What have you done for us lately

In addition to the "Calendared Events," below, Ellen continues to meet formally and informally with parents and community members, as well as reading, writing, and responding to emails, and making and receiving phone calls. Additionally, Ellen and all Board members receive a thick weekly packet of reading material related to MVWSD, our schools, and education in general, including the agenda and supplements for each Board meeting. Ellen spends many hours reading and marking these materials. (originally posted Saturday 2/01/03.)

Tues. Sept. 5th:
- Met two co-planners of "Mountain View Reads Together" for a lunch meeting (planned for November 2006)
- Attended the League of Women Voters Board meeting

Wed. Sept. 6th:
- Attended the 1st PTA Council meeting of this school year
- Attende a planning meeting for "Mountain View Reads Together"
- Attended part of Back to School Nights at Huff and at Bubb Schools.
- Attended part of an Environmental Planning Commission meeting for her neighborhood group

TH Sept. 7th:
- Attended the MVWSD School Board meeting

Fri. Sept. 8th:
- Chaperoned a busload of students from Crittenden Middle School and Graham Middle School on their field trip to San Jose State University.
- Attended a 15th reunion BBQ of her law school class at Santa Clara Universtiy

Sat. Sept. 9th:
- Volunteered in a soda/water booth for Leadership Mountain View at Mountain View's Art and Wine Festival. Ellen's 11-year old son worked in the booth with her.

Mon. Sept. 11th:
- Ellen and familiy hung their US flag out in front of their house on this day.
- Attended SSC and PTA at Crittenden

Tues. Sept. 12th:
- Ellen resumed tutoring her student at Castro in this 1st day back to YES Reading.
- Attended the monthly Childrens Health Initiiative meeting (CHI).
- Attended Back to School night as a trustee and as a parent.

Wed. Sept. 13th:
- Attended part of the Back to School Nights at Monta Loma and Landels.

TH Sept. 14th:
- Attended the 1st Challenge Team breakfast meeting of this school year.
- Along with her co-chair, met with Supt. Ghysels on behalf of "Mountain View Reads Together" (to be held this November). Supt. Ghysels was enthusiastic about this idea of everyone in the Mountain View community reading the same book in November, and allowed MVRT to attach its brochures to all school newsletters in October to publicize this project.
- Attended Back to School Night at Theuerkauf.

Sat. Sept. 16th:
- Attended the PAL kick-off event at Castro.

Mon. Sept. 18th:
- Along with members of League of Women Voters of Santa Clara County Ellen participated in an interview of Dr. Colleen Wilcox, Supt. of Santa Clara County Schools
- Attended the lunch meeting of LWVSCC
-Attended the short Special Board meeting of MVWSD
- Attended the 1st Parcel Tax Oversight Committee meeting of this school year.

Tues. Sept. 19th:
- Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro.
- Attended the Los Altos-Mountain View League of Women Voters event of film & disciussion of voting irregulatities.
- Attended part of the 1st Budget Task Force of the Year (having 1st asked Trustee Walter to attend the beginning of BTF so she could attend the LWV event.)

Wed. Sept. 20th:
- Met Trustee Margot Harrigan of District PTA and Los Altos School Board regarding the planned LWV forum on school district redistricing.
- Met with Trustee Roquero as co-chairs of the raffle event for CHI's Kids Fun Day/Sign up Day on Oct. 14th.
- Met with Supt. Barry Groves and Asst. Supt. for Curriculum Brigitte Saraf to tell them about "Mountain View Reads Together," along with her co-chair. They gave good suggestions and expressed enthusiasm for this event.

TH Sept. 21st:
- Attended regular MVWSD school board meeting.

Fri. Sept. 22nd:
- Attended the 20th anniversary party for Synopsys as they also hosted some people active with MVWSD.

Mon. Sept. 23rd:
- Went to the temporary Senior Citizens Center lunch to tell the attendees about "Mountain View Reads Together" and to ask them if they'd like to participate in a MVRT event in the new Senior Center. The answer was yes, so a read-alound/discussion has been included in the mvreads.org schedule of events.
- Happily attended the 37th annual "Teacher of the Year" ceremony at Campbell Auditorium which honored the teachers from every school district in Santa Clara County who were voted by their peers to be "Teacher of the Year 2006." Scott McGee, math teacher extraordinaire at Graham Middle School, was voted MVWSD's "Teacher of the Year." Ellen also happily atteded this event to honor the Santa Clara Unified "Teacher of the Year," Anna Marie Boucher, of Washington Open Elementary School. Anna Marie was the kindergarten and 1st grade teacher for both of her older children, so Ellen can personally attest to Anna Marie's excellence in teaching. Way to go Scott and Anna Marie and all the other Santa Clara County teachers!!!

- Attended her first Board meeting of the LWV as a board member (Co-director of Membership).

- Attended the meeting of the Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization in order to hear their calendaring discussion and decision for hearing the Resolution by Los Altos Hills to create their own school district. Ellen introduced herself to the members of that committee during the Public Comment section to inform them that she was there as a member of the League of Women Voters and that the League was planning a factual, neutral forum on school district reorganization following their vote on this matter.

- Attended another planning meeting for the first-ever “Mountain View Reads” events, to be co-sponsored by ParadigmHill Mountain View, a local activities group, along with the Mountain View Public Library. These events will be held thruughout the city in November of this year. The planing committee members decided at this meeting to title these events “Mountain View Reads Together.”

- Attended the “Not in our City” vigil in the City Hall Plaza, which was an event organized in response to the beating of an African-American man by two white men in Pioneer Park recently.

- Attended the Santa Clara County Supervisors forum hosted by district supervisor Liz Kniss on the topic of what we can all do to prevent hate crimes, held in the Mountain View City Council Chambers.

Trustee Fran Kruss decided, after 15 years of service to Whisman School District and Mountain View Whisman School District, to retire at the end of this term, ending in December of this year. District parent Phil Palmer filed to run for that open seat, and was unopposed. Phil has been an active parent at Monta Loma Elementary School and Crittenden Middle School, and has served for two years on the following district and city-level committees – Communication Action Team, Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, and Mountain View Educational Foundation. Phil has a background working in technology-based businesses. Congratulations to Phil Palmer, who will be MVWSD’s newest school board member!

With both Ellen and Phil running uaopposed in this election MVWSD will not have to hold an election at all, saving the taxpayers of this district the cost of running an election. The swearing in ceremony for new Board members will be at the December 7^th MVWSD school board meeting.

Ellen is grateful for this demonstration of respect shown by members of the Mountain View community for the work she and the MVWSD Governance Team have done. As Superintendent Ghysels often says: “Onward!”

- Volunteered at Graham’s student schedules pick-up event for 7^th and 8^th graders.

- ATTENDED THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF THE 2006-2007 SCHOOL YEAR. Board members heard reports on the new Leadership Academny that MVWSD will start this fall, and also heard a report on the California Standards Tests results, which were reported by the State this week.

- Attended MVWSD’s new school year “kick-off” all-hands meeting at Graham Middle School.

- Attended the informational and organizational meeting of the new Translators Pool for MVWSD, headed by Director Judy Crates.

- Attended the instructional session for 4^th and 5^th grade teachers on MVWSD’s new, improved DRA (District Reading Assessment), given by MVWSD reading experts Tom Miyoko of Theuerkauf Elementary School and Paula Pendleton of Castro Elementary School.

- Attended Graham’s 1^st PTA meeting of this school year, including an informal informational session for parents of 6^th graders afterwards.

- Attended a CHI subgroup meeting to help plan the Kids Fun Day/Sign-up Day to be held Sat. Oct. 14^th at City Hall Plaza in Mountain View.

- Hosted the LWV planners meeting for the proposed neutral, informational forum on school district re-districting.

- Attended a Masters in Governance Graduate seminar on student achievement as part of CSBA’s Curriculum Conference. (Board President Gloria Higgins attended the full conference as MVWSD’s board rep. to its Curriculum Advisory Council.

- Hosted a meeting of the LWV committee that is working to organize am informational, neutral forum on school district redistricting.

