Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Palo Alto Patch puts the call out to the community to highlight local graduates.
Got a grad? What better way to honor them than by posting a photo of your favorite graduate on the pages of the Patch? It's that time of year to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of hundreds of graduates at various grade levels throughout Palo Alto who will be walking the stage and receiving diplomas. We are in the process of creating a special photo gallery that will feature Palo Alto graduates - and those from Palo Alto who are graduating from regional colleges - and are putting the call out to Palo Alto Patch readers to send us your graduate's photos. We will be publishing the gallery as soon as we receive the first couple of photos and the community will be building the photo gallery as it counts down to graduation ceremonies …
Monday, May 14, 2012
Service to be held at Congregation Beth Am.
The family of a 19-year-old Palo Alto High School graduate who died from complications of a meningococcal disease that was diagnosed last month is holding a memorial service for her Saturday in Los Altos Hills. Meningococcal disease is best known for causing meningitis, which is the inflammation of protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord and has a high mortality rate if it goes untreated. Emily Benatar, who was in her first year at Washington University in St. Louis, died last Wednesday at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis with her family by her side, university Chancellor Mark Wrighton said. Benatar was one of the captains of the lacrosse team in her senior year at Palo Alto High School, helping guide the team to a 16-8 …
Friday, May 11, 2012
Paly also takes home awards at San Francisco Peninsula Press Club's 2012 High School Journalism Awards.
Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto took top honors at the San Francisco Peninsula Press Club’s 2012 High School Journalism Awards which were presented Thursday afternoon at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo. Gunn’s newspaper, The Oracle, was recognized as the first-place winner in the General Excellence category. The paper’s editor and advisor will be honored at the Press Club’s Evening of Excellence May 19 at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City. In all, 11 Peninsula high schools participated in the competition, which drew 419 entries in 12 categories from 223 students. Fifty students representing eight high schools won awards. The Outlook of Aragon High School in San Mateo took 12 awards, the highest number to a single school in the…
Monday, May 7, 2012
May 7-11 is PTA Teacher Appreciation Week.
From the one-room schoolhouses of the yesteryear to the high-tech classrooms of today, one thing remains constant in guaranteeing a good education---great teachers. And although teachers are often reminded of their contributions throughout the school year, the first full week of May has been reserved as the official time to celebrate those who open minds and form futures. Monday begins National PTA Teacher Appreciation Week, and Wednesday has been designated California Day of the Teacher. California's State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, is reminding students and parents to show their appreciation this week. “Teaching is the most important job there is,” Torlakson said in a statement. “Ask just about anyone about …
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Some say it's a great way to communicate with kids. Others say it's creepy. What do you think?
Should students and teachers ever be friends on Facebook? It's a new question school districts around the country are having to consider. In some cases, there's been inappropriate contact when the friending has occurred. According to the Huffington Post, a teacher in New York "friended several female students and wrote comments including 'this is sexy' under their photos." And this: "A substitute teacher sent a message to a student saying that her boyfriend did not "deserve a beautiful girl like you." At the same time, districts have to consider the academic benefits of social networking. There are some who say social media – particularly Facebook – can be an excellent means of communicating with today's youth, since a great majority …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo will appear Wednesday at Foothill Community to address loan rates, subject of election-year maneuvering this week, and kick off Latino Heritage Month.
Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo will visit Foothill College Wednesday to address students about the potential of student loan interest rate increases. Eshoo will be joined by Foothill student and business major Ashley Oropeza and Foothill College President Judy C. Miner, Ed.D., to discuss the impact to students if Congress allows the College Cost Reduction and Access Act in 2007. to expire on June 30. According to Eshoo's office, every year Congress fails to act the cost of paying for schools will increase approximately $1,000 more for students. The hourlong event starts at noon in Foothill's Campus Center Plaza. In addition to the student loan interest rate information presented by Eshoo, the event includes the kick off to the college's …
Sunday, April 29, 2012
The parent of a Sequoia High student is suing the school district for dropping his son from an honors class for cheating on homework; the action has drawn a national debate.
The pressure on high school students to achieve great things in order to get into a top college is immense, and scoring high in advanced placement classes is almost mandatory. But with high-pressure academics comes high standards. So when four students in an honors English class at Sequoia High School in Redwood City copied and shared homework, the consequences swift and serious. As reported last week in the San Jose Mercury News the four students accused of cheating were transferred to a lower level class, which prompted the father of one of the boys, Jack Berghouse, to file a lawsuit against the Sequoia Union High School District saying his son's rights were violated. The lawsuit has outraged many who say it students should face the …
Saturday, April 28, 2012
How much should parents invest in public schools to make them better? Are private schools the better alternative for parents?
(Editor's Note: This piece, soliciting reader opinion, posted Wednesday on the Half Moon Bay Patch site. By Friday afternoon, over 200 readers had voiced their opinions in a poll attached to the article, and 16 readers made comments. Clearly, the issue hits a nerve with many parents and non-parents. We wanted to get a wider range of opinion from all our Patch sites in San Mateo County. After reading the article, please let us know what you think, either in comments or by voting in our poll that follows the article.) +++++++++++ It’s the end of April, when many soon-to-be Kindergarten parents have already made their school choice for this fall. For many, deciding between public and private school for their child was a big part of the …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Students from socioeconomically disadvantaged families less likely to go to college.
Palo Alto students whose families are struggling to make ends meet are significantly less likely to go to college, according to a report presented to the School Board Tuesday night. Of the 828 high school graduates from the Class of 2011, 60, or seven percent, fell into the category of “socioeconomically disadvantaged,” or SED, according to a report by Diana Wilmot, Ph.D., research and evaluation coordinator for the Palo Alto Unified School District. Of those 60 students, 87 percent accepted offers to go to college. Only eight had no plans. These students are also predominantly underrepresented minorities, said Wilmot, and only one third of them are meeting so-called “A to G” requirements. University of California schools require those …
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Grants can be used for equipment, training, workshops or other learning tools.
The San Francisco Peninsula Press Club is offering grants to high school journalism programs. Grants can be used for: Grants will be awarded at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Peninsula Press Club. The grant program is open to all Bay Area high schools with journalism programs. Applications may only be submitted by the school's journalism teacher or class adviser. To apply, send a one-page letter on school letterhead with the following information: Grants will be considered year-round. Applicants will typically be notified within six weeks of receipt of the request. To apply, send the above information to penpressclub@comcast.net or to the San Francisco Peninsula Press Club, 4317 Camden Ave., San Mateo, CA …
Wendie Karel
2:30 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
I am so sorry for her and her family. more ›