at a staff meeting last week showed 32 were “enthusiastically in favor of the charter conversion,” none were opposed and the rest were “neutral, needing more information.” Club News CLAYTON VALLEY WOMAN’S CLUB More than 184 women attended the club’s 6th annual Festival of Tables and Fashion on April 2. Merle Whitburn and her committee coordinated the sold-out event. Proceeds benefited the Food Bank of Contra Costa/Solano. Club members decorated 23 the place of my best friends. … Having them go from these babies that I have to maintain, they’re becoming like my friends, and it’s wonderful.” Anna Chan, also known as the Lemon Lady, juggles a busy life with feeding the hungry (and teaching others to follow in her footsteps) along with parenting her 4-year-old daughter Ava. Although she appears calm, she professed to being amazed at how moms are able to multitask. “I’m surprised mommies manage when you’ve only got 24 hours a day,” she said. “You become a fantastic juggler. You manage to fit one more thing, in addition to the 999,000 things you’re already doing. You just do one more thing.” Many mothers of multiple children spoke of the “just when you think you’ve got it figured out” aspect of parenting. Kelly Tuohey, the mother of three girls, ages 11, 7 and 4, found that although she’s wildly in love with all three of her children, parenting her third and youngest daughter was a different experience. “I’d say there were a lot of similarities with the first two, but the third – holy cow, where did that come from? Same surroundings, same environment, same nurturing, but apparently The charter school group hopes to submit the financial projections and application to the school board by the end of May. If approved, CVHS would be come a charter school beginning with the 2012 academic year.. Clayton Valley would be the first school in the Bay Area to convert from a district school to a charter school but not the first in the state. Granada Hills Charter High School in Los Angeles, which is serving as a model for the CV charter group, converted in 2003 and has seen a 113-point increase in its API. Charter schools are a growing movement. In 1993, there were 31 charter schools in California; in 2010, there were 912. Most are start-ups. The complete Power Point presentation given at the information meeting is posted on the group’s Website at https://sites.google.com/site/claytonvalleycharterhighschool/home.For more on the charter school movement, see story by student reporters Taylor Tovrea and Sarah Rosen on page 8. tables with festive and whimsical themes such as “Spring has Sprung,” “It’s a Froggy, Froggy World,” “A Day at the Beach” and “Hearts and Flowers.” Outfitted handsomely in black slacks, white shirts and black bowties, husbands, sons and friends of club members waited on the guests. Coldwater Creek of Walnut Creek presented the fashion show, with club members and Food Bank volunteers doing the modeling. JULIANA BASIL with daughter Olivia, 3 the nature is very different,” she said. “Clearly there’s something born into the kids that isn’t of our doing.” Local mom Juliana Basil and her husband Michael have a 3year-old daughter, Olivia, and are expecting another on Aug. 6. “Parenting is all trial and error,” she said, noting that every day brings new surprises. “What works one day may not work the next.” Basil remains unimpressed by the idea of parenting to perfection. “It’s OK to let my daughter walk around in a princess costume all day long,” she said. “There’s no such thing as a perfect mom. But there’s a lot of good ways to be a good mom.”
