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.
...
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.
...
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.

Story and video by Darin Boville, used with permission of Montara Fog

Concerned coastside parents may have read the articles in the Half Moon Bay Review and the San Francisco Chronicle. Surely all of them heard the news: Farallone View is in “program improvement.”

Sounds like good news at first--some sort of award, perhaps?--but instead it is a state of disgrace in the eyes of the Federal Government, imposed by the failure of Farallone View to meet certain Federal standards. Further down that road wait the threats of staff replacement, government takeover....it sounds bad. Very bad.

But, shortly after the bad news was published for all the community to see, something happened that wasn’t reported: Farallone View was removed from the list of schools in program improvement. That little detail didn’t seem worth mentioning by the traditional press, I guess.

Catherine Werdel, the new principal at Farallone View, explains the story to us in this video, shot on October 2nd at out local PTA meeting. She goes over the data, shows the progress of each of the various subgroups, and outlines the testing goals that have been handed down by the higher powers for future years.

(A word to viewers with children in other Bay-area schools: Note Werdel’s clear-headed, professional presentation. Note her comfort with data and the fact that she clearly knows what she is talking about. Note her sincerity. You can’t have her. She’s ours.)

One of the most interesting aspects of the presentation are the scores of the various subgroups--and an explanation of what the statistical category “English Language Learner” really means.

Watch the video. Tell other parents. 

Sea Crest School is holding a kindergarten admission night Thursday, November 8, 6:30pm. Learn more about their academic and co-curricular programs, their community, and the application process for kindergarten for the Fall of 2008. For more information or to RSVP, please call our Admissions Office at 650-712-9892 or visit their website at http://www.seacrestschool.org.

Apparently in the recent past a student of the Cunha Intermediate School had an encounter with a moving vehicle along Kelly Avenue between the school and the Ted Adcock Center.  So today I noticed an armed police man standing at the drive way entrance to the Adcock center.  He was stopping kids from jay walking across Kelly Avenue.  The sentiment is nice, but it is not an effective or economical solution by all means. 

Does the city plan on spending tax dollars for this traffic control for the remainder of the school year; possibly in subsequent years?  I remember when the little girl was killed on Kelly by the school district office; the police were out in force for only one to two days.  Then the signs went up on Kelly and in the Miramontes district at the intersections leading to the school that were mostly traveled.  They were not erected at the lesser travel school intersections.

For the amount of money it takes to pay for the policeman/woman, a center block crossing could be installed.  One with ‘flashing’ ground lights that would require the traffic to stop when they are flashing or in other words when the crossing is occupied.  There is such a crossing in San Mateo on one of the main avenues in its down town area.  The kids are the ones we need to protect, ushering and ticketing children is not the answer!

I really hate to see a government only on a ‘reactive’ track instead of a proactive one.  Kelly Avenue really needs this mid-block crossing so that the children can access the ‘bus’ station across the street at the Ted Adcock Center.  This center is also an area for ‘after school’ activities such as ballet.  The church is also an area where the children collect after school and even though they are located at an intersection I know the children jay walk over there too. 

Another problem with Kelly is the convenience market.  It is located on the corner and with the drive way located near the intersection it does impact traffic.  What is needed is a ‘keep clear’ notation on the west bound traffic side in order to allow for left hand turns by the east bound traffic on Kelly.  This will help keep traffic from congesting inside the intersection. 

Now that I got it out I would appreciate some good government decisions and real solutions to these two problems on Kelly Avenue.

The Cabrillo Unified School District has announced that it has hired Robert (Rob) Gaskill as the new Superintendent of the Cabrillo Unified School District. Mr. Gaskill will officially assume the Superintendent position of CUSD in January 2008.

Mr. Gaskill has 35 years experience in the education field and currently serves as the Superintendent of the Sonora Union High School District in Tuolumne County. Charlie Gardner, President of the Board of Trustees explained “Rob was one of two finalists for the position out of a field of 23 candidates.  We believe that he is a terrific match for our small unified Coastside school district.”