- Went to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters office in San Jose to take out papers to run for re-election for MVWSD School Board.

- Attended a meeting of the Childrens Health Inititaive (CHI) subgroup to help create their newsletter to be published this fall.

- filed her papers for running for re-election for MVWSD School Board at the SCC Registrar of Voters office.

- Worked in a volunteer soda/water booth at the 1^st Annual CultureFest on Castro Street in downtown Mountain View, along with her son.

- Attended a planning meeting for the first-ever “Mountain View Reads” events, to be co-sponsored by ParadigmHill Mountain View, a local activities group, along with the Mountain View Public Library. These events will be held throughout the city in November of this year.

- Met with 2 Santa Clara County Board of Education experts on school district reorganization, along with fellow LWV forum organizer on this topic, Lynette Lee Eng.

- Left for vacation with her son for a family reunion and visits to historic American history sites – Williamsburn, Jamestown, Washington, DC, and historic Philadelphia. This visit lasted until Fri. August 4^th.

TH June 1st:
    - Chaperoned Bubb 5th graders (and Huff and Landels 5th graders) on their tour of Graham Middle School
    - Attended the Regular School Board meeting. Highlights included:
        1. Recognition ceremony for retiring teachers and staff, and for teachers and staff who have worked for this school district for 10+ years.
        2. Unveiling the name of MVWSD’s 2006-2007 “Teacher of the Year” – Scott McGhee, math teacher extraordinaire at Graham Middle School.
        3. Hearing the results of nearly 9 months of work on a new district tagline and logo. Supt. Ghysels had worked with marketing professionals Kern Beare, Derek MacDavid, and Cynthia Greaves on this “re-branding” initiative, with those expertss contributing more than $50,000 of professional work on a PRO BONO (free!) basis. Thank you, Kern, Derek, and Cynthia. What great parent volunteers you are!
            After much thoughtful discussion the board unanimously agreed to the new tagline of “Education for the World Ahead,” adopting a new logo that draws on that forward-looking idea, and dropping the hyphen from Mountain View-Whisman School District, showing better, the board thought, that this community is one (“Mountain View Whisman School District”).

Fri. June 2nd:
    - Chaperoned Bubb 5th graders on a walking trip to Huff to see an assembly featuring a one-person show of Ben Franklin + another show describing the history of printing.

Sun. June 4th:
    - Attended the “Junior Olympics in Mountain View,” a track meet at Mountain View High School for city-wide 3rd – 5th graders. Ellen’s 5th grade son participaed in this event (and had a great time), and Ellen happily helped award medals to winners of each event during the Closing Ceremony.

Mon. June 5th:
    - Met with Supt. Ghysels for agenda planning for June 6th CAT meeting

Tues. June 6th:
    - Attended an assembly featuring Bubb’s 5th grade “History of America” musical play
    - Attended the monthly CHI lunch meeting
    - Attended the Special Board Meeting
    - Attended the last CAT meeting of this school year
    - Attended a dinner in San Francisco honoring women leaders as a guest of former supt. Eleanor Yick, along with CFO Rebecca Wright
    - And, VOTED

Wed. June 7th:
    - Attended the end-of-the-year celebration for YES Reading at Castro
    - Attended Landels’ end-of-the-year pizza party

TH June 8th:
    - Spent the morning making Welsh Cookies for Bubb’s International Day Fair, which she will unfortunately miss, due to being out of town (see below)
    - Attended the beginning of the end-of-the-year celebration for Just READ at Alta Vista HS
    - Flew to Minneapolis for 6 days to be a delegate to the National League of Women Voters Convention.

Wed. June 14th:
    - Proudly attended Bubb’s 5th grade breakfast and graduation ceremony for her son and his friends
    - Attended graduation ceremonies at Graham and Crittenden Middle Schools, proudly helping to pass out diplomas to graduating 8th graders.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TH June 15th:
- Attended the League of Women Voters Education Committee meeting

Sat. June 17th:
- Attended the Special Board Meeting which was a closed session evaluation of the superintendent

Mon. June 19th:
- Attended the League of Women Voters Education Committee meeting

Wed. June 21st:
- Met with Graham Middle School Principal Dr. Alicia Henderson

TH June 22nd:
- Attended the “thank you” party for Olympics Mountain View volunteers and sponsors

Fri. June 23rd:
- Attended the Leadership Mountain View breakfast, honoring outgoing director, Twana Karney
- Baked goodies for the trustee-sponsored potluck to thank district staff. The highlight of the party was Supt. Dr. Maurice Ghysels performing for everyone by playing acoustic guitar and singing, thanks to Trustee Walter’s donating her auction win of this performance for this party.

Fri. June 23^rd:

- Attended the Leadership Mountain View breakfast, honoring outgoing director, Twana Karney

<> - Baked goodies for the trustee-sponsored potluck to thank district staff. The highlight of the party was Supt. Dr. Maurice Ghysels performing for everyone by playing acoustic guitar and singing, thanks to Trustee Walter’s donating her auction win of this performance for this party.

<>Tues. June 27^th:
- Attended the annual In/Out party for League of Women Voters board members. Ellen will be the Co-Director of membership for LWV for 2006/07

Wed. June 28^th:

<> - Attended that LAST BOARD MEETING OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR!!!!!

TH June 29^th:

- Planned to attend the reception honoring retiring Mountain View City Councilmember Matt Nealy, and wish him well in his intriguing new career as a principal at a school in Rome, Italy

<>(Ellen regrets that she was unable to attend this reception, as she got sick with an infection Tuesday night and was sick for nearly a month. Best wishes to Matt!)

NOTE: The Mountain View Whisman School District Board of Trustees normally does not meet in July. The 1^st school board meeting of the 2006/2007 school year is scheduled for Thursday, August 17^th.

Mon. May 1st:
    - Tutored a YES Reading student at Castro. (Her own student was busy doing state testing.)
    - Marched, with her 11-year-old son and thousands others, in Mountain View’s Immigrant Rights march.
    - Attended the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee meeting.

Tues. May 2nd:
    - Tutored her Just READ student at Alta Vista High School
    - Attended the monthly lunch meeting of North County Childrens Health Initiative
     - Attended the monthly Communications Action Team meeting
    - Attended part of the League of Women Voters board meeting, hearing discussion about the National League of Women Voters Convention and being voted in as one of three delegates from this local league branch

Wed. May 3rd:
    - Met with Supt. Ghysels
    - Attended Huff’s ELAC meeting

TH May 4th:
    - Attended regular School Board meeting

Fri. May 5th:
    - Volunteered at Graham Middle School’s Cinco de Mayo celebration
    - Attended MVEF’s Cinco de Mayo fiesta

Sat. May 6th:
    - Attended the Education Update presented by State Senator Joe Simitian
    - Attended Theuerkauf’s Spring Carnival

Mon. May 8th:
    - Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro

Tues. May 9th:
    - Tutored a Just READ student at Alta Vista High School
    - Volunteered at the North County Childrens Health Initiative (CHI) Sign-up Day at Theuerkauf

Wed. May 10th:
    - Attended the assembly at Graham featuring former gang member speaker Richard Santana

TH May 11th:
    - Attended Challenge Team’s annual Champions for Youth breakfast, again featuring former gang member Richard Santana as speaker

Fri. May 12th:
    - Volunteered all day at the Elementary School GATE Conference
    - Gave a brief speech on behalf of Castro’s YES Reading tutoring program at Huff

Sat. May 13th:
    - Attended the annual League of Women Voters business meeting. Ellen was voted in as the new Co-director of Membership.

Mon. May 15th:
    - Tutored a YES Reading student at Castro
    - Attended MVWSD’s annual Choralfest at Shoreline Amphitheatre

Tues. May 16th:
   - Attended Theuerkauf’s Open House
   - Attended Graham’s Open House

Wed. May 17th:
   - Attended Landels’ Open House

Th May 18th:
- Volunteered at the Middle School GATE Conference
   - Attended Regular School Board meeting

Fri. May 19th:
   - Attended Dr. Colleen Wilcox’s “State of the Schools” address re Santa Clara County Schools
   - Attended Bubb’s Talent Show

Sun. May 21st:
- Met with Crownie Billick, the other Co-director of Membership for LWV, regarding what this job entails on a daily/monthly basis

Mon. May 22nd:
   - Tutored her YES Reading student. This is the last day of YES Reading for this school year.

