By: 4:30 am on March 11 A new affordable housing project has been proposed for development at its project site located at 2940 Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose, Santa Clara County The project proposal includes the construction of a new six-story affordable housing complex offering four hundred units and parking in the heart of the neighborhood The project needs to demolish a long-time vacant hardware store on the site The Pacific Companies is responsible for the development. Orange County-based AO is responsible for the design Site development permit have been submitted to allow the demolition of two vacant commercial buildings and the removal of 59 trees (including 17 ordinance trees) The scope of work includes the construction of a six-story multifamily residential building with podium parking The project will bring 400 units as 100% affordable units The project is subject to the State Density Bonus Law with waivers and incentives for the rear building step back As covered previously the developers are expecting to utilize state tax credits and the 4% bonds to finance construction though the specifics for that are uncertain given the preliminary nature of the proposal for 2940 Alum Rock Avenue Once entitlements and financing are secured construction is expected to start within a year and be ready for occupancy two years after groundbreaking The project site spans an area of 3.4 acres and is located on the south side of Alum Rock Avenue. A project review meeting has been scheduled for March 12, 2025, details of joining can be found here Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews I wonder if the project is using AB 2011 or SB 423/35 If not — Let’s get affordable housing projects approved faster and not be held back by unnecessary community meetings or any discretionary processes Would be nice if they could add some color or interest to the façade The headline says a project review meeting is scheduled The over/under for a construction shovel in the ground is three years and I’m taking the over San José is blessed with one of the best climates in the world Let’s have more outdoor dining facing the streets I agree with Chrissy: splash these new buildings with color Provide artists with the opportunity to create beautiful murals These actions not only improve the lives of the residents but draw visitors who generate excitement and revenue ga('send', 'event', ‘Robert ‘Becker, 'Impression', 'https://sfyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/desktop-ad.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ADVERTISEMENT ga('send', 'event', 'SF YIMBY', 'Impression', 'https://sfyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/sfyimbyadnews.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ga('send', 'event', 'SF YIMBY', 'Impression', 'https://sfyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/sf-yimby-dot-com-graphic.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); Follow on Instagram © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY LLC Get San José Spotlight headlines delivered to your inbox East San Jose school leaders have made the final decision about which campuses in the financially struggling district will close The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees voted unanimously on Monday to close six schools for the 2025-26 school year but plans to reopen one of them the following year Three schools will be consolidated and three redesigned “For us to maintain local control and keep our programs a savings of $10 million and for 25-26 school year we need to find another $10 million,” Cerda said at the meeting “This year the closings are the first step This is an opportunity for us to reimagine an Alum Rock that is going to have more resources This is going to be an opportunity for us to maximize those resources that our students need that our sites need in order for us to prepare our students with a brighter future.” The majority of the school closures and consolidations will go into effect at the end of the 2024-25 school year and others the following year Dorsa and Donald Meyer elementary schools are closing Joseph George Middle School and Renaissance Academy at Fischer are closing with its program to be consolidated with Renaissance at Mathson Aptitud Academy and Hubbard Media Art Academy will be redesigned to serve transitional kindergarten to fifth grade students Cesar Chavez Early Learning Center will continue with pre-kindergarten with its transitional kindergarten and kindergarten grades relocating to San Antonio Elementary Learning in an Urban Community with High Achievement will consolidate to San Antonio Elementary Ben Painter Elementary will consolidate with William Sheppard Middle School retaining the English and Vietnamese dual language immersion programs Adelante II Academy will merge into Adelante Dual Language Academy “This is a moment of great anguish and sadness Nobody wants to have schools closed or consolidated,” Pham said adding many of these schools served residents for three generations “This plan … protects as many programs as possible The district’s move to close the campuses is the result of multiple factors, including a $20 million budget deficit and the loss of temporary COVID relief funds It’s been compounded by a districtwide drop in enrollment from more than 10,000 students in 2015-16 to a projected 7,270 students in 2024-25 Pham said the district had to make these decisions in order to create a balanced budget that could be approved by Santa Clara County and prevent a state takeover “I’ve always believed there was a much more targeted way we could have done this,” Pham told San José Spotlight “I have tried to work with my colleagues in the most collaborative manner possible to mitigate and soften the blow to our kids and our families.” Criteria for school closures include a district equity analysis the condition of existing facilities and recent renovations special programs and the cost savings needed district spokesperson Sergio Diaz Luna said Staffing will be reduced districtwide to help close the budget shortfall Chavez said closing schools will revamp the district “They deserve better than we’ve been providing,” she said Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" The Board claimed that they knew what they were doing when they allowed – and that proliferation allow so many students to remain out of the financial accountability to the District Those funds could have been used to support the District some Board Members help to remove ‘Dolores Marquez’ who fought Charter Schools in the District Welcome to the world of your own creation Alum Rock School District Next time Bote after YOU INVESTIATE THE CANDIDATES – INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO “SNAKE OIL SALESMAN” that promised you a better tomorrow pleasetry not to swallow the “Kool-aid” next election The School District should immediately move to create a “20 to 1” They also need to improve their “Gifted” Progams Less students equal a better School Site Average of “Students to Teachers” “20 to 1” allowed Teachers to Teach and not just handling students like beef in a Corral Alum Rock Parents need to Stop Crung about the School Closing Those Parents need to Elect a whole new Board that needs to move the WHOLE DISTRICT to “20 to 1” San Jose Unified did that and my Daughter Graduated at 16 You must be logged in to post a comment San José Spotlight is an award-winning nonprofit newsroom dedicated to fearless journalism that disrupts the status quo holds power to account and paves the way for change We’re changing the face of local journalism by building a community-supported newsroom that ignites civic engagement educates residents and strengthens our democracy 408.206.5327[email protected] Submit a News TipSubscribe to our newsletters San José Spotlight is a project of the San José News Bureau a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128 ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " consolidate 3The district is faced with a $20 million budget deficit The Alum Rock Union School District Board of Trustees voted to close six schools and consolidate three as district faces $20 million budget deficit.SAN JOSE (KGO) -- Students and parents in San Jose are faced with an unsettled future families packed the Alum Rock Union School District board meeting After months of different proposals, the Board of Trustees made their final decision to close six schools and consolidate 3 "I'm upset because as a parent I want the best for my kids that's why I went to a school of choice," one parent said parents and teachers and community members tried to advocate against the decisions to close or combine schools RELATED: Students, parents rally as another San Jose school district considers closures Trustee Minh Pham said no proposal was perfect "This is a moment of in a sense great anguish you know and I've stated very clearly it's a school board member's nightmare," Trustee Pham said The district is faced with a $20 million budget deficit The district created a "community committee" with parents like Lisa Tuthill to weigh in on how they can budget $10 million in savings for the 2024 school year and the following school year "They looked at our proposal and said -oh you didn't meet the $10 million which their proposal didn't either," Tuthill said RELATED: 10 San Jose schools may close or consolidate due to $20 million budget deficit, district says Tuthill said the biggest frustration is feeling the board is not listening to the community I have looked at this very strategically along with a lot of the other parents and it doesn't make sense and it's very clear it's very political," Tuthill said It takes sixth grader Julianna Escobar two minutes to walk from home to her middle school Renaissance at Fischer that is now set to close "It would be new for me also because I don't know how I would get there MORE: How San Francisco Unified's new superintendent plans to tackle budget deficit, save school district made of working class and immigrant families will now have one elementary school because the district has already closed schools there Olivia Ortiz has lived in the Mayfair Community for 18 years She's always tried to be involved in the district when her kids started school "It's not fair that we keep getting the hit all the time and you ask yourself why Why is Mayfair getting the hits all the time," Ortiz said The changes could go into effect next school year By: 5:00 am on November 15 Business Development Partner for The Pacific Companies confirmed that the project does not use any State laws intended to streamline the approval process for affordable housing “this is the traditional entitlement route I think it’s more appreciated on the community side.” Berberian emphasized that much of the public feedback received so far has been positive highlighting the input from the Alum Rock Village Action Committee “So far the response I’m getting is that everyone is happy that we are redevelopment the old Orchard Supply… You got two pluses here the great need for affordable housing and the rehabilitation of an underutilized site.” The 81-foot tall structure will yield around 404,300 feet and 18,750 square feet of common open space with three hundred spaces in mechanized stackers Additional space will be provided for 100 bicycles Orange County-based AO is responsible for the design The podium-style apartment complex will feature the familiar aesthetic treatment articulated with a range of stucco tones The white stucco exteriors and red concrete tile roofing are intended to express a Spanish revival aesthetic Residential amenities will be centralized on the second floor 2940 Alum Rock Avenue seen from Rose Avenue 2940 Alum Rock Avenue second-level floor plan The 3.4-acre site had been occupied by the Orchard Supply Hardware store until 2018 when the company announced bankruptcy and the closure of all 99 storefront locations the company operates just over a dozen locations across California under new ownership Future residents at 2940 Alum Rock Avenue will be next to the Alum Rock public library branch and near the scenic Foothills neighborhood The developers are expecting to utilize state tax credits and the 4% bonds to finance construction The Planning Community Meeting is scheduled to start Monday, November 18th, starting at 6 PM. The event will be held on Zoom. For more information about how to attend and participate, visit the meeting agenda here This is the density that the transit-rich Alum Rock Ave area can support and should have The entire stretch between Capitol and White is underutilized and if a savvy developer were to pick up adjacent parcels they could make something nicer than just parcel-by-parcel one-offs Minor nitpick: Orchard didn’t technically go bankrupt and the OSH chain as a whole was profitable just not profitable enough for the Lowe’s CEO’s taste Orchard was another example of how smaller stores with good customer service were axed in favor of the big-box experience of lack of inventory and poorly paid overworked staff who know little to nothing about the merchandise or how the merchandise is used Now the only hardware option in the area is the always-crowded Home Depot on Story with the nearest Lowe’s a lot further A vacant building in East San Jose will be replaced with hundreds of affordable homes A 100% affordable housing complex was approved at 2940 Alum Rock Ave across from James Lick High School March 12 at Planning Director hearing The 50,900-square-foot development would construct 400 homes and demolish two vacant buildings to make way for a 6-story multi-family residential building Homes at the apartment complex are expected to be affordable for residents who make 80% of the average median income — which in Santa Clara County is $181,300 for a family of four or $126,900 for individuals representative for developers The Pacific Companies said they addressed concerns about traffic by increasing their budget for traffic-calming measures from $40,000 to $100,000 Developers are also partnering with the city department of transportation for a car sharing program The membership-based program would provide 100% electric car sharing services 24/7 on the property “We’re working with the city on the (parking) spaces for a car share program, which I think is absolutely phenomenal,” he said Wednesday. “We really tried to do everything we can to fill up the massive need for more affordable housing but also be very mindful of the community and our neighbors.” was once home to a drive-in burger restaurant called The Golden Point The city planning department said the project is one of the largest affordable housing developments in recent years. said his office worked with The Pacific Companies to reduce the effects on the neighborhood the developers pledged to create 401 parking spots to prevent congestion and overflow parking on streets While the city eliminated its minimum parking requirement for new housing developments Berberian said they wanted to be mindful about parking concerns Living just a few blocks from