Chosen as the 2005 Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators, Region VII, Rob has been described as “a catalyst” who inspires “esprit-de-corps”, builds “critical partnerships in the community” and has a “terrific sense of humor”.  At Sonora, Rob spearheaded improved articulation between the high school and seven independent elementary school districts; completed and implemented a comprehensive Strategic Plan; led efforts to develop a “middle college” program, and represented District interests at Joint Powers Authority meetings and SELPA sessions. Rob was also the co-Chair of the Tuolumne County Community Indicators Study and President of the Sonora Rotary.

A student was struck by a car in front of Cunha Intermediate School as school was letting out, at about 3pm today.  According to witnesses, a boy was crossing Kelly street when he was struck by a car and rolled or fell under a van parked at the curb.  The boy was conscious and alert and taken by ground ambulance to Stanford Hospital, according to the Half Moon Bay Fire Dept.

No names have been released.

Republished with permission from Montara Fog

Anyone who has lived in different places in the United States has no doubt noticed that spending on schools varies widely from place to place.

When I moved to San Mateo County three years ago I paid attention to this issue as it was a factor in choosing where to live--and what houses we could afford.

The chart above shows how we in the Cabrillo Unified School District rank in terms of spending per student compared to our peers in the rest of San Mateo County. (We’re the blue bar, sixth from the bottom. Click on the chart to see a larger version.) I didn’t show it here but I did compile the data for the past five years to see if Cabrillo’s ranking had changed over time--it has remained in essentially the same place over that time period.

O.K., so we are at the bottom of the chart compared to other county districts. Fair enough. But we are still well-off compared to schools in other states, right? This is California, after all, one of the nation’s wealthiest states, so well off we could, if we wanted to, form our own, separate country.

As the second chart shows, California was well below average in 2004 for per student spending (but, heck, we beat Louisiana--that’s something, isn’t it?).

Now here comes the really sad, depressing part. The more mathematically inclined of you might think, “Gee, I wonder how the ranking would change if we adjusted for cost-of-living?” That is to say, in some places in the country things cost less than in other places (obviously, right?). So a dollar spent on education in the Bay Area might not actually “buy” as much education, so to speak, as a dollar spent in Ohio, where things (most everything!) are cheaper.

You know how this is going to turn out . Just look at the states in the chart above to see who ranks below California. Louisiana, Texas, Iowa...Every one of those states is significantly (dare I say dramatically) cheaper to live in. Those states will move up on the list when you adjust for their dollar’s buying power. States with a high cost-of-living (like you-know-who) will drop on the list to account for the weak comparative value of a dollar spent in that state.

The result is that California is 51st in the country when you take into account cost of living.

Data provided by Education Data Partnership. Cost of living indices provided by Money Magazine. The crude methodology is my own invention.

Wanted: All cattlekings & kingpins, all cowpokes and cowgals, and funslingers from near and far to join us for the Pescadero Education Foundation & La Honda Educational Foundation’s Wild Wild West Casino Night!

Saturday, September 29
5 to 10pm
Long Branch Saloon
321 Verde Road in Half Moon Bay

Come have a knee-slappin’ good time!  Come for rousing games of chance and skill, including Texas hold ‘em, live music, live auction, and live entertainment. Come and buy a BBQ dinner before the fun begins, including prizes for “Best Dressed in the West” & the biggest winners of the evening! Bring your appetite, your thirst & your wallet and support our kids!

Buy a $75 ticket and have a BBQ dinner and get $25 in chips, or buy a $50 ticket and we’ll give you $10 worth of chips. Call 747-9287 to reserve your tickets.
A limited number of tickets can be purchased at the event.

All proceeds benefit the students of Pescadero and La Honda Schools.

All kids bathed, stories read, in bed by 8:30.

Up at 5:30, shower and dressed by 6:00

Breakfast of pancakes with warm syrup, sausages and fresh squeezed orange juice served with lecture on “a good breakfast fuels your brain”.  Play Mozart for kids to kick-start the day.