Tues. May 23rd:
   - Attend Bubb’s Open House

Wed. May 24th:
   - Attended the annual PTA Council Luncheon
   - Attended SSC at Bubb
   - Attend Castro’s Open House
   - Attended the chorus performance featuring Slater and Landels

TH May 25th:
   - Attended the Chamber of Commerce’s VIP Schools tour (this year at Huff)
   - Attended a LWV brown bag lunch discussion on the death penalty, in preparation for League action on this item at the annual convention in June.
   - Attended the monthly meeting of ParadigmHill Mountain View
   - Attended Huff’s Open House
   - Attended Monta Loma’s Open House

Tues. May 30th:
   - Was thrilled to attend the flag raising ceremony at Landels School of their brand-new “California Distinguished School” flag. 3 Landels principals were there to share the honor – [1] Dr. Alicia Henderson, under whose leadership the direction of Landels academic success was set, along with Landels’ outstanding staff and parent community, [2] Mr. Jerry Davis, the principal who came out of retirement who did such a good job of helping Landels on its course this year while the district searched for a great new principal, and [3] Dr. Phyllis Demattos, who had recently been announced as Landels’ new principal for next year. Superintendent Maurice Ghysels was also on hand for this wonderful event, as were Board President Gloria Higgins, and Stephanie Totter, MVWSD Director Education Services. Following this exciting flag ceremony, which included Slater School students as Landels’ guests, the Slater students got a tour of the Landels campus, as many of Slater students will attend Landels next year.
   - Met with Leigh Duggan, the ELL Coordinator for Crittenden Middle School, and Trustee RoseMary Roquero, to hear Ms. Duggan describe her recent Masters Thesis work on successful teaching strategies for English Language Learners.
   - Attended MVWSD’s end of the year celebration for its new teachers, the Silicon Valley New Teachers Project Colloquiem.
   - Attended Bubb’s monthly PTA meeting

Wed. May 31st:
   - Attended Bubb’s Volunteer Appreciation Tea, both as a trustee and recipient. Once again Bubb congratulated the many dozens of parent and community volunteers who help make Bubb such an excellent school. The event was hosted by Bubb teachers, Bubb’s principal Ruth Willen, and Bubb’s outgoing PTA president, Taylor House.

Sat.April 1st:
    - Attended Slater School’s 50th birthday party
    - Attended the inaugural dinner for ParadigmHill Mountain View. (ParadigmHill MV is a new community-based activities group based on common affection for Mountain View. See www.ParadigmHill.org)

Monday April 3rd:
    - Attended an agenda planning session with Maurice Ghysels for the monthly CAT meeting
    - Attended the Castro Storytelling Festival at Castro School. This event featured Castro 4th and 5th grade students telling folks and myths aloud to parents and others that they learned in their folktale genre study. Ellen brought along her 5th grade son from Bubb School, who is also learning about the folktales genre. What a great community and educational event.
Ellen’s son is currently reading Stories of Wales (fairytales) to learn more about his generational homeland and to be ready for his the folktales genre assignment in his own class.

Tuesday April 4th:
    - Attended the Principal’s Coffee at Graham
    - Attended the monthly PTA meeting at Graham
    - Attended the Superintendent’s Coffee at Graham
    - “Shadowed” a Just READ tutor and student at Alta Vista HS to get more familiar with this style of reading tutoring, in preparation for becoming a reading tutor there.
    - Attended the montly CAT meeting, discussing the upcoming letter to the community composed by CAT members on the new District Translation Policy that CAT has worked on most of this school year.
    - Attended part of the montly board meeting of LWV to give the report of the Education Subgroup Committee work.

Wed. April 5th:
    - Attended part of the monthly PTA Council meeting

TH April 6th:
    - Attended part of the monthly Gang Task Force meeting at the MVPD
    - Attended LANDELSBURG!!! (See 4/7/06, below, for general description, but at Landels School, with inspired Landels students and dedicated Landels teachers.)
    - Attended the MVWSD School Board meeting

Fri. April 7th:
    - Worked at, and continually admired, WILLIAMSBUBB!!!! A friend likened this to Brigadoon, where one day out of the year Bubb 5th grade students re-create a colonial town (like Williamsburg). Students dress up as specific colonial characters, work in specific shops or businesses, and partake of militia drills and colonial dancing. Students portraying Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry can be seen discussing the vital events of the day in the tavern, and Patrick Henry gives a fiery patriotic speech in the town square. (Ellen’s son was Patrick Henry this year, with a wonderful costume loaned by Ryland Shaeffer’s mom, Stephanie Schneider.) Bubb students, under the outstanding instruction of 5th grade teacher team Kim Thompson and Robert Poling, learned, in depth, what America’s colonial era was really about. This was an exceptional educational experience for these students that they’ll carry their whole lives. (Note that in addition to Landels School, Huff and Monta Loma do Colonial Day re-creations.)

Sat. April 8th – Sun. April 19th = MVWSD spring break. Ellen and family went on vacation.

Mon. April 17th:
    - Attended a training session for Childrens Health Initiative health care providers.
    - Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro

Tues. April 18th:
    - Tutored her Just READ student at Alta Vista High School
    - Attended the All-day Kindergarten Information Meeting at Bubb School
    - Attended the monthly Budget Task Force meeting, where the main agenda topic was whether to continue to recommend an additional 1 ½% budget reserve of the district budget to the Board of Trustees.

Wed. April 19th:
    - Attended Huff’s PTA meeting

TH April 20th:
    - Attended an Education Group meeeting of the LWV, hosted by Nancy Lippe, the local LWV co-director of education.

Sat. April 21st:
    - Attended the City of Mountain View’s annual spring Downtown Parade
    - Attended a members meeting of ParadigmHill Mountain View (see ParadigmHill.org)
    - Attended the Earth Day “decadent dinner,” sponsored by Acterra, a local environmental orgainzation

Mon. April 24th:
    - Tutored her YES Reading student
    - Attended a talk on wikis featuring wiki inventor Ward Cunningham held at the Computer History Museum. Communication Action Team member Phil Palmer had recommended to CAT members that they attend this talk in order to be better versed on wikis and other communication tools in preparation for planned updating of CAT’s District Communication Plan. Maurice Ghysels and Judy Crates also attended this talk, with Supt. Ghysels even asking a question during the Q & A segment. He took the opportunity to inform the panel and audience members of MVWSD’s recent foray into wiki usage, asking the panelists for suggestions on how to utilize them for students and schools. (Currently MVWSD is using wikis for district work, and Castro parents are using that wiki. The goal is to get the usage out to all schools.) Supt. Ghysels’ provacative question lit up the imaginations of the panelists, resulting in many minutes being devoted to this issue.

Tues. April 25th:
    - Tutored her Just READ student at Alta Vista High School
    - Attended email system training for district office staff
    - Attended the monthly Gate Advisory Committee meeting

Wed. April 26th:
    - Attended Santa Clara County School Boards Association Hoffman Awards dinner, where school districts in SC County are recognized for special programs benefitting school children.

TH April 27th:
    - Attended the Board Retreat, where the agenda item was a continuation of crafting Board Protocols

Fri. April 28th:
    - Attended the Joint Venture Silicon Valley forum on “Wireless Silicon Valley.”

Wed. March 1st:
- Attended the monthly PTA Council meeting, at Santa Rita Elementary School in Los Altos
- Made Welsh cookies to celebrate St. David’s Day – the national holiday of Wales, which is an annual tradition in Ellen’s Welsh heritage family.