the future affordable housing complex, Ortiz said the soon-to-be demolished vacant building was a major source of crime and blight, which was often discussed by the Alum Rock Village Action Committee “It’s important to me that whatever this development is it’s done right in partnership with the community,” Ortiz said Wednesday “Whether it’s concerns regarding environmental issues or concerns about traffic Alum Rock Village Action Committee representative Shannon Sapien said the group is actively engaging with The Pacific Companies “They have shown an openness to making sure the structures blend seamlessly with one another creating a cohesive and attractive streetscape we have emphasized the importance of green spaces within the developments,” Sapien told San José Spotlight “This ongoing dialogue is a crucial part of ensuring that the new developments serve both the practical and cultural needs of our community.” The Pacific Companies were able to waive green and open space requirements at Wednesday’s meeting allowing them to avoid eliminating homes from their plan “I want to express my vehement opposition to any reduction or elimination of the open space of this huge project which is rather outsized for the area,” 36-year resident Trudy Ellerbeck said on Wednesday business developer of The Pacific Companies said it’s too early in the process to talk about potential financing options for the ambitious development Mathew Reed, former policy director of housing advocacy group SV@Home, said this is an opportunity to bring more affordable homes into a neighborhood where existing residents are struggling to afford homes Mixed-income developments create opportunities for a range of people “We have thousands of people who are spending more than they can afford on rent and we need to continue providing real opportunities for those who are considered middle class — but are nonetheless struggling with rent payments in our community,” Reed told San José Spotlight Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X Not the people on the Eastside who are getting priced out of their apartments If residents need to make $120K to live there It’s also taking funds from affordable housing pools as well as using our limited space That building looks like the former Orchard Supply Hardware on Alum Rock I’ve been there 25 years or more and don’t recall a drive in burger joint anchoring that location ~$125,000 (I) – ~$180,000 (F) is a lot of money So sad people making that are struggling to pay rent Alum Rock has been a clusterf**k for the last few years as it’s constantly being worked on I’ve lived off Alum Rock for the last 20 years and the traffic is bad enough and getting worse San Jose really does hate it’s people I swear They let developers come here and do whatever the hell they want as long as they make a buck The Residents of the East Hills are are expected to switch to McKee Road or Take White Road to Story Road with the congested Traffic on Alum Rock Avenue going West towards the Freeways THE CITY TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SAID THEY WANT TRAFFIC TO GET SO BAD ON ALUM ROCK AVENUE THAT COMMUTERS WILL GET FED UP AND TAKE VTA then ask the San Jose Department of Transportation – THEY SAID IT TO COUNCILMAN ORTIZ AND EAST VALLEY LEADERS The Transportation Department admitted in that same meeting that they have no clue how the other 1,500 residents are going to get to Alum Rock Avenue from their Driveways facing the Fire Station and Ceder Lane Neighborhood Chaotic Traffic every morning between White Road and Capitol Avenue on Alum Rock Avenue because the City refuses to study the impact on Alum Rock Avenue from Development that is not built yet THE CITY IS NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT BEING REACTIVE THE CITY IS NOT THINKING ABOUT THIS AREA AT ALL Darren offered to help pay for Traffic Moderating Improvements because he wants to – NOT BE THE PROBLEM!!!! The other Buildings West of the Orchard Hardware site have no direction for exiting their buildings from the City that they have relayed to the Community -ARVAC That means there will be 1,600 cars making a left turn from their Housing Units onto West Bound Alum Rock Avenue – EVERY MORNING!!!! IMPLORE YOU TO TEST MY STATEMENTS BY ASKING THE CITY TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IF I AM REPORTING THEIR STATEMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COUNCILMAN ORTIZ CORRECTLY What is the Plan for moving the New Residents from their RENTAL Living Units – ON TO ALUM ROCK AVENUE WHY IS THE CITY NOT TALKING TO THE ROSE AVENUE RESIDENTS AND THE AJOINING NEIGHBORHOODS RESIDENTS TO LET THEM KNOW THEY ARE ABOUT TO BE – NEGATIVELY PARKING IMPACTED BY PARKING OF THE INVADING RESIDENTS OF THE NEW BUILDINGS THE EXIT TO CAPITOL AVENUE IS CONGESTED NOW… WHAT IS THE CITY TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT PLANNING TO DO SO THAT THE RESIDENTS AROUND THE NEW BUILDINGS WILL NOT BE EXTRA IMPACTED BY THE INVADERS – PARKING OR MOVING TOWARDS WHITE AND CAPITOL AVENUE ON ROSE AVENUE WHAT ARE THR CITY TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT PLAN FOR OUR STUDENTS WALKING TO SCHOOL.ON THE SIDEWALK DURING HEAVY COMMUNTE TRAFGIC LEAVING THE RENTAL HOUSING UNITS What is the plan at WHITE AND ALUM ROCK AVENUE for crossing our students during Commuter Traffic Hours when 700 Residents are going to be forced to make a right onto Alum Rock Avenue and go up to White Road to make a U-tun to go West Are the Rose Avenue Fire Gates going to be locked to prevent Outside Access to the new Buildings and Property What are the Department of Transportation plans to make sure that the Fire Department can easily leave to EMERGENCIES during Commuter Traffic Hours Look – Darren in not the bad guy or the Enemy The City is not the only people that can think about improving Traffic Conditions We do not need a Degree to look into the future by studying Traffic History This is my opinion with the Traffic History I know Several policies proposed back up your point about forcing people into using public transit by building giant apartment buildings with nowhere near sufficient parking in already congested areas Council has discussed giving existing residents “permits” while not offering them to new tenants of these giant apartments – basically trying to compel them to ditch their cars Or developers trying to incentivize tenants in others ways to get rid of their cars before leasing up in an apartment It’s absolutely ridiculous the way in which New especially looking at the current VTA strike going on weeks now They need to scale down density and provide parking while making necessary infrastructure updates so existing communities and new tenants aren’t caught up in a total traffic and parking quagmire Of course they are mostly placing these developments in working class areas of East SJ and downtown where they’ve already sent the message our voices dont matter You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] the school district halted its plans to demolish the property in the hopes of finding a local partner the nonprofit organizations offered to renovate and lease the facility co-executive director of the School of Arts and Culture “We believe that East San Jose deserves a space that reflects the resilience and aspirations of its people,” Paz-Cedillos told San José Spotlight “Our organizations envision MACSA as a space where students can access after-school programs that foster creativity and leadership where parents can find support services that promote stability and where residents can engage in workforce training programs that create pathways to financial security.” An assessment will be conducted to determine the cost of renovating the 30,000-square-foot building Previous assessments ranged from $10 million to $30 million The School of Arts and Culture and SOMOS Mayfair are asking the district for a long-term lease and in-kind rent and plan to pursue private funding state and federal grants and launch a capital campaign The renovation is slated for March 2026 to December 2027 San Jose Councilmember Peter Ortiz  said MACSA is a cornerstone of East Side’s history and development MACSA provided a comprehensive network of support for our Latino youth and families,” Ortiz said at the meeting urged the board to support restoring MACSA for the neighborhood’s youth.“We’re aware of the fiscal crisis,” he said “But I think there’s an even greater crisis here and that’s the crisis of hopelessness Too many of our young people are feeling hopeless Work together and do something.”Community supporters showed up en masse following a call to action on social media by the Si Se Puede Collective the audience broke out in a chant of “Si Se Puedes.” “For our youth Parent Dilza Gonzalez urged the board to consider the needs of the East Side community suffering anxiety due to ICE raids “We’re living in a moment where we have a federal administration telling our community and our kids that they are not welcome “They are creating a war against our community Show them that you care and this is a safe place for them That was what MACSA was for me … and what we want to continue.” Vasquez and Paz-Cedillos say they are committed to restoring MACSA as a hub for youth development workforce training and family support services You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] An East San Jose school district plans to close numerous campuses due to an enormous budget deficit An Alum Rock Union School District committee is recommending closing 13 of its 21 schools due to declining student enrollment with families moving out of the area, lower birth rates and a steady loss of students to charter schools. On top of that, the loss of temporary COVID relief funds leaves the district with a $20 million budget deficit The school district has a population of about 8,000 students. Its schools recommended for closure or consolidation include: Aptitud, Cassell, Cesar Chavez Learning Center Renaissance at Fischer and Renaissance at Mathson “Our district funds are currently spread across school facilities that are underutilized; by reallocating our resources, we can better support essential programs that foster academic and personal growth for all our students,” Superintendent Germán Cerda said in a letter sent to the school community on Thursday Cerda said he’ll recommend closing eight schools and consolidating two based on committee input as well as feedback from discussions and town hall meetings with families in the district 4 and present his recommendations to the board of trustees Nov The board will make the final decision on Dec with closures taking effect in the 2025-26 school year It still has to go to the board,” Trustee Minh Pham told San José Spotlight adding there is a possibility to close fewer schools by reducing administration at the district office “There are inefficiencies at the district office that we need to look at with an eye toward protecting as many schools as possible protecting as many special programs as possible and protecting the kinds of facilities that allow us to offer more programs than charter schools like music ARUSD Board President Linda Chávez agreed with Pham’s assesssment “It is premature information,” Chávez told San Jose Spotlight the five Trustees will be making the final decisions and the recommendations are just that Pham said the projected budget deficit requires a shared sacrifice by the beleaguered school district “Every part of the district will need to pitch in so that all parts of the district make it out in one piece,” he said “My eye has always been foremost the protection of student’s families and those who serve Alum Rock fewer students equate to fewer state dollars for local education He said the inequality in state funding hurts districts like Alum Rock reviewing multiple data points to identify under-enrolled schools that can be consolidated and programs to save He said he’s making it a priority to improve communication with district families We have to get through this and hopefully being leaner we can reimagine a better Alum Rock Union School District and focus on what matters most Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] Some of the Elected Officials helped remove Dolores Marquez They talked the Community into Voting Dolores out They installed new School Board Members who have now – LOST THE DISTRICT She was the one that was watching the money that is now gone I was recently at a meeting where a Board Member for Alum Rock he blamed the Charter Schools that he supported The Voters in the Alum Rock School District have nothing to complain about They did not see the forest through the trees What was the quote of the Knights Templar in Indiana Jones – “THEY CHOSE POORLY” There were a few people who were the ‘money watchers’ whom I supported Our children do not deserve to be used and abused like this Those Board Members that supported Charter Schools – Hmmmm and lower birth rates are the reason for the declining enrollment which results in the reduction in state funding Can you follow up on this and let us know how much the enrollment has declined and what portion of this decline can be attributed to charter schools and each of the other factors you mentioned Would be good to see if the data supports the claims and to by how much this has reduced state funding and how much overhead there is per school Parents are choosing charter schools because they want to escape the dysfunction of this district The closure of all these schools is only happening because Alum Rock chose to kick the can for years and years They could have taken a little bit of pain here and there And that is because they had a superintendent who could not make the tough decision They had a board who had to pander to labor and the teachers union keep blaming charter schools for your dysfunction Sets a great example for our children for what lack of accountability looks like There’s a reason so many families choose Charter Schools in Alum Rock School District The district has always been dysfunctional and school choice is something so many parents want California school districts generally have seen plummeting enrollment – Oakland – and enrollments started declining massively during COVID lockdowns from Sacramento to San Diego – the state and local leaders destroyed their public systems with prolonged lockdowns of businesses Unless you live in a Los Gatos or Saratoga or Mountain View – your kids get hurt the most by bad CA leadership and teacher unions for the media to stand up for these poor kids in a state where they preach “equity” but harm those who need it the most You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] The Alum Rock (California) school board has voted to close six schools for the 2025-26 school year San Jose Spotlight reports that the closures were prompted by multiple factors and a districtwide drop in enrollment from more than 10,000 students in 2015-16 to about 7,270 students in 2024-25 According to the plan approved by the board one of the six closed schools will reopen in 2026-27 “For us to