Two $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to either seniors or recent graduates of Half Moon Bay High School or Pescadero High School from the Frymoyer Education Assistance Fund.

The scholarships will go to students seeking a 2-year education at a junior college or vocational school in San Mateo County or the immediate vicinity. This scholarship is a two year scholarship offering $2,000 per year for each recipient.

Applicants must submit a letter to the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Bureau Education Committee by February 29, 2008 that outlines:  high school graduation history, 2 year college of vocational enrollment, financial need, future plans and goals, and why you think you deserve this scholarship.

Send applications to:

HMBCCCVB
235 Main Street
Half Moon Bay, CA

The Coastside Mothers’ Club is holding a round table on schooling options on the Coastside.  Hear parents who have children in elementary schools (both public and private) and who home school to openly discuss their thoughts on selecting the school that was right for their child.  Some of the topics to be discussed include: school size, enrichment programs, parent involvement, fundraising and curriculum objectives. For more information email

Thursday, February 7, 7 to 9pm
The Bell Building
565 Kelly Street, Half Moon bay (next to Our Lady of the Pillar Church)

Options covered:

• Farallone View Elementary


• Picasso Kindergarten Program


• Hatch Elementary School


• El Granada Elementary


• Hatch Immersion Program


• Sea Crest School


• Kings Mountain School


• Wilkinson School


• La Honda/Pescadero School District


• Young Coastside Home Scholars

The Healthy Eating Active Living project, founded at Hatch Elementary School in 2005, will be out of money in September reports the County Times. About 650 third- and fourth-graders plant, harvest, and cook their own vegetables under the program. Farallone View Elementary joined in November and El Granada Elementary started this week.

Part of the problem is that the HEAL program only managed to raise $100,000 of the $115,000 it needed this year for its expansion (the final school, Kings Mountain Elementary in Woodside, is due to start
its project in the next two weeks). The biggest problem is that the program has only managed to secure a commitment of $21,000 so far for next year, from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Many previous grantors, such as Kaiser Permanente, are expected to commit less money than in previous years. And several other local sources of income are drying up.

“The city can’t help us, the school can’t help us, and the small organizations that are out here certainly can’t pick up a $100,000 tab,” said Hellerich, adding that she had already been turned down for $40,000 worth of grants.

The program is already getting money from the schools and parent-teacher organizations, but state budget cuts put that money at risk.

To support the HEAL project with a donation, visit http://www.cabrillo.k12.ca.us/heal/home.html, call 650-283-2920 or e-mail . 

Half Moon Bay High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance has had its share of problems getting established, reports Julia Scott in the County Times, but it is also changing some minds.  The Alliance was mentioned in a recent response by the student body when HMB boosters were accused of using anti-gay slurs against a rival team.

“This is still a small agricultural community, and a lot of people are religious,” said Ratti.

Becoming a visible student group with regular meeting times has meant weathering a lot of abuse. Four out of five handmade club posters Ratti puts up every week are defaced with lewd pictures of genitalia or scrawled words, such as “F— the fags.”
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There have been some notes of progress. One male student who used to be derisive of the gay lifestyle started coming to GSA meetings after getting to know Ratti as a person as well as a teacher. And Ratti thinks the student body would be receptive if the GSA were to sponsor a dance later this year.

Pacifica School Volunteers (PSV), a nonprofit organization devoted to helping children succeed in school, has received a request for a Portuguese speaking volunteer.  A fourth grade teacher made the request explaining that a girl in her class speaks only Portuguese and is really struggling in school.  The volunteer could give one hour a week or more to help explain schoolwork and assist the girl in class.  The teacher will supply all course work and materials.  If you can help, please contact Pacifica School Volunteers at (650) 355-9432.

Farallone View’s 27th annual Holiday Bazaar and Family Fair will take place Saturday Dec 1, from 9am to 2pm. There will be lots of holiday favorites—photos with Santa, handmade crafts, baked goodies and lunch, games, a children’s craft area featuring gingerbread houses and face painting. There will also be live entertainment and the famous cakewalk.

There will be a children’s shopping hour from 9 to 10am. During this time kids will have the opportunity to shop and gift wrap their purchases without help from their parents. Older kids (10 and over) are needed to help the younger ones. Students from the 4th and 5th grades will have opportunity to sign up to help during this hour.

Donations are needed: small gift boxes, gift wrap, tape, gift tags, boxes of graham crackers, hard candy (left over Halloween candy), white frosting, baked goods.

Cakes are needed for the cake walk and bake sale. Baked goods and cakes will go to the PTA room, (next to the multipurpose room) on Friday the 30th. You can also bring them the morning of the bazaar.

The Holiday Bazaar has always been an enjoyable day for everyone and a successful fundraising event for Farallone View. All funds generated by the Bazaar will go to support the art and music program at FV. This is also a fantastic community event.  Questions call Joy Portelli (650) 387-8935

Following its investigation of incidents at a football game against Sequoia High School, the Cabrillo Unified School District has concluded there was no evidence of “any retribution in any manner by the Half Moon Bay High School football teams towards the Sequoia football teams” for personal fouls by the Sequoia team. This conclusion is based on statements by the game referee and the Half Moon Bay High coaches. You can download the press release from Coastsider [pdf]. This file also includes copies of the district’s and students’ apologies to Sequoia.

According to the release, “Sequoia has identified an incident” during the game that is still under investigation, saying that if there is substantive evidence, any discipline would have to remain confidential

The district says did not investigate reports of rock and egg throwing, which took place off school grounds, but that all evidence will be turned over to the Half Moon Bay Police.

Rob Gaskill is the new Superintendent of the Cabrillo Unified School District. He’s the new boss of our teachers’ bosses.

Coinciding with the long-awaiting commencement of construction on our new middle school is the retirement of CUSD Superintendent John Bayless, making room for an outsider to take the reins as school superintendent. In this video Rob introduces himself to our community and offers insight into his approach and his way of thinking. 

Friday’s football game at Half Moon Bay High versus Sequoia High School was marked by a number of ugly incidents that led to police escorting the beleaguered visitors out of the school as a group, reports the Daily Journal.

Sequoia High School left Half Moon Bay victorious Friday night, beating the Cougars 20-17. But the victory wasn’t so sweet with accusations of Cougar players using racial and homophobic slurs at Sequoia players; four naked youth storming the field; and eggs thrown at Cherokee cheerleaders and fans. Police had to escort Sequoia parents, players and fans from the game.

Sequoia parents and officials were not amused and there is some discussion of asking that the remaining game to be cancelled and for the two schools not to play each other again.
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Near the end of game, after police officers walked away from the visitors side, eggs were thrown from outside the stadium at Sequoia cheerleaders and fans in the final minutes of the game, said one Sequoia parent who preferred not to be named. Parents and cheerleaders were hit with eggs.
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Sequoia Teacher Ron Gordon attended his son’s water polo game earlier this year to hear vulgar words and homophobic phrases used by Half Moon Bay students and players. The coach dealt with the situation, [Half Moon Bay High athletic director Matt] Ballard said.

A Sequoia coach claims in the story that rocks were thrown on the Sequoia team’s bus once the team was aboard.