TH March 2nd:
        - Met Supt. Ghysels for agenda review for 3/7 CAT meeting
        - Atttended the Regular School Board meeting

Fri. March 3:
        - Attended Castro’s monthly PTA meeting, and gave a Board Report describing the Joint Use agreement proposal between MVWSD and Google at Slater School (Click here to see the San Jose Mercury News article “Google to rent part of school for child care, preschool,” dated March 10th, 2006, following the unanimous Board resolution vote at its Special Board meeting on March 9th on this issue.)
    - Helped conduct the annual Legislative Interview of State Assemblymember Sally Lieber for the local branch of the League of Women Voters

Sat. March 4th:
        - Attended the Leadership Mountain View’s annual Winter Social

Mon. March 6th:
        - Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro
        - Attended her Intro. to Spanish class

Tues. March 7th:
        - Attended the monthly CAT meeting
        - Supported Bubb’s Family Dinner Night Out at Amici’s restaurant in downtown Mountain View by buying dinner there. Amici’s contributed 25% of its proceeds from purchasers with coupons that night to Bubb PTA. Thank you to community spirted Huff parent Robin Iwai for patronizing Amici’s using a Bubb coupon that night as well.

Wed. March 8th:
        - Helped correct practice state math tests at Bubb

TH March 9th:
        - Attended the monthly Challenge Team breakfast
        - Attended the Special Board meeting on use of Slater School
(Click here to see the San Jose Mercury News article “Google to rent part of school for child care, preschool,” dated March 10th, 2006, following the unanimous Board resolution vote at its Special Board meeting on March 9th on this issue.)

Fri. March 10th:
    - Attended a CSMA concert of Russian music at Bubb

Mon. March 13th:
    - Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro
    - Attended her Intro. to Spanish class
    - Attended Theuerkauf’s PTA meeting

Tues. March 14th:
    - Attended the monthly Budget Task Force meeting

TH March 16th:
    - Attended the regular Board Meeting. where, among other things, the board voted unanimously to install a safety fence between Castro Park fields and Latham St.

Fri. March 17th: (Happy St. Patrick’s Day!)
    - Attended an all-day seminar hosted by EdSource on “School Funding and Accountability”

    - Had dinner with Maurice Ghysels

Mon. March 20th:
    - Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro

Tues. March 21st:
    - Hosted the Education Subgroup meeting for the LWV

Wed. March 22nd:
    - Attended the make-up CHI lunch meeting
    - Attended the LWV Planning Committee meeting dinner

TH March 23rd:
    - Attended Graham PTA + Dr. Henderson’s presentation on the new Master Schedule plan for next school year.

Sat. March 25th:
    - Attended the annual Santa Clara County School Boards Association Legislative Brunch, hearing reports by local legislators about education

Sun. March 26th:
    - Helped paint backdrop scenery for WilliamsBubb (Bubb Elementary School’s colonial replication day)

Mon. March 27th (No school for students; Staff Development Day):
    - Attended the 3rd Annual Interschools Chess Tournament, hosted by Huff School and organized by Huff and Graham chess afficianado dad Kieran Gonzalves. This was an extremely well-attended and well-organized event for elementary and middle school students from MVWSD schools + St. Joseph’s School.

Tues. March 28th:
    - Hosted the Education Subgroup meeting for the LWV
    - Attended the New Parent Info. Night at Graham Middle School

Wed. March 29th:
    - Attended the District Elementary School Orchestra Concert at CSMA

TH March 30th:
    - Got Just READ training in anticipation of beginning tutoring one high school student at Alta Vista High School

Fri. March 31st:
    - Attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at Theuerkauf School for their solar energy panel
    - Attended an informal luncheon of Mountain View Women

ELLEN’S FEBRUARY 2006 CALENDARED EVENTS

Wed. Feb. 1st:
    - Happily greeted the line of parents outside the District Office who were waiting to register their child in Mountain View-Whisman schools next year. Parents interested in the Dual Immersion program at Castro were 1st in line, having waited for hours in beach chairs, along with parents interested in PACT at Castro, CEL at Monta Loma, and MVWSD’s neighborhood schools.
    - Attended the PTA Founders Day meeting at Theuerfkauf. Theuerkauf proudly hosted this annual event while they celebrated their own 1st year of PTA membership.
    - Happily greeted even more parents waiting to register their children in MVWSD schools at the District Office following the Founders Day meeting at Theuerkauf.
    - Attended the 1st meeting of the 2006 League of Women Voters Nominating Committee.
    - Met with Supt. Ghysels to go over the agenda for the CAT meeting on Tues. 2/7.

TH Feb. 2nd:
    - Attended Bubb’s Principals Coffee.
    - Attended the regular school board meeting.

Fri. Feb. 3rd:
    - Attended Kindergarten Visitation at Monta Loma and CEL.
    - Attended the informal monthly lunch of the Santa Clara County School Boards Association.
    - Attended the Crittenden Music Dept. Silent Auction.

Sat. Feb. 4th:
    - Attended the annual planning meeting for the League of Women Voters.

Mon.. Feb. 6th:
    - Tutored a YES Reading student at Castro
    - Attended her Intro. to Spanish class
    - Attended SSC at Theuerkauf Elementary School
    - Attended Crittenden Middle School Information Night held at Theuerkauf

Tues. Feb. 7th:
    - Attended Coffee with the Principal at Graham Middle School
    - Attended monthly PTA meeting at Graham
    - Attended Parent Ed. meeting at Graham on “Communicating with your Teenager”
    - Attended monthly Childrens Health Initiative lunch meeting
    - Attended monthly CAT meeting
    - Attended monthly PTA meeting at Crittenden

TH Feb. 9th:
    - Attended monthly Challenge Team breakfast meeting
    - Attended Board Study Session to share reports from other trustees and Supt. Ghysels on good seminars everyone attended at the December CSBA conference. This meeting also served as the board’s quarterly retreat, where the Leadership Team did further work on Board Protocols.
    - Went to MVWSD District Office to examine potential social studies textbooks for adoption during the afternoon set aside for that purpose by MVWSD.

Fri. Feb. 10th:
    - Met Board President Gloria Higgins for coffee.

Mon. Feb. 13th (Staff Development Day for teachers and staff – no school for students)
    - Attended her Intro. to Spanish class

Tues. Feb. 14th:
    - Attended monthly Budget Task Force meeting

Wed. Feb. 15th:
    - Attended the League of Women Voters nominating committee meeting.

TH Feb. 16th:
    - Helped with the monthly Teacher/Staff Appreciation Lunch, this time hosted by 5th grade parents by baking and bringing muffins and helping with room set-up.
    - Attended SSC meeting at Landels.
    - Attended school board meeting

Fri. Feb. 17th:
    - Attended Supt. Ghysels’ parent forum at Bubb

Monday Feb. 20th (No school all week; Presidents Week/Winter Recess)
    - Met with Trustee Walter

Tues. Feb. 21st:
    - Attended the monthly District GATE meeting

Wed. Feb. 22nd:
    - Attended League of Women Voters planning committee meeting for this Sunday’s “Meet Your Local Elected Officials” event to be held from 2 – 4 PM at Mountain View City Hall Rotunda.

TH Feb. 23rd:
    - Met Supt. Ghysels for breakfast
    - Hosted the League of Women Voters Education subgroup committee meeting

Fri. Feb. 24th:
    - Attended the League of Women Voters nominating committee meeting.

Sat. Feb. 25th:
    - Represented LA-MV League of Women Voters in the League’s annual legislator interviews, helping to interview State Senator Joe Simitian.

Sun. Feb. 26th:
    - Helped with set-up for the League of Women Voters “Meet Your Elected Officials” event
    - Attended the LWV “Meet Your Elected Officials” event

ELLEN’S JANUARY 2006 CALENDARED EVENTS

Mon. Dec. 5th:
    - Tutored her YES Reading student.
- Attended the final Transition Advisory Team meeting, which was a report-out session, where all members of all subgroups heard each other’s recommendations.

Tues. Dec. 6th:
- Attended the monthly Children’s Health Initiative lunch, doing last-minute planning for their sign-up event at Castro the next afternoon.
- Met Supt. Ghysels for agenda review for 12/15 board meeting.
- Attended the monthly meeting of CAT.
- Attended the Transition Advisory Team Informational Report Meeting at Slater School.

Wed. Dec. 7th:
    - Attended the PTA Council Holiday Brunch.
- Attended the Transitional Advisory Team Informational Report Meeting at Castro School., including a report on Castro’s Program Improvement School work.