maintain local control and keep our programs we have to reduce (schools) this year,” Superintendent German Cerda said “This year the closings are the first step....We’ll be able to be smaller Joseph George Middle School and Renaissance Academy at Fischer also are closing Learning in an Urban Community with High Achievement will be consolidated with San Antonio Elementary retaining its English and Vietnamese dual language immersion programs Aptitud Academy and Hubbard Media Art Academy will be reconfigured to serve transitional kindergarten to fifth grade students Cesar Chavez Early Learning Center will continue with pre-kindergarten; its transitional kindergarten and kindergarten grades wil move to San Antonio Elementary Mike Kennedy has been writing about education for American School & University since 1999 He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago He is a graduate of Michigan State University SAN JOSE – Caltrans will perform overnight lane closures on southbound State Route 680 (SR-680) at various off- ramp and on-ramp locations in San Jose southbound State Route 680 off-ramp to Alum Rock Avenue and loop on-ramp from Alum Rock Avenue (State Route 130) to southbound State Route 680 will be closed Closures are needed so crews can safely perform construction which will include stormwater pump replacement and drainage box construction Motorists are advised to expect delays and allow extra time for their commute A struggling East San Jose school district plans to close multiple campuses as it brings on a new superintendent to help guide officials through the difficult process Due to a projected $20.8 million budget shortfall, along with declining enrollment Alum Rock Union School District will have to close up to nine of its 21 schools Interim Superintendent Emmanuel “Manny” Barbara is facilitating committee meetings that will begin on Wednesday to determine which schools to close and consolidate The committee will present its recommendation to the board of trustees by Oct The school closures and consolidation will go into effect for the 2025-26 academic year “We basically have enough money to last this year and then next year We’re bankrupt,” Barbara told San José Spotlight “We have to start looking at the criteria and what schools we can consolidate with the least amount of transitional upset.” Budget and demographic information regarding these decisions will be shared at the Sept The district has been assigned a state advisor and the Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team has been on site assigned by the Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools provides recommendations for corrective action The district must report to the county in October how it’s going to balance the budget “It’s the most difficult process any district can go through But we’re up against a wall right now and there’s not much choice Barbara said closing schools has to be done with compassion and as it’s emotional for staff “People will at least feel heard,” he said “They might not like the fact that their school’s being impacted but at least they’ll understand we’ve done everything we can.” Cerda said the district’s strength lies in its ability to unite as a community for the success and well-being of its students He said balancing the budget and closing schools will be challenging “There’s going to be a lot of emotions involved There’s going to be a lot of reaching out… and getting feedback,” Cerda told San José Spotlight We know we have to consolidate and close schools Let’s get through that and maximize our resources… so we can move forward and put those dollars into the classroom Barbara said the key is for the district to reimagine itself and focus on student achievement “We can concentrate our resources on a smaller group of schools that will support the students in this district,” he said “We’re going to be able to concentrate some resources that right now we cannot provide for them to the level we would like because we don’t have additional funds to do so.” Alum Rock Educators Association President Sandra Rivera said throughout the school closing process it’s crucial teachers and the community are heard and receive clear including working for more than seven years as assistant superintendent of educational services for Campbell Union High School District and about 20 years with Los Angeles Unified School District Cerda was responsible for curriculum and instruction special education and instructional technology who understands the Santa Clara County educational system Trustee Minh Pham said additional resources are crucial for educating students well “Alum Rock is looking for a superintendent who is both an instructional leader and someone with a long-range view of the potential of our schools,” Pham told San José Spotlight “My hope is to have a chief educator that can work with the board to steer us through school consolidation and then to help reposition Alum Rock schools for future growth opportunities.” The next meeting to discuss the school closures is Sept 26 at the Alum Rock Union School District located at 2930 Gay Ave. Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] San Jose joins Gritty Cities and some countries with even more decline started already The ARUSD Board has consisted of corrupt and inept elected members for decades Put it out of its pathetic misery and order it to be absorbed by an adjacent district with responsible leadership There is nothing new to see in this article You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] The flight of families due to the high cost of living in Santa Clara County has caused school enrollment numbers to crash in East and North San Jose — and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change in the coming years Alum Rock and Berryessa union school districts are predicting enrollment declines of 27% and 22% Franklin-McKinley School District is also predicting a 22% drop Lump in the end of millions in federal COVID funding and the loss of state dollars due to a plunge in student attendance and districts have found themselves in dire financial straits but it won’t be enough to cover the loss of state and federal funding as it tackles a $20 million shortfall Alum Rock is confronting the same problem. In the last nine years the district has lost more than 2,700 students. It has been so poorly managed the Santa Clara County Office of Education has been involved in overseeing the administration But with a $20 million deficit and enrollment dropping None of these districts want to disrupt the lives of families But districts can’t keep schools half full afloat with the same overhead costs Bond measures passed for capital needs such as building repairs and upgrades won’t get districts out of the hole either Funding for curriculum and teacher salaries don’t come out of these bonds There are only so many cuts a district can make before there is nothing left but to close or merge schools. Even the Berryessa Union School District in North San Jose needs to cut its operating budget by $6 million and closing schools may be the only option School districts have become collateral damage What is the same as the 1980s is family angst and disruption in the process the money saved could be applied toward enhancing curriculum or restoring programs Cash-strapped districts could lease closed schools to day care providers private schools or businesses and use the revenue to improve existing schools Maybe it’s a new arts or music class or the ability to add a new sports program or wellness center with a counselor At this juncture the strongest course of action for families school boards and administrators is to work together to ensure the best outcomes are achieved for the children in the schools that remain open Regardless of Declining Enrollment on a statewide level education funding in California has never been cut The issue with enrollment is modification of how to utilize a school with low enrollment not close a school down because of low enrollment A school district continues to receive state revenues money just gets shuffled around to other departments and staff gets shuffled around along with children You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] An East San Jose school district superintendent has recommended closing seven schools and consolidating others On the heels of Alum Rock Union School District’s consolidation committee selection of 13 schools to close or consolidate, Superintendent Germán Cerda has narrowed his choices He proposes closing Aptitud Community Academy at Goss Renaissance Academy at Fischer and Sylvia Cassell Elementary School relocating transitional kindergarten and kindergarten classes to San Antonio Elementary School The district’s effort is the result of multiple factors, including a $20 million budget deficit Enrollment has dropped from more than 10,000 students in 2015-16 plus the loss of temporary COVID relief funds have left the district in the red Cerda will present his recommendations to the ARUSD Board of Trustees at a public hearing on Nov with the board making its final decision on Dec School closures and consolidations will go into effect for the 2025-26 school year district funds are stretched across partially full schools.” Cerda said in a statement we can reallocate these funds to enhance essential programs and increase academic and enrichment opportunities across the district.” whose comments are on the district website The district has untapped potential and it’s important to envision it for the future East Side students deserve something great and this process allows the district to consolidate resources and dream bigger Criteria for school closures includes a district equity analysis “No one in our community wants to close schools including me,” Cerda told San José Spotlight “We will continue to gather feedback and communicate with families throughout this process to identify and minimize disruptions in the transition this process is an opportunity to build a brighter future for ARUSD.” Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] They have been failing the kids in Alum Rock School District for a long time I worked at San Antonio Elementary School a while back when the district wasn’t the greatest academically but had such strong energy and positive movement forward sadly and it breaks my heart for the kids especially I saw so many newcomers who didn’t have any English language skills be promoted to middle school and I always wondered “why isn’t there a larger ELL academy where newcomers spend the first year of school to work on English and transitioning to a new area/system ?” They just threw so many kids in there and let them graduate and it’s sad to see as someone who thinks we can do a lot better I always believed that the kids at schools in East SJ had lower standardized test scores because of the massive failures of the district in preparing kids and providing resources (the right way) – the scores have NOTHING to do with intelligence Newcomers are some of the smartest and most resilient kids I ever met – just set up for failure i’d call on the district not just to shut down and consolidate – but to totally rethink how they set newcomers up for success Don’t just throw them in the deep end then ignore their struggles by promoting unprepared kids to the next grade level LUCHA has a student population of 80%+ Latino many ELL students – and the education gaps in their classrooms can be resolved with some acknowledgement and a commitment to do better You must be logged in to post a comment East San Jose could be home to one of the city’s largest affordable housing developments in recent history under a new proposal City leaders are hosting a Nov. 18 community meeting to discuss a proposed 100% affordable housing development at 2940 Alum Rock Ave. About 319 homes will be for residents who make 80% of the average median income — which in Santa Clara County is $181,300 for a family of four or $126,900 for an individual Residents who make 50% of the area median income will qualify for 39 homes and those considered “extremely low” income also qualify for 39 homes The development is expected to have a public hearing early next year to mitigate impacts and pursue a potential community benefits package — including an art studio incubator to elevate and enhance culture around the Alum Rock corridor my office is working on proposals to address growing parking concerns from large projects such as this one to make sure affordable housing doesn’t come at the expense of livability for East San Jose working families,” Ortiz told San José Spotlight Members of the Alum Rock Village Action Committee have expressed concerns about parking and neighborhood wellness pointing out a neighboring 63-apartment affordable housing project proposed by Charities Housing Committee representative Shannon Sapien said the group is actively engaging with both developers “They have shown an openness to making sure the structures blend seamlessly with one another we have emphasized the importance of green spaces within the developments and both developers have expressed a commitment to incorporating more landscaping and open areas to enhance the livability and environmental quality of the site,” Sapien told San José Spotlight “This ongoing dialogue is a crucial part of ensuring that the new developments serve both the practical and cultural needs of our community.” was once home to a drive-in burger restaurant called The Golden Point before the location came to the attention of The Pacific Companies earlier this year The city planning department said the project is among those with the highest number of proposed affordable homes said it’s too early in the process to talk about potential financing options for the ambitious development “We are very excited to bring this much needed workforce housing to the city of San Jose We are looking forward to seeing this community come to fruition,” Berberian told San José Spotlight Mathew Reed, policy director of housing advocacy group SV@Home, said this is an opportunity to bring more affordable homes into a neighborhood where existing residents are struggling to afford the homes they’re living in Reed said he’s confident a good amount of affordable housing will be preserved to meet the immediate needs of the Alum Rock neighborhood residents and the long-term solutions to affordability are going to be a mix of building a lot more housing everywhere and subsidized housing,” he told San José Spotlight Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X This is not my district but I just want the residents to understand what they might be getting into When they say affordable homes does that mean owner-occupied homes or rentals Right now Alum Rock School district is in the news because of the closing of schools Money is a big issue when it comes to supporting our schools and open space Affordable housing does not pay property taxes or park fees Many times the developers get waivers of construction fees for traffic and road improvements So if this is all going to be affordable