Back to Basics hit the $100,000 goal in their Act Now Challenge Drive over the weekend. At last count, they had raised $101,000.  However, any contributions received by Thursday, August 31 will still be matched with challenge grants. 

You can pledge online, or send your check to

Back To Basics
Box 354
Half Moon Bay, Ca, 94019

Students and their parents going back to school on Monday may not know it, but the current schedule for Cunha Intermediate and Half Moon Bay High Schools are only temporary.  The current start times for the schools are still the emergency schedule put in place to deal with Devil’s Slide closure.

Also, the bus set up for Cunha students during the closure will operate for the next two to four weeks before service is ended. Most parents are unlikely to be aware that the bus is even a temporary option, because Cunha parents were told in a letter with registration materials:

As you are well aware, there will be NO bussing for Cunha students, so you must make transportation arrangements to ensure your child gets to school on time and home safely. Please consider SAMTRANS with the transportation plans. [emphasis in original]

The crowding of Cunha students on SAMTRANS buses became a major issue on the Coastside in February, and is still unresolved.

According to Cabrillo Unified School District Superintendent Dr. John Bayless, when the schedule was set over the summer, it was uncertain whether Highway 1 would be repaired in time, or whether any repairs that were made would be permanent. The district’s goal was to play it safe in case Devil’s Slide was unreliable or still closed. He said that the district is looking for other solutions for children who need transportation to school.

Bayless says that HMBHS will have to change its schedule in order to the get the required number of instructional minutes into the school day, and that Cunha’s schedule will probably be revised as well.  Although he could not say when this would be, he said it is likely to happen in about a month.

by Sonja Myhre, Co-Chair “Day to Make a Difference” Committee

Hatch School was the proud recipient of a blue ribbon at the 2006 San Mateo County Fair in the Community Beautification Display category awarded to the Day to Make a Difference” entry. This category highlights philanthropic projects that work in cooperation with community organizations.

The renovation of Alvin S. Hatch Elementary School by CNH Landscape and Design, Inc. was completed almost one year ago with the help of 200 Coastside community residents.

Improvements included re-landscaping the entrance, library area and central courtyard; sandblasting and adding colorful tile work to the school sign; building new raised vegetable and flower beds; constructing a whimsical redwood picket fence around the school garden; and installation of irrigation throughout. “It was an inspiring event filled with camaraderie, cooperation, and accomplishment in rejuvenating this neighborhood school grounds

In a single 24 hour period, the staff and Board of Back to Basics secured close to $17,000 in pledges toward the 100K Challenge Grant, bringing the total to a whopping $79,000 overnight, and putting them well within striking distance of their goal of $100,000 in contributions during the ten week challenge period.

There are exactly 2 weeks to generate another $20,000 in individual contributions to take full advantage of this most extraordinary opportunity.  You can contribute now by going to the Back to Basics website, or by sending a check to

Back to Basics
PO Box 354
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

Unless the contribution is designated for the Endowment Fund, all contributions will be distributed directly to the students and teachers this fall.

The bulk of the contributions, and the attendant matching funds will go to support students and teachers this term.  But a fair number of contributors have chosen to designate the emerging Endowment Fund as the destination of their investment in our schools.

The Endowment Fund is a keystone of the Foundation’s long-view strategy: To create a locally generated, locally-managed reliable source of funds for our local public schools. Back to Basics goal is to generate a $2 million endowment in two years.  When the principle reaches $2,000,000, the interest income it generates will provide a steady source of funds to the schools

No additional candidates have file to run in either the Cabrillo or the La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District board elections as of the 5pm extended deadline on Wednesday.

There will be five candidates for CUSD: The candidates are Pamela L. Fisher, Dwight Wilson, Jolanda Schreurs, Ken Johnson, and Kirk Riemer.

There will be no election for La-Honda-Pescadero. Andy Wilson and Heather McAvoy will be the new board members.

Only two candidates have filed to run for two open positions on the La Honda-Pescadero School District board.  Because one of the incumbents whose terms is expiring (Mark Graff) is not running this year, the deadline for filing will be extended until 5pm on Wednesday. If no more candidates file to run, there will not be an election.

• Heather McAvoy (Appointed Incumbent) La Honda


• Andy Wilson (Self-Employed Small Businessman) Pescadero

Five candidates, including two incumbents, have filed the paperwork to run for three open seats on the Cabrillo Unified School District board as of the initial filing deadline at 5pm Friday. Because incumbent Roy Salume has not filed to run, the deadline for filing will be extended five days to 5pm on Wednesday, August 16.

Incumbents Jolanda Schreurs of Montara and Dwight Wilson of Moss Beach are running.

New faces are Pamela Fisher, Ken Johnson, and Kirk Riemer, all of Half Moon Bay.

• Pamela L. Fisher (Speech Pathologist), Half Moon Bay


• Dwight Wilson (Incumbent), Moss Beach


• Jolanda Schreurs (Incumbent), Montara


• Ken Johnson (Consultant) Half Moon Bay


• Kirk Riemer (University Research Scientist), Half Moon Bay

The San Mateo County Community College District Coastside is offering Coastside classes this fall in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Early Childhood Education, Public Assistance Benefits Programs, English as a Second Language, Human Services Internships, Walk and Stride, College Planning, Writing for Non-Native Speakers. You can download the schedule from Coastsider.

An experiment in electronic democracy!  

The Measure S Parcel Tax was written in secret, and after finalized, the public had to take it or leave it! I wanted to do the reverse and take public input as part of the writing process – democracy.  It is time for an even wider circle of debate.  

At the MCC Debate on Measure S on May 24, I outlined an idea for an Alternative Parcel Tax Measure. Over the past two months, it has evolved electronically and now it is time to solicit an even wider electronic debate to see if we can get back to that 74.9% a decade ago that passed Measure K for the CUSD school improvement bond. 

I would like to thank Coastsider.com and all who offered comments by email and on the various threads on Coastsider.com on the Parcel Tax. I have attempted to incorporate them into my June 1 original draft. And the result can be read at http://cusd.info/partax.htm

It is now your turn to tell me how well this reflects those comments. Can you support it? If yes, here is a link to send CUSD an email to put it on the ballot. If not, what would you change – please be specific!

Measure’s Summary:

• We have a failing school district and must act to preserve schools and property values:


• Restore School Bussing


• Strengthen Academic Basics – English, Reading and Math


• Real Accountability to Tax Payer - A citizens’ oversight committee


• Offer parent chosen Enhancement Programs


• Offer teachers performance based bonus


• Forbid moving New Intermediate School site again


• Forbid withdrawing from Federal Funding


• Fund only new personnel and new programs – no funny budget games!


• Restore Trust, Accountability and academic performance.

I am still doing cleanup and reflecting changes on the draft and will continue putting the date on the document of the last changes.

The following was sent July 27, 2006 to the CUSD School Board: