The OneDublin.org series on “Difference Makers” continues by highlighting a pair of individuals that are making their presence felt in completely different ways. This should come as no surprise as the ongoing series of profiles has been an eye-opening experience. We will start at one end of the spectrum and then travel to another. Both individuals are worthy of a spotlight and their contributions are note worthy.

We will begin with a spotlight on Ms. Gloria Gregory. Gloria is the Executive Director of the community/faith based organization, CityServe. This group serves a multitude of civic and school organizations throughout the Tri-Valley. OneDublin.org met with Ms. Gregory in 2014 to discuss her “adoption” of Valley High School – DUSD’s continuation high school. This adoption took shape in many forms – including the establishment of a bi-monthly “Breakfast Club”, the support of a special screening of the film “When the Game Stands Tall” and the support of a Thanksgiving lunch for its students. The relationship established by Gloria and her colleagues at CityServe is special and demands to be recognized. We recently had the opportunity to discuss the nature of this connection between the two groups.

OneDublin.org:  Please help our readers understand the origins of your relationship with Valley High and how it has strengthened over the years.

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Clik here to view.Gloria Gregory: “In November of 2013, Dublin Councilman David Haubert contacted me to discuss ways he and the Dublin Rotary could partner with CityServe of the Tri-Valley to identify and meet needs of Dublin residents during the upcoming holiday season. The Dublin Rotary already had an established relationship with Valley High, and I became involved to help increase the assistance given to students and their families who could use some help. We increased the assistance by arranging for the families to receive Children’s Emergency Food Bank Christmas Distribution boxes for the holidays as well as an Adopt- A- Family program through Dublin churches and the community.

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“During that process I got to know Valley High counselor, Liz Buckley, and I asked her if there was a way CityServe could continue to help at the school beyond the holidays. She immediately told me they had once had budget to provide breakfasts for the students on Friday mornings but that budget item had been eliminated. She said those breakfasts increased attendance on Fridays and she felt it would be great if we could provide them; she said it could just be cold cereal and milk, etc. I put together a core volunteer team of 4 to begin providing Friday breakfasts every other week as of January 2014. We had fun planning breakfast casseroles, heart shaped pancakes for Valentine’s Day, smoothies, etc. At first the students were stand offish, but soon they loosened up, attendance grew, and we had even more fun seeing the wonderful way it turned into a great time of community for the students and faculty!

“Through this relationship with the students and faculty at Valley High, I and the CityServe core of volunteers who have been faithful on Friday mornings, Carolyn Wetmore and Janet Songey, developed real caring hearts for them! We have been able to connect community volunteers to coach the gardening club there as well as provide tutoring. Janet established a “CityServe Corner” in the library at Valley High and developed a Youth CityServe Newsletter that features community volunteer opportunities that fit the students’ schedules and abilities. We print it each month for the students and distribute it and talk about how they can help others with their time and talents. The newsletter is posted on our website monthly.

“Last August, after viewing the film, “When the Game Stands Tall” (the inspirational story of Concord’s De La Salle football team), I immediately thought it would be a great experience for the students to take a theater field trip to see the film together. Liz Buckley and the principal and faculty at Valley High responded with much enthusiasm. With the financial partnership of then-Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti and now Dublin Mayor David Haubert, we at CityServe were able to give 70 students and faculty the gift of visiting Hacienda Theaters on a Friday morning in early September to see the film! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the film’s message and the group experience, and the teachers used the relationship and individual responsibility lessons learned from the film in class projects. We have established a special bond with Valley High; the students and faculty are always high on the list in our hearts and minds and we look for new ways to help and encourage them!”

OneDublin.org:  The Friday morning breakfast program has become somewhat of an institution at VHS.  Please explain why CityServe continues to support this initiative and feel free to shine a light on your “army” of volunteers.

Gregory: “In January 2015 the Valley High Breakfast effort reached new levels! In December I had shared in a group some details about the breakfasts, and Jan Kinzel, a Dublin resident, responded that she would be interested in learning more. After the first of the year I called Jan, and I took her to Valley High to meet Liz and the team there. Jan loves to plan menus, cook, and design a beautiful presentation of meals. Before I knew it she had planned all the details for exceptional breakfasts to last through the school year including: potato crusted ham and cheese quiches, potato crusted quiche Florentine, delicious breakfast pizza, McDragon breakfast sandwiches (Valley High’s mascot is the Dragons), and puffy French toast!

“Now, a group of 6-10 volunteers gather every other Thursday at Jan’s home in Dublin to prepare a gourmet breakfast to be served at Valley High the next morning. The group includes folks from St. Philip Lutheran Church as led by Vonnie Carlsen and Denyse Blasdell, friends of Jan’s who travel from Livermore to participate, and Jan’s Dublin friends and neighbors! It is a fun time of fellowship that we all look forward to!”

OneDublin.org: When we last met, it was at the Dublin Blvd. Safeway where you were supporting a food collection effort in conjunction with Boy Scout Troop 905.  Your energy is seemingly boundless.  Kindly articulate how and why you continue to seek out opportunities to support our community.

Gregory: “Over the last seven years since starting the CityServe of the Tri-Valley work, I’ve been given a gift of opportunity to focus on ways to facilitate meeting human service needs locally. The work began through the vision of one church desiring to encourage members to connect with non-profits to community volunteer needs. Through the years it has evolved into not only increasing community volunteer participation among the now 19 supporting churches (over 32,000 hours of volunteer work was logged through them in 2014), but also into a 501(c)3 non-profit serving the Tri-Valley in many ways. Those ways include bi-monthly CityServe Community Meetings that create increased effectiveness and collaboration between the faith-based community, non-profits, schools, businesses, and government agencies, a website (www.cityservetrivalley.org) that is one of the most comprehensive data bases of resources for human services needs solutions as well as listing current volunteer needs in our communities.

“Just as our relationship with Valley High has opened many opportunities to help meet specific individual and family needs, so have our relationships with the Livermore and Pleasanton School Districts, our local cities’ human services and housing focused staff members, as well as numerous non-profits and churches. Our all volunteer staff at the CityServe office is often the hub for connecting several resources to meet the needs of a single mom needing auto repairs, an unemployed veteran living in his inoperable car, a senior woman living part time in motels and part time in her vehicle, or a family in need of help with motel costs due to a bed bug infestation. We are filling a gap not covered by existing services!

“The stories and opportunities are endless! Leading an organization that can serve our communities as a significant resource and will fill such a gap is a wonderful opportunity and one of the best ways I can imagine to use my time and energy. I believe God created each of us to be a help to others. I’m very thankful to be given such an important role in our communities to play a part in doing just that!”

So, this now moves us to explore volunteer Deborah Yamasaki at Frederiksen Elementary School. Deborah attained a B.A in Occupational Therapy, Psychology and Child Development from San Jose State University. She and her family transplanted to Dublin from Albany. She currently serves as an Occupation Therapist for California Child Services at Bay Elementary School in San Lorenzo. She is the mother to a 6 year old (Gavin) and a 2 year old (Declan). As a parent of a kindergartener, Ms. Yamasaki is at the dawn of her school volunteer years. Yet, she has embraced this opportunity and she was willing to share her views. OneDublin.org recently sat down with her and her comments were very enlightening.

OneDublin.org: You arrived at Frederiksen as the parent of a kinder last year and with no previous experience as a volunteer.  Please share how you came to become involved (Talent Show?). 

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Clik here to view.Deborah Yamasaki: “I began by attending all the PFC meetings to find out about what is happening at Frederiksen and to meet the people who were in charge of the multitude of events that are provided in the school.  I attended a few events such as the Frederiksen Fun Run, Kindergarten Pumpkin Patch and Bedtime Books. I was very pleased with how smoothly events were done and how much enjoyment my son received out of these extracurricular events. I also did a presentation on Japanese culture in my son’s kindergarten classroom and the direct feedback from almost every student in the class was incredibly positive and it showed that I made a direct impact on the students.  It made me want to be part of making kids happy and be proud to be part of Frederiksen School.   I was unsure of how the various events are coordinated until I directly participated. I tentatively offered to be a volunteer for the Talent Show because PFC was asking for volunteers and it sounded like a fun event. I thought that I could be a productive volunteer and share some of my background in the performing arts.”

OneDublin.org: You took on the role of Volunteer Coordinator.  What other events have you assisted with throughout the year and in what capacity?

Yamasaki: “I appointed myself Volunteer Coordinator for the Talent Show because I wanted to best support the gracious, organized, and incredibly selfless person who took on the main responsibility (Melissa Richardson. Melissa is a part-time teacher @ Frederiksen and has twin girls in the 1st grade.)  Since I could not personally attend many of the rehearsals, I wanted to be sure there was coverage for all the jobs/responsibilities and to have smoothly running show/rehearsals.  I offered whatever help I could do, such as designing the program and assigning jobs and logistics. I also volunteered with the kindergarten Pumpkin Patch (leading students from one activity/classroom to the next), blew bubbles for the Frederiksen Fun Run, and was the school mascot for the St Patrick’s Day Parade.”

OneDublin.org: During our conversation, you had mentioned that one of the benefits of volunteering is the opportunity to get to know parents of children in multiple grade levels.  Why is this important?

Yamasaki: “I want my son to be proud to be a Frederiksen Panther. I also want him to see that I am proud of being part of the Frederiksen community.  In order to create a strong sense of community, we have to know each other, have communication, and direction.  A community needs a strong leader and willing participants.  Claire Mognaga is a great leader for our school and I want to support her leadership.  I felt that participating in the talent show was a way to interact with both the leadership and the participants of our Frederiksen community. It was wonderful to participate in the Talent show because there was a great deal of one-on-one interaction between the volunteers and the kids/parents who participated.  That created an amazing sense of belonging and to be part of something that was important.  Not only were the children and parents personally vested in being part of the event, it was also an ongoing positive feedback experience for the students. Many students were recognized as having “talent” or being “famous” at school because they were participants.  Those are the experiences that last lifetimes and create a sense of belonging.”

OneDublin.org: Your personality is one that is very cheery and outgoing. However, there may be other volunteer prospects out there that have a desire to help out, but do not know where to start. How would you advise them to become involved?

Yamasaki: “I would have them get on the PFC website. There are tons of opportunities and even the smallest commitment of time is sincerely appreciated.”

OneDublin.org: As a somewhat recent transplant from Albany, how do you view the rapid enrollment growth at Frederiksen and throughout DUSD?

Yamasaki: “Growth in the Dublin area is almost unbelievable to me. I grew up in a small town with mostly the same kids from elementary to high school.  I just imagine the overwhelming pressure and workload there is for the teachers and administration with constantly full classes. I like to be involved so I will get a heads up as to what to expect for the future. I cannot even picture what it will be like for my son in 9 years when he is in high school.”

OneDublin.org: How can you foresee your role as a parent supporter expanding in the next couple of years?

Yamasaki: “I enjoy being a liaison for parents to ask what to do and for me to delegate from their feedback. Many parents hesitate to volunteer due to time and/or commitment issues. I have found that if the parent only has very limited time available, they will not offer.  Since I work part-time, I understand their predicament. I feel that once people know what is needed and they could help, they step up. Creating those opportunities is key. Because once you are involved, it gets easier to do more activities. And appreciating the effort no matter how large or small, it is important. I hope to learn more and participate in community building volunteer opportunities in the future.”

So, we have shared a profile on two volunteers that span generations. It is a gentle reminder that one can volunteer at any age. More importantly, it highlights the importance of doing so and the positive feeling that is experienced by putting oneself forward. OneDublin.org salutes the continuing efforts by both Gloria Gregory and Deborah Yamasaki. We appreciate everything that you do.

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Difference Maker Michelle McDonald

Throughout this series, it has been our goal to shine a light on a myriad of adult volunteers that have made significant contributions at their respective schools and to the efforts of the Dublin Unified School District. As we move this project towards its conclusion, we are pleased to devote a post that will focus on a singular force of nature, Michelle McDonald.

All of our featured Difference Makers are making significant and relevant contributions to their respective school sites. However, it is somewhat unusual to meet an individual that has virtually “done it all” throughout her 15 year tenure as a parent volunteer. She and her husband, Jerry, have raised two children that have traversed through the DUSD ladder – Annie is presently matriculating through Santa Clara University (and was featured in a Life in College article) and Matthew is a current Dublin High School senior that will advance to Linfield College in Oregon. For those that may be unfamiliar, their family’s contributions to the advancement of this school district cannot be completely summarized or simply articulated.

Ms. McDonald attained a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from San Jose State University. Subsequently, she was able to match her passion for sports and journalism and over time has worked as a Writer for the Oakland Tribune, the San Francisco Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle. The latter assignment featured a focus on the Stanford Women’s Basketball beat that followed the Lady Cardinal through much of their NCAA successes. Since 2011, she has been a Contributing Writer to espnW.com – frequently reporting on global women’s sports.

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Clik here to view.All the while, Michelle has managed to function as a tireless leader and volunteer for a multitude of initiatives. Her articulation began at Frederiksen Elementary School under the innocent movement to help build a shade structure for the school site. Joining the PFC, she ultimately became the President of the PFC. Moving forward to Wells Middle School, she assumed greater responsibilities, including the management of the Annual Crab Feed and also accepted an elevated role in the PFC. As her children migrated to Dublin High, she inevitably took on roles of leadership in the PFSO and supported the Athletic Boosters organization at a high level. Additionally, she has performed in an instrumental role in multiple bond measure and parcel tax campaigns in support of the Dublin Unified School District. There has been virtually, no stone unturned.

So, where do you start with this type of person? OneDublin.org recently had the opportunity to sit down with Michelle and to gather thoughts on her journey and to receive her perspective on the state of volunteerism within DUSD.

OneDublin.org:  As this school year is seemingly racing to its end, perhaps you’ve taken a moment to reflect.  And, perhaps you have not.  When you momentarily put your remaining volunteering responsibilities at Dublin High aside, please share a memorable anecdote from your years at Frederiksen Elementary School – the place where it all began.

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Clik here to view.Michelle McDonald: “Honestly, there hasn’t been much time to reflect yet. Senior year finishes with a lot of activities, and it’s probably best not to spend too much time pondering the “end” of anything at this point. It’s coming soon enough. But I do remember so many moments well from those days back at Frederiksen, but one in particular that I remember with great affection was the day my friend Catherine Brown (now a teacher at Frederiksen) assigned me to cook 500 hot dogs for Field Day. We dragged some gas grills to school and I sat out on the patio flipping hot dogs for 3 hours wondering how in the world I got there and also knowing there was no place I’d rather be. To be at school, watch my children and their friends actually experience their education on a regular-basis, was a gift. It still is.”

OneDublin.org:  It has been our observation over time that you possess the knack for positively leading groups and initiatives.  Yet, during our conversation, you stressed that “having fun” is a primary element for any project.  Please share your general philosophy about volunteering and also serving in a leadership role.

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Clik here to view.McDonald: “I am a big believer in working on some of these big projects with a group of people who really want to be there and have a great time accomplishing something together. I have made some of my most precious friendships with people whom I have shared this volunteer experience. It is really a win-win, less work for everybody when lots of people pitch in, more memories for all of us and it’s the best way to make sure that some of these events live on. By not making them so big or so onerous that one person feels the burden of success of failure.

“I am more grateful that I can say for all of the groups of people I’ve worked with through the years and I hope I never hesitate to express that. Maybe that’s why some of these folks keep agreeing to say yes when I ask. Being a leader doesn’t mean having to do everything yourself. It doesn’t mean having to keep track of everything that’s been done on a micro level. It means being the person who is willing to see the bigger picture and allow people to share their passions and their talents. Frankly, I also don’t believe in drama. We are all volunteers and we are all doing the best we can. There is no merit to confrontation, or rudeness, or unrealistic expectations in these situations. I’d like to think I have been able to keep things drama-free.”

OneDublin.org: In March, you were honored to be inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame of Alameda County.  Help our readers to understand how you gained inclusion into this exclusive group and what the honor means to you.

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Clik here to view.McDonald: “I had the honor this spring of being inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame thanks to the sneaky nomination of a group of friends, and my amazing sister Linda. They nominated me on the basis of my work covering women’s sports in the Bay Area and nationally for the past 25 years (eek). I am very proud of my work in journalism. It has been my privilege to shine a light on a lot of female athletes who don’t often get the spotlight pointed in their direction nearly enough. And I was very humbled to be in the room with some folks who truly have done their share to change the world, even a little bit. To think that I am viewed in that way is a little overwhelming. And I’m honored by it.”

OneDublin.org: Clearly, DUSD has been growing at an incredible rate over the past decade. But as you have personally experienced, it is the parent/guardian population that is the true “engine” behind executing enrichment activities and enhancing campus life.  Speak to those that may have either been reluctant or were unsure how even get started.

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Clik here to view.McDonald: “High school is an interesting time when it comes to parents and their willingness to volunteer. My experience is that many parents believe their kids don’t want them around, and they stay away. But in high school, the scope of the volunteer jobs are as important as ever in terms of measurable and meaningful support to programs. Think about the significant commitments that are required by our band and music parents, our athletic parents. Our students depend on the money and the time and the commitment provided by parents all over our campus. You might think your kids don’t want you around, but when they see everyone’s parents around – working snack bars or gates, managing band review and fundraisers, they adapt. And you have an opportunity to truly make a difference. If you are unsure how to get started, get on the DHS website and look up “Volunteer Opportunities” under the Organizations tab. Find a job that fits your schedule or your interest and hop in. This campus is full of committed and fabulous people who are happy to have the help.”

OneDublin.org: After so many years of leading the charge at a few different schools, your youngest will graduate in June.  However, we are suspecting that you will continue to offer your support to our schools.  Articulate what you think that might look like in the future.

McDonald: “I will be around. I will show up and work snack bars and help out with events. But, the difference will be that I will have the luxury of coming when I want to, working around my own schedule. My role with Dublin Unified in Communications will keep me close to my “homes”, the schools where my children grew up, I made my best friends and we all have such fond, fond memories.”

OneDublin.org:  Anything else that you would like to add?

McDonald: “I have no doubt that my experience in the last 15 years, and even my kids’ experience, has been changed by my participation in their education. I realize that no everyone wants to say yes to all the things I’ve said yes to over the years. But I wouldn’t trade those ‘yes’ experiences for anything.”

We are fortunate and pleased to present this profile. While a definition for “Uber Volunteer” may not yet exist, we are certain that Michelle may fit this categorization. Our schools and school district are grateful to our Difference Makers.

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Michelle McDonald and her family

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Dublin High School Student Filmmakers

Another available course will be Advanced Video Production led by Michael D’Ambrosio. It will be available to students that have successfully completed the introductory Video Production class taught in this current year. We share this nugget as Dublin High School will host its first Film Festival – A Night on the Red Carpet on Wednesday, May 27th at 7:00 PM in the Center for Performing Arts & Education.

OneDublin.org previously posted a story on this first year program. The progress of this initiative was largely due to the efforts of Mr. D’Ambrosio. In turn, his students have responded with great enthusiasm. At the start of the academic year, he challenged his students with the prospect of completing a project that was worthy of screening at a DHS film festival. Throughout the year, they have been tasked with certain timelines/deliverables. Approximately 15 completed video pieces that involved about 40 students were submitted for consideration. Ultimately, the end result will be a representation of all of the students’ efforts and a celebration of this burgeoning program.

The process was relative simple. Classmates were asked to craft a concept for a short film and to work on it throughout the year. Certain milestones needed to be met and there was a submission deadline. Upon a peer review process, five subjects have been selected to be screened. Make no mistake, this is not a competition. Rather, it is a celebration for all of the work that has been invested this year.

OneDublin.org recently had the opportunity to sit down with Video Production instructor Michael D’Ambrosio to gain his insights into the entire process. We are pleased to share this conversation.

OneDublin.org:  What was the genesis of constructing a film festival at DHS and do you hope that this will further propel the Video Production program?

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Teacher Michael D’Ambrosio

Michael D’Ambrosio: “The idea actually came in two parts. A colleague of mine mentioned that at some point we should have a film festival here once the program gets going. When the students turned in their proposals and then a portion of their films, there were a couple of films that I was taken aback by and I knew that others had to see them, and I went to work on making the Film Festival happen. The program is already growing at DHS. This year there were two sections, and next year there will be three with a fourth section being an advanced course. The school has embraced what we have done, and I plan on running with it and having students showcase their work as often as possible. It’s amazing what these kids are producing, and where their minds go.”

OneDublin.org: Participation in the film festival was actually a year-long process.  Please share the timeline and some of the benchmarks that your students needed to achieve throughout 2014-15.

D’Ambrosio: “Participation in the film festival was actually a year-long process.  Please share the timeline and some of the benchmarks that your students needed to achieve throughout 2014-15. The process actually began on the first day of school. I told the students that they would have to have a film due towards the end of the year. The students then had to create a proposal that explained the ins and outs of their film. Once it was approved, and the concept was thought out, they began working on a portion of the movie that they could show me. Once the deadline for that passed they then had two due dates they could choose. One being submitting to the Film Festival to see if it is chosen, and the other date was just a date when it was due as an assignment.”

OneDublin.org: After you and your colleagues reviewed all of the submissions, please comment on the overall quality of what you screened.  Did the students employ any advanced techniques?

D’Ambrosio: “To be honest I was very surprised just how much the students had learned. For many of the students that submitted films, this was their real first hands-on experience with using the kind of equipment and editing software at Dublin High School. While watching the films, I really felt like I could see their complete thought process in their movies. The students did an outstanding job demonstrating what they had learned all year. This included film angles, drawing in the viewer, keep the viewer engaged, sound, and editing techniques.”

OneDublin.org: Based upon student feedback, please explain how having an end of year event helped to further motivate your students beyond their day to day lessons.

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Clik here to view.D’Ambrosio: “The students, I don’t think really knew what to expect from the Film Festival so I knew it was up to me to get them excited about it. I purchased a few items like a back drop and professional posters to let the students know that I was excited to help them put this Film Festival on. That’s all it took to get the students excited and now, they can’t wait for the Film Festival to get here. I look forward to growing the Film Festival every year and really showcasing the work of these creative students. The students have created work that is authentic and meaningful to them and they are excited to share it with the school and the community. The movies that are to be shown really go in-depth in the minds of the students and that is something I am excited everyone gets to see.”

The DHS Film Festival is a first time event. Admission is free. A full reception complete with food and music will begin at 5:30 PM and the doors will open to the theater at 6:30 PM. Please demonstrate your support for these students and the program with your presence on this night. It may be your only opportunity to stroll a red carpet this year.

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Dublin High Student Filmmakers

The Center for the Performing Arts & Education was filled beyond capacity on Wednesday evening as the first annual 2015 Dublin High School Film Festival was screened before a wildly enthusiastic crowd. After the 500-seat theatre filled to capacity, additional moviegoers were re-directed to watch the production from the adjacent Green Room.

This is a tremendous accomplishment achieved by Video Production instructor Michael D’Ambrosio. This first-year program has generated a tremendous amount of momentum that will carry over into the 2015-16 academic year with the addition of an Advanced Video Production course. In addition to showing the “Best of the Video Bulletins” from this year, four original student directed films were screened to an enthusiastic audience.

The evening opening with a personal and moving perspective on depression through the first person stories of local teens and their battles with the disease. Two students followed with an uplifting film that provided their perspective on being kind – including surprising complete strangers with gifts and goodwill. A shift into fiction followed with the tale of a teen suffering from hallucinations that take him to harrowing climax. The final film was a moving documentary capturing Dublin teen Camille Chabot’s battle against Hodgkins Lymphoma, crafted by her sister Juliette.

After the screening, a brief Question & Answer period was conducted with the student filmmakers answering questions from the audience. Overall, it was a stunning and memorable night. In advance, it was difficult to believe that some patrons would be asked to watch the proceedings in the Green Room – rather than in the primary theater. It is a testament to how far this program has advanced in a single year.

Additionally, many enjoyed the experience of walking a red carpet just outside of the theater. For all, it was a night to remember.

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Clik here to view.With the blizzard of activities occurring at the end of the academic school year, it might be easy to miss a small, yet very powerful event. On Friday, a few luminaries, students and members of the Dublin Partners in Education (DPIE) convened at the Teacher Lounge adjacent in the Dublin High School Student Union.

The purpose was to recognize students that had received high achievement in a Poster Contest under the theme of “Be Loyal to Your Soil – Compost.” This competition represented a collaboration that included DPIE, Stop Waste, Amador Valley Industries and 16th District Representative Catharine Baker. Their intent was to place a spotlight on the importance of composting and to allow the Dublin High students to present a visual representation of what this movement means to them. A rating system was devised to measure elements such as Marketability, Creativity and Overall Impact.

As the students filed into the lounge, they were also joined by City Council Member Don Biddle, DUSD Board President Amy Miller, Representative Baker, DPIE Executive Director Susan Campbell and other members of the DPIE board. One by one, each student was provided an opportunity to speak about their artistic inspiration:

Lindsey Lauffer: “Ever since I was little, I have had a passion for art and a passion for gardening. My art teacher gave me a few flyers for art contests coming up and as soon as I saw the Be Loyal to Your Soil contest I felt so inspired! My Grandfather and I love gardening together and our favorite thing to grow was sunflowers. He showed me how to compost and what to put in the compost to make it grow. My Grandfather taught me everything to know about gardening, including how to compost. The concept for my poster was based on the time my Grandpa and I spent together. I pictured his hands holding my favorite flower and the dirt sprinkling on the ground.  I also learned what to put into the compost so I included each item in the word itself. The amount of fun that I had making this poster reminded me of all the fun I had gardening.”

Dominique De Vera: “I wanted to join this contest because I have a huge passion for art and I deeply care about the environment. The environment is something that should not be taken for granted. In addition, it should have more attention by helping it and improving it. On the poster, I emphasized the phrase “Be Loyal” to signify the attention towards the environment. Loyalty at this case promotes a commitment, which is to start composting and continuing the process. After careful research to avoid drawing items that are not decomposable, the word “Compost” consists of items that are able to overall.”

Elizabeth Fu: “My poster concept is based on the importance that composting has on our cities – composting may seem to be just a simple process, but the many benefits of it can hugely improve our lives, such as improving the air we breathe and reducing the amount of pesticides and water needed to grow healthy plants. This is why I chose to have a silhouette of cities sprouting up from the ground. “

Audrey Shi: “Inspired by the butterfly theme on the promotional flyers my poster advocates compost in an indirect way. The butterfly in the middle has half a complete wing and half a skeletal one demonstrating the life it had. The flower sprouting out of the top of its head shows the life that grows out of the death of the butterfly. Composting is using previous organisms to help new ones grow like how the flower is growing out of the butterfly.”

Rachel Yoon: “My poster includes a healthy apple tree grown from compost with animals and kids eating yummy apples. Compost eliminates the need of plant fertilizers in soil and creates healthier and organic food that we eat every day. I decided to participate in this contest because art is my most favorite thing and I would like to join the earth-friendly event with my artwork.”

Alexandra Fangonil: “I chose to participate because I wanted to be able to tell people how beautiful nature is. Through my poster, I sowed this. I want to tell people that we should be loyal to our soil and respect it since it is the one that is making us live. We should learn how to save our natural resources and not destroy them. Nature has given us and provided us so much for us to survive. It is our time to give back. We should let it grow and develop to its full potential. Let us not litter and release pollution. Let us make our world beautiful once more.”

While not largely viewed as a competition, there were awards to be handed out. There were three honorable mentions distributed and the Grand Prize winner was awarded to Ms. Elizabeth Fu and her piece “Be Loyal to your Soil – Compost!”

OneDublin.org would like to thank DPIE, Stop Waste, Amador Valley Industries and Representative Catharine Baker for the invitation to this very special event. Ms. Baker implied that some of these artworks would ultimately end up in either her local office in San Ramon or in Sacramento. We were simply thrilled to acknowledge these talented Dublin High School students and to understand their artistic motivations.

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Clik here to view.Monday evening at Fallon Middle School served as the time and venue for community members in East Dublin to convene with DUSD staff, the Board of Trustees and members of the District Optimization Committee (DOC). The point of the meeting had two purposes. A primary reason was for the Dublin Unified School District and the DOC to publicly share some options to effectively manage growth as enrolment continues to rise at an accelerated rate in this portion of town. The second element would allow district families to voice their opinions/concerns relative to the changes that are being proposed.

The DOC will reconvene on June 15th – for the last time in this academic calendar year. Their desire is to find consensus of a growth plan option that can then be recommended to the Board of Trustees for consideration at their June 23rd meeting. The issue is highly complex and there exists the potential push back from large members of this vicinity if a school boundary change is adopted.

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Clik here to view.At the outset, Superintendent Stephen Hanke went to great lengths to explain why the District has arrived at this point. The incredible rate of new housing construction in the last decade has appeared to outstrip facility capabilities that were approved in the Eastern Dublin General Plan of 1994. Planning and development for any potential new school is a three to four year proposition. Additionally, there is the question of paying for land and construction. While Amador Elementary School – adjacent to the Positano subdivision will open in a mere three months, it will operate at nearly 75% capacity in its first year of operation. So, with a fourth elementary school coming online for the 2015-16 academic year, the obvious impact will be felt at Fallon Middle School for years to come.

So, since last December, the DOC has been tasked with producing creative solutions that would potentially mitigate the overflow impact at Fallon. In response, the committee pondered many options. For the next two years, some of these included: adding portable classrooms and capping overall enrollment somewhere between 1500 – 1600 students. In the following three years additional options could be considered. They include: Continuing the enrollment cap, potentially convert Amador into a K-6 school, redrawing existing school boundaries and a lottery system based upon date of residence/construction.

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Superintendent Dr. Hanke

Following Dr. Hanke’s presentation, two stand-up microphones were available for public comment with a two minute limitation for statements and questions. The response was direct and swift. For the next two hours, most every speaker expressed comments that covered similar themes. For one, there was a clear sentiment about not creating any boundary re-draws for the upcoming year. This was largely based upon not “splitting up” families that have had a clear path to Fallon and having their children diverted to Wells Middle School.

Another point of contention was the veracity of the enrollment projections that have been presented to DUSD for years. Their accuracy was questioned at many times. Thirdly, a large theme voiced was a desire to not have E-5 planned upon as another elementary school – but to consider it to be converted into a third middle school – thus alleviating the inevitable pressure that is potentially coming to Fallon.

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Clik here to view.With each succeeding petitioner coming forward to the microphone, the tone of the discussion became highly passionate. And in some cases, it became a bit personal relative to the work of the DOC and District staff. Dr. Hanke fielded the vast majority of the questions. While present, the DUSD Board of Trustees – absent Sean Kenney – was largely observers to the process.

What is plainly clear is that this topic has struck a nerve with many Dublin residents/parents. They had the opportunity to voice their opinions and they did so clearly. The tennis volley now returns to the DOC as they will meet in mid-month and to deliver a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. From our observation, there are no easy or simple solutions. The school district must follow a charter to provide safe and adequate housing for all of its students.

Here, we will not debate the quality or nobility of the district’s direction. However, this subject is coming to a head and the potential impact may be felt in less than three months. For now, the Board of Trustees may be faced with deciding a course of action that will have far-reaching impacts. As of today, the item will be placed on the District agenda on June 23rd.

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DHS Entrepreneur Competition 1st Place Project

On the same night that the basketball Golden State Warriors hosted Game 1 of their NBA Final series in Oakland, another group of Dublin High School “champions” were displaying and pitching their own scientific innovations. It occurred on Thursday and the event was titled the Dublin High School Engineering & Design Academy Entrepreneur Competition & Showcase. For the third consecutive year, the objective was to feature students that had two weeks to develop/deliver concepts that would not only address a current day problem, but to challenge them to ensure that this idea would be marketable in today’s economy.

As a first-time observer to this event, it was a fascinating evening. Students were encouraged to work in groups or they would be allowed to work alone. They are all aspiring students enrolled in classes led by Eugene Chou, Dave Uken and Katina Lewis. While the students have been aware of the end of year competition, the actual event has been reserved for the last few weeks of the academic calendar. Mr. Uken explained to us that this was done by intent as it takes almost a full year for the students to understand engineering concepts and for them to be able to be put them into practical terms. Thus, the student teams were given a two week period to develop a concept, refine it and to ensure that it could become a marketable idea.

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Clik here to view.The night was remarkable – perhaps resembling a Science Fair 2.0. Of the close to 40 concepts that were submitted, 11 of them were granted the opportunity to provide a live presentation with accompanying ppt. slides. Further, a panel of 10 industry judges were present to observe the pitches and then to participate in a Q & A session. Upon completion of the presentations, the judges convened in private to discuss the merits of the finalists and then to determine the final award winners.

Regardless of outcome, we observed many inventive prospects. Some of these included: A Drop Clock which would force an over-sleeper to capture an item before a clock alarm could be suspended, or the School Box, which is an all-in-one device that can house all necessary tools to function while at school and to HelpMe! an online application that can readily report the instance of bullying to proper school authorities. In sum, all of the concepts were well thought out and it created another level of thinking when one must consider that these ideas must include market-feasibility and cost relativity.

We had the opportunity to discuss this program with the D Engineering & Design Academy Coordinator, Eugene Chou. She then shared some of her insights.

OneDublin.org:  We were told by several in attendance tonight that this event was much larger than last year.  What can you attribute this to?

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Eugene Chou: “We have grown in the number of engineering sections this year, so overall we have more students involved in the project. In addition, our students know and anticipate this project each year and have really taken this project more seriously overall. “

OneDublin.org: All of the submissions were very creative, but there appeared to be an emphasis on current circumstances in the Bay Area – including water conservation.  Did you encourage this theme or was it a purely organic movement by the students?

Chou: “We give the students free-range in ideas so this was not something that was pushed by instructors. Overall, our curriculum definitely has an environmental theme – students build solar/hydrogen vehicles, do and upcycling project, learn about how engineering can impact the environment. I believe that most of our students are interested in solving real problems that will drive positive change in their lives and the lives of others. I think that the water conservation issue is well-publicized in the Bay Area so it was natural for many students to be interested in this topic.”

OneDublin.org: The event was largely successful due to the local judges and sponsors.  Further, the deliberation period extended outside of the printed schedule.  Share an insight as to how difficult it was for the committee to determine the final three highest awards.

Chou: “Because we had so many more teams this year than last year, there was a lot for the judges to have to digest and sift through. The judges liked many of the ideas and were individually passionate about certain ones, which can make deliberations more difficult. The process started with identifying the top five teams and then narrowed it to three. The top three scored so closely for many judges it was difficult to find specific aspects to rank above others.”

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Clik here to view.One by one, each of the project groups used their time period to present their concepts and subsequently, the panel of judges provided their feedback or asked questions. At the same time, during the private judging period, some of the inventive students used their smart phones or laptops to monitor the progress of the Warriors game. At long last, the results were in and were then revealed.

The final tabulation yielded these results:

• First Place: Home Water Filtration System – Aileen Jeong, Jamie Jin, Hanna Li and Neetika Patel
• Second Place: FlowTouch – Joseph Liu, Lemar Popal and Armaan Sengupta
• Third Place: HelpMe! – Vishnu Chadalavada, David Gilman, Shiroman Singh and Sarang Vadali

In all, it was a night of celebration as this ongoing program is gaining great traction and interest from students that have an interest in the sciences and engineering concepts. We would like to commend DHS staff, students and their families for supporting this noble effort. While the Warriors may become champions on the court, these students will have the opportunity to do the same in industry someday.

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Tim Sbranti

There is a fable shared by current Dublin High School Principal Carol Shimizu that a young Tim Sbranti travelled through town in a cleanly pressed shirt and willingly introduced himself, with a firm handshake as the future Mayor of the City of Dublin. Perhaps this is a story of legend. All we do know is that this 1993 graduate of DHS made these dreams come true.

As we conclude the Difference Maker series for 2015, we wanted to place a spotlight on a long time community member that has contributed so much to his alma mater, the City and to the larger region. The prospect of witnessing a native young person advance to the position of Mayor strictly comes out of something that resembles “Mayberry RFD.” Yet, in Dublin, all things are possible.

As a young person, Tim played Varsity Tennis and Basketball while enrolled at DHS. Additionally, he was the editor of the Dublin Shield and served as Student Body President. Subsequently, he attained a B.A in Government and minors in History/Communications while attending CSU Sacramento. Ultimately, he achieved a Single Subject Teaching Certificate in 1998.

His attachment to the Dublin Unified School District continued shortly thereafter – gaining employment as a Social Studies teacher in the fall of 1998. In the years that followed, he taught subjects ranging from Civics, Economics, U.S. History and World History. Further, he has sustained as a Leadership teacher, advised for the school newspaper, Speech and Debate. As a passionate sportsperson, Mr. Sbranti has also led his expertise in coaching athletes in the areas of Tennis, Basketball and Volleyball.

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Sbranti and Swalwell with DHS student

On top of everything else, he successfully ran for Dublin City Council in 2002. After a short term, he returned in 2006 and ultimately was elected as Mayor in 2008 – a term that he served until 2014. Presently, Tim will be leaving his post as educator and will be taking on a very different role. In less than a month, Mr. Sbranti will be joining the staff of the 15th Congressional District Eric Swalwell as a Deputy Chief of Staff. This district includes portions of Hayward, Pleasanton, Fremont, Dublin and San Ramon.

OneDublin.org recently had the opportunity to visit with Mr. Sbranti as he winds down his career within DUSD and prepares to tackle a new challenge. As usual, he was serving the 2015 graduating class by guiding rehearsals for the upcoming matriculation ceremony at Gaels Stadium. But, he was more than willing to share his thoughts.

OneDublin.org: Your departure from Dublin High School is somewhat unexpected. Yet it also appears to be a wonderful opportunity. Help our readers understand how and why you are taking this next career step.

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Sbranti Family

Tim Sbranti: “For the better part of 12 years (2002-2014), my time was essentially split between two full time jobs….my role as an educator for DUSD and my role as an elected official with the City of Dublin. I loved every minute of it, but after terming out as Mayor last December it gave me some time to reflect on my future and my next career steps. Options included continuing to teach and coach at Dublin High School, getting my school administrative credential and perhaps becoming a principal or superintendent, starting a business, pursuing opportunities in sports broadcasting, or running for another elected office.

“At the same time I was reflecting on my next steps, Congressman Swalwell was in the process of retooling his operation and had created a Deputy Chief of Staff position. The Congressman wanted someone who was from the 15th Congressional District and understood its needs. Although the position would be based primarily in the District, Eric envisioned a Deputy that would split time between D.C. and the District Offices to ensure maximum collaboration in the development of legislative policies, constituent outreach, and connections to community leaders and local elected officials. As he was reflecting on the position and who would be a good fit, I was honored that he thought of me. I was surprised when he asked me initially, but given that he is a rising member of Congress who has done so much in such a short period of time. I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of his team. Although I will certainly miss teaching, I’m excited for what the future holds working for Congressman Swalwell.”

OneDublin.org: Your relationship with Congressman Swalwell goes back many years.  Please shed some light on how this evolved from Teacher-Student to Mentor-Representative relationship.

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Clik here to view.Sbranti: “It definitely was an evolution over time. I was helping to manage Claudia McCormick’s City Council race in the fall of 1998 while the Congressman was a senior at Dublin High School, and he expressed interest in perhaps getting involved in politics someday. I gave him some precinct packets and he proceeded to help organize some of his classmates and help walk door-to-door on her behalf. The following summer when he returned from college he asked if there were any other campaigns and I helped get him involved with Tom Torlakson’s State Senate campaign. Given our mutual interests and growing friendship, we continued to stay in touch. He helped on my first City Council race in 2002 and even appeared on the cover of the brochure. As he was considering his own career options after college, I encouraged him to return to Dublin and get involved locally.

“After returning from law school and going to work for the DA’s office, in his ‘spare time’ he managed my City Council race in 2006 and Mayors’ race in 2008. I always appreciated his counsel on many issues during that time, and I encouraged him to get involved in some of the local City Commissions such as Heritage and Cultural Arts and Planning. When an open seat came up on the Dublin City Council in 2010, I was happy to support him. I enjoyed our collaboration during our time on the Council from 2010-2012, and I was proud to be the first elected official to support his run for Congress in 2012. After his election we continued to stay in close contact….I helped to advise him on issues he was facing in his first term in Congress while I continued to seek his advice on issues pertaining to my role as Mayor of Dublin. Over the years I think we’ve both learned a great deal from each other. He helped me a great deal over the years and I have been thankful for our friendship and the chance to help him as well. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to serve as an official member of his team in the future.”

OneDublin.org: When you reflect/observe upon your many years at as an instructor at DHS, please comment on the increased academic rigor that most students are facing in 2015.

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Sbranti in 1993

Sbranti: “Dublin High has changed dramatically since I began teaching here in 1998. The facilities overhaul is the most obvious and visible example. However, the biggest change has to do with both the academic rigor and new opportunities. There is greater rigor across the board in terms of the higher graduation standards and number of Advanced Placement courses. In addition, there are a wide variety of career pathways and academies. The number and variety of AP courses have clearly prepared more of our students for college, but I am most excited about the hands-on career-oriented opportunities in areas such as engineering, medicine, computer science, visual/media production, performing arts, etc. There is truly something to meet the needs and interest of every student at DHS.”

OneDublin.org:  On top of everything else, you have served as the Mayor of Dublin for eight years. Pause for just a moment and comment on what this experience has meant to you – particularly as a graduate of Dublin High.

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Sbranti at DHS

Sbranti: “As someone who grew up in Dublin, it gives me tremendous pride to have had the opportunity to serve as both a Council Member and Mayor of my hometown. Dublin has always been a great city for families, but there were very few attractions or public amenities. Growing up here I saw our residents have to go out of town to neighboring communities for their restaurants, shopping, job opportunities, and public facilities. I am proud of the fact that during my time as a Council Member and Mayor we were able to enhance our city by adding major facilities such as the Public Library, the Senior Center, Shannon Community Center, Fallon Sports Park, Heritage Park and Museum, and the soon-to-be opened Aquatics Center at Emerald Glen Park. This is in addition to adding many thriving shopping centers, office complexes, and diverse housing opportunities. To see our City grow and flourish in such a way where our residents can do all of these things in our own backyard is rewarding.”

OneDublin.org: As a soon to be minted Deputy Chief of Staff for Representative Swalwell, you will be tasked to be an “ear to the ground” as well as a local face for the Congressman.  How will you approach this opportunity?

Sbranti: “I will approach this position with eagerness and enthusiasm. I take the role of serving the public very seriously. I think Congressman Swalwell sets the standard with his unparalleled work ethic, focus on reaching out and listening to the community’s needs, and his willingness to listen to all sides on every issue, collaborate with all stakeholders, and most importantly….seek action, I will work to emulate the standard that he sets. It is my desire to work with the Congressman and our entire team to have nothing short of the best and most responsive Congressional office in the entire country.”

OneDublin.org: Anything else that you would like to add?

Sbranti: “Of all my time in public service, I think one of my proudest accomplishments that had the greatest impact for Dublin High beyond teaching or anything I did in public office was co-chairing the successful Measure C Bond Campaign for the Dublin Unified School District in 2004. This allowed for the building of what is essentially a new campus for Dublin High, and I have been proud over the years to see so many students benefit from the transformation of having a modern state-of-the-art learning facility.”

So, if your child was fortunate enough, he/she was mentored by a DHS graduate, a former City Council member and Mayor of Dublin and a future staff member of a U.S. Congressman. These things do happen in Mayberry RFD – better known as Dublin, California.  We wish Mayor Sbranti, Stephanie and young Sophia the best as they take on their new adventures.

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Clik here to view.“Guard your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

A diamond of any value, possess many facets. So, it would be logical to attach this analogy to one that has been successful in life. At the final Superintendent’s Council luncheon in June at the District Office, parent and long time community volunteer, Chris Bennett, was awarded with what will become an annual recognition – the Superintendent’s Volunteer Award. According to Dr. Stephen Hanke, this will likely become an annual recognition and it seeks to acknowledge significant contributions made over many years of service to the district and community. Subsequently, she was honored at a Board of Trustees meeting.

So, within this theme, there are many sides to Ms. Bennett. She is a mother, author, businesswoman, wife, singer, volunteer, avid world traveler and a leader of people. The objective of this profile was not to compile a list of her accolades – and there are many. Rather, it is an attempt to help others to understand her journey; how she became a parent volunteer and an opportunity to allow her to thank her peers.

It started out innocently enough. She and her husband Rob married in 1989. This was after she graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in English. A life changing opportunity occurred when they both had the opportunity to live in Tokyo, Japan to teach English in 1991. Little did they know it at the time, but this would inspire a lifelong pursuit of travels to the four corners of the globe.

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Clik here to view.Now settled into their careers in the Bay Area, they resided in a home adjacent to Wells Middle School. They were blessed with two children. Nathaniel will soon continue on as a senior at Arizona State University in Biomedical Engineering. The unique “4 + 1” program will also allow him to achieve a master’s degree in his fifth year. Emily is a 2015 graduate of Dublin High School and she will enroll at Lewis and Clark University and she’ll be a student in Liberal Arts this fall.

As our conversation will explain, Chris didn’t necessarily plan on becoming a school or community volunteer. However, once in the fold, there are very few roles that she did not accept or embrace. She has held board positions at Frederiksen Elementary, Wells Middle and at Dublin High School. Additionally, she has been actively involved with the Dublin Partners in Education (DPIE) for well over a decade. To top it off, Ms. Bennett was also honored as the Dublin Citizen of the Year in 2011. OneDublin.org was pleased to recently sit to down to discuss how this journey has become even more satisfying that the destination.

OneDublin.org: In our conversation, you specifically mentioned former Frederiksen Elementary Principal Ron Taylor and fellow parent Catherine Brown as your earlier influencers to become more involved in site activities.  Please share how both of these individuals motivated you to take an elevated step.

Chris Bennett: “Frederiksen Principal Ron Taylor had a ‘nose’ for finding interested parents and getting them on board, including me. He encouraged and teased me into participating, then taking more significant roles. He was the first person to suggest to me (and PFSO board member Michelle McDonald) that we run for school board when Michelle gave her infamous reply: ‘You find me a wife, I’ll consider running.’

“Catherine Brown likewise taught me the art of the ‘sit-down’ meeting for convincing someone to pitch in – she would see you, come jogging over with her arms full, and say ‘I thought of you, you’d be perfect.’ She introduced me to the opportunity to be a “parent rep” on the DPIE board in 2002, and then came to me again in 2004 looking for someone to fill her President spot. Turns out no one on her board (or that she could find) felt they could fill her shoes so she asked me. As her legacy and presence were indeed legendary at Fred, I was reluctant but soon realized that a) it was time for me to step up and b) my work consultation skills could help me guide the conversation. Once we agreed that we could both live with the fact that I wasn’t her and wouldn’t lead in the same way, we moved forward.”

OneDublin.org: You referenced a mild reluctance to lead the Fred PFC board – singling out that it may be difficult to supplant your predecessor.  This is a common predicament for those moving into leadership.  What was your philosophy/mood moving into this position?

Bennett: “As to my philosophy, I’d say two things this transition taught me: 1) there often must be a sense of urgency/a “vacuum” for people to step up, and 2) the outgoing leader has to walk a fine line of mentoring and staying available but not dictating how things will look. It’s always different with a new person in place, and that’s good for everyone. Catherine did a beautiful job with both those things.”

OneDublin.org:  You have also served as a board member with DPIE for a number of years. While the prominence of the organization has fluctuated over the years, your devotion has not.  In 2015, please provide us with an update as to its impact upon all schools across DUSD.

Bennett: “My passion for DPIE started when I understood that I/we as an organization could have an impact on the larger school district. I’m a “big picture” thinker and was very happy to find a way to contribute to the larger whole while maintaining my roles at my kids’ school sites. For me, DPIE represents synergy: between business and education, among levels and sites in the district, and among the CARE pillars that we support: Career Exploration, Arts Education, Resources for Educators, and Education Support. We’ve supported Project Lead the Way Engineering Academy, dictionaries for third graders, funds for new teachers, art activities, career days at the middle schools, and a career boot camp at Valley High School, just to name a few items – as well as providing the summer enrichment academy. Bringing resources and skills from the business world to the school district is our primary mission.”

OneDublin.org: As we have come to understand, one of your personal passions is singing.  As an active member of WomenSing, help our readers understand how you became an active member of this organization.

Bennett: “As with almost everything I’ve done over the past 20 years, this one grew out of being a parent! I was a parent liaison for many years with the choir my son Nathaniel sang in, Contra Costa Children’s Chorus. As Nate was finishing his final year with them, the director of the children’s choir asked me if I was going to continue to sing. When I hesitated, he invited me to audition for the women’s choir he conducts, WomenSing, and the rest is history. I’m in my third year with a generous and incredibly talented group of women, learning a lot and hoping someday to feel like I have reached their caliber. There’s no joy like making beautiful music with committed and talented friends, and in addition this group gave me something to start as I was “losing” my oldest child and mourning the transition. I highly recommend finding something new and exciting to do as your kid(s) graduate!”

OneDublin.org: As you’ve received this very significant recognition – the Superintendent’s Volunteer Award, please articulate what this honor represents – particularly as it relates to your personal “village” of volunteers that have stood by you over the years.

Bennett: “Anyone who’s heard me respond to getting an award knows that my first reaction is “there are so many people who also deserve this.” That’s not false modesty, I have been so fortunate to work with (and play with) many gifted and dedicated people, including especially my partner in crime Michelle McDonald who is a lot like Ginger Rogers to my Fred Astaire: she does everything I do but backwards and in high heels. The Frederiksen ‘Village’ is a strong one indeed and we really support, console and defend each other as needed. I know it’s one of many, but this one is mine. And I neither could nor would have done this without them.

“The other call-out is my amazing and patient husband, Rob, who has coached yearly homecoming floats out of two classes of high school students, tutors math every week at DHS, and even heads back to Frederiksen to teach sculpting every year – all while working a full-time job and supporting our family. It was a great joy for me that we shared a spirit award at DHS – to see him recognized for all his contributions was wonderful.”

So, after successfully matriculating two children through Dublin High School and beyond, what might be next? We asked in rapid fire succession. Continued global travel? “Yes.” Added service to the Dublin community? “For sure.” Desire to continue making a difference at our schools? “Definitely – it’s in my heart.”

OneDublin.org would like to thank Chris and Rob Bennett for their devotion to the entire Dublin community – particularly as it relates to the success of our schools and their programs. The quote at the opening of this profile is a respectful homage to Chris as her passion is American Literature.

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Clik here to view.In the words of Assistant Superintendent Keith Rogenski, Monday was a “big” night for the Dublin Unified School District. A special meeting of the board of trustees was established – primary to address these new leadership appointments for their respective school sites.

Over the years, we have witnessed the fluid nature of leadership within this district and Monday was no different. Specifically, Mr. Rogenski was offered the opportunity to speak on behalf of several candidates for four existing vacancies. Upon which, he would turn the mantle over to Superintendent Steve Hanke to make the recommendation to the board of trustees. Subsequently, the board would entertain a motion to appoint with a following second of motion and then a vote by the entire board.

In order, let us review the actions of the board tonight:

Assistant High Principal, Dublin High School: Given the expanded enrollment at DHS and the desire to provide greater service to its students, an opportunity was identified. The appointment goes to Paul Faris, who is a familiar face within the District. Mr. Faris joined DUSD as both a Physical Education and Adapted P.E. Instructor in 1992. Subsequently, he coached football and track at DHS and then served at Fallon Middle School in the role of Dean of Students and Assistant Principal. He cited that it would have been an “easy choice” to remain at FMS, but he embraced the opportunity to make a difference at Dublin High School.

Principal, Kolb Elementary School: With the current vacancy existing in the Principal position, DUSD moved to appoint Joyce Gibson into this role. Ms. Gibson is a graduate of Sacramento State University and also achieved her Multiple Subject Credential in Elementary Education. Since 1997, she has been employed by the Antioch Unified School District. She later attained a M.S. in Educational Leadership at Cal State University East Bay. Since 2007, Joyce has served as a Principal in both the elementary and middle school settings. She is eager to work with both the students and parents of the Kolb community.

Principal, Wells Middle School: A vacancy was created when existing Principal Kevin Grier moved into the District Office in the HR department. Fulfilling this void will be Dr. Ean Ainsworth. Ean has worked in public education since 2000. Most notably, he was a classroom teacher in both the middle and high school rank in the Mt. Diablo School District. For four years, he also served as the Principal at Valley View Middle School in Pleasant Hill. He attained an undergraduate degree from CSU Hayward, a M.A. from Chapman University and ultimately his Doctorate in Education from Brandham University. He is also the parent of three boys.

Director of Educational Services: The final appointment of the night was reserved for Dr. Sarah Breed. Sarah achieved both an undergraduate degree in English & Government and a Masters in English from San Francisco State University. For years, she served as a Literacy Specialist in the Oakland Unified School District. Ultimately, she attained a Doctorate of Studies in Education from Mills College in Oakland. She will hope to provide the District with a wide-ranging set of skills that will serve across the entire Pre-K to 12 grade spectrum.

OneDublin.org would like to congratulate all four appointees for their accomplishments and diligence during the candidacy process. Without question, DUSD is expanding and only highly qualified individual prospects will perpetuate continued excellence. We wish the best.

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Clik here to view.Nestled on a shelf-like foothill at the northern most part of the state resides Utah State University. The campus exists less than a mile from downtown Logan. USU is the largest public residential campus in the state and more than 16,000 students live either on or adjacent to campus. It is also 815 miles away from Dublin. In our newest entry in the Life in College Series, we are pleased to share the experiences of Alyssa Collins. We sat down during her recent July return to home and the discussion was a revelation.

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Clik here to view.Whether or not she realized it at the time, Alyssa’s motives for a career were exposed to her at an early age. Her mother, Carrie, provided childcare services for many years out of their home and Alyssa was the oldest of three children. So, she has been around young people for her entire life. However, as her junior year approached, Ms. Collins knew that she would need to make her college choice with greater precision. She thought that a career in education would suit her interests in supporting children. But, she also has a fascination with Korean culture and wanted to at least take a Korean language class. So, the research began with the assistance of her mother. Alas, they found an institution with the highest in-state rating in Elementary Education and one that offered Korean language courses. As if to verify her thought process, Alyssa enrolled in an Elementary Education class through ROP which allowed her to intern in a first grade setting at Frederiksen Elementary School. This experience cemented her decision to someday become a teacher. The family considered additional options both in California and those out of state. But, an on-campus visit followed by an USU “Out of State” weekend for potential enrollees sealed the deal. We asked Alyssa to share observations on her first year in college.

OneDublin.org: Once you decided upon a path of pursuing a degree in early/elementary education, what were the factors that led you to Utah State University.  Was it the quality of the program and/or the size of the institution?

Alyssa Collins: “Once I decided to pursue Elementary Education, I ended up at Utah State because of the program. Their ELED program is one of the best in the country, so we decided to take a look at it. The fact that it was more economical for me to come here than stay in California was a pleasant bonus for wanting to go to school here.”

OneDublin.org: As an out-of-state student, a primary factor was to determine your living situation.  Describe the process in becoming a dorm student and how that has resulted in the formation of some of your friendships.

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Clik here to view.Collins: “Because I’m an out-of-state student, living in the dorms was the obvious option for my living situation. For my first year, we chose the cheaper non-apartment style dorms so most of the space I had was communal for a whole floor and then I shared my room with one other person. This dorm situation really forced me to meet people and make friends. Plus, you have to live the whole year sharing this space so you might as well befriend your neighbors. Because of this it was very easy to meet people and become friends. I personally believe that if I had been in an apartment style dorm I wouldn’t have made friends as easily. Really, all my current friends are people who lived on my floor last year. It did make it easier though because USU has these things called freshman interest groups. They have one for Education, Art, Sports, and so on. By joining these FIGs you are placed by people who have similar interests and the leader of the FIG creates events that deal with their subject and everyone who joined attends. I joined the Education FIG, so most of my neighbors were either going into ELED, Secondary Education, or were just interested in Education. That gave me at least something in common with my neighbors and really helped us begin to connect.”

OneDublin.org: For those of us that are unfamiliar, please describe the “vibe” and environment at USU.  As a university town, how does it compare to living in Dublin?

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Clik here to view.Collins: “Honestly, I don’t know how to describe the “vibe” of USU. It’s definitely not a party school, but there are always really great turnouts for events on and off campus. Logan is a college town but it’s also very family-centered because since there is a large Mormon population in Utah, people tend to start families young. There are many USU students that have kids before they’re done going to school. I think you would expect a school so populated by one religion that is feels very churchy and preachy, but that’s not the case. All my friends who are of the Mormon faith are very accepting and while they’re willing to tell me about their religion they never try to force it on me or convert me. Plus the town has several different churches so people of other religions can still practice their faith. All in all, Logan reminds me a lot of Dublin. It’s a small town, but still has stuff to do.”

OneDublin.org:  We discussed your transition from DHS to a university student.  Please share how some of your study habits/disciplines have made this a successful transition for you.  What study behaviors did you observe of other students?

Collins: “Something that made the transition really easy for me was that I already had a strong work ethic. It’s always been easy for me to get myself to sit down and do my homework (though there are times when I struggle). Personally, I like to have things to do because then I feel like I’m accomplishing something. When I started college, my assignments started to require a lot of work being put into them and this was no problem for me because it just makes sense to me to sit down and do my homework. However, I have several friends who intensely procrastinate. This usually messes them up and takes a toll on the final product of their assignments. However, some people work better under pressure, so then procrastinating works for them. In my experiences with friends who procrastinate though usually they think that they’ll have the motivation to do it later but in reality their motivation to do the assignment or go to class just gets lower and lower which causes them to do poorly on the assignment. My advice is to just sit down and get it over with, but there are many study techniques to fit different people.”

OneDublin.org: While it may have been comfortable or “convenient” to remain in California for your post-secondary education, you commented that you “endorse getting out of state” and that this has opened many doors for you.  Please articulate what the arc of this experience has meant to you by stepping outside of your norm.

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Clik here to view.Collins: “The act of stepping outside of my comfort zone and going out-of-state has impacted me and my life enormously. By going out-of-state, I lost all the securities I normally fall back on and shed the niche I had ended up in while in growing up in California. In California, I was very dominated by what everyone else was doing, what my sister was doing, and what people’s expectations were. I was definitely a product of that environment. Once I had become that person I felt that it was too hard to change without completely starting over. By moving and going to school in Utah, I was able to start over and really focus on figuring out who I am and what point I feel I am in life. Leaving California has given me a better handle on myself and where I want my life to go. It has also taught me that I am capable of whatever I put my mind to and that I am much more independent than I ever thought that I could be. It has also shown me what I find important – whether that applies to things I feel that I need in my apartment or characteristics of people that I find important. Overall, moving away from my norm has given me the freedom I need to figure my life out. It has been extremely gratifying.”

So, it is clear that young Alyssa has made great strides in her first year at Utah State University. She is creating a circle of friends, taking advantage of college life and is stretching her own boundaries. We must also mention two other items. Ms. Collins also secured employment at an on campus pre-school and worked 14 hours/week during the academic calendar and then doubled her hours over the summer. Her parents drove out to Utah earlier in June to deliver a vehicle. Previously, she had gotten around by asking friends for rides, but she also complimented the regional bus system – one that is free for students. We never did get a chance to discuss that Korean language class. OneDublin.org would like to thank Alyssa for her candor and willingness to share her experiences.

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Noel Sollom-Brotherton

It is often encouraging to follow the story of one of Dublin’s native sons. It is even more exciting when it is attached to an athletic accomplishment – not by him. But, by the team that he help to guide to greatness. Noel Sollom-Brotherton graduated from Dublin High School in 2005. On top of being an excellent student and leader, he also lettered as a competitive swimmer.

The 2015 season represented a pinnacle – an achievement that has never been achieved relative to capturing a team championship.  How did this happen?  As a youth, he competed with the Briarhill Cabana Club in Dublin, California. It was as much of his upbringing as attending school. Upon graduation from DHS, the urge to guide and to cultivate young swimmers never wavered. At the time, he had matriculated to Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA – a relatively small liberal arts institution. Mr. Sollom-Brotherton focused on a Studio Arts degree and attained this B.A in less than four years. The academic focus was centered on Painting, Sculpture and Photography – among other disciplines. His presence at this Division III University also provided him the opportunity to continue participating in competitive swimming. Subsequently, he attained his Single-Subject Teaching Credential from the University of Puget Sound. So, the question remained – which path to choose?

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Clik here to view.During his interim summers, Noel returned to Dublin and coached young swimmers. This primarily cemented his thought process that he would pursue a career in education. While he could have easily remained in the state of WA, his application to join the Dublin Unified School District was met with mutual interest and he commenced his career at DHS in the fall of 2011.

But the allegiance with the sport of swimming was never far behind and he committed himself to leading the Dublin Green Gators Swim Team – a City-led endeavor for close to eight years. As a member of the Tri-Valley Swim League, the Green Gators regularly competed against teams in the local area. While it has been a steady climb, the team experienced their first ever League championship in late July – completing a perfect 6-0 competition record in addition to a first place finish in the championship swim meet. We couldn’t resist the urge to gather Coach Noel’s thoughts on this accomplishment. And, we also wanted to harvest his thoughts as an educator.

OneDublin.org: The 2015 season represented a pinnacle – an achievement that has never been achieved relative to capturing a team championship.  How did this happen?

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Clik here to view.Noel Sollom-Brotherton: “I think that credit for our performance this year really belongs in numerous hands.  First, we are able to attract swimmers to our team year over year- many swim in the league every summer from ages 5 to 18.  That consistency allows us to build skills according to our coaching philosophy.  Returners know the ropes and can focus on getting better, not re-adjusting to new coaching styles.  Further, the consistency in our parental involvement means that meets run smoothly and that our athletes know that they are expected to be at practice.  Finally, our coaching staff has been excellent.  We had no turnover for this year, which meant that all of us already knew every veteran team member, how to work with them, and what skills to develop with them.  Personally, I can say that I have grown quite a bit since I started with the Gators at age 20- I have learned a lot from working with the DHS swim team, my assistant coaches there, as well as with coaches throughout the Tri-Valley at all competitive levels, and that has made a positive impact on the team.”

OneDublin.org: After seven years of service to the organization, you will be stepping aside from your primary responsibilities as Head Coach.  However, we are sure you will depart with numerous positive memories.  What will you take away from this experience?

Sollom-Brotherton: “This is a very difficult question.  Swimming has always been a part of my life, and being able to work as a coach in the same community I grew up in has been a privilege.  By far, the hardest thing to walk away from, are the kids on the team: they are enthusiastic, joyful, and hardworking.  Their energy is infectious- working with them has always left me recharged for another year.  Seeing them grow from little 7-8s to the students walking into my high school classroom has both humbled me and made me extraordinarily proud.”

OneDublin.org: While this City of Dublin program encourages all participants to have fun, there is also a competitive element.  Describe how you and your staff have successfully developed a team culture that speaks to both sides of this equation.

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Clik here to view.Sollom-Brotherton: “An essential part of any competitive program, whether it is primarily recreational or highly competitive, is building skills.  At the Gators, I have encouraged this type of growth mentality.  Whether its learning how to do a flip turn for the first time or learning an excellent work ethic, our team members are actively encouraged to grow, not just to win.  Swimming is a very individual sport even though it is scored as a team.  Working one-on-one with each of our individual gators to get them to learn the next skill or take the next step is the primary task for me and my coaches.  To make winning the primary goal for a swimmer can actually inhibit performance.  That type of mindset focuses energy on what is not in the athlete’s control: the other team, the other swimmers, the expectations of peers or family.  I like to believe that focusing on personal awareness and development makes better athletes while also enhancing the chance of winning.”

OneDublin.org: In August, you will embark upon your fifth year as an English teacher at DHS.  For those that are generally unfamiliar with the adoption of Common Core, please share how this concept has modified your approach to teaching and/or how you have modified your class time with students.

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Clik here to view.Sollom-Brotherton: “I have been very fortunate when it comes to the timing of Common Core implementation.  The district I worked with during my student-teaching practicum was well ahead of the ball game in terms of its implementation.  In many ways, Common Core is a cultural shift, and I didn’t have to shift to anything: that’s just the way it’s always been for me.  Above all, Common Core is about putting student learning in the spotlight.  It’s not enough to say, “well, I taught it, they just couldn’t learn it.”  That kind of thinking betrays a mentality that relegates teachers to mere “sorters” of students who come to the classroom with inherent limits on their ability to learn and grow.  I think, and I believe Common Core agrees, that all students are capable of learning and growing.  To make that happen is difficult work, but is also leaps and bounds better than merely sorting kids.  To put all that in practical terms, it means giving my kids many opportunities to perform a new skill or demonstrate a new understanding, with plenty of opportunities for feedback.  It means having high expectations for every student in my classroom in terms of the text they read, the papers they write, and the debates they have.  It means less lecture from me, and more “doing” from them, whether that’s reading, writing, researching, discussing, or as happens frequently, a mixture of many or all of those activities.”

OneDublin.org: As incoming juniors roll in later this month, one of their primary tasks will be to invest research into their potential college choices.  You shared that you employed the services of a College Advisor.  How did this specifically influence your decision to attend Whitman College?  And why do you recommend this type of service to current students?

Sollom-Brotherton: “Having access to a college admissions advisor really opened my eyes to the possibilities that were out there for me.  Although it may be less prevalent now, the mindset for many of my peers and their parents circa 2005 was that the UC system was the only target worth shooting for unless you had a reasonable shot at the Ivy League or Stanford.  I think that looking outside those household names allows students to find the perfect match for them.  I still applied to several campuses in the UC system, but I also applied to a half dozen schools I had never heard of before working with the advisor (all of them small liberal-arts schools: Whitman, Pomona, Pitzer, Colorado College, University of Puget Sound, Lewis and Clark College).  After getting admittance notices back I was still drawn to the UC names, and I was very close to committing at San Diego.  However, the advisor and my parents insisted that I visit the other schools I was accepted to before making a final decision.  The visit to Whitman sealed the deal.  I can think of no better way to make a decision about a prospective college than by going there, and ideally rooming with current students and attending classes, as I was able to.  Although the advisor I worked with was amazing, I strongly encourage students to access as many resources in the DHS college/ career center as possible.  Books like Colleges That Change Lives or even the Princeton Review or Fiske guides are great for starting to think outside the UC/CSU box.”

Given the recent team championship accomplishment, we thought that it would be wise to seek out the feedback from members of the Dublin Green Gators. We found one nice, convenient package by reaching out the family of Dan and Linda Fitzpatrick. Their three children are all active participants and they all had something positive to say. We follow with their names, ages and comments.

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Owen – Frankie – Ginger Fitzpatrick

Frankie (13): “For the eight years that I’ve been on the Green Gators, placing first above all other teams means a lot to me. Nearly every member of the team is very dedicated so we’ve definitely deserved first place for a long time now. As we’ve never been one of the best teams I think it came as a huge surprise to all of us going into champs undefeated for the entire season, as well as defeating all other competitors. For me and probably many others, this has without a doubt been the most fun and exciting year on the Dublin Green Gators.”

Ginger (12): “All of the coaches have always been helpful.  They work very hard to teach us the proper stroke techniques and show us how to do the dives, turns, and finishes correctly. They are constantly encouraging us to do our best and are always cheering us on.”

Owen (9): “I like swimming because I get to spend a lot of time with my friends.   Swim practice is fun!”

So, while Coach Sollom-Brotherton departs from the weekly rigors of coaching the Dublin Green Gators, many of these swimmers will have the opportunity to reunite with him as they matriculate through Dublin High School. Perhaps equally important, they will also gain the wisdom in discussing their potential college/career choices. OneDublin.org would like to thank Noel for sharing his insights and the opportunity to highlight the exploits of the Dublin Green Gators in their championship season.

Editor’s Note: Dublin Green Gator photo credits to Linda Fan Fitzpatrick.

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Clik here to view.Like in any sporting endeavor, it is traditional to elect a Captain, or one that will lead the squad both physically and mentally. For those unfamiliar with high school band programs, it is no different. For the second consecutive year and now as a Dublin High School Senior, this honor will reside with Mr. Davis Zamboanga. While initially a transplant from Rocklin, CA, he and his family arrived in Dublin and he enrolled at Wells Middle School. He already had the benefit of musical experience with the violin, but eventually transitioned to the trombone. As the oldest of three children, he helped his family to matriculate successfully in the DUSD system.

But before exploring his story, it is imperative to understand Davis – the person. He was willing to volunteer some of the most important elements of his life and we are pleased to share them. Dar Luz: He calls his Grandfather “Dar” and his Grandmother’s name is Luz. In English, this means “to give light.” In music and in life, every single note and action should give light – the result of overflowing emotion from the soul. He also clings to the Finnish word “Sisu” which translates to courage and resolve. Mr. Zamboanga also provided a biblical phrase – “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5). He believes in humility over pride, gentleness over harshness, patience over frustration and love over irritation.

Now, within this context, we can partially absorb Davis’ journey from Rocklin to Dublin and now in the vital seat of Drum Major of the Dublin High School Irish Guard. We recently sat down with him and his mother to discuss this odyssey.

OneDublin.org: You will now function as the Drum Major for the DHS Irish Guard for the second consecutive year – as a junior and now as a senior.  You expressed that “this is what I was supposed to do.”  Please expand upon what you meant to say by that.

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Clik here to view.Davis Zamboanga: “There are two main reasons why I believe that I am supposed to be the drum major of the Irish Guard. One, I have the musical ability and encouraging attitude necessary to lead the band to reach its greatest potential. Two, the course of my life has developed these characteristics.”

“In the 5th grade, through what I call divine intervention my violin got run over by a car which enabled me to start studying the trombone. The summer before 6th grade I started playing piano. Both of these instruments have given me a very intimate perspective on music. In addition, I have a very loving family that has always been encouraging, giving me a great attitude towards life. The combination of the two fuels my passion for music and people so, naturally, I’ve been made to be a Drum Major.”

OneDublin.org: For those that are unfamiliar with the Band Camp experience, please break down what this really means for newly incoming members and for those that are returning.

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Clik here to view.Zamboanga: “This year we added a 3-day preliminary band camp. It’s purpose was to acclimate the new members, establish group chemistry and hone in on marching basics. Each day of the main band camp began at 8:00 with an hour of warm-ups (cardio/calisthenics/stretching) and then we moved straight into drill, the movements and forms that are made during a field show. At Noon, we all had lunch, which was personally my favorite part. After lunch we cleaned the drill we learned and then broke up to rehearse individual sections (woodwinds/brass/percussion). From 3:00 to 4:00 we all came to the band room for a full music rehearsal. Believe me, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted from each day. This is what band camp mainly consisted of but Friday is extended to include a goodbye to the seniors, senior testimonies, a performance for the students’ families and a potluck. By the end of the week we learned the drill for the field show opener and the new members were successfully integrated into the Irish Guard family.”

OneDublin.org: As the Drum Major, you signify what the DHS Irish Guard is all about.  And there are younger eyes looking up to you.  How do you accept this responsibility and how do you receive this challenge?

Zamboanga: “I accept the responsibility by not only performing the duties of a drum major, but also relying on my fantastic assistant drum majors, David, Ben and Michelle, to support me and each other. The great thing about having four drum majors is that I don’t have to lead alone. Instead of just me encouraging people, there is four times the encouragement! Our passion as drum majors will be sustained by a want to make the most beautiful field show possible and the individual members of the band, we love them very much.”

OneDublin.org: A year ago, DHS was receiving one of the late stages of campus improvements which included the conversion of the old band room into its new location adjacent to the new Performing Arts Center.  During this process, the Drum Major podium was either moved or lost.  However, a fundraising movement propped up in the fashion of “Push-ups for Podiums.”  Upon the successful completion of this fundraiser, how did this make you feel?

Zamboanga: “First of all, I would like to give kudos to Mrs. Utsumi, a band mom, for coming up with such a clever alliteration. It is a testament to the strength of the Irish Guard and its families to come together and raise money. We were able to raise over $3,000 just for conducting podiums! I’m very gracious that we currently have three conducting podiums that allow the front field drum majors to show more musical inflection in our conducting which help the band and Color Guard perform its best.”

OneDublin.org: As you enter your senior year at DHS, tell us about your course load for 2015-16.  How will you approach the college application process and will it include a musical element?

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Clik here to view.Zamboanga: “This year at Dublin High School I’ll be taking a more concentrated course load which consists of AP Spanish Lang, AP Calc AB, AP Microeconomics, Civics, SciFi, Online Health, Jazz Band and Zero Period PE. With the introduction of the Gael Period as of now I am still unsure of which pathway to pursue in college, and thats okay.

“This year I am taking a more concentrated course load which consists of Jazz band, AP Spanish Lang, AP Calc AB, AP Micro/Civics, Sci Fi Lit, Zero Period PE, and Online Health. With the addition of the Gael Period and by taking Online Health, I’ll have more time during the school day to finish homework or to practice trombone. I’m still in the process of picking which college I want to go to. At the moment, my dream college is the Berklee School of Music in Boston and I want to pursue a degree in conducting, composition, music education, or the trombone.”

We felt that it would be interesting to further explore the bond between mother and son by inviting Kristie Carpenter to chime in on Davis’ development and his future aspirations.

OneDublin.org: During our conversation, you mentioned the anecdote about a young Davis ditching his violin in favor or a trombone.  Please share this story.

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Clik here to view.Kristie Carpenter: “Davis became interested in music in the 4th grade, when the elementary school he attended offered music lessons/class. All 4th graders had to learn how to play the violin. In 5th grade, students could choose another instrument, and Davis expressed his desire to switch instruments and play the trombone. His father and I had already bought him a violin and told him he had to continue playing the violin. He didn’t want to take no for an answer, so over the next few months he was tenacious in trying to get us to change our mind.

“We held firm on our decision mostly because we wanted to teach Davis that he couldn’t talk us into changing our minds. Davis continued playing the violin. One morning I was driving him to school and the trunk of my car opened up and the violin went flying out the back onto the street. The car behind me ran it over and it was lying there in small pieces. I pulled over and started to tear up. However, Davis was smiling. As I looked up in my rear view mirror at his delight, Davis said to me, “Does this mean I can play the trombone now?” I believe it was divine intervention. Davis was meant to play the trombone and the universe wasn’t going to let his parents keep him from it.”

OneDublin.org:  Functioning as the Drum Major involves many aspects – including the bonding the Percussion group and the Color Guard.  How has Davis embraced this leadership opportunity?

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Clik here to view.Carpenter: “I feel Davis has embraced his leadership opportunity by realizing and making the tough decision to prioritize his time by giving up another extracurricular activity he loved so much, cross country. He can function as the drum major at full capacity by doing this. He is an excellent role model and speaks positive words into people. He will often attend the color guard or percussion practices that are separate from the band to check in with them, ask questions and find out if they need any additional support. He is humble and doesn’t let the title drum major go to his head. He makes an effort to connect with the students and inspire them at all levels. I believe the band students respect him for his efforts to make the band more successful.”

OneDublin.org: We discussed his options post-DHS.  In your words, they may be “something musical.”  Please expand upon this.

Carpenter: “Davis’ post-DHS plans are to go to college and focus on music as his major and with the possibility of a minor in business. At this point, he doesn’t know where he wants to go. We are looking at colleges right now and had to opportunity to visit Humboldt University and the University of Oregon this summer. We were able to look at their music programs and get an idea what they offer. Our hope is that with being the Drum Major for the past two years and his outstanding academic achievements, he will get scholarships to help pay for college.”

Finally, we looked to the present DHS Irish Guard Band Director, Paul Evert, to share his thoughts on Davis’ impact upon the entire program. His perspective truly relates the global confluence of how all of the members are related.

OneDublin.org: As the primary Drum Major, what expectations/desires do you wish Davis to fulfill as a representative of the entire DHS Irish Guard?

Paul Everts: “To be the best “servant-leader” he can be.  Put into practice the leadership lessons he is being given by those adult leaders / faith that influence him.”

OneDublin.org: Given your vast experience working at other schools, provide us with a contrast of what the DHS Irish Guard looks like today vs. when you first arrived on the scene – in terms of scope and ability.

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Clik here to view.Everts: “In 2008-09 school year, we ended the year with fifty six band students – TOTAL.  We begin this year with 130 band students. That first year we had one sousaphone player; this year – four sousaphones.  As the band grows, so does responsibility. In 2008-09, there was a high level of responsibility as well. When there is one sousaphone player, he better know his music.  But, when there are four sousaphone players, the leader needs to make sure all four sousaphone players know their music. I can hear one sousaphone player perform easier than which one of the four is playing incorrect notes.

“Instead of 56-to-1 (student:drum major ratio), today it is 130-to-1. Davis is very capable of earning that level of respect.  Students like Davis and liking the leader does make the job a bit “easier.” And in return, Davis genuinely likes people.”

So, for some of the younger/newer members of the band, they will be crossing into uncharted territory. Some of this includes learning a brand new piece of music, understanding how to march in formation and the overall discipline of becoming a member of this squad. However, the leadership of the Irish Guard is in steady hands. Mr. Zamboanga will lead the group with the assistance of his assistant drum majors that include: Ben Han, Michelle Won and David Arevalo. In addition, portions of the band and color guard will embark on a trip to Dublin and Bray, Ireland in early spring where they will perform multiple times. There will be several fundraising opportunities this fall to support this endeavor and you can follow their exploits at http://www.dhsirishguard.org/ OneDublin.org would like to thank Davis, Kristie and Mr. Everts for their contributions to the construction of this profile. #musicmatters

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Clik here to view.On Monday, the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees and the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee convened for their Annual Joint Meeting. This once a year event allows both organizations to tour school sites where Measure C and E funds are being expended for capital improvement.

By design, the majority of Measure C funds were earmarked towards the redevelopment of Dublin High School. Over the past several years, we have witnessed the construction of numerous and significant structures. Some of these included the refurbishment of Gaels Stadium, the Sports Complex and the Center for the Performing Arts and Education. The final sale of Measure C – slated to occur in 2016, has contributed mightily to the Phase 4 elements of the Dublin High School Master Plan phasing.

The tear down of the old theater has now yielded a wider walking concourse and gathering area that unifies the Student Union to the refurbished gymnasium. The old gym was plagued by a leaky roof which caused significant water damage. The reconstruction has resulted in brand new lockers and showering facilities for all athletes. In addition, four classrooms have been added to the structure. Finally, the P.A. and speaker systems have been improved and the gym floor has been refinished. The opening of this facility will help to alleviate practice scheduling pressure for many programs on the existing sports complex.

At Dublin Elementary School, there were an entirely different set of objectives and challenges. As one of the largest elementary sites in the district, the goal was to ambitiously cut clean water usage that was used to sustain a very sizeable field at the rear of the campus. With a successful collaboration between the District and the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD), a system hook-up to non-potable water was achieved. But the plan was to include a system that would be sustainable long into the future. A smaller grass field could be achieved by ringing it with a walking/running track. Along the perimeter, shade providing trees will be planted.

Two Bio-Retention areas are planned which will effectively filter run-off water – thus making the Dublin Elementary site one of the “greenest” in the District. Finally, an existing play structure was restored and a new play area was established at the south end of the campus. The completion of the new Water Conservation and Management project and the completion of the new track/field are slated for December, 2015.

Within the last year, the Dublin High School Little Theater was reduced to rubble. Shortly, after the temporary fences are removed to protect the growing turf, this “quad” area will become a gathering point for students. And, in a few short months at Dublin Elementary, the landscape and field area will have a radically different look. It will be a look that is both functional and in line with preserving our water resources during this severe drought.

OneDublin.org would like to thank Facilities Director Kim McNeely for organizing this tour. And, we would also thank Project Managers Nick Olsen (DHS) and Craig Lemos (Dublin El.) for providing their leadership and to answer questions from the Board of Trustees and the CBOC.

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Clik here to view.DUBLIN, Ca. – In some ways, it is a rite of passage. Late August brings the beginning of the school year in the Dublin Unified School District and shortly thereafter, Back to School Nights events are conducted throughout the district. For this Thursday evening, it occurred across the Dublin city boundaries at each and every elementary school site. For many parents and guardians, it was the first opportunity to meet their child’s teacher, to understand the mechanisms of the classroom and to tour the school site.

It should be stated that these assemblies look and feel very different – even versus just five years ago. With the rapid housing and enrollment growth throughout the entire City of Dublin, the school sites have been required to adjust their programs. Portable classrooms populate each and every site to accommodate annually added enrollment. Now, it is typical for the elementary sites to split their “BTS” nights into two segments during the evening simply to accommodate their rapidly growing student populations. This movement is logical as it helps to facilitate the flow of families throughout the site that possess students in multiple grades.

To take one example, OneDublin.org elected to peek into the Back to School event at Frederiksen Elementary School. Fred is one of the most established elementary sites in the district. However, in a mere six years, the student population has expanded to over 800 students – a 300 student increase over this period of time. This is in contrast to some of the rapid high growth sites in Eastern Dublin where a student population at build-out approaches 1,000. Clearly, Dublin continues to remain an attractive destination for many families with school-aged children. And the City-approved development trends will continue to add pressure to the existing infrastructure. Currently, the School District is exploring ways to alleviate “pressure” on their system by reconfiguring the proposed E-5 site into a hybrid K-8 site – much in the way that Fallon Middle School was configured at its inception. Subsequently, there will be numerous opportunities for the community at-large to both comment and to participate in further discussion/action upon these items.

As it relates to the Back to School Night at Frederiksen, it was fascinating to witness the presentations that occurred in each classroom that spanned grades 1-3. In the lower grades, Ms. Catherine Brown emphasized the importance of parents reading to their children every day. She mentioned a strategy that she employed in her own household to “read to your child daily up until you hand them car keys.” Next door, Ms. Anne Wiser explained the mechanics of how the homework folder would come home each Friday and why the student work should be delivered back the following Thursday for review. Down the hall, 3^rd grade teacher Mr. Candido Gomez expressed to his class parents the importance of math strategies that would now fit within the newly adopted SBAC confines. In state-wide testing, it will no longer be acceptable to choose from one of four multiple choice options. Instead, the students must be credible in their ability to articulate their work as to how they came upon their results.

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Clik here to view.For all in attendance, it was probably a revelation. It is again a new day. Yet, for many, it’s all the same. It is a night to reconnect with one’s school, the classroom and the staff. The vibe at Fred was completely positive and the Certificated Staff was greeted with great enthusiasm in the MP – along with the global message from Principal Claire Mognaga. OneDublin.org was pleased to witness this event and we are confident that this will become another year of achievement and positive movement for the Dublin Unified School District. We wish all of our students and staff a very fortuitous year.

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Clik here to view.It has been said that statistics can be deceiving. In the next breath, they can also be quite revealing. With that said, let us examine the historical K-12 student enrollment data in the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD). In the ten year period between 1995 and 2005, student enrollment expanded from 3,647 to 4,904 – an increase of 34.4%. In a similar period between 2005 and 2015 (projected) the increase of students moved to 9,900 – representing a growth rate of 101.8%. Granted, these were two very different eras and the peak growth period represented a rapid home construction movement from Dublin Ranch eastward to Fallon Road and beyond.

But the growth has yielded a far more robust tax base for the City of Dublin and has also produced many more retail and entertainment avenues. From the theater district to the newly opening retail at Persimmon Place and to Fallon Gateway, the experience of living in Dublin has been greatly enhanced. However, this rapid growth has placed a strain on the town’s infrastructure – including an impact upon the districts’ schools. Anyone that has resided here in the last 10 years can articulate the changing traffic channels and/or how all of the schools seem to be so crowded.

So under this backdrop, there is an opportunity for added community involvement into how the school district will move forward while facing these challenges. The District Optimization Committee (DOC) has existed in various iterations over several years. The group was formed during the period of 2008-09 when California was facing a budgetary crisis and it was necessary to examine what academic/enrichment programs might be cut if the state entered into a worst case scenario. Subsequently, it was formalized last year to take a hard look at what enrollment growth vs. home construction could look like in Dublin for years to come.

OneDublin.org reached out to DUSD Senior Facilities Director Kim McNeely to gather her thoughts on this subject. Keep in mind that Ms. McNeely is subject to the limitations of how the State of CA funding formula has changed. But, we thought that her insights were fascinating.