housing this area is going to continue to have hardships with the schools and parks because of no taxes to support them I hope CM Ortiz and the city fight for high end housing so that this area can grow and prosper housing because there is such a need but again our city cannot carry the burden for the whole county Diverse incomes and owner-occupied families are needed everywhere Just because OSH’s parent company wasn’t successful doesn’t mean the store wasn’t successful It made enough money to where OSH renovated it in the late 90’s I think I think it’s a disservice to residents in the area to bulldoze it Here in RobertsVille (D9) on the corner of Kooser and Meridian our former “Orchard Supply Hardware” is now an “Outdoor Supply Hardware” It breaks my heart seeing the same old plundering I don’t understand why Alum Rock seems to continuously get randomly sold off with no real leadership or direction that was sold off to the city to make parking for the handful of shops and library at White and Alum Rock Evergreen on the other hand has had nothing but great leadership Councilmember Ortiz should be talking to Osh to reopen this store I’m surprised constituents aren’t being more vocal with dissent towards this project and demanding the hardware store reopen including the conversion of sites from the small single-building size to whole parking lots to golf courses on the large side building schlock slums-to-be so much of the time really does exemplify California Today™ and other states It is not fair to blame District Five Elected Representative Peter Ortiz It is ESPECIALLY UNFAIR AND DISENGAGED for anyone to ‘Blame’he Community for the negative issues coming to the Alum Rock Avenue and White Road Area ESPECIALLY THE NUMBER OF UP-COMING HOUSING UNITS FROM WHITE ROAD TO CAPITOL AVENUE THERE IS A PLAN SHOWN TO THE COMMUNITY FROM THE CITIES SUPPORT FOR SILICONSAGE – THAT PUTS OVER THREE THOUSADND UNITS ON THAT LONG BLOCK WITH NO TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR ACCESS AND EGRESS OF ALUM ROCK AVENUE AND THE HUGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC FROM THOSE UNITS Alum Rock Avenue is going to be backed up to the Golf Course on Weekdays(lol – that might be exaggerating a bit) If anyone is to come responsible for the whittling down of QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AND DISPLACEMENT – LOOK INTO THE HISTORY OF DEVELOPERS AND THE LAST ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE AND HER STAFF MEMBERS STILL WORKING FOR A COUNCIL OFFICE BLAME THE ONES WHO WERE ESCORTED OUT OF THE BUILDING AND THE ONES WHO HAVE QUIT AND MOVED ON TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE THE NEED TO FIND THE TRUTH I have commented on these issues in the past Do your own investigation about these issues and you will find that these plans were started long before Peter took Office It’s too big – it makes zero sense and they won’t be able to finance it due to the current and near future financial conditions County/City should focus on all the Measure A projects that haven’t started due to financing gaps before they start sending public funds for a new massive project The article says “About 319 homes will be for residents who make 80% of the average median income — which in Santa Clara County is $181,300 for a family of four or $126,900 for an individual.” It’s interesting how all our political leaders and homeless advocates always say we need more “affordable housing” for the homeless As the price of this affordable housing reveals that is and always has been a disingenuous claim at best There’s no way a homeless person without a job and living in a tent or RV could ever afford “affordable housing” in our area What these political leaders and homeless advocates are trying to hide from taxpayers is that they are really talking about free housing for the homeless Charities Housing is currently constructing supportive housing at the corner of S 12th and Keyes in my neighborhood Spartan Keyes Some members of my community were against it because we have Second Street Studios down the street and Bella Castello affordable housing across from it There is no parking for anyone in the neighborhood and it will just get worse when The Charles is completed The developers for affordable housing keep saying people who live in supportive housing and affordable housing don’t need that much parking but that is not true If anyone is interested drive-by the area(S consider having the developer give some land for a small green space with lost of trees so families can just get some fresh area and have a place to go outside We have one small pocket park in my neighborhood that so many people like to use to exercise like walking around the park and have their kids play outside You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] A new Vietnamese mural brings East San Jose residents agency The mural’s three panels — which depict Vietnamese people fleeing their homeland a woman in cultural dress and the beauty of Vietnam — is a first for the East San Jose Asian American community The artwork evokes the history of the Vietnamese American community in a city with the greatest number of Vietnamese residents outside of Vietnam It also claims to be the largest Vietnamese mural in the San Francisco Bay Area according to District 5 San Jose Councilmember Peter Ortiz 18 moved former members of the Vietnamese military to tears president of the Vietnamese Business Association said 2025 marks 50 years since the Vietnamese people fled their country due to the Vietnam War It lets people know they’re part of the city “Every time I look at the mural and I see the list of people who made it happen,” he said “it shows the spirit of community as a whole making each other feel comfortable and understood and appreciated.” Nguyen said it’s impressive to see funding for the mural come from outside the Vietnamese American community Painted by artists associated with 1Culture Gallery the mural is located at 1737 Alum Rock Ave Ortiz’s office and Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association collaborated with 1Culture Gallery on its creation Community Housing Developers and residents also provided funding Philip Nguyen executive director of the Vietnamese American Roundtable said the emotional response of older residents to the mural can facilitate conversations around healing He said more public art is needed to celebrate the rich cultural history of San Jose “I feel a deep sense of pride and belonging when I see the mural,” he told San José Spotlight allows children of refugees and immigrants opportunities to engage with their own families about their migration and resettlement histories yet diverse experiences of what it means to be from East San Jose.” Ortiz said although District 5 boasts the second highest Vietnamese American population in San Jose the community historically hasn’t had representation in his district “I wanted to make sure they were able to see themselves in the story and the social fabric of the East Side,” he told San José Spotlight It shows them you are a member of this community We welcome you and we’re going to work together.”  “It’s a beautiful mural that tells a story through art of the Vietnamese immigrant community,” he told San José Spotlight the struggle and the triumph and establishing a new home far away from our homeland.” Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] San Jose is moving forward with establishing its sixth business improvement district giving East Side leaders hope for a thriving economic sector and community going into 2025 Mayor Matt Mahan congratulated District 8 Councilmember Domingo Candelas board chair of the Tully Road-Eastridge Business Association and owner of Love Me Knots Bridal took the lead in helping the East San Jose community form the district She said the festival was an ideal preview of events yet to come The association has been chosen to oversee development of the business improvement district “We had folks at the festival who have lived around the neighborhood for three decades and they were like ‘Finally something for our East San Jose community,’” Bui told San José Spotlight “I was really emotional because nobody’s ever stepped up for us like this before the improvement district.” The district will encompass businesses along Tully Road between East Capitol Expressway and U.S Bui said this will be the city’s first business improvement district in 16 years and that she’s been working with city officials for a year to help include about 500 businesses “There’s some of us who are really micro businesses so my heart was on them and how much they’re able to pay,” Bui said “We started off asking what the data is here and luckily the consultant was able to lay that out and help come up with these numbers so we can be fiscally sustainable.” Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] A small earthquake was reported in Northern California on Friday afternoon A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shook San Jose about 3:15 p.m According to the United States Geological Survey the earthquake had an epicenter about 5 miles northeast of Alum Rock Alum Rock is located about six miles east of San Jose The temblor was recorded at a depth of about five miles The earthquake was reportedly felt across the San Jose area according to the geological service No damages or injuries have been reported so far people in the San Jose area reported feeling the shaking Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_ KQED Live EventsPRX Podcast Garage EventsEvents Around the Bay AreaMember Benefits with KQED LiveVideos from KQED LiveWatch recordings of recent KQED Live events FeaturedThat's My WordAn ongoing exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history See Senior Director of TV Programming Meredith Speight’s recommendations from this month’s KQED 9 Watch recordings of recent KQED Live events Support KQED by using your donor-advised fund to make a charitable gift a former music instructor at Adelante Dual Language Academy is currently serving a prison sentence for sexual abuse four lawsuits have been filed against the school district over its handling of complaints against the teacher An investigation by the school district in 2014 documented multiple complaints Santiago inappropriately touched students, according to records obtained by KQED in response to a Public Record Act request Administrators determined he should be transferred to another school in the district Santiago continued to teach for nearly a decade before he was charged with sexually abusing 10 students at Adelante The latest lawsuit alleges that school staff and the district’s current interim superintendent were not only aware of Santiago’s inappropriate behavior but also chose not to notify the police Superintendent Almazan declined to comment The attorney for the victims, Morgan Stewart, said Santiago should have “unequivocally” been reported to authorities. All mandatory reporters are required by law to report all known or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect “This is a clear conspiracy to cover this up not report it to the police,” Stewart said He’s acting in a sexually inappropriate manner with 12- and 13-year-olds And there’s a direction from the superintendent not to call the police on that.” Almazan was the principal at Sheppard Middle School in 2014 when she completed an investigation into complaints against Santiago Almazan found “an overall discomfort and/or feeling of insecurity in Mr Santiago’s band class among female students that were interviewed.” Among other allegations referenced in the investigative report by the school Santiago was accused of physically moving a female student by holding her head and shoulders touching a female student at her waist to move her and asking a parent to drop off his child at his house Almazan recommended Santiago be transferred out of Sheppard Middle School The lawsuit alleges former Alum Rock superintendent Stephen Fiss instructed staff not to call law enforcement in response to the complaints “Superintendent Fiss did not want me to contact the police regarding this matter at this time,” reads a draft for an investigative report prepared by the school included in the suit Next to those instructions is a handwritten note reading is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit Gutierrez argues she blew the whistle on Santiago and was terminated after doing what was necessary to protect the children Gutierrez looks forward to all of the legal claims playing out in court because the facts will demonstrate that Alum Rock has an entrenched history of doing what is politically best for them and not what is best for students and families,” the statement reads Almazan, the former Sheppard Middle School principal who investigated Santiago, was appointed interim superintendent with the district in March after the previous superintendent, Hilaria Bauer, was abruptly fired Trustee Minh Pham told the San José Spotlight that the school board is searching for a permanent replacement and Almazan is unlikely to apply for the position Most of the victims in the recent lawsuit are under 14 years old Stewart noted that Adelante and the district are made up of largely Hispanic and lower-income families Many families do not necessarily have the ability to speak out or go to law enforcement and trust their schools to be a safe place “It’s devastating,” Stewart said “And I don’t even know that the parents fully grasp everything that the school did to harm them all along the way.” To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. San Jose city officials have delayed plans to put a measure to fund parks maintenance on the November ballot after multiple surveys showed it would likely fail to gain support from residents The San Jose City Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to reconsider the idea for the 2026 election, or possibly later. The proposed ballot measure aimed to levy an annual parcel tax of 1 cent per square foot on single-family homes and other property, and was touted as potentially raising $21 million per year to maintain and improve parks trails and more under the city parks department Putting the measure before voters in November would cost the city $2.5 million, Councilmember Bien Doan said. While the city’s parks have multimillion-dollar maintenance backlogs parks advocates said a potential tax bond to help fund the backlog should be pushed back They said city officials should focus on an education campaign first before trying to put the tax before voters in three months “It doesn’t appear there is a whole lot of room for arguments and support to make progress with voters,” Peter Hamilton “This is the reason for staff’s recommendation to defer consideration of this measure to the 2026 cycle.” said city surveys acted as advertisements for the potential measure in what she describes as push polls designed to sway voters and research suggests that parcel tax measures do better in odd years,” Dresden told San José Spotlight “So the council should direct staff to begin moving toward full preparation for an odd year rather than putting it on the ballot immediately — there’s enough support out there to continue preparing and educating voters.” California parcel tax measures have a 62% approval rate during odd years, according to a 2023 Ballotpedia study Mayor Matt Mahan said at the meeting that the surveys didn’t yield the results city officials hoped to see but concerns from residents including existing costs of living and public safety challenges played a factor in the potential ballot measure’s lack of support “Our parks are a beloved community resource used by everyone, including my own family,” Mahan told San José Spotlight. “While I’d like to see more resources directed toward them, I hear daily from residents about the high cost of living Given these concerns and the results of polling requested by the city I don’t think a new tax would have their support Not everyone is optimistic about the idea of more resources District 10 Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ken Brennan recently sent a letter to city officials saying the department needs to be more efficient with its money before receiving more “(The parks department) should not be given any new resources for maintenance until all existing program spending is rationalized on a cost per outcome basis and maintenance operations have been fully rationalized and optimized to improve productivity and reduce wasteful spending,” Brennan wrote “A new comprehensive (parks department) audit should be conducted.” His recommendations also included cutting events and meals meant to show appreciation for park volunteers adding that free parking passes could suffice as a sign of the city’s gratitude Brennan told San José Spotlight the parcel tax would add yet another financial burden on residents for services that the city should be able to provide with existing resources Dresden said the parks department already underwent an audit in 2020 and much of Brennan’s concerns are in the process of being implemented as part of existing audit recommendations Vice Mayor Rosemary Kamei said the parks department is working on maintenance around the clock — and residents have started their own regular clean ups at local parks “We need a plan as to how to get the advocates and the community engaged in a way that they know that it’s their plan,” Kamei said As San Jose neighborhoods celebrate Tuesday’s National Night Out Councilmember Pam Foley said she and other residents will be careful not to trip over pulled up roots or other obstacles in under-maintained parks “We just have to figure out how we can advocate how we can survey our community so that we will be successful and so that we raise the percentage of success before we go to the ballot,” she said Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X As a long time park and litter volunteer I agree with Brennan’s comment regarding cutting down on events and free meals for volunteers I also agree with his statement that another parcel tax will place a burden on residents This will be especially true for low income homeowners and businesses We pay for these services but unfortunately the city is not a good steward of money received from taxes it receives I also want to say that District 3 is a dumping ground for affordable housing supportive housing and residential care homes The unhoused are being pushed here by other cities and with the support of our county and state I have been trying to save the one little pocket park in my neighborhood from the influx of RV’s and people living in their vehicles Many downtown residents cannot use their local parks or trails because of the unhoused Why should we pay more money for a tax that will benefit the other districts and other parks nearby because they are neglected and dangerous Downtown will never be a place to raise a family if we continue to allow cities to pass ordinances that push their problems to San Jose I have yet to hear from Council member Torres our Mayor or any other council member regarding the growing encampments next to our park and affordable housing complexes and businesses Their silence says volumes about how much they worry or carry for residents in downtown and underserved neighborhoods like mine Every week the city is spending so much money to pick up trash and junk in my neighborhood along with the red plastic human waste the Rv’s dwellers leave on our sidewalks to pick up I vote no in even and odd years on tax measures and everyone else should too we just need to quit wasting tax dollars on legal fees for immigrants (not a city function) and get the fire department back to working 8 hours a day 5 days a week we had approximately 1 city-owned vehicle for every employee So let’s send half of those vehicles off to auction and use the revenue to fix the parks they are strategizing about the best way to get us to pay an additional tax bond for something that is included in the high taxes we already pay many attempts at getting us to approve additional taxes and bonds for sympathetic things (like parks) as they have spent all our money and are now in a deficit We are taxed out and a parcel tax will ultimately result in rent increases I watched some of the council meeting on this matter and was not impressed I am thankful that they postponed this tax and will have more discussions about this and hopefully involve the residents of this city I liked what Angel Rios(Parks Department) and Council member Domingo said regarding this tax did when they passed their parcel tax for parks They advised the community that a certain amount of money would go for maintenance and capital projects etc In other words they had a plan that clearly showed where money would be spent and how much Domingo commented how no one reached out to the communities and the fact many seniors like myself might face hardships when parcel taxes are added He talked about how some parks in his area need maintenance and how some priority should be given to parks that are being neglected What I didn’t like is the fact that “other services are being included” They want to give money from this tax to the Gang Unit Why would they give park money to this department when they are already receiving money from the police department budget If I remember correctly they received around 9 million dollars The vice mayor talked about how there was much gang graffiti at one of her parks but my question is why didn’t she reach out to this unit I also think the homeless are already receiving so much money why would they use the parks department funds The unhoused are ruining our parks especially in District 3 and unless they prohibit the unhoused from living and parking next to parks we will always have parks that residents cannot nor should use because of drugs the parks around Coleman all have problems I have also read on NextDoor that Ryland Park also has issues with the unhoused our politicians keep saying the landlords are responsible for high rents etc which is true to some extend if they keep passing so many parcel taxes rents will keep going higher and the working class will never be able to buy a home in San Jose In some cases we are talking about thousands of dollars being passed on to businesses and residents I wish politicians would just consider a small flat tax LETS JUST LOOK AT PLATA ARROYO PARK – WE ARE TOLD TO CALL THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE RANGERS ARE NOT GOING INTO DANGEROUS SITUSTIONS WE ARE NOT CALLING ABOUT DANGER FIRST – WE WE ARE INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO CALL 911 FOR THAT WE ARE CALLING THE RANGERS TO RESPOND TO [SAFETY CONCERNS] – THAT IS ALL WE ARE DOING UNLESS THEY HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL AND CAN SEE THE ISSUE FROM THEIR OFFICE THEY NEED TO RESPOND TO COMMUNITY REQUESTS AND CONCERNS!! IF THEY ARRIVE AND FIND THEMSELVES OVER MATCHED – THEY CAN CALL 911 INSTEAD OF PUTTING CITIZENS AT RISK OF OFFENDERS SEEING SOMEONE CALL FIRST RESPONDERS IT IS CLEARLY EXPECTED AND UNDERSTOOD THAT THE COMMUNITY IS EXPECTED TO FEEL SAFE – WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN OUR PARK WHILE THESE VERY SAME NEGATIVELY IMPACTING ISSUES ARE NOT ADDRESSED THESE ISSUES ARE THE PARK RANGERS OWN MAKING 【IF THIS HAD BEEN DONE YEARS AGO LIKE WE HAD ASKED】 IF THE MAYORS GANG TASK FORCE HAD ADDRESSED CAPITOL PARK AND PLATA ARROYO PARK – LIKE THEY PROMISED IF PROJECT HOPE HAD DONE WHAT IT SAID IT WOULD AT CAPITOL PARK AND PLATA ARROYO PARK – LIKE THEY PROMISSED BUT THEY DID NOT DO AS THEY HAD PROMISED AND WE CONTINUE TO SUFFER!!! THE ISSUE IS NOT ANDREA FLORES SHELTON… A SAFETY CONCERN DOES NOT GIVE THE RANGERS THE RIGHT TO SAY – CALL 911 BECAUSE WE ARE NOT CARRYING WEAPONS WE TAXPAYERS ARE JUST CALLING RANGERS ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS WAY TO BUSY TO BE A BIG SISTER TO RANGERS WHO DO NOT FEEL THEY ARE SAFE AT OUR PARKS THIS IS A CYCLE OF NEGLECT THAT IS ONLY GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY THAT IS WHY I CAN NOT SUPPORT MORE FUNDS FOR A STAFF THAT REFUSED TO ASSIST PLATA ARROYO PARK AND CAPITOL PARK Me – who said anything about weapons The City – We do not answer Park Safety Concers because we do not have the numbers You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] with stations at Story Road and the Eastridge Transit Center  The extension is part of Santa Clara VTA’s Orange Line which currently runs from Alum Rock to Mountain View with a station at the Milpitas Transit Center where passengers can transfer to BART service throughout the rest of the Bay Area “I want to offer my gratitude for that steadfast support because that is what has allowed us to get to this point This extension represents an important lifeline for so many residents in our city who rely on public transit in their everyday lives,” said Santa Clara VTA General Manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot.  Santa Clara VTA notes work related to the project began several years ago in multiple phases with new street lighting along Capital Expressway and improvements to the Eastridge Transit Center which currently serves multiple Santa Clara VTA bus routes  Construction work on the actual rail began in early May and is expected to take approximately four years  "This project has been eagerly anticipated for over 20 years brought to reality by the unwavering dedication and relentless efforts of our community and elected officials I see many faces who have tirelessly championed better public transit for east San Jose Your steadfast commitment and perseverance in advocating for what you knew was right have finally led us to this groundbreaking day we have made it happen," said Santa Clara County Supervisor and Chair of the Santa Clara VTA Board of Directors Cindy Chavez people will head to jobs in the tech sector in north San Jose and people are going to park and ride right here to jobs good jobs that we will keep creating,” said Sen “I could cry tears of joy just because I am so happy that I have been able to be present to see this day come along.”    The extension features an elevated guideway primarily in the center of the Capitol Expressway and will include a light-rail station at Story Road that is elevated and accessed by a pedestrian overcrossing and an at-grade station located at the Eastridge Transit Center Santa Clara VTA riders will be able to board the light rail at the Eastridge Transit Center and connect directly with BART at the Milpitas Transit Center.  The average person doesn’t understand the intricacies of driving a school bus or the amount of responsibility drivers take on School bus drivers are often seen as blue-collar workers in the vein of truck drivers Their jobs are often undervalued despite the high demand and need for them It is gratifying when school bus officials receive recognition for their efforts Each driver is responsible for the lives of all the children that they transport on the bus the California Highway Patrol (CHP) does just that when choosing deserving school bus drivers to celebrate for demonstrated exemplary service as shown this past school year by Ben Glazer of Morongo Unified School District in Southern California and by Angela Cuellar of Alum Rock Unified School District in Northern California The first award presented for the past school year by CHP this spring went to Glaser who was named the Southern Region School Bus Driver of the Year for 2023 A bus driver for contractor Student Transportation of America Glazer earned this honor for his unwavering commitment to student safety the Morongo Basin is renowned for its scenic desert landscapes and vibrant community spirit which includes the Morongo Band of Mission Indians The Morongo Unified School District serves this area providing education to a diverse student body across multiple schools This district is known for its dedication to fostering a safe and supportive learning environment Glaser showcased his driving skills during a critical incident while transporting students from La Contenta Middle School Thanks to Glaser’s swift actions and driving expertise “When all the students made it home safely that day it felt like a miracle,” recalled Jack Salseda Morongo’s risk and transportation director “I told myself many times and students also to wear their [lap/shoulder seat]belts I fell back on what I have learned in the past making it manageable and helping to set priorities such as student care first I told myself I did not want to experience anything like that again and I have peace because I could not do anything more.” California is one of five states that requires the three-point seatbelts on school buses Glaser recounted the details of the incident vividly “I was heading to Yucca Valley High School The bus was struck as it passed the Valley Vista cross street,” he recalled “The first thought after getting hit was feeling [an] intense force pushing to my left because my body leaned in the direction from the force of impact.” Glazer said he focused on not letting the school bus roll over my foot naturally hit the brake but lost it when the bus was tossed up and down from the dirt berm and the yard we went through that had been dug out,” he continued I saw the blue of the house right in front I paused just for a second as the bus suddenly stopped [in front of] a dirt mound and said check on the kids.’ It only felt like moments until I heard law enforcement and felt relief knowing help had arrived.” He was nominated by the CHP division chiefs and a panel comprised of other CHP representatives and the California Association of School Transportation Officials He emerged as the top driver in the Southern Region “Being nominated for this award is a tremendous honor,” said STA Regional Operations Manager Eric Lozano “We’re extremely proud to have Ben Glaser on the Morongo team.” Glaser joined the Morongo Unified School District in April 2022 He received his California school bus certificate from the San Diego Unified School District in 2019 and previously drove for Chula Vista Elementary School in 2020 Glaser is known for his volunteer work at the Joshua Tree Way Station where he helps distribute food to those in need “His kind nature and sense of service make him invaluable not only to the students he drives but to our entire community,” said STA Safety Manager Linda Titford CHP honored Glazer during an April 26 awards ceremony He also received commendations from 3rd District Supervisor Dawn Rowe and the Morongo Unified School District for his heroic efforts Glaser’s dedication and unwavering commitment to student safety make him a true asset to our community,” said Superintendent Dr “We are incredibly proud of his achievement and the positive impact he’s made on our students.” Cuellar received the award for the Northern Region for her work with a student with special needs at Alum Rock Union School District in San Jose Cuellar exemplifies dedication to student safety she was born in Mexico and moved to the U.S She followed in her father’s footsteps as a commercial driver Cuellar’s bravery and skill were put to the test when a student on the autism spectrum became agitated on her bus called for help and coordinated with police to ensure everyone’s safety Her quick thinking and courage were pivotal in resolving the crisis “A huge thank you to Alum Rock Unified School District for prioritizing safe training and transportation for our school youth. Their commitment to fostering skilled, safety-focused bus drivers like Mrs. Cuellar is commendable,” CHP said in a Facebook post in April Thank you for making our school buses a safer place for all.” School Transportation News reached out to Cuellar and multiple administrators at Alum Rock Unified School District for comments Editors note — Do you have a story about an award-winning school bus driver or other transportation employee to share? Email us California schools spend millions on police officers What California can learn from Texas about bilingual education Are California schools becoming more vulnerable to measles Pandemic-era push to ‘build solutions’ must continue How earning a college degree put four California men on a path from prison to new lives | Documentary  Patrick Acuña’s journey from prison to UC Irvine | Video rising risk: Vaccination rates down in California Five Years Later: Covid’s Lasting Impact on Education Calling the cops: Policing in California schools Black teachers: How to recruit them and make them stay Lessons in Higher Education: California and Beyond Five years after Covid: Innovations that are driving results Alum Rock Union School District Superintendent Hilaria Bauer was unexpectedly fired Thursday at the end of a meeting over potential school closures, according to the San Jose Spotlight. Earlier that night Bauer had announced that five schools would have to close because of declining enrollment She blamed the loss of students to families moving out of the area low birth rates and competition from charter schools The school board postponed closing the middle school portion of Aptitud Community Academy at Goss after East San Jose families protested Board members expressed concern that the $1.2 million in projected savings would not be worth losing additional students to other schools The district has lost 5,000 students in the last eight years and should be operating only about half of its schools assistant superintendent of business services It is not clear why Bauer, who had been the district’s superintendent for a decade, was fired. The board will hold a meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m to discuss naming an interim or acting superintendent John Fensterwald, Diana Lambert, Emma Gallegos, And Zaidee Stavely The president’s initial budget for fiscal 2025 preserves Title I and funding for students with disabilities but eviscerates other decades-old programs for underserved students Da’Shay Templeton Physical fitness isn’t just a health issue — it’s tied to academic success And too many schools aren't focused on that Su Jin Jez Millions of potential college-goers would benefit if California created a council to assist people in accessing programs that could help them realize their dreams Karen D'Souza For arts students who lost so much as fires swept through the Los Angeles area in January a new musical instrument is a big step back toward normalcy Stay ahead of the latest developments on education in California and nationally from early childhood to college and beyond Sign up for EdSource’s no-cost daily email East San Jose residents rejoiced Thursday night when a neighborhood middle school received a reprieve from an expected closure But that celebration will be short lived as the school district anticipates putting more campuses on the chopping block The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees unanimously voted to postpone closing the middle school portion of Aptitud Community Academy at Goss following community outcry and student protests A lack of information and community involvement prompted the board’s decision Board Vice President Andres Quintero said the projected $1.2 million in savings from closing the school wouldn’t be worth it if many families left the district as a result “Those surveys would’ve told us if the parents planned to take their children out I have serious concerns the savings we’re looking at aren’t going to be realized.” While Aptitud is safe for the time being, at least five schools in the district may have to close, said Superintendent Hilaria Bauer — who was unexpectedly fired at the end of the meeting The district is dealing with a loss of state funding and one-time pandemic-era dollars said with a projected $20.8 million shortfall a consolidation of schools is overdue to avoid insolvency — and closing five schools is conservative “With the number of students we’re serving realistically we should be at almost half the schools we’re operating,” he said adding the district has lost 5,000 students since the 2015-16 school year Bauer blamed families moving out of the area low birth rates and charter school competition She planned to send out a survey districtwide to help the board determine which schools to close The board agreed to reconvene in 60 days to create a plan before it adopts a budget in mid-June Trustee Linda Chavez favored giving the school more time to increase its enrollment She said it would aid the district if parents convinced the teachers union to allow the district to offer full-day kindergarten classes Bauer said 85 students were lost to Rocketship charter school because it didn’t have this option Bauer said she recommended moving grades 6-8 from Aptitud in the hopes of freeing classroom space to enroll more students in transitional kindergarten through first grade at the site. She said 500 students are needed to sustain an elementary school and 700 for a middle school. According to California School Dashboard it’s going to be closing schools,” she said Parent Norma Pimentel remains concerned about the future of Aptitud “They’re not telling us the school will not be closed,” she told San José Spotlight “They’re just saying they’re postponing the closure They want the community to have a very close relationship but… there is no way to make a relationship with somebody you don’t trust.” Teacher Gwen Harl told the board to work harder to promote Aptitud and recruit students “These families deserve to be included in regular discussions… around the long-term needs and struggles our district is facing,” Harl said “Build the unity this district so desperately needs.” Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] Why did they not have these studies done for the benefit of the Student and the removal Stress on our Families?? I just do not understand why the School District – especially this Board – DID NOT START COUNTING STUDENTS AND MOVING THEM AROUND TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND THE DISTRICT AT THE SAME TIME??? What has Staff been explaining to the Board There is plenty of Finger Pointing for everyone THE ISSUES ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD… THE ISSUES STOP AT THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD MEMBERS NO BOARD MEMBER IS INNOCENT… WITHOUT OPEN AND TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION – THE WHOLE BOARD IS GUILTY OF MISREPRESENTATION OF FACTS TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE ONLY LINDA CHAVEZ HAD RESPONDED TO OTHER QUESTIONS My focus was the Polluted Soils blowing into our Schools like San Antonio None of Them – ever contacted Plata Arroyo about the health and well-being of the students You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] By: 5:00 am on August 21 2880 Alum Rock Avenue rear view of the project The 76-foot tall development will yield two structures Building A will contain 7,500 square feet of commercial space and 119 residential units Both buildings will connect with associated podium parking Parking will be included for 102 vehicles and 44 bicycles The building design features a fractured composition of various forms articulated to mitigate the scale. Project documents do not credit an architect, though Pacific West Communities has worked extensively with Architects Orange in the past and the design matches the firm’s style central A-frame commercial structure depicted lasting 14 months from the demolition of the existing restaurant to residential units opening The developers expect to receive a minimum of LEED Silver certification with solar panels and charging stations for electric vehicles An East San Jose school district is facing a dire financial deficit and could be taken over by the county’s top education office The Santa Clara County Office of Education is reviewing Alum Rock Union School District’s second interim financial report for the 2023-24 school year approved by district leaders on March 14, as well as resolutions addressing its projected $20.8 million budget deficit. The outcome of this review is still uncertain, but trustees acknowledge school closures in the district are imminent as it teeters on landing in the red without drastic cuts ARUSD Board President Corina Herrera-Loera said she doesn’t think additional oversight is needed and that the board can come up with a sound plan “We, as a district board, get to make some tough decisions in the near future that will not make everyone happy. We cannot keep pushing the hard decisions to another time,” she told San José Spotlight. “If in the near future we as a board can’t make the tough decisions together then clearly we will need oversight.”  The district has 22 schools ranging from transitional kindergarten to eighth grade and a population of about 8,000 students Trustee Minh Pham said the board directed the administration to create a more comprehensive fiscal plan prior to the budget being adopted in June He said the board will seek out community input “The district’s budget is already required to have oversight from the county education office,” Pham told San José Spotlight “The district and the community need to sit down together and work out… spending reductions in light of decreased enrollment while protecting educational services.” In its latest 2023-24 income and expense report prepared on March 14 the district had revenues of nearly $173 million and expenses of more than $208 million the district would be in the red by roughly $35.5 million But this year’s budget included more than $22 million in federal funding That amount drops to just more than $5 million going into the 2024-25 school year along with a decrease in state and local funds will reduce total revenues to roughly $146 million — and barely save the district from a $20.8 million shortfall due to a small $36 million balance going into the next school year Pham said the loss of federal pandemic funding and state learning loss recovery grants is about $20 million the school board plans to freeze 48 positions and cut staffing operating expenses and capital outlay through school consolidation The board also plans to reduce administrative overhead and look for opportunities to lease facilities for additional revenue streams Herrera-Loera said it’s possible the Santa Clara County Office of Education would take over if the board doesn’t follow through with its fiscal responsibilities and cost-cutting measures Mary Ann Dewan, Santa Clara County superintendent of schools and a San José Spotlight columnist said her role is to provide fiscal oversight to ensure school districts meet their financial obligations in the current and subsequent two fiscal years — and that can require corrective action when necessary The state allows the superintendent to assign the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team to review teacher hiring practices retention rates and more to provide recommendations for corrective action the district has five days after the determination to appeal to fiscal responsibility while protecting our commitments to students families and staff to the furthest extent possible,” Pham said we have reserves that will enable us some time to make choices strategically and with the consensus of the residents of Alum Rock.” Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] Can you count how many school districts there are in most cities Can you count how many there are in this city If these people had any integrity they would disband better very least enjoin with ESUHD I could not have stated this better myself The Office of Education cannot dissolve it soon enough It was to easy to say – we will take a quick benefits package – in lieu of you taking some of our student’s out of our regular schools The Staff that the District employs is to blame along with the Board for not asking hard questions a looooong time ago Where are the School Board Members friends now Where are the FOR PROFIT CHARTER SCHOOLS NOW Danny with all respect are you really blaming charter schools They have been mismanaged for DECADES since they OPENED Now it is charter schools and before it was the parents the way the wind blew funny on a random Tuesday…. When you have current BOARD MEMBERS saying not every child will go to college and that is expected… No other board would say that in San Jose despite them also knowing not all children need to go to college but as a high school their duty is to have kids- as many kids- READY to go so they can make their own life choices not giving them such a sub par education that a choice is TAKEN from the kids Literally board memebers do not care and are jaded They truly will blame everything and anyone before taking accountability Alum Rock School district has been FAMOUS for being poorly managed before charter schools and pretty much since it’s inception I do not blame parents leaving the failing district because of fear the school doesn’t care to educate their children- many of these kids with the potential to be bilingual with the proper supports which is a skill the job market desperately wants and needs KIPP has over 90% of their graduates ready for college from the SAME communities ENOUGH with Alum Rock dragging the community down since the 70’s with their excuses I thank god every day my mom was able to move us so I went to a better district and yes went to college not everyone is so lucky There were no charters when I was a kid so why again were they failing then People cannot afford to live here that is why enrollment is down This is why I have openly stated that I would never support Alum Rock Board Members for HIGHER OFFICE Lorraine Gabbert had the foresight or at least the ability to see this coming… The school board took the coward’s way out – fire the Messager and toss the problem to the state – hide from the parents and blame the state for making the decisions it should be making It’s always amazing to see people jump on board to criticize There are a lot of factors that contributed to this But it sounds like the county is more than ready to point fingers It’s no wonder there are problems when East San Jose residents and the county are so quick to condemn At least give the school board a chance and some time to sort things out There is nothing for our students to gain by waiting The focus should be on positive education experiences for our students not some Board that seeks to explain away the fiscal and educational failures Two Board members were appointed into this mess We can not do as some wish – we can not postpone any decisions You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] One cash-strapped school district that educates some of San Jose’s neediest students may close up to four campuses next school year as declining enrollment and longtime financial pressures come to a head The Alum Rock School District Board was set to hear feedback on the plan to close an estimated $7.8 million deficit on Wednesday but rescheduled that meeting to later this month The board will discuss the district’s budget tonight “It’s a difficult time for us all,” Board President Corina Herrera-Loera told San José Spotlight “We’re in the process of reopening our schools and at the same time having that conversation of which schools we’d consider closing.” Schools are funded by a complicated combination of local property tax revenue and a state formula based on per-day attendance with families moving out of the area or choosing to send their children to charter schools have left the district since the COVID pandemic began ElementariesCesar ChavezLyndaleSan Antonio Middle SchoolsFischerMathsonSheppard Ocala STEM Academy “This pandemic has affected our families in the East Side community the most,” Herrera-Loera said “There are parents who have lost their jobs They’ve had to move elsewhere to afford living in a home.” have popped up in the area over the past decade As they have attracted students from district schools the money available to the district has shrunk These factors combined with a history of budget mismanagement including a 2017 audit that uncovered fraud and misappropriation of district money “have created this reality,” trustees said the board created a committee to explore closing schools and leasing out the campuses closing three schools could save more than $20 million a year the committee will recommend which schools to close out a pool of seven at the board’s May 13 meeting “This is one of those decisions that is going to be hard,” Herrera-Loera said it’s going to impact that community in the future.” Herrera-Loera said the district doesn’t have a choice and the next hard decision will be which schools to close Critics of the plans argue that the district is obfuscating the real impact of the fiscal pain—saying that it is likely more schools will close in the future Others say that children in the district will ultimately be harmed by the closures The district is the educational home to 11,266 students in 28 elementary and middle schools Nearly 100% of its student body is non-white and more than 80% of students qualify for subsidized lunch programs “All 10 of these potential school closures would take place in East San Jose and directly affect working-class residents of color,” said Kiana Simmons president of the community activist group Hero Tent executive director of the nonprofit Amigos de Guadalupe said she understands the district has to make hard decisions as enrollment continues to decline because Alum Rock has been underfunded for years Closing schools could free up more money for the district’s remaining students “The disparities even within East Side schools is greater in Alum Rock,” Maldonado said “Any way they can generate income to address the disparities for the children that are there is the only way I think they can go.” Although Pham and Herrera-Loera are adamant only a few schools will close a March 4 meeting of the advisory committee indicated that more would need to be closed in two to three years Teacher Sandra Rivera said it is difficult for educators to wonder year after year if their school is the next to be closed She’d rather the district wait to decide rather than closing a few now and more later “I would hate to have this be a rushed but we still know that’s not quite enough,” Rivera said “Instead of doing this in a super expedited feeling now…(we should) really look at what it’s going to take in order to keep us afloat with the least amount of movement and the least amount of school closures and come up with a number District union leader and teacher Jocelyn Merz also supports a slower approach The district faces a $7.8 million budget shortfall. Trustees in 2019 said the district needed to make $14 million in cuts to balance its budget leading to the elimination of 50 positions including all the district’s librarians “The decision to close any school is always an extremely difficult one,” Merz said to select which one or ones will be affected is nothing short of painful.” Merz believes more savings from administrative costs—including sharing principals among campuses—should be considered before school closures “Let’s first look seriously at those cuts that have the least impact on the students and classrooms,” she said “I think everyone has been through enough hard times and inconsistency this last year due to the pandemic.” Trustee Pham told San José Spotlight the board hoped to avoid disrupting students’ lives There will always be a school in every part of the district He pushed back on concerns that 10 or more schools may be on the table for closure at some point I would not vote to do such a thing,” Pham said Herrera-Loera said neighborhood schools in underserved communities are an important factor for increased parent participation and student enrollment “We want to get input from different stakeholders and from the families that are going to be affected,” she said we created this committee to come to us with recommendations We’re making sure the community is listened to so we can make the best decisions for our children and families and teachers and staff.” New potential uses for the closed schools could include a health clinic Any new lease of the land would be for no more than five years Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] but they design the system to drive up housing costs in the general sense any immigrant in San Jose has far more motivation and potential value than a native if you are poor are an immigrant or first generation you are pissing away your immigrant advantage in San Jose especially if you buy into this whiteness crap go somewhere the natives are resigned to theor fate and kick butt linger in this prison and your grandkids will be living in projects How about the money in the 1.9T Biden stimulus plan do Go ask for it and still be open don’t look too pathetic when in fact you’re not! Children are always the losers here just sayin’ The schools are closing because families are putting their kids in charter schools…..the public schools are not teaching our kids We cant fire teachers because the union protects them Even teachers who have the worst records are still getting paid The best teachers will move or have already moved to the charter schools They wont get the benefits of working for the state (full pension retirement in 20 years etc) but they will get the satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of their students…and if they dont produce kids that can clear the tests They aren’t closing locations with full classrooms and putting kids in charter schools where they seem to be flourishing the teacher’s union is the core issue and they prevent any changes to improve education in public schools Quintero is a masoginist bullly who always goes after woman to attack He took 5k from del Terra and then the not so smart had to returns 4,500 back because In school boards you can’t take that much He supposedly never returned it and kept the rest He also took money for his assembly race from del Terra and charter schools association He always argued with mom’s who question him He needs to go and stop ruining our schools with his politics to increase his chances to run for higher platform Him and bejerano are toxic that need to go Clean this districts from cheap politicians who don’t know how to read a budget have left the district since the COVID pandemic began.“ I used to watch these school board meetings all of the time During one of the meetings they discussed laying off staff One of the board members couldn’t have put it better when she said The pandemic has shown parents there are other viable choices besides sending their children to state-run schools Close all 10 schools and let some charters open Alum Rock School District is no different than any other school district in that schools are closing Be expecting to see some charter schools close when they are going to have enroll children with disabilities and others who might have learning problems Having said that one school district in San Jose recently sold some land for owner occupied housing and is also leasing some of their other land not being use The Mayor fought this but the school district won Look to see what they did because it was a win-win for them Lease the land and my advice is hire someone to negotiate the price that has experience in this Try not to use it as a homeless shelter unless it is for working families who need help but again charge the county or city top dollar and make sure there is security and certain restrictions Any layoffs should not be janitors or teachers who are really needed but should be from the top Please stay away from affordable housing because they do not pay property taxes or others taxes and this will harm the school district in the long run You need people with expendable income to keep the taxes flowing in that area how does California public schools rank against the rest of the nations public schools Pretty bad…..bottom half and in most arenas While California charter schools compared to nationwide public schools are at the top Why would a parent send their kids to a public school when they can send them to a charter school The California State Legislature approved California’s charter school law in 1992 … Charter schools are publicly funded privately managed and semi-autonomous schools of choice They must hold to the same academic accountability measures as traditional schools charter schools have no union….that means bad teachers can be fired Public schools unions means teachers are pretty much there for life…good or bad Plus full retirement benefits after 20 years He signed into law Assembly Bill 1505 (and its companion AB1507) as a triumph of compromise….The new laws will limit the appeals process and quash the creation of new online charters that serve the special needs of kids who have health issues It has given school districts two handy new excuses to deny a charter if it “duplicate(s) a program currently offered” that exists nearby school districts will be able to force Charters to accept new conditions which undermine the reason that these schools have been successful The kids in failing public schools will become locked in Years ago the Campbell Union School District closed a school and then leased the land That land is where Home Depot on Hamilton stands Home Depot pays the District $800,000 in annual rent plus a % of the profits. This article brings up problems that will also exist in many school districts across the country – they are just worse with Alum Rock because of the negligent mismanagement of funds and complete lack of leadership at the district/board level Many public schools have to reimburse charter/private schools for students that choose that option over the public schools the public school will simply lose that funding 550 students leaving the district would result in about $7,000,000+ in losses for the district this article blames COVID – but the fact is starting with LUCHA (charter) elementary school in Alum Rock back in the early 2000’s – it started a trend of parents enrolling their kids in charter schools in the Alum Rock area Which started the process of Rocketship (the former Principal of LUCHA started the Rocketship schools – or co-founded w/ private capital) becoming a larger presence And when the district tried to squash Rocketship from opening more schools I along with hundreds of families advocated for them to expand because the choices in Alum Rock or the Spartan Keyes/Washington neighborhoods were bad Kids have been getting left behind in those districts for a long time charter schools have been outperforming the district schools in Alum Rock for a long-time – and with schools closures more and more parents are looking for private or charter school options I know my youngest will be going to a private school after the teacher unions have failed the kids in California – and sent the message that they can shut it down anytime Families in east San Jose do not get enough credit for their awareness of these issues and how much they have advocated for more options in east San Jose which directly resulted in Rocketship and KIPP to have a very high demand for enrollment This issue has nothing to do with more affluent districts having it “better.” The families in Alum Rock have been begging for more school choice – and their district board and elected officials have not listened On top of that – fraud and mismanagement has been a massive challenge and many public schools across the country will be losing a lot of money because parents have lost faith in that system a project-based learning program and expected parental volunteerism is what attracted me. i considered Adelante (K-8) Spanish-immersion and looked forward to attending Renaissance Academy as my kids reached Middle-school age. they are NOT Charter schools- but had curriculum and financial autonomy..they were simply the first of their kind in the AR school district. so where do the kids In the closed school areas go and expected a lot from students and parents – but from my experience and observation the parents and community at those schools just stepped up big time and you could feel the positivity happening each day…along with instilling college going culture values from a young age The community has been asking for more LUCHA’s but can operate in accordance with different curriculum I couldn’t believe when the district shot down expansion of Rocketship and other options for families – because clearly there was a demand and some of the regular district schools were failing the kids/families Hundreds of families came to support the expansion because they knew it was the best option for their kids they may look at consolidating kids while closing campuses they should’ve allowed expansion of other options and not San Antonio – they may send the kids from Cesar Chavez I am worried for Alum Rock School District because the Board is just confusing and I am not sure they are equipped to make these decisions You did the right thing getting your kids into LUCHA and great parents like you will adapt…it’s just tough to navigate these situations and when it comes to our kids – it makes it very stressful…especially after the last 12-months Best of luck to you – and appreciate your comments 🙂 my heart hurt for these Students and Teachers and that is who the Parents put in Office The Parents are the ones to blame for listening to the crap that others said about the other Unelected Candidates This is a perfect example of telling people that “I will work for you” and then saying “it will only hurt for a little bit” they have plans to close more schools next year and the year after Cutting schools in the Middle of Mayfair is a joke what is the Cost of Busses for those students to go out of Mayfair The Hurt to our Minorty and Extremely Poor Community will continue to grow The Board needs to be replaced for not listening to the Parents and closing schools Cut from the Top of Each Department first then close Schools The District Office has benefited from our suffering This is about the Support for Our Children and not the Bottom Line of District Employees If they won’t work toward the benefit of our Students staying in our Schools then the Hell with them With – Over 4,000 homes coming to the Alum Rock Avenue area – where are those NEW children going to go Those family’s may be going to move into new Affordable Housing – but thanks to Elected Officials – none of that Housing will go to our families that need it the most Our families that live 2 and 3 Families in one Home will not be able to Afford the new Affordable Housing that is coming to Alum Rock and the East Valley Our Elected County Leaders have allowed Developers to price our Families out of the Alum Rock Area Instead of using the Average Median Income of 95116 Thanks to the County we will be pricing our Families out of New Affordable Housing in Alum Rock and throughout the East Valley The County says it AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME will be used to determine the amount of Rent for Low Income Housing in Alum Rock That mean if our Families that make less then $58,000.00 will not be able to qualify for these new Affordable Units in the Alum Rock Area and the rest of the East Valley Those new Families that will displace existing Families will be the New Schools in our Area Move the Poor out and bring in the Google low income who can Afford the New Affordable Housing “let’s better Educate the beautiful Students we have now in the Schools that is in their Neighborhood Check with a smart group of people of your choice like SOMOS MAYFAIR Maybe they can explain the financial situation better then I am They have more credibility then me I am sure of that The Community Voters should ask “Exactly Who(Organizations) supported these Elected Officials in Alum Rock That question needs to be scrutinized with a Microscope to insure clarity for their support of existing candidates and “Why they did not support the Other Candidates” Those Organizations moved the Voters to support Candidates who hold Offices in the District now Do they now support the Elected Officials decisions to close Schools in our Minority Families Community These Organizations need to clearly articulate their reason for continued support or Opposition to this decision These Organizations need to express transparency – if they support the Boards decision to close Schools or if they support the Community needs to keep children in their Neighborhood and out of Busses THE ISSUE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS NEW BOARD DO THE HARD WORK ON YOUR OWN WITHOUT CONSULTANTS Voters are to Blame for being lead to slaughter like sheep The parents in the Alum Rock School District advocated hard for more charter schools as the district opposed the expansion of Rocketship Elementary schools teacher unions that opposed charter school expansion and the Board along with very little community oversight of the Board who knew the solution a while back – but did not get the opportunity to expand school options in their community https://www.epi.org/blog/california-school-board-rejects-rocketship/ Of course the school district and the board would fight against charter schools…they know they can not compete with them all their students would be moved to the charter schools because the public schools are not teaching the kids… This article seems to miss the real truth seems like it’s biased Makes sensed since Perla Bonilla sits on this board and is Alum Rock district Pr getting paid Spotlight has become another political newspaper that only voices one side Alum rock district needs the state to take over these board members are a joke Andres Quintero is the man who brought del terra and tried to throw them under the bus when they didn’t hire his cousin to do construction He has a temper problem and should not be on any board He is the problem brings politics and resolutions but no money ?? What has he done beside handpick Board members with superintendent?This superintendent makes more than Sam Liccardo and it’s the poorest district Everyone who defends this corrupted people are uneducated and not involved or a sheep Pay attention people and have the state take this district soon before this district drowns and there is no district Spotlight is so slanted – and always leaves out the other side of the story It is time for some competent leaders to take over Alum Rock School District The community has been yelling and screaming for more school choice – and the same Board (well different members) shot down applications for charter schools years ago which would have helped a lot of families get into better educational opportunities Not only did they manage their schools and finances in a negligent manner – they blocked other school options from coming into the district because they didn’t want to lose those “per pupil” funds the Mayor and anyone else in office that calls for good education for all but has allowed Alum Rock School District to fail for decades How well were these schools educating our kids Were the schools failing the students 10 years ago What percentage of classrooms were devoted to ESL That explains why families took their kids out of these failing public schools and put them in charter schools Close the public schools that are failing the students and give their parents vouchers to take to the charter schools SJ Spotlight has Perla on their board who does PR for Alum Rock Unified School District Will East Side Union start closing down schools as well You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] The Alum Rock Union School District board voted to fire longtime Superintendent Hilaria Bauer after returning from closed session The board voted 3-2 to end her contact on Thursday night Minh Pham and Andres Quintero voting in favor and Corina Herrera-Loera and Andrea Flores Shelton opposing it “At last night’s board meeting the board of trustees made a unilateral decision to end the employment relationship between the district and the superintendent,” Herrera-Loera “That decision was made after much consideration and deliberation.” hoping her leadership would bring transparency and better ethical practices to the embattled school district He was dissatisfied with Bauer’s leadership Wright said he agreed with the board’s decision to end Bauer’s contract and move the district in a new direction “We need a leader that understands the needs of our community,” he told San José Spotlight “The community spoke up and the board listened.” Ruby Arias was one among many parents whose children are attending Aptitud Community Academy at Goss The school was on the potential chopping block and parents were calling for the superintendent to be fired “Nothing was getting done or heard all the time she was here,” she told San José Spotlight “She prioritized other stuff when it came to making decisions instead of trying to find solutions It’s time to find the right fit for the position; someone who actually can dedicate time and effort to help the community and not just (make) promises.” Trustee Pham said the decision to terminate the superintendent was done with a heavy heart “It is not a joyful decision,” he said “Unfortunately that’s the only power a school board has in regards to a superintendent and unfortunately the vote happened the way it did.” Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected] This woman has been a cancer on the Alum Rock School District Interesting how the two board members who voted to keep her were the two that were appointed instead of voted in Hopefully we can move forward putting the needs of our children first instead of funding vanity projects for a woman who demanded to be treated like a monarch forgetting the position she held is one of service Great point and one we need to seriously address Appointing people to elected positions has to end That is the most UN democratic thing humanly possible and we endure it regularly in this city in all bodies of politic You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected] When Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco envisions the future of Alum Rock Avenue she sees a vibrant corridor of people enjoying the sights and sounds visitors stopping at small businesses and families walking to and from events at Mexican Heritage Plaza to experience the east side,” Carrasco said “To nurture the talent that’s already there but that may need additional support or guidance.” That’s why Carrasco has proposed a property-based improvement district for the Alum Rock area She’s worked with the city for years to create some type of business improvement area but hopes to get it started before the end of her term next year Property-based improvement districts are quasi-public entities that collect money from property owners to fund special services for designated areas Payment amounts are usually set based on each property’s size and collected for both residential and commercial properties Carrasco said improvement districts offer benefits to business corridors like Alum Rock Avenue “It’s a tool that offers great possibilities and great promise to the east side in terms of the transformative potential,” she said “We need to get it across the finish line.” Right now, San Jose’s only property-based improvement district—in operation since 2008—is run by the San Jose Downtown Association The downtown district funds services such as trash removal Creating an improvement district is a time-consuming process director of public space operations for the downtown association Among the first steps is to hire a contractor to help conduct outreach to businesses and property owners the most challenging aspect of starting an improvement district is making sure all stakeholders have a say “You might come up with the right services (but) you might not have property owner support,” she told San José Spotlight “It’s really important to create those opportunities for feedback throughout the whole process.” Shipp said her favorite part of the downtown association’s improvement district is Groundwerx which picks up trash and pressure washes the sidewalks Peter Ortiz, public policy advisor for the Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association and candidate for Carrasco’s seat said he envisions Alum Rock becoming a destination corridor similar to Mission Street in San Francisco “I picture Alum Rock as an epicenter of culture and history in East San Jose that attracts visitors from across the Bay Area,” said Ortiz adding that the area already has many attractive qualities such as diverse cultures communities of color and family-oriented businesses and services Ortiz said the main concern of business owners along Alum Rock Avenue is safety for their customers, in addition to some vacant storefronts that have attracted blight. He said a property-based improvement district could help fund business development programs, such as Prosperity Lab to help attract vendors to fill empty storefronts “What we’re hoping to do is build a partnership with our property owners to make sure that we’re providing opportunities to build new businesses along the corridor,” he said and we see a (property-based improvement district) as a way to address small businesses’ challenges operating in East San Jose.” Funds for improvement districts could be used to pay for security along Alum Rock Avenue maintenance of sidewalks and marketing services The development of the district is still in the early stages but businesses are willing to work with property owners to identify a sweet spot of funding for these services I can say that we’re interested,” Ortiz said “We’re open to work with all invested parties to make sure that we find a mutually-benefitting plan for this.” Funds for property-based improvement districts are collected through property tax rolls according to city Economic Development Director Nanci Klein which stores it in a reserve fund only used for the district Klein said Alum Rock is well-suited for a business improvement district The challenge will be getting it started and getting enough business and property owners to help manage it over time very stressful and joyful set of work,” Klein said then the more the business district has to draw from in order to keep the leadership highly energized.” Carrasco said she’s spoken to some business and property owners along Alum Rock Avenue and that some are supportive while others are “cautiously optimistic.” She said she’d like to see the improvement district up and running by the time the city celebrates the 150th anniversary of Alum Rock Park next year “Sometimes it’s difficult to envision this greater vision of what could be when you’re just sitting there working and getting products out the door,” Carrasco said “If we can get this (district) off the ground and get it across the finish line… I think it would only add to the celebratory atmosphere.” Contact Sonya Herrera at [email protected] or follow @SMHsoftware on Twitter Magdalena has been a Councilmember for what 7 years and she just thought of doing this I live in Alum Rock and thus far the ‘improvements’ to the stretch she is talking about has been to take away all street parking leaving many businesses floundering as their customers have no where to park We walk that stretch every evening and the blight in yards and sidewalks is extreme she’s been in office for seven years and done nothing for this area You must be logged in to post a comment 408.206.5327[email protected]