TH Dec. 8th:
- Attended the montly Challenge Team breakfast meeting.
- Attended the regular school board meeting, with 2 highlights:
    1. The Board was presented with the results of months of work by the 6 subgroups of the Transition Advisory Team, and their recommendations for enrollment, boundaries, transportation, transfer requests, integration of Castro and Slater PACT students, impact on teachers from the closing of Slater School in June 2006, and Slater traditions. The Board gave preliminary “yes” votes to the Board Bylaws and Administrative Regulations that must be revised to reflect this work. The Board gave one “Game Ball” for exceptional work for the children of MVWSD to all the Transition Advisory Team faciliatators and subgroup facilitators.
The 2nd “Game Ball” was awarded to “Coach Ghysels” and Executive Assistant Kathi Lilga for their leadership and help on this effort.
        2. Following this historic meeting the Board briefly adjourned, then reconvened to hold its annual Organizational Meeting. This is the meeting, always held in its first board meeting in December, where the Board votes in a new slate of officers and gets assignments to various district committees and to organizations that get Board representation. The Board unanimously voted as its 2005-2006 officers:
President – Gloria Higgins
Vice-President – Fiona Walter
Clerk – RoseMary Sias Roquero
        Ellen will be the 2005-2006 Board Representative to: CAT, FOAC, Parcel Tax Advisory Committee, Budget Task Force, Challenge Team, and North County Childrens Health Council.
        At this meeting the Board decided to do away with the practice of Board Liaisons to district schools, intending for all board members to attend events at all schools when possible.
        (Note: This meeting had been rescheduled from TH Dec. 1st, as all board members and the supt. were at the Annual CSBA Conference on that date.)

Fri. Dec. 9th:
    - Attended the monthly informal lunch of Santa Clara County School Boards Association.

Tues. Dec. 13th:
    - Attended Bubb’s breakfast orchestra concert.
    - Met with Huff Principal Craig Goldman.
    - Attended SSC at Monta Loma, giving them a brief report of the Transition Advisory Team’s recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

Wed. Dec. 14th:
    - Chaperoned Bubb’s 5th graders on their field trip to see the new movie “The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” which was a supplement to their class reading of that book in their fantasy genre work earlier in the school year.
    - Attended the YES Reading Holiday Party, hearing many YES Reading tutorees read aloud a book selection to the large assembled crowd of family members and tutors, including hearing the student she tutors read aloud to the group. Students were treated to party food and got to choose a free book.

TH Dec. 15th:
    - Attended the Board Study Session, including district principals and staff, all participating in a tutorial on sexual harassment law.
- Attended the regular school board meeting, where the board heard a report on the Program Improvement Plan developed at Castro School for Castro School. This plan passed 5-0. The Board also did its 2nd readings of the proposed changes to Board Policies and Administrative Regulations recommended by the Transition Advisory Team work. These Policies and Regulations were approved.

Fri. Dec. 16th:
    - Participated in the tour of the Graham resevoir project work.
    - Flew to Austin, TX, to bear witness to her daughter’s graduation from college the next day. Congratulations, Sarah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Out with the old (2005) and in with the new (2006!)

ELLEN’S NOVEMBER 2005 CALENDARED EVENTS

Tues. Nov. 1st:
– Attended the all-day Mayor’s Youth Conference as an adult delegate.
- Attended the monthly CAT meeting, whose main agenda item was Translation policy. Ellen was the Recorder for this meeting.

Wed. Nov. 2nd:
    - Attended the monthly PTA Council meeting.

TH Nov. 3rd:
    - Attended a special Study Session, co-attended by all district school principals and asst. principals, and some Directors, on student discipline (expulsion and suspension law).
    - Attended the school board meeting.

Mon. Nov. 7th:
    - Attended instruction on how to do reading tutoring using the YES Reading program at Castro, and then began her 1st tutoring session of a 3rd grader from Castro. Ellen will tutor this student once a week.
    - Attended my weekly Intro. to Spanish class through MVLA Adult Ed., along with Trustees Higgins and Walter, and PTA Council President Young.

Tues. Nov. 8th (Voting Day – Ellen had already voted at the Registrar of Voters):
    - Attended the “Authors Party” in Elizabeth Barger’s 3rd grade class at Castro, where adult tutors from Generations Connections through MVLA Adult Ed. School and the students from Ms. Barger’s class shared their written story notebooks with each other and had a party to celebrate their completed storybooks.
    - Attended the monthly Children’s Health Initiative, continuing with this group’s work for a family sign-up day at Castro Wed. 12/7 3:00 – 6:00 for their low income health care.
    - Met with Supt. Ghysels for agenda review for 11/ 17 board meeting.
- Attended Crittenden’s monthly PTA meeting.

Wed. Nov. 9th:
- Attended the last Transition Planning Team meeting of the Magnet   subcommittee.

TH Nov. 10th:
- Attended the monthly Challenge Team meeting.
- Attended the Special Board meeting re Supt. Goals
- Attended an organizer’s meeting for a new Mountain View civic group, ParadigmHill (ParadigmHill.net).

Mon. Nov. 14th:
- Attended Bubb’s Monday morning school assembly, hearing their spotlight on their upcoming Scholastic Book Fair and their “Reading Under the Stars” event set for Wed. 11/16.
- Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro.
- Attended her Intro. to Spanish class.
- Went to Slater to look at their Memories and Thoughts Poster and their Timeline poster..

Tues. Nov. 15th:
- Attended the Volunteers Recognition and Training at Castro to thank their volunteers and to hear more about how their PAVE endeavor (Parents Academic Volunteers for Excellence) will help Castro in its Program Improvement School work. Ellen also took photos of the volunteers and organizers at this event. Some of Ellen’s photos were submitted to the “Mountain View Voice” for inclusion into a possible human interest story they may run.
- Attended the District GATE meeting.
- Attended the 1st “7-11” Committee meeting.

TH Nov. 16th:
- Attended own child’s school conference, hearing from the inside what Ellen normally hears from the outside.
- Helped at Bubb’s Scholastic Book Fair during their “Reading Under the Stars” book sale.

TH Nov. 17th:
    - Met with Supt. Ghysels.
    - Attended school board meeting.

Sat. Nov. 19th:
- Was a “Celebrity Reader” at the Mountain View Public Library’s “Day of Reading” event.
- Ellen and husband joined the Superintendent and the rest of the board and their spouses for a holiday dinner hosted by Supt. Ghysels. A good time was had by all, and all were careful to keep conversations on a social plane, studiously not discussing board business. What fun.

Mon. Nov. 21st:
    - Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro.
    - Attended her Intro. to Spanish class.
    - Attended a “Renaissance Music” dessert concert by MVHS singers.

Tues. Nov. 22nd:
    - Attended an all-day retreat for Children’s Health Council countywide representatives.

Mon. Nov. 28th:
    - Tutored her YES Reading student at Castro.
    - Attended her Intro. to Spanish class.

Wed. Nov. 30th late afternoon – Sat. Dec. 3rd late afternoon:
    - Attended the CSBA conference in San Diego with all of MVWSD governance team (board + supt.). Ellen notes that the board economized on this trip by staying at the Days Inn 1.4 miles from the San Diego Convention Center instead of at one of the Convention Hotels (Hyatt or Marriott). Board members planned to do their daily exercise by walking to the Convention Center. Supt. Ghysels also economized by staying with a relative in SD. Sometime in January the Board plans to have a Study Session where they report out to each other and to interested members of the public regarding what they learned at the various seminars they attended (TBA).

ELLEN’S OCTOBER 2005 CALENDARED EVENTS

ELLEN’S SEPTEMBER 2005 CALENDARED EVENTS

TH Sept. 1st:
    - Attended MVWSD Board meeting. Highlights included reports of MVWSD’s two summer school programs (elementary and middle school level), the work of the Transition Planning Team, and a preliminary report of MVWSD’s STAR test data from April 2005. Ellen also had the honor, as Board President, of accepting the veteran’s flag of recently deceased former MVSD board member (1971-1976), Mr. Andrew Villasenor, donated to MVWSD by the Villasenor family. This flag will have a place of honor in the MVWSD Board Room, alongside a small descriptive plaque.