April 29, 2011 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 9 CV campus abuzz with charter chatter TAYLOR TOVREA Clayton Pioneer Students who walk the paintchipped hallways of Clayton Valley High School often feel neglected. It’s no wonder – with growing frustration among students and teachers, packed classrooms and reminders of constant budget cuts. However, recent discussions about converting CVHS into a charter school has perked up both students and faculty and set the campus abuzz with debate. Talk of nearly a 30 percent increase in funding per student, freedom from the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and overall campus improvements has many people excited and hopeful. “I think having my younger sisters go to Clayton Valley as a charter school would be benefi- Clayton Valley is on quite the roll this year – with the choirs’ success at the Heritage Festival in Seattle just the latest accomplishment. With director Elizabeth Emigh on maternity leave, her husband Chris took over as interim director for the March 31-April 4 trip. Performing “Dirait-On,” “Walking on the Green Grass” and “Agnus Dei,” the CV concert choir earned the gold medal and was put on the list for the 2012 New York Invitational. This was the first time the choir had earned first place in several years. “After hearing we won, we screamed a lot. I remember one of our members ran down the length of our tables, screaming, Clayton Valley High School’s campus came alive April 15 with the colors of a variety of nationalities, ranging from Scottish to Mexican. Many carried flags or wore patriotic T-shirts representing their heritage in the culmination of Multicultural Spirit Week. Many major cultures were recognized leading up to the annual assembly on Friday. Students entering the gym were surrounded by illustrations and symbols of cultures from around the world, appropriately reminiscent of Disneyland’s CREMATION �� BURIAL SCATTERING CASKETS �� URNS Pre Need Services Available No Membership Fees cial, simply because there would be a higher standard set for students,” said junior Kaylee Andrews. However, the support of some is being offset by the worries of others. Based on his experience, chemistry teacher Ken Cambier has doubts. “The charter schools that I’ve been a part of have been manipulative and deceptive,” he said. “If I thought this could work, then I’d be first in line to support it. But these types of schools are run by hidden agendas and that makes me skeptical.” Teacher enthusiasm for the proposed conversion is also inhibited by concerns about the school district’s role. “We would love to know that the district is in support of us making a better decision for the students and the school, but with all the uncertainty for next year, it’s still unclear whether and giving us all high fives,” recalls concert choir member and CV junior Allie Robison. “We weren’t expecting it at all, so when they were awarding “Small World” ride, this year’s theme. Flags dripped from the ceiling and brightly colored drawings and streamers set the scene. Senior Multicultural Club member Cheryllyn Brock was glad to be able to participate in the festivities by helping decorate. “It was tedious work,” she said, “but being able to help out with my friends and hearing all the positive feedback afterward made it well worth it.” Seniors Jodie Cabral and Ellen Noh, Multicultural Club presidents, hosted the smorgasbord of ethnic events, providing cultural facts to make the assem- Acacia Cremation and Burial Society Simple. Dignified. Affordable. “Caring for People – Honoring Lives” 24/7 Toll Free Phone: (877) 916 4779 www.AcaciaSociety.com FD2046 - San Francisco Bay Area/Coast, Sacramento Valley that support is going to happen or not,” said one teacher who asked not to be named. “At this point, job security is a main concern for a lot of people. And with the uncertainty of union and district support, they are trying to determine how they would all be protected when the dust settles, myself included.” explained another CVHS teacher who also asked to remain anonymous. “Currently, the district sets policy for just about everything in our schools, leaving little power to administrators and teachers and virtually none to parents. Perhaps such fears would be alleviated in a charter school environment, where decisions are made by a culmination of staff, parents and students.” Aside from these uncertainties, the teacher “couldn’t be more excited” at the prospect of the silver and bronze awards and didn’t hear our school, we were like, ‘Wait, we got gold?’ Then we just exploded into cheers.” New approach at assembly makes a world of difference bly educational and informative in addition to an entertaining alternative to class. Latin, ballet and modern dancing, color guard and Filipino, Hawaiian, Korean and Disney serenades made for a unique assembly. Old favorites like the Phantom Dancer and Tahitian dancing returned and student groups such as the women’s ensemble and the competition cheer squad performed as well, adding school spirit to the mix. While so many new acts kept the audience entertained and surprised for most of the show, one act really got people’s attention. See Assembly, page 13 $15 off Earthquake Valves The women’s ensemble performed “Hotaru Koi,” “In Remembrance” and “Psalmo 150.” After having won gold for 13 years in a row, the ensemble was disappointed to be awarded silver. “We were all still so excited the other choirs had done so well this year, though,” notes Jenna Van Vliet, a CV junior and women’s ensemble member. The show choir performed “Zombie Jamboree,” “The Song of Purple Summer” and “Jai Ho,” earning yet another gold medal. CV junior, show choir member and longtime ballet dancer Janai Goodwin pulled out her pointe ballet shoes to accompany the choir as they sang “The Song of Purple Summer.” After a stunning performance, Goodwin was given the Maestro Award. “When they announced that I had won the award, I shakily stood up, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh! This is not real life!’ ” says Goodwin. “People hugged me and took my picture, and CV people are just cheering and going crazy. It was awesome. I just couldn’t stop smiling.” Installations – Repairs Toilets � Faucets � Water heaters Garbage disposals � Clogged drains �elfast �lumbing CV’s transformation into a charter school. Both teachers are supportive of the concept. “I can’t think of anything better that could happen to a teacher in terms of having input in the environment and curriculum of a school.” Many teachers are encouraged by the thought of more involvement and input. After being “dictated to” by the district for so long, many find it appealing that their time investment would help produce a creative, inspiring and innovative learning environment. “It almost sounds too good to be true,” said junior Laura Minorsky, expressing what many students on campus are thinking as the conversation continues. “But then again,” she added, “we have nowhere to go but up.” Student reporter Sarah Rosen contributed to this story. CV choirs bring home two golds, a silver SARAH ROSEN Clayton Pioneer TAYLOR TOVREA Clayton Pioneer Clayton Valley choirs topped off a stellar year at the Heritage Festival in Seattle this month. The choirs walked off with two golds and one silver medal. Choir director Elizabeth Emigh was on maternity leave, so husband Chris Emigh took over duties as interim director. when you mention this ad Credit Cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Discover (925) 457-5423 www.belfastplumbing.com License. 906211 Link Crew ‘does the right thing’ with mentoring program MORE THAN 35 CVHS STUDENTS ‘do the right thing’ in helping freshmen fit into the high school culture. The students are members of the Link Crew, part of the character building program embraced by the schools, the city and the police department. BOB STEINER Clayton Pioneer Clayton Valley High’s Link Crew embraces the core values of Do the Right Thing (DTRT) while helping incoming freshmen transition to high school. DTRT is an ongoing, broadbased community program centered on accepting and practicing six personal values: responsibility, respect, kindness, selfdiscipline, integrity and courage. The city of Clayton is encouraging residents and local schools to adopt the program. The goal of Crew Link is to welcome freshmen to the campus and encourage them to think about the path they will follow during the next four years and what it takes to be successful in high school. Link Crew trains CVHS juniors and seniors to be mentors and advisors and to act as positive role models. They meet with all freshmen during gym class at least once a month during the school year. Sunny Shergill, Link Crew Webmaster, remembers feeling a lack of connection when he entered CVHS. He appreciates the opportunity to help new students make the transition more smoothly. About 35 students are currently dedicated to the mission, supported by faculty advisors Kat Marzel and Hosay Jamili. Marzel and Jamili are enthusiastic about how the DTRT program has given Link Crew members a focus and common language Let Us Light Up Your Life Serving Contra Costa since 1991 More than 30 years experience Licensed l Lic. # C10-631523 925.212.3339 www.burkinelectric.net Patty Flannery Your local neighborhood REALTOR since 1986 from which to emphasize the importance of accepting and reflecting good personal values as they help the freshmen develop into responsible citizens. Link Crew’s incorporation of the tenants of DTRT is further affirmation of the overall importance of the DTRT program at CVHS. All students are exposed to DTRT in some fashion in the classroom, on campus and by way of the faculty’s commitment to the program. For Link Crew member Maggie Trees-Keenan, it all begins with respect. “Link Crew uses the elements of DTRT to teach students responsibility and how to take the initiative in shaping their own lives,” she says. School News Clayton Valley High School Volunteers are needed for Grad Night, to be held June 7 at Centre Concord. Anyone over the age of 21 may help with entertainment, working in the casino, food service, security and more. For more information, contact Michelle Eberhart at 798- 3967 or michelle.eberhart@gmail.com. Or visit cvhspfc.com. All work done by owner DRE#00906625 Office: 925.975.5255 home & fax: 925.672.0541 email: granyflany@msn.com
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