Make lunch.  Food pyramid balanced lunch including mini-sandwiches cut into hearts, homemade lemonade, and napkins folded into delightful origami animals. Veggie florets with little bag of hugs and kisses treat and haiku note:

Your first day of school
Playing with friends, learning new things
Love you to the Moon

Dress kids in finest, Lolo in sweet back-to-school dress, matching leotards and barrettes, with shiny patent leather Mary Janes. Matching darling swing coat with backpack filled with new school supplies.

Walk Lolo to kindergarten with dog, arriving early for play time before class and chat with Moms.  Hang out for coffee with other parents after the bell rings, resume dog walk for extra exercise.

Up at 6:00, shower and dressed by 6:30

Breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast and bacon with milk served with lecture on “eat quickly or we’ll be late for playtime”.  Listen to NPR, drink coffee and discuss story with older kids.

Pack lunches of hot soup, and one large heart sandwich. Toss in carrots with ranch dip and fruit cup with spoon.  Add Sponge Bob napkin left over from summer birthday party, with mini Hallmark card for kids: “Have a fun day”.

Dress Lolo in smart chinos, layered tops for comfort and playground friendly sneakers.  Can’t find barrettes but opt for oh-so-cute pigtails with matching rubber bands in favorite colors. Grab backpack, remove rocks, and sand. Replace broken pencils.

Walk Lolo to kindergarten, arriving just in time for line-up.  Head home to eat breakfast remnants from kids, telling self it’s good to recycle.

Up at 7:00, Fall asleep in shower wake to ice water—dressed by 7:45.

Breakfast of cereal with milk and banana served while reading aloud “a full day of recommended vitamins” from box to salve Mom’s guilt. Pop in Disney sing-along video with sound off.

Lunch of apple, square sandwich with crust hacked off, and fruit roll-ups—hey it’s fruit isn’t it?—torn paper towel for napkin. Toss in post-it note: “Luv ya, Mom”.

Dress Lolo in jeans and comfy tee shirt.  Spend 10 minutes looking for any shoes that match, settle on Hello Kitty rainboots to cries of “But it’s NOT RAINING, Mom.” Comb hair, put lunch in backpack. Note to self: remove all rocks and sand “later”.

Drive Lolo one block to school, circling parking lot 17 times looking for parking place. Carry child to class dropping her at the door just as the late bell rings.  Take nap in parking lot.

Up at 7:30, look at shower ... sigh.  Wash drool from corners of mouth, pull on sweats and flip-flops.

Breakfast of cereal with water. Remind kids to go easy on the milk so we have some for breakfast. Turn on “My Gym Partner’s A Monkey”.  Justify actions, as “you can’t protect them forever.”

Pack one of those delicious Lunchables that the kids love so much - pre-cooked hot dogs with peanut butter and jelly.  Add ketchup packet for vegetable.  Scrawl, “Mommy loves you” in sharpie inside lunchbox lid. This takes care of lunch notes for rest of year.

Dress Lolo in jeans (from yesterday), mismatched socks and sandals—the only shoes I can find. Spit on bangs and pull back from face, leave lunch sitting on the kitchen table.

Drive Lolo one block to school parking in fire zone and avoiding glares from Moms dressed in suits who arrived early.  Explain that “getting to school late” is an appropriate expression of self-confidence and that rules were created by the bourgeois to oppress the proletariat.

Return to car, bang head on steering wheel. Return home to the comfort of Judge Judy.

Wonder if Slim Jims and Coke constitute a reasonable breakfast. Add gummi bears for fruit. Scream “Hurry Up!” over the blare of cartoon network’s “Two Stupid Dogs” (don’t ask). Remind kids that there are children who can’t afford Slim-Jims, so quit complaining.

Dole out lunch money

Explain to Lolo that wearing pajamas and slippers to school is the latest craze. Cut bangs out of eyes with toenail clippers.

Drive Lolo one block to school parking directly in the playground, which is now empty since the kids are in class.  Push Lolo towards the classroom while speeding off before anyone can get my license number.

Return home and eye beer in fridge. It’s happy hour somewhere, right?