Fri. Sept. 2nd:
    - Attended the informal monthly luncheon for Santa Clara County School Board Association members.
    - Met with Supt. Ghysels and facilitator Mary Gardner to develop and plan the upcoming Board Retreat.

Tues. Sep. 6th (a Staff Development Day for MVWSD; no school for students)
    - Attended a Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) forum on “the future of California”

Wed. Sep. 7th:
    - Attended the 1st PTA Council meeting of the year, held at Almond School in Los Altos
    - Met with Supt. Ghysels for agenda review of 9/15 Board agenda
    - Attended Landels’ Back to School Night

TH Sept. 8th:
    - Attended the 1st Challenge Team meeting of this school year
    - Participated in the planning session for Bubb’s Ability Awareness Week, to be held the week of 9/19
    - Attended Slater’s 1st PTA meeting of this school year
    - Attended Bubb’s Back to School Night

Fri. Sept. 9th:
    - Attended a Loro Fellows presentation on “The Logic of Mountain View” in the Council Chambers of Mountain View City Hall

Sat. Sept. 10th:
    - Helped work a Leadership Mountain View soda and water selling booth at Mountain View’s Art and Wine Festival, along with her 10-year-old son, an LMV classmate and his 8-year-old daugher, and another LMV alumnus. Highlights of this day included meeting up with former Supt. Jim Negri and LMV classmate, Jim Negri, and seeing the wonderful Mountain View Education kids play area booth, headed by Robin Iwai

Mon. Sept. 12th:
    - Attended the League of Women Voters forum on the Brown Act
    - Attended part of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee 1st meeting of this school year

Tues. Sept. 13th:
    - Attended part of the meeting of Mountain View-Whisman North County School’s Children Health Initiative lunch and meeting
    - Attended Theuerkauf’s Back to School Night

Wed. Sept. 14th:
    - Attended Bubb’s 1st SSC meeting of this school year
    - Attended Monta Loma’s Back to School Night

TH Sept. 15th:
    - Attended MVWSD School Board meeting

Sat. Sept. 17th:
    - Attended the all-day Board Retreat. This was an excellent day, with facilitated teamwork building on practices and norms. One norm this board decided on was to report their board member activities to Kathi Lilga, MVWSD’s executive assistant to the supt., for insertion in the official Minutes of the next Board meeting. Along with this norm Board members may spotlight 2 attended events during their “Communications Report” during Board meetings. (Hence subsequently Ellen will note which of these events were spotlighted by her in her Communications Report.)

Mon. Sept. 19th:
    - Helped with the beginning of Bubb’s Ability Awareness Week, with MANY thanks to event organizer Nan Recker. (Ellen reported on this wonderful event at the 10/6/05 MVWSD board meeting.)
    - Attended day 1 of an Introduction to Spanish Class offered by Mountain View/Lose Altos Adult Education Center, along with Trustees Higgins and Walter, and community member and PTA Council President Martha Young.
    This class will have about 12 sessions.

Tues. Sept. 20th:
    - Presented Ability Awareness Week curriculum to Mrs. Lee’s 4th grade class at Bubb
    - Attended the District GATE meeting.
    - Attended part of Bubb’s Science Camp Information Night

Wed. Sept. 21st:
- Attended SVLG’s “Projections 2006” report presentation, interestingly participating in their “on the spot” polling of audience members on future ballot meansures. (Ellen reported on some of these findings at the 10/6/05 MVWSD board meeting.)
- Helped 3 classes in Bubb’s Ability Awareness Week physical therapy room
- Attended the parent screening of MVWSD’s Human Growth and Development video for 5th grade students presented by district nurse Sue Barrie.
    - Attended the 2nd Transition Planning Team meeting of this school year

TH Sept. 22nd:
- Presented Ability Awareness Week curriculum to Mrs. Thompson’s 5th grade class at Bubb.

Fri. Sept. 23rd:
    - Helped one class in Bubb’s Ability Awareness Week physical therapy room.

Sat. Sept. 24th:
- Went to the Mountain View Public Library for its Centennial Celebration, along with her family.

Sun. Sept. 25th:
    - Walked in the Stevens Creek Trail 3K walk (and 5 and 10K run), along with her 10-year-old son

Mon. Sept. 26th:
    - Attended Intro. to Spanish class (per 9/19)

Tues. Sept. 27th:
    - Met with Supt. Ghysels for agenda review of 10/6 Board agenda
    - Attended 1st Communications Action Team (CAT) meeting of this school year.
    - Attended part of Bubb’s PTA meeting.
    - Attended the Castro Informational Meeting for parents, etc., where Supt. Ghysels, Asst. Supt. Lairon, Castro Principal Carla Terazi, and Dr. Judy Crates explained Castro’s Year 2 Program Improvement School status and the new steps that MVWSD and Castro are taking to improve Castro’s test scores, with the introduction of Dr. Crates to the Castro community as MVWSD’s new internal consultant for program improvement at Castro.

Wed. Sept. 28th:
    - Attended the 1st Santa Clara County School Boards Association meeting of this school year, with special guests CSBA President Kerry Klegg and CSBA Executive Director Scott Plotkin. (CSBA = California School Boards Association)

TH Sept. 28th:
    - Was a guest reader at Theuerkauf’s “Literature in the Park” morning.

ELLEN’S JUNE 2005 CALENDARED EVENTS

Wed. June 1st:
- Met with The Cosca Group to hear their MVWSD rep., Steve Goldstone, inform the Board of their final supt. applicants. Steve reported that they had received 16 completed applications. He explained to the Board, putting that number in perspective, that a few weeks ago the main Orange County newspaper quoted someone from Leadership Associates, the biggest supt. search firm in CA, as saying the following: “We’re lucky if we get 10 applicants, and to do that we have to work out of the state.”
From that field of 16 The Cosca Group paperscreened down to 9 applicants to screen more seriously. From those 9 they presented the Board with what they considered to be the top 7 candidates. The Board, after much discussion and review, selected 5 final candidates for interviews. Ellen notes that the candidates that The Cosca Group found for us were excellent, with the top 5 candidates being outstanding. Any of those 5 would serve MVWSD well.

- Attended the Santa Clara County School Boards Association installation of officers dinner and last monthly meeting of this school year. Congratulations to Theresa O’Neil, school board member from Santa Clara Unified School District, who was elected president of SCCSBA.

TH June 2nd:
- Attended Regular Board meeting.

Fri. June 3rd:
- Happily attended outgoing supt. Eleanor Yick’s lovely retirement party, held at Rengsdorf House. In addition to fond farewells from the many attendees, and receipt of a large framed resolution from Assembly member Sally Lieber, Eleanor was feted with speeches from Amy Beare (MVEA), Matt Neely (Mayor of MV), Fran Kruss (MVWSD School Board member and former school board member of Whisman School District while Eleanor was supt. there), and Ellen (President of MVWSD Board of Trustees). Ellen, on behalf of all of the Board, presented Eleanor with a large loving cup trophy with a big football on top. The inscription read: “To Supt. Eleanor Yick, From MVWSD Board of Trustees, a career game ball, with deep gratitude, June 2006.” (Longtime board watchers know that at the end of most of MVWSD board meetings a small “game ball” trophy is presented to 2 people who presented a board report that deserves special recognition for their work. That small game ball trophy is theirs to keep until the next board meeting, where it is presented to a new winner . . . . ) Eleanor, in her speech accepting this large game ball trophy, expressed delight at her gift, saying “I never get the game ball!” (which isn’t quite true, although trustees know that superintendents truly deserve a game ball every week). Eleanor then proceeded to give a heartfelt speech with reminiscences and thank yous that was appreciated by all in attendance.

Mon. June 6th:
- Attended another meeting of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, where members completed their analysis of current parcel tax expenditures and discussed how to make their presentation to the Board.

Tues. June 7th:
- Attended the Ability Awareness Week training at Bubb, led by Nan Recker and associate, in anticipation of Bubb’s 3rd Annual Ability Awareness Week to be held at Bubb in September.
- Met with Supt. Yick for agenda planning for the 6/16 Board meeting.
- Attended CAT’s last meeting of this school year.

Wed. June 8th:
- Attended the “Meet the Local Press” event event hosted by Mountain View Civic Forum.

TH June 9th:
- Attended Challenge Team’s last meeting of this school year.
- Attended the Special Board meeting where the Board heard a report on MVWSD’s recent management audit ( formally titled “Management and Efficiency Study”).
- Attended MVEA’s party for retiring teachers.
- Attended the 1st meeting of MVWSD’s Transition Planning Team, as a member of the public. Trustee Fiona Walter was at that meeting as the Board’s ex officio member, working in the “Management of Change/Communication” subgroup.

Fri. June 10th:
- Attended Bubb’s 4th grade recorder concert assembly.
- Attended and worked at Bubb’s end-of-the-school-year carnival, titled “Fiesta del Pueblo.” This event was well attended with lots of fun had by all.

Sat. June 11th:
- Attended the all-day Special Board closed session meeting, interviewing the Board’s top 5 candidates for MVWSD’s new supt. position. At this session the Board decided on finalists for this position, and decided to hold a 2nd interview session on Fri. June 17th.

Mon. June 13th:
- Attended part of Bubb’s 4th/5th grade end-of-the-school-year picnic with accompanying all-party water gun play.

Tues. June 14th:
- Attended the graduation ceremonies at Graham Middle School and Crittenden Middle School, helping to give out diplomas at both schools and giving a speech as president of the school board at Crittenden.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wed. June 15th:
- Attended a luncheon at MVWSD’s district office for the Children”s Health Initiative and Healthy Start, featuring a speech on the county commitment to funding health care for poor children by County Supervisor Liz Kniss.
- Attended the graduation ceremony at Mountain View High School to celebrate David Ahnger-Pier’s graduation (Ellen’s stepson).
- Attended (late) the retirement party for outgoing MVWSD Asst. Supt. Modrite Archibeque. This was another lovely affair, held at a local restaurant managed by a former student of Modrite’s.

TH June 16th:
- Met with Supt. Yick for agenda planning for the 6/30 Board meeting.

Fri. June 17th:
- Met with the Board for a Special Board meeting in closed session for the 2nd round of supt. interviews.

Mon. June 20th:
    - Attended part of the beginning of this year’s MEC I training for math conceptual thinking, in which many teachers from MVWSD AND MVLAHSD were enrolled.

Tues. June 21st:
- Met with Aimee Marcich of Camino Medical Group regarding their grant to MVWSD to work with 2 schools, Landels and Bubb, on a program for healthy student eating.

Wed. June 22nd:
- Attended part of Day 3 of the MEC I training.
- Met with Board in closed session on new supt. contract negotiation.

TH June 23rd:
- Met with Board for site visitation and interviews of supt. finalist.

Sun. June 26th:
- Attended the League of Women Voters summer meeting featuring Congressperson Anna Eshoo. (Congresswoman Eshoo sent her regrets, as she was still working in WA DC. She asked for some dates in July for rescheduling [TBA].)

Mon. June 27th:
- Attended short Special Board meeting. 2 BIG HIGHLIGHTS:
[1] The Board happily and unanimously voted to approve a 4 year contract for NEW MVWSD SUPERINTENDENT, DR. MAURICE GHYSELS. (Click here to read the “Very Brief Biography of our New Superintendent,” which Ellen prepared and read aloud at this meeting, in introducing Dr. Ghysels to the community.) Following this vote, the signing of the contract by Ellen, as Board President and Dr. Ghysels, as new supt., and a warm, short speech by our new supt., the Board took a brief recess in order for members of the public to introduce themselves to him. (Go to www.mv-voice.com for their July 1, 2005 edition, to read more about this momentous event.. The Palo Alto Daily News and the San Jose Mercury News also sent reporters to this event, and published news stories about this appointment in their Tues. June 28, 2005, editions. As Ellen read in her statement: “We are happy to introduce Dr. Maurice Ghysels to our community. The Board believes he is an excellent fit for our school district, and will be an exceptional superintendent.”
[2] More than 10 years in the making, the school districts of MVWSD and Mountain View –Los Altos High School signed a Joint Powers Authority contract with the city’s Shoreline Regional Park to receive $400,000 each from property tax revenue every year for 15 years to benefit technology education for students of these school districts. This money is being placed in a “restricted fund” for this purpose, so will not go into the general fund to be available for any other use. This money is earmarked for technology because that is the “nexus” use determined by the Shoreline Regional Park that connects their use of land and the school districts’ permissible use of money. Supt. Yick and all Board members expressed much appreciation (and delight!) about this very welcome allocation of money, saying it fits perfectly with the #1 identified need from MVWSD’s recent Management Audit. (The following night the City Council of the City of Mountain View also approved this agreement. All three entities had to approve this agreement and use of funds in order for it to go into effect.) (Again, go to www.mv-voice.com for their July 1, 2005, edition to read more about this historic vote.)

TH June 30th:
- Attended last Regular MVWSD Board meeting of this school year; last Board meeting for retiring Asst. Supt. Modrite Archibeque; last Board meeting for retiring Supt. Eleanor Yick; with presentations of official Board Resolutions honoring both of them for their many years of service to schoolchildren in our area. This was a highly sentimental occasion.
     At this meeting the Board also heard a report of the year-long work by the district’s Emergency Preparedness Plan committee and the grant proposal for this work (TBD in late September).
    The Board also voted officially to create a separate fund for the restricted monies it will receive annually from the Shoreline Regional Park.
    In “Closing Comments” the Board reflected on its work this year.. . .and then everyone left.

Ellen reminds any reader of this calendar who is interested in getting onto the district’s “E-board” for emailed news of board agendas, meeting agendas, district news, etc., and CLUE memorandums (reports of State legislation that affects education) to send an email request to MVWSD’s supt. administrative asst., Kathi Lilga at:
klilga@mvwsd.k12.ca.us

Ellen thanks you for your interest in all these matters.

ELLEN’S MAY 2005 CALENDARED EVENTS

Sunday, May 1st:
- Attended the 3rd Annual “Meet Your Local Elected Officials” event put on by the Los Altos-Mountain View League of Women Voters. Ellen was also on the planning committee for this event for the 3rd straight year.
- Met Trustee Gloria Higgins for coffee.

Monday, May 2nd:
- Attended part of the 1st morning of GLAD demo. lessons for kindergarten and 1st grade teachers. This was a continuation of the GLAD instruction that was presented to MVWSD teachers earlier in the school year.
- Attended the AVID info. night at Graham.

Tues., May 3rd:
- Attended the monthly CAT meeting, where members continued discussion of Board translation policy.

Wed. May 4th:
- Met Kathi Lilga for lunch (Supt. Yick’s personal assistant).

TH, May 5th:
- Attended part of the last of this week’s GLAD demo. lessons for K/1 teachers.
- Attended the regular School Board meeting.

Fri. May 6th:
- Attended a performance by Landels School Mexican Folk Dance class.
- Attended the monthly informal lunch of Santa Clara Co. School Board Assn. members.
- Attended the Cinco de Mayo celebration at Graham.

Sat. May 7th:
- Attended State Senator Joe Simitian’s State of Education forum.

Sun. May 8th:
- Took Mother’s Day off!

Monday, May 9th:
- Met with Eleanor Yick to discuss upcoming board business.
- Met Marcela de Carvalho for lunch (MVWSD’s Director of English Language Programs)

Tues. May 10th:
- Attended the monthly District GATE committee meeting.
- Attended the monthly Budget Task Force meeting.

Wed. May 11th:
- Met with Eleanor Yick to review 5/19 agenda.
- Attended the 2nd meeting of the Parcel Tax Citizen’s Advisory Committee meeting/AKA “the MVWSD Special Tax Independent Citizen’s Oversight Committee.” The Board decided to name a Board rep. to this committee, since it has representation on all district committees and task forces. Ellen will be Board co-rep. to this committee, sharing this responsibility with Trustee Fran Kruss.