OneDublin.org: As one that has actively participated in the District Optimization Committee (DOC), please cite how this has been a positive process for community members.

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Clik here to view.Kim McNeely: “The District Optimization Committee was a positive process for the community and staff.  It was a great opportunity for district staff to share information and expertise and to hear community questions. Mostly, it was an opportunity for everyone to share ideas about something we all care deeply about.”

OneDublin.org: As a Facilities Master Plan is being developed for both the short and long term, please discuss why this is a vital process for our school district at this critical juncture.

McNeely: “The Facilities Master Plan is important to our district for several reasons.  It will allow us to review the assumptions that are used to create a Facilities Master Plan like demographic data to identify the number of students we will need to serve.  The condition of our campuses from an infrastructure and program perspective will need to be evaluated.  The Facilities Master Plan process will also seek input on the goals and needs for our campuses from the campus staff and our community.  The Facilities Master Plan assumptions are critical to identify options to meet the District’s facility needs and then to identify resources to accomplish our facility goals.”

OneDublin.org:  Finally, for some long time residents and newcomers to Dublin, there is a rising perception that new home construction and student enrollment is being outpaced by the district’s ability to provide schools/classrooms.  As a Senior Facilities Director, how would you respond to this feeling?

McNeeley: “Classroom space for students is critically important to our community and to the school district.  The amount of growth and the pace of growth have created challenges that we are all feeling.  The Board is moving forward with the Facilities Master Plan to identify the needs, solutions and resources needed to implement projects – which is exactly the right thing to do.”

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Clik here to view.This is also a highly complicated subject. Despite tremendous economic growth in CA, Governor Brown and his colleagues in Sacramento have resisted the opportunity to foster public school bonds for new school construction. This is partially due to the adherence of Proposition 98 which has hamstrung many high growth school districts. Furthermore, some school districts have been forced to utilize their previously approved bond monies to fund new construction – as was the case in Dublin with Amador Elementary School. This statistic is in concert with the fact that the City of Dublin has been limited to pursue only Level 2 fees that are contributed by local housing developers. This is a step below the maximum Level 3 fees that can be collected. The removal of the “third leg” to school capital development is what is haunting Dublin today.

To make matters worse, the newly adopted Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) that administers statewide funds to school districts has resulted in a negative impact upon high performing school districts such as DUSD. So, what is left to deal with is the “optimization” of what this school district is facing. It will be necessary to work with what we have. The good news is that there is a collection of school administrators, certificated/classified staff, parents and community members that have been working very hard of the past year to add ideas and to provide oversight.

These issues and others have opened up the opportunity to gather additional members to the DOC. In short, the DOC has been charged with researching demographic changes within Dublin, to examine student populations at all school sites and to breed communication efforts throughout the community. Today, there are multiple opportunities to join the DOC. The deadline to apply for a position is September 18th @ 4:00 PM. The link to the application can be found here.

OneDublin.org would like to encourage community members to apply for this opportunity which may have a significant impact upon future growth plans relative to our young students. We would also like to thank Ms. McNeely for her contributions to the construct of this profile. The future of DUSD is ahead of all of us. We would encourage all of your to take an active part in its destination.

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Clik here to view.And then there were two. At the next Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, September 22 at 5:30PM an interim replacement for departing Trustee Sean Kenney will be selected. Trustee Sean Kenney unexpectedly resigned his existing position on the board citing the extraordinary time commitments of his new job. As many of us know, fulfilling a role as a Trustee requires many hours beyond the bi-monthly District meetings.

While the District could have chosen to hold a costly public election, the Superintendent and the Board of Trustees instead chose to fulfill this vacancy via an appointment process. At the September 22 Board of Trustees meeting, the Board will invite public comment on the two remaining candidates, record advocacy statements, openly discuss their commentary on the choices and publicly record their votes for the new Trustee designee.

Once filled on Tuesday, this candidate will receive a Provisional Appointment that will last until the fall election cycle in November 2016. The Provisional title will be removed after 30 days, unless there is a public movement to remove the candidate and a 1.5% written and collected survey from the largess of the entire registered voter roll in the City of Dublin. Afterwards, this Trustee – or any other member of the community – would then be eligible to run for a two-year term in the fall 2016 election cycle.

The candidacy process has been open and transparent. Nine Dublin citizens opted to apply and all were granted in-person interview with Trustees Greg Tomlinson and Megan Rouse. Subsequently, the candidates were winnowed down to two finalists. OneDublin.org was granted the opportunity to interview the remaining two candidates who are Joe Giannini and Sameer Hakim.

Joe is a native of Alameda, CA and he has spent the majority of his career in peace enforcement as a member of the San Francisco Police Department – working in many regions of the City. More recently, he has been assigned to patrolling the San Francisco International Airport. He is married and the father to a 12 year-old son at Fallon Middle School and a 3 year-old daughter.

Sameer is a technologist and has worked for many high tech companies in Silicon Valley. He has attained multiple degrees and is presently employed by Albertson-Safeway Companies in Pleasanton. He is married and is the father of a 10-year old son at Kolb Elementary School.

In fairness, we wanted to express our interview questions to both candidates equally. Here are the responses:

OneDublin.org: In its present state, DUSD Board of Trustee members maintain a high visibility level at school and community events.  If you agree with this assessment, why do you feel that this visibility is important?

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Joe Giannini

Joe Giannini: “Attending school events such as back to school night, first day of school, sporting events and other school social activities is a great way to reach out to the community, and show you are vested, care, and are approachable. This gives the community a chance to speak with their representatives in a non formal setting. Maintaining high visibility and accessibility is of upmost importance to me. I have always been very open with the community and willing to share what I learn. Lately, I have opened my home to small town hall type meetings. In these meetings, I meet with members of the community and we collaborate about our concerns and we try to come up with possible solutions. Some people are new to the area and this is their attempt to get up to speed with the current state of the DUSD and the City as a whole. I feel it allows a comfortable, non-bias, opportunity to work through the issues they may have. These meetings are always open to whoever would like to join.

“I also feel it is important that the representatives are able to go to the different school sites in the community to observe what is happening, first hand. This allows a proper evaluation of the site, staff, and students. It can open eyes to problem areas, or highlight those areas that are exceptional. Frequent site visits allow the representatives to become very familiar with the result of the efforts they are putting forth in the community.”

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Sameer Hakim

Sameer Hakim: “I view the school board of trustees as the first point of contact in our publicly funded education system. They make decisions for the community and are responsible to the community. Trustees play an important role in supporting and encouraging public education.

“School and community events are for engaging the community. These events provide an excellent avenue for the school board trustees to connect with the community. The school board trustees get first-hand information on the progress made by the school and the community. The school board trustees should use the opportunity to listen to the community and bring the issues and concerns to the board discussions and in the decision making.  The trustees should also use the opportunity to explain policies and decisions of the board to the community.  The community also gets an opportunity to respond directly and provide feedback. This makes the school board more effective in the governance role.

“I support high visibility coupled with high accessibility. It provides a moment of truth for school board of trustees and the community.  More visibility will equate to more awareness. If elected, I will ensure that I am always accessible to the community.”

OneDublin.org: While it is a hypothetical question, it is worth examining.  What is your “dream scenario” for how DUSD would look like – from everything from a facilities, technology and achievement standpoint and from five years from now?

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Sameer with his family

Hakim: “In 5 years’ time, I expect DUSD to have made remarkable strides in facilities, technology and achievement along the lines of our current strategic plan: Vision 20/20.

“From facilities perspective, we will have creatively resolved the growth impact to our schools by enabling neighborhood schools and commuting efficiencies.  Our classrooms will be right sized providing equitable access of education to our students. Our students will have superior support for their social, emotional and physical needs from teachers, staff and counselors in a safe and healthy environment.

“From technology perspective, we will be enabling our students to use the state of the art technology products to educate and enrich their learning. We will be partnering with technology leaders like Google, Ebay, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, etc to support and enhance the student learning to create the quality workforce needed for that time. Technology will enable collaborative excellence and productive learning experience.

“Assuming the facilities and technology needs are met, I anticipate that all students will be exceeding common core standards raising the bar for college and career readiness with each iteration year over year.

“Even though we call this hypothetical, we can make it possible by effective actionable planning.”

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Joe and his family

Giannini: “My ‘Dream Scenario’… DUSD is moving forward. We’ve had two new state of the art schools open in the past five years. We have another on the way with Jordan Ranch. Dublin High School has nearly been completely rebuilt. Wells Middle School has a beautiful new wing that was completed in 2011.

“I would like to bring this standard district wide. I’d like to see Fallon Middle School have the addition of a proper band / drama facility, new permanent classrooms, and the addition of a science wing. I envision a competition pool with full aquatic program (which we lack right now) at Dublin High School. Having this High School specific facility would allow us to expand the existing swimming program to include a diving team and a water polo team. A second High School is going to be needed. I’d like to see something on the East side of town, be it a satellite school or a comprehensive school but we do have assets on the west side of town that could be effectively used. I would like to improve the public transportation model to include Wheels service directly from different areas of the East side neighborhoods to the High School. Continued emphasis on robotics and engineering should be expanded. I’d like to see automotive technology brought back into the schools. Wells Middle School has a functioning wood and metal shop; I would expand and rebuild these facilities. Chrome books for all students would decrease the amount of books and binders children are required to carry. Modern ergonomic furniture allows children to have a little “wiggle room” while they are being educated. This allows them to concentrate better. In my “dream scenario”, I would also concentrate on staff satisfaction and retention to ensure continued, quality education across all facilities. Finally, I would like to analyze and compare the field trip experiences, that includes quality, quantity, and transportation. I feel some of these experiences are truly a beneficial supplement to our student’s educational experience.”

OneDublin.org: Given the economic climate in Sacramento, DUSD has been forced to consider alternate efforts for school site construction – the E-5 Jordan Ranch land swap with the City as one example.  Please cite an example where you demonstrated “out of the box” thinking while attempting the resolve a school site issue during your tenure as a volunteer.

Giannini: “During my time of the DOC we discussed numerous ways to help alleviate our middle school crowding issue. While numerous ideas were talked about, I was the first person from the community to express interest in using a K-8 model. (Where the school is built to educate Kindergarten through 8th Grade), and house the proper facilities to do so. The K-8 model is one which allows the district to have the maximum amount of flexibility with our facilities and provide an equitable learning experience to all students. Our communities are changing daily and we need to be able to adapt to community’s needs.”

Hakim: “Dublin’s rapid school growth over the next few years and limited facilities/resources/funding will require us to think out-of-the-box to keep the quality of education high for our schools.

“Student safety is one of the most important element staff, administrators and educators have to consider for our public schools. It was also the challenge faced by Kolb elementary during its initial few years. Kolb elementary was built for a capacity of 800 kids which we reached quickly due to the growth spurt. Access to the school was only from Lockhart road. There was only one way in and one way out for the vehicles causing a pile up of cars onto Palermo every morning. Further parking was limited at the school site and had the same ingress/egress.

“It posed a traffic havoc during drop-off in the morning.  This was the #1 Safety issue for Kolb elementary and required to be addressed urgently.

“I was a parent representative on the school site committee and was given the task of addressing this traffic congestion issue. Using my computer engineering and physics background, I simulated the traffic and identified the bottlenecks being the entry and exit into the parking area. I brainstormed ideas with city engineers and the city planning group. These options including reversing traffic flow, providing a new drop-off loop using the existing parking and adding separate exit path from the parking area. We also evaluated other options including starting kindergarten and higher grades at different times and alternate drop off points. was my out-of-the box thinking to attempt solving the traffic issue. We eventually ended up limiting the parking areas to the staff and limiting cars onto Palermo rd for drop off option only. We worked with the city and county to support walk-to-school initiatives, enabling walking school buses by limiting parent parking to Fallon sports park.

“It is expected in my profession as Enterprise Architect to think out-of the box to solve business problems bound by existing constraints and limited resources. If appointed, I will continue to engage the community and the out-of-box thinking to solve challenges brought to the board.”

OneDublinorg: When we consider the growth in Dublin over the past 10 years, the demographics and population of its residents and students have radically changed.  In your own words, please articulate how and why you feel that you can effectