The Burlingame Voice

SMUHSD board's misleading statement

In a (letter) dated January 20, 2007, the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees made assertions that the success of the district was riding upon the good works of the board and the districts' current administration. Despite the fact that the district fell into $3.5 million of financial disrepair under the stewardship of this board and that the current Superintendent Sam Johnson and Associate Superintendent Ethel Konopka have each received a 96% vote of no confidence, the board believes that the SMUHSD is in solid shape and prepared for the future. These claims are misleading should worry the public.

In its letter, the board cites the passage of the Core Curriculum as the reason for the district's increased API scores. Even though the district and the board have failed to collect any data which could validate this argument, the board believes that the implementation of the academic core has caused the increase in API scores. What is known about the Academic Core is that the board passed this initiative without conducting a financial or implementation analysis. After the passage of the Core Curriculum, it became apparent that the program could not be implemented without a seven-period day, a program that the district knew it could not afford under its current budget. The district imposed the seven period day upon the schools after it assembled and then ignored the recommendation of the parent-teacher-community based Seven Period Day Committee. This body only recommended the implementation of the program upon the passage of a parcel tax. Ignoring this sound financial advice has help to place the SMUHSD into its current position of financial distress as the board and administration desire the Academic Core, yet cannot pay for it out of current funds.

The district has failed to collect any data concerning the merits of the seven period day which has eliminated one hour per day of instruction for 60%-70% of the student population. The seven period day has also caused many students to be locked out? of essential courses because the school schedules are impacted and the courses or class loads prevent any movement. At BHS, a group of advanced math students were denied entry into honors geometry because the class was full and there were no alternatives provided.

The board continues to claim that the recovery plan adopted eliminated no classes or academic programs and all students remain in classes with teachers appropriately credentialed to instruct them.? The board's recovery plan gutted special education departments, destroyed library services, decimated essential support staff, and violated the contractual agreement on class size and class loads. When challenged to correct the class size problem as the ombudsman of the contract, the board ignored the rule of law and declared that the violation was an emergency action? and therefore did not qualify as a breach of the contract.

The board also claims that its Academic Core programs have lead to increased API scores of over 800 for half of its schools. The schools, Aragon (819), Mills (840), and Burlingame (804), represent the wealthiest communities in the district. While these scores are impressive, their growth reflects a normal pattern for similar schools and falters in comparison to similar communities such Acalanes High School (871) of Lafayette, Redwood High School (858) of Marin, Palo Alto High School (886), and Los Gatos High School (880).

The board also takes credit for the impressive 80 point API gain of Hillsdale High School. The teachers of Hillsdale High School researched, implemented and executed the Smaller Learning Communities in collaboration with Stanford University. The teachers and staff at Hillsdale made individual sacrifices in reducing staff to shift funds into the classroom to reduce class size. The teachers picked up many tasks on campus including cleaning their rooms in order to shift funds away from janitorial expenses and into the classroom. At the onset of the SMUHSD's financial debacle, the Smaller Learning Communities of Hillsdale High School were promptly sent to the chopping block by the district administration. If this program was of great value to student success then why was it placed as one of the first programs to be cut?

The program was saved only because the teachers at Hillsdale made more sacrifices in order to keep a program that they themselves had built.. If the district administration and the board are responsible for the enormous gains at Hillsdale High School then why were they so quick to put the program to death ? All of the credit for the success of Hillsdale High School goes to the teachers who initiated and sustained this program through their own work and personal sacrifice.

The board claims that its Open Enrollment program in Advanced Placement courses has lead to a 45% increase in passing scores over the last two years. Once again there has been no data collected to link the open enrollment program to the increase in passing scores. The open enrollment program is part of a national movement in Advanced Placement and was initiated at the local level by Superintendent Tom Mohr. The board's claim of local success for natural progression is a reach at best.

Over the past two years, the school sites have added Advanced Placement courses, which could account for the increase in passing scores. In short, the same AP students are now taking more AP courses and are receiving passing scores. Over a two-year period, the SMUHSD saw an increase of 330 students taking AP exams and an increase of 725 exams that received a passing score. There is no way to prove that these additional students are (1) part of the open enrollment process or (2) are the ones receiving passing scores. During this same period, the district also experienced an increase of 539 failing scores. It is reasonable to argue that the open enrollment contributed to the increase in passing scores, but it is not the sole factor as claimed by the board.

The board's failure to respond to the fiscal warnings of its Business Manager Robert Arnold and its willingness to spend down the financial reserves to .25% shows that it did not perform the duties that it now claims are central to its mission. ?The Board of Trustees has taken strong corrective action by adopting a recovery plan and is closely monitoring expenses and revenues as well as reviewing policies that could further improve our financial management and forecasting.? Had the board applied these principals in the first place, the district would not be in this financial mess. It is clear that the board lacks knowledge of the day-to-day operations of the schools and is relying upon information that it is fed by the district administration. It is the board's reliance upon this misleading information that got the district in trouble in the first place.

- Written by JC

Teachers in SMUHSD District

State now in teacher battle mix (Daily Journal)

A state office is upholding teachers' complaint of unfair labor practice in the San Mateo Union High School District for increasing the out-of-pocket medical expenses before completing contract negotiations. Classified employees in the district are following the lead of the teachers with plans to file a similar complaint over medical benefits, said Dwight Dunn, a special needs bus driver.

The California Public Employees Relations Board, known as PERB, issued a formal complaint against the San Mateo Union High School District for imposing reduced medical benefits on teachers before finishing the impasse procedures required by state law. Both groups decided to declare impasse after months of contract negotiations with a slight delay because of budget woes with no success. Now the district faces an unfair labor practice hearing. If found guilty, the district could be required to rescind the current medical package. I don't want to say this is a good or a positive thing but it's comforting to have a third party at least taking notice and investigating our claims further,? said Teachers Association President Craig Childress.

The teachers allege the district changed the medical plans costs in November prior to the end of contract negotiations an illegal act. The district, on the other hand, says it implemented a policy passed years ago that was never enforced. The district disagrees with the association's claims and presented to PERB preliminary evidence that it believes establishes that the district did not make any unilateral changes,? Superintendent Sam Johnson said in a press release. Rather, the district implemented the terms of the agreement that the district and the association reached in September 2005 that requires employees to make modest out of pocket contributions to their increased health care premiums pending the conclusion of negotiations regarding the 2006-2007 agreement.? Childress said the 2005 agreement being discussed has nothing to do with the tiered-benefit system and out-of-pocket expenses being imposed on the teachers. In fact, the plans are different from the language agreed upon at the time.

Under California labor law, a public employer may impose its last, best and final offer in negotiations only after going through the entire mediation process. Trustee Marcia Cohn-Lyle, however, said the complaint stems from a vote taken by the board two years ago imposing partial payment of medical benefit for district employees including administrators and board members. It's nothing unusual. Lots of businesses do this. ... We put a cap on the benefits two years ago but we did not enforce it until now. We enforced it and this is the result,? she said.

A hearing will be scheduled to discuss the unfair labor practices in the coming weeks unless the issues are solved before then. In addition to this charge, the teachers' association is also charging that the district committed other unfair labor practices during the negotiations over the past year, including: Regressive bargaining, surface bargaining, conditional bargaining, failure to respond to requests for data and abdicating its responsibility under law to bargain in good faith by improperly claiming it was following directives from the County Office of Education to hold medical costs at last year's level. The teachers and district employees plan to hold informational pickets before class at the various schools and after school at the district office on Thursday, Feb. 1.

Article in Burlingame Daily News

- Written by Fiona

Hold your Measure H Horses!

Measure H opponents brace for repeat (Daily News)

Residents who opposed Burlingame's failed Measure H bond for flood control improvements say they are wary that the city is considering a similar measure for the June ballot. The City Council is slated to vote on Feb. 21 whether to put a bond measure on the ballot or find another way to fund the improvements and repairs. Earlier this month, the council directed city staff to study the feasibility of introducing a $37 million bond measure with $2 million earmarked for retrofitting Burlingame's recreation center. Measure H, a $44 million bond initiative on the November ballot, fell about 2 percent short of the two-thirds approval it needed to pass.

"I think they are moving a little faster than we would like," Burlingame resident Richard Voon said of the City Council. Voon and other residents who rallied against Measure H argue that a new bond proposal would have the same problems. New homeowners would pay significantly more than longtime residents because the assessed value of their homes is higher, Voon said. Measure H called for property owners to pay $33 annually for every $100,0000 in assessed value. A new bond measure would reduce that figure to about $25. "It is Measure H, but I think the dollar amount is lowered because the payments are spread out," Voon said. If the $37 million bond measure is approved, 82 percent of it would be paid for by the property owners with the highest assessed value, Voon said.

Burlingame officials called bond opponents' concerns premature because the city is still exploring other options. "I don't think the council has decided at all," City Manager Jim Nantell said. "The general obligation bond is on the table and so is the community facilities district." If a community facilities district were created, property owners within the district would pay a certain amount of money for the flood control work based on certain criteria, such as whether the property is a house, multi-family residence or a business. Another option that was considered was a storm drainage fee in which every parcel in the city would have to be examined to determine what share of the costs its owner should pay. That option was rejected because of the significant time it would take to evaluate each property, Nantell said.

Measure H opponents have lobbied for the facilities district. "We have found other cities using alternative financing structures, primarily the community facilities district," said Measure H opponent Lorne Abramson. "The entire city of Mill Valley uses a district for storm drainage."

- Written by Fiona

Burlingame Hotel

Burlingame Hotel sheds its seedy image (Heather's article in the Daily Journal)

James Beatty, 57, sits in his room at the Burlingame Hotel in the city's downtown. Recent changes have improved the building for its residents and its neighbors, changes with which Beatty is pleased. Atop the boutique-filled floor of Burlingame Avenue resides tenants of the Burlingame Hotel taking in the view, the ambiance of the high-brow area and enjoying a lower cost option of living in the wealthy area.

The hotel has changed since its inception in the 1920s as a welcoming bed and breakfast to travelers to a housing option for many lower income level people in town. New business owners took over the place just over two years ago with hopes of revamping the space. In the past 10 years, crimes have diminished, updates to the site have begun and rooms are being rented out similarly to apartments rather than a hotel room. Still, lots remain on the to-do list of bringing up the hotel to its original excellence. Fifty-seven-year-old James Beatty knows firsthand how the facility has changed. Beatty, a 20-year resident of the Burlingame Hotel, moved in while going through a tough personal stint when he became unemployed. It was the cheapest place he could find. In 1985, rooms ranged from $100 to $150 per week. Now, residents pay $160 to $225 per week. The price range corresponds with the room amenities. Each room has its own bed, television, mirror and sink. Some rooms also include a personal bathroom, microwave and small refrigerator. There are community restrooms, each with a toilet and shower in the main hallways. The pinkish walls with crown molding complement the maroon carpeting throughout the facility. Beatty said the decor is the most noticeable change. His room which is tidy and feels a bit homey with a small couch and other additions he's put in faces the south side of the hotel overlooking the grassy area in the back of the post office. The clean-cut man said the biggest problem is noise from bar patrons late at night. In the late '80s and early '90s, Beatty remembers tough times, lots of noise and an increase in trouble problems that he said have since been reduced.

Keeping down the problems and fixing many of the room needs is a full-time job for the men who run the business, Arvind Desai and Matt Shabber. Clientele has changed from a place transients might stay after saving up a bit of cash, to working folks enjoying the proximity to the train station, those on welfare needing a short-term residence or anyone looking for an affordable option, said Desai. The business now runs like an apartment complex, with a basic credit check and deposit required for anyone wishing to stay up to 30 days. This was changed to protect the businessmen from individuals who prepay for a month's stay but then skip out on paying. It takes that long to establish a person's legal residence. At that point the rules of evicting someone change, said Shabber. The goal is to keep a good clientele, even the homeless who stay don't cause many problems, said Desai. Many updates, such as new fixtures in rooms, new paint and carpeting throughout the building, have taken place over the past two years. Big plans remain, however. Desai would love to see new windows installed, but he doesn't own the building. Projects that would require a change to the building are being discussed with the property owner, but there aren't plans currently.

The Frederick Lorton and Rehe Building was built in 1924 which at the time was at the corner of Burlingame Avenue. Construction stopped Burlingame residents as it brought the first steam-belching shovel to the Peninsula. The corner was originally the site of Burlingame's first building housing the Burlingame Grocery and Hardware Company along with Schmidt's Meat Market dating back to 1906. The address was changed from 285 Lorton Ave. to 287 Lorton Ave. its current location in 1929. Until the 1970s, the three-story building was the largest downtown. Architectural highlights from the original building can still be found today, like the blue vertical metal sign reading Hotel? on the building corner. The original design called for the building to house five stores on the floor level, with the upper two levels to be used for apartments and offices. Instead of offices and apartments, the Burlingame Hotel was born. At its inception the hotel was considered a place for travelers to stay, kind of like a bed and breakfast. Now, the residential hotel contains just under 60 rooms. It has been the site of rumors, arrests, deaths and long-term residents. A fire started from the spark of a tortilla steamer in the downstairs restaurant caused the 64 hotel occupants to be evacuated in 1984. In 1985, the hotel experienced considerable water damage when a sink in one of the rooms fell off the wall. A 30-year-old transient was staying at the hotel when he was arrested and charged with murder in 1987 for the death of a 26-year-old Burlingame woman. In 2004 a 61-year-old man died in his room of natural causes but went unnoticed for at least a week.

In the past 10 years the Burlingame police have fielded 1,083 calls from the Burlingame Hotel, said Police Chief Jack Van Etten. It may sound high, but Van Etten explains hotels produce about 1,000 calls into the department annually. Of the calls to the hotel, the number of crimes is relatively low. In 1997, 17 total crimes were reported. The number dropped to 12 in 2001 and to nine last year. Crimes are categorized in two ways according to the severity. The more severe crimes such as rape, theft, burglary or larceny account for five crimes in 1997, three in 2001 and nine in 2006. Lesser crimes such as trespassing and arson account for 12 crimes in 1997, nine in 2001 and none of the crimes in 2006. At one time the hotel was a short-term residence for many parolees, said Van Etten. This has since ceased to be the case, which may be one factor in the lower number of crimes, he said. The police department regularly checks to see who is living in the building both parolees and people registered under Megan's Law just to see who is spending time in the neighborhood. These statistics really show that problems have diminished. ... It says a lot about the hotel. A lot of the old crimes and issues have been cut in half,? said Van Etten. They have been cleaning up the location over the years.?

Rooms with personal bathrooms run as much as $225 a week. Residents pay as little as $160 a week for rooms with shared facilities.

- Written by Fiona

Where is our council on this?

SamTrans Board Battle Brewing

The San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) may again experience a bit of political turbulence. This time, it is not the appointment process of public members under scrutiny but that of an incumbent member's attendance record.

As it turns out, Daly City Councilman Mike Guingona who has served on the board for nearly a decade is being challenged by South San Francisco Councilmember Karyl Matsumoto who was apparently encouraged to run by city council colleagues in San Mateo County who complained about Guingona's allegedly abysmal attendance record.

According to records, Guingona's attendance at the monthly SamTrans meetings averaged about 25 percent in 2006, or one out of every four.

The hubbub surrounds the fact that the nine-member SamTrans Board of Directors is responsible for managing the county's bus and paratransit services and maintaining an approximately $80 million annual budget. But in addition to SamTrans' direct operations, it is also the fiscal agent for the San Mateo County BART extension and also serves as the operational command and control office for the three-county Joint Powers Authority that runs Caltrain.

In effect, SamTrans is a multi-faceted transit agency responsible for perhaps well over a hundred millions dollars in annual operating budgets, several agencies and the transit benefit for every city in the county.

The membership of SamTrans' Board of directors is comprised of the following, according to the SamTrans Web Site:

The district's Board of Directors consists of nine appointed members from various leadership positions in the community with the following composition:

Two members from the county Board of Supervisors
One transportation expert appointed by the Board of Supervisors
Three city councilpersons, appointed by the Cities Selection Committee. Each councilperson represents a judicial district in San Mateo County
Three public members, one of whom must reside on the coastside, appointed by the above six members

Guingona has served on the SamTrans Board as a city councilmember elected by his peers and will now be seeking his third term. By virtue of his position on SamTrans, he also sits on the San Mateo County Transit Authority (TA) which is responsible for doling out funds derived from the county's Measure A, -cent sales tax to fund local transit projects in local cities such as highway improvements and even local shuttle programs. Guingona's attendance on the TA Board has allegedly been equally abysmal, running about 30 percent, or appearing at three out of ten meetings in 2006.

Guingona has made much of late of his second career beyond his work as an attorney and Daly City Councilmember as a television host for two programs on the Filipino Channel found on the upper register of some cable systems. In particular, Guingona hosts the show Pingamulan? or, the Journey Home, which frequently takes him to the Philippines to return Filipino expatriates to their roots. A promotion of the program can be seen on YouTube.

Guingona has also been frequently absent from his Daly City Council meetings but his colleagues their have not publicly voiced concern. But Guingona's colleagues in other communities are beginning to question whether or not he can continue to be both international TV host and local policymaker at their expense.

In turn, Matsumoto will seek to give Guingona his walking papers at the next meeting of the local city council representatives who will evaluate Guingona's performance and take a plebiscite to see if they will give him another term. That meeting will be held on Friday, January 26, 2007 at 6:15 p.m. at the El Rancho Inn on El Camino Real in Millbrae, in the Terrace Caf .

- Written by politicalblunder

Magnolia-esque Reforestation

One way to add "trees" to a deforested Burlingame: (Palo Alto Weekly)

Palo Alto, the city of trees, will add a 40-foot-tall fake one to its leafy inventory, much to the disappointment of some Barron Park neighbors. The tree, described as "magnolia-esque" by one city planner, is intended to camouflage a cell-phone tower for service provider T-Mobile. It will stand in the parking lot of Blockbuster Video at 3990 El Camino Real. Five residents turned out for the Palo Alto City Council meeting Monday night to voice their opposition to the proposed plastic tree, which they called unsightly, unnecessary and even dangerous.

A representative for the phone company, William Stephens, said the tower would ensure optimal service to cell-phone users in the neighborhood. The tower would boost radio signals for about one-half to three-quarters of a mile, he said. Neighbor Edward Jones, however, held up a T-Mobile cell phone during his comments to the council, saying the reception he receives in his Barron Park home is just fine. The phone even works inside the Blockbuster store, he said. The proposal included conditions that the landlord, Toufic Jisser, landscape the parking lot and maintain the real foliage so the fake tree doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. But neighbors brought photos of the Blockbuster site that they said showed poor current landscape maintenance. They said they held little hope that Jisser would follow through on the promised landscaping connected with the tower.

The council approved the plan 4-2, with Mayor Jim Burch, Vice Mayor Judy Kleinberg, and Council members LaDoris Cordell and Jack Morton supporting it. Council members Yoriko Kishimoto and Hillary Freeman opposed the tower, and Council members Bern Beecham, Dena Mossar and Victor Ojakian were absent. Palo Alto has a handful of other cell-towers-cum -fake-trees, including one at Fire Station No. 2 on Hanover Street. They are typically modeled after evergreen or redwood trees. The Blockbuster tree will be the city's first broadleaf-style cell tower.

Palo Alto Managing Arborist Dave Dockter was the one intereviewed on the news tonight and showed the faux trees. (more info) Many of the improvements to sidewalks, etc. could not have been done without the installation of the fake trees. Something to ponder!

- Written by Fiona

BHS math department votes to keep freshman honors

I normally wouldn't post any results from the BHS math department's discussions but there have been many rumors on this board about the fate of freshman honors at BHS so I thought I would interject some facts into the discussion to perhaps prevent things from spinning out of control. Our math department voted this morning to keep/continue our Advanced Standing geometry course. The course isn't a true 'freshman course' as the class isn't composed of 100% freshman (as opposed to, say, 9th grade honors English), but the vast majority of them are. Therefore, since social science and English are discussing the fate of their 9th grade honors courses at BHS, our department felt we should discuss our predominantly 9th grade advanced course. In the end, it seems our vote to keep the course was fairly easy for the following reasons:

The level of rigor provides excellent preparation for our future advanced courses (precalculus and calculus). The teachers of those courses noted how much better prepared students who went through the AS geometry class were. In fact, the calculus teacher got overwhelming feedback from her students themselves (the ones who had taken the AS geometry class several years earlier) about how well it prepared them rigor-wise/expectation-wise for her high-powered class.

In detracking the curriculum (eliminating honors level classes and putting all of the students in the same geometry class or all in the same English class, etc.), all of the students are taught the same material at the same level. The idea then is that the level of the class will be somewhat lower than the honors class and somewhat higher than the old regular' class. This would push/challenge the lower-level student to their fullest ability which is a very good thing. However, we discussed that ALL students, including those at middle and high level abilities should have that right also. That is, the right to maximize ones abilities in a classroom doesn't just belong to the lower-level student. Tracking (having different level classes) provides this. Lower-level students are placed in a class and the level of the curriculum is set at a level that pushes them to their fullest ability. Likewise, higher-level students are placed in a different class and the curriculum for that class is set a much higher level that pushes the highest-level students to their full ability.

We also discussed the fairly recent theory offered by the district administration that through differentiated instruction' that students of all abilities can be put into a single classroom and have all of them challenged by providing different levels of instruction/assignments/problems/etc. to the class. This made ABSOLUTELY NO sense to us because it is still tracking (students are simply tracked' within a single class) but it does so far less efficiently so that students at each level lose out (as well as the teachers) because:

1. With only one teacher in the classroom, the teacher can only be explaining at one level at any particular time. When I am focusing on the lower level student, then I'm not focusing on the needs of the higher level student and vice versa. This is an incredibly large issue in math. For example, I teach the AS geometry class mentioned in this post. In that class I am completely focused on pushing those advanced kids as far as they can possibly go. I don't worry about spending time reviewing the same topic over and over or doing 6 similar examples of the same concept. The reason why I can do this is because I am not worried about moving too fast/confusing the lower level student. We focus almost exclusively on very challenging problems and it moves at a very fast pace. The lower-level student also equally benefits in tracking. I happen to teach the geostats course at BHS, which is the lowest level geometry course we offer. In that class I break apart each concept to the most elementary level, taking a significant amount of time explaining it. I also tend to bring it back several times in the same class period to make sure they still remember its properties and explanations. Likewise, I also tend to do several examples of each problem. They rarely are able to get a problem right on the first example or two of a new type of problem. However, I get the pleasure of seeing them finally understand and apply a new concept when we do several examples (in fact, these are some of my favorite teaching moments). I am able to take the necessary time and tailor the curriculum to truly meet their needs and push their abilities in this class (yes, I make absolutely certain that I am still pushing their abilities to a place just a bit outside their comfort zone). I am able to spend such substantial time and be that repetitive because I am not worrying any higher level students being bored or not challenged. I am focused exclusively on breaking down concepts into simpler parts and thoroughly making sure they understand them.

2. it's also much more work for the teachers because the teacher needs to create several different lessons for each class period. It seems pretty likely that some days there simply wouldn't be differentiated instruction.

In short, when compared to normal tracking, differentiated instruction had the unique properties of still being tracking, being inferior in several important ways and simultaneously not offering a single advantage!

I would think that the vast majority of these pro-con arguments about tracking and honors level curriculum would be applicable to other subject areas such as science, social science, English, etc. However, since my specialty is not in those areas, I could not say for certain.

Our department was told earlier this year by BHS administration that the decision to continue or eliminate the course the AS geometry course was to be made by the department itself. Therefore, I would assume and hope that the course will continue to be offered next year and in the future.

Mike Skrable
BHS Math Teacher

- Written by JC

Design Review?

Something has happened regarding our much touted Design Review process. Though I realize it isn't possible to catch every single ugly house that comes through, it should be possible to catch the really bad ones.

Please note the home on the 400 block of Bloomfield. No, it isn't blessed with a turret, like a bunch of news ones, it just looks like a big, fat barn, with the garage shoved to the front, to boot. All it needs is a few animals, but alas, no green space to graze.....Maybe it never went to Design Review--an even scarier thought?

I know the Planning Commission is probably the hardest, most time-consuming job around, but "architecture" like this (let's just say 'Barn Brute') really shouldn't fall through the cracks and make me long for the days when the "Height Envelope" was the enforced norm.

- Written by Jen

SMUHSD- Financial Disaster Myth?

Why are two neighboring Basic Aid school district able to sign new contracts with salary increases for teachers and the SMUHSD cannot? This just goes to show what good financial planning can do for a district.


Palo Alto School district inks union contracts
Unions representing Palo Alto Unified School District's teachers and classified personnel have agreed to tentative labor contracts that call for them to get a 5 percent pay raise this year and retain the same benefits.

The raises have been made retroactive to the start of the district's fiscal year, July 1, but raises for the next two years of the contracts have not been determined. The agreements also allow the district and the unions to renegotiate two contract articles per year.

Entry level teachers will now earn $48,943 a year and the highest paid teachers will get $98,835.

The teachers' contract includes a $1,450 a year stipend to middle school teachers who work on two campuses a day. The stipend only applies to a handful of teachers and is intended to compensate them for the time they spend driving from campus to campus during what would be their preparation period, said Assistant Superintendent Scott Bowers.


Sequoia Teachers, district OK contract
The new agreement calls for an immediate 2 percent raise retroactive to July 1, 2006. Teachers will receive a 3 percent raise July 1, 2007 and a 4 percent raise July 1, 2008.



These teachers are in the classroom teaching and the students are learning. The morale is high and the students and parents are content. I don't think we can say the same for the SMUHSD. Its time for some answers.

- Written by JC

Broadway, the TV Star!

Broadway getting new life (Burlingame Daily News)

Broadway in Burlingame is in` the midst of a renaissance, with a new bakery and more restaurants keeping the area bustling well into the evening hours. A handful of restaurants have opened in recent years along the four-block drag, with the most recent additions being the Broadway Grill and Rocca Ristorante. Chocolate Mousse Bakery's owner, Dana Kern, opened her shop after seeing the city advertise that a bakery was needed. "I grew up in Burlingame, so I really am familiar with Broadway," Kern said. She looked at other locations, but her familiarity with the street and the city's advertisement convinced her Broadway was the best place. Business has been good, she said.

"The night business was not there, and now at night you've got the restaurants packed," said John Kevranian, owner of Nuts for Candy and a board member of the Broadway Improvement District. "Give (Broadway) another 18 months and it will be very busy because we've got a few more restaurants that will be opening." A cafe and a Mediterranean restaurant are among the businesses slated to open soon. Kevranian has witnessed Broadway's transformation from a service-oriented business district to one with a little bit of nightlife. He has been in business for 12 years and his parents owned Harold's Shoe Repair on the street for 21 years before they retired six years ago.

The changes have earned Broadway some local recognition. It was featured earlier this week on CBS 5's "Eye on the Bay." Several businesses, including Rocca Ristorante, the Broadway Grill and the mouth-watering goodies at the Chocolate Mousse Bakery were spotlighted, along with Broadway Prime's steaks. It also featured Burlingame Mayor Terry Nagel promoting the area as she led a reporter on a tour of the street. She noted that finding parking on the street is no longer as easy. The publicity has already had an effect, said one Broadway business owner. "Right away people called and made reservations," Rocca Ristorante co-owner Haci Kurt said. "It is wonderful for the whole street." Kurt opened the restaurant with his brothers Orhan and Burhan. He has worked in the restaurant business on Broadway for 16 years, and said its low rents and growing popularity make it an attractive area to do business.

"The show will help the business district and educate the public about who we are," Kevranian said. "Businesses on Broadway are mostly owned by families, they are mom-and-pop businesses. The restaurants are improving the street because they are spending a lot of money redoing entire facilities."

- Written by Fiona