TH May 12th:
- Attended Challenge Team’s annual “Champions for Youth” breakfast.
- Attended the retirement party for outgoing supt. of Los Altos School District, Marge Gratiot.
- Attended Bubb’s 3rd fun academic content family and staff participation night of this school year. This time it was Language Arts; previously it was science and math.

Fri. May 13th:
- Helped as a volunteer at MVWSD’s 3rd annual GATE conference for 4th and 5th grade GATE kids. This was a wonderful event – fun and educational.
- Attended the graduation ceremony for this year’s class of Leadership Mountain View, which included Trustee Fiona Walter and Huff principal Craig Goldman, and some parents and a teacher from MVWSD. Ellen was privileged to be asked to pass out certificates to the graduates.

Sat. May 14th:
- Attended the annual meeting of the local League of Women Voters.
Mon. May 16th:
- Attended part of the GLAD demo. lesson held in Dolores Lopez’s 2nd grade classroom at Theuerkauf Elementary School for primary grade teachers
- Attended MVWSD’s 4th Annual Choralfest at Shoreline Amphitheater

Tues. May 17th:
- Attended a Board debriefing of the CSBA “New Beginnings” January workshop.
- Attended the baby shower for Marcela De Carvalho, MVWSD’s Director of English Learner Programs, and presented a baby gift to her from the Board of Trustees
- Attended Graham Middle School’s Open House.

Wed. May 18th:
- Met Trustee RoseMary Sias Roquero for breakfast.
- Attended the last Fiscal Oversight Advisory Committee meeting of this school year.
- Attended Crittenden Middle School’s Open House.

TH May 19th:
- Attended the Bubb student orchestra and band assembly
- Attended the Regular School Board meeting.

Fri. May 20th:
- Attended the “State of the Schools” speech by Santa Clara County Supt. of Schools Colleen Wilcoz.

Sat. May 21st:
- Attended Theuerkauf Elementary School’s 1st Annual Multicultural School Carnival.

Mon. May 23rd:
- Met with Bubb principal Ruth Willen.

Tues. May 24th:
- Attended part of the GLAD demo. lesson of Lynn Morehead’s 5th grade Theuerkauf class, held at the MVWSD district office portable #4, for upper grade teachers.
- Attended part of MVWSD’s Middle School GATE conference.
- Met with Supt. Yick for agenda planning for the 6/2 Board meeting
- Attended Bubb’s PTA meeting, where all attending members voted to approve the new PTA officers for the 2005-2006 school year.

Wed. May 25th:
- Attended the PTA Council Annual luncheon at Michaels restaurant at Shoreline, and participated in the standing ovation for retiring MVWSD Supt. Eleanor Yick upon her award of their “Golden Oak” award for lifetime service Retiring Los Altos School District Supt. Marge Gratiot was also given a standing ovation upon her award of their “Golden Oak” award for lifetime service.
- Attended Bubb’s Open House.

TH May 26th:
- Attended the Special Board meeting on policies.

Fri. May 27th:
- Met with Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Trustee Judy Hannemann.

Tues. May 31st:
- Attended the Silicon Valley New Teachers Program end-of-the-year reception and gave a brief speech congratulating and thanking all the 1st and 2nd year teachers of MVWSD who participated in this program all year.
- Attended the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee meeting.

ELLEN’S MARCH 2005 CALENDARED EVENTS

Wed. March 2^nd:

- Attended the monthly PTA Council meeting at Huff Elementary School.
- Attended a specially scheduled CAT meeting.

TH March 3^rd:

- Attended the regular Board meeting.

Fri. March 4^th:

- Met with Supt. Yick to review the Board agenda for the Special Board meeting at Castro Elementary School.
- Worked with her son at the Bubb Clean-up Day (vacuuming carpets).

Sunday March 6^th:

- Attended the LWV-sponsored forum on 𔄬School Choice” held at Los Altos Community Center.

Mon. March 7^th:

- Met with Supt. Yick re Board business.
- Attended the Special Board meeting where board members met with MVWSD’s supt. search firm, The Cosca Group. At this meeting all attendees re-introduced themselves, discussed the supt. hiring process we would use, and brainstormed on desired characteristics of the district’s superintendent candidates.

Tues. March 8^th:

- Attended the AM session of MVWSD’s MEC training (math) for district teachers, using a special math trainer.
- Attended the District’s Kindergarten Information Night, held at Landels Elementary School.

Wed. March 9^th:

- Attended the AM session of day 2 of the MMEC training, observing 2 classroom lessons and hearing pre-planning and debriefing.

TH March 10^th:

- Attended Challenge Team.
- Attended the 1^st of 2 Special Board meetings at Castro which were primarily Community Forums on school closure.

Fri. March 11^th:

- Was a “VIP Reader” in Ms. Baldwin’s kindergarten class at Monta Loma Elementary School.
- Attended the afternoon session of LMV Education Day, speaking as “an expert” following their case study on “Closing the Achievement Gap.” (Thanks go to Principal Alicia Henderson of Landels, Board member Gloria Higgins, and CAC member Todd McComb for that workup of a case study.)
- Attended the Landels “Spring Fling..”

Monday, March 14^th:

- Attended Bubb’s Kindergarten Information Night.

Tues. March 15th:
- Met with Supt. Yick to review the agenda for the 3/22 Special Board meeting.
- Attended Theuerkauf’s Kindergarten Information Night.

Wed. March 16th:
- Attended Huff’s AM Kindergarten Information meeting
- Attended the Special Board meeting at Castro (Study Session on 2nd Interim budget and 2nd Community Forum)

TH March 17th:
- Met with Stephanie Totter, MVWSD’s Director of Human Resources, to review the supt. search timeline.
- Attended Landels’ Kindergarten Information Night.

Fri. March 18th:
- Attended Monta Loma’s AM Kindergarten Information/Visitation

Sat. March 19th:
- Happily attended the CHAC benefit concert, featuring outstanding jazz pianist, Taylor Eigsti at LAHS

Tues. March 22nd:
- Met with Supt. Yick to review the agenda for the 3/31 Board meeting
- Attended the Special Board meeting, held at Graham Middle School, to discuss and vote on school closure. After months of learning, listening, and thinking the Board voted unanimously to vote to close Slater School, and create a “Magnet School” at Castro School, using Supt. Yick’s “Proposal #3.” The Castro Magnet School will have many features: the preschool program, which has parent participation and parent education has vital components; a kindergarten – 2nd grade with strong emphasis on literacy and English language acquisition; the current Dual Immersion Spanish/English program; the PACT program from Slater, which features parent participation and is developmentally based; AND the creation of a 3rd magnet. (The 3rd magnet will be created using school and community and district input . Ideas thought of in these very early stages are a science/technology program, or perhaps a performing arts program.) The Board also voted, 4-1 (Trustee Walter being the 1) to delay implementation of school closure for one year, to give teachers and the community time to plan an effective transition, create the best 3rd magnet, and allow time for the math research program led by Dr. Liping Ma to complete its 3-year program. The Board was also influenced in this decision by CFO Rebecca Wright’s 2nd Interim Budget presentation which showed no income next school year from closing a school, due to the lateness of the Board’s school closure decision and the lack of a known interested tenant for the closed school property.

(UPDATE from late April: Supt. Yick has started the work of creating a Transition Planning Team to discuss and address issues brought up by school closure. This Team will be made up of parents from all of the district schools, parents from the special programs (DI, PACT, and CEL), teachers, staff, and site administrators, the supt., a school board member, and a facilitator. It will begin meeting in May 2005, with the goal that its work is completed by December 2005.)

TH March 24th:
- Attended the Landels Kindergarten AM Information/Visitation

Monday, March 28th:
- Had lunch with the 2 consultants leading the MVWSD supt. search
- Led an Expulsion Hearing
- Met with Supt. Yick
- Attended the district-wide Elementary School Orchestra Concert, held at CSMA

TH March 31st:
- Attended the Castro Dual Immersion AM Kindergarten Info/Visitation
- Attended the Regular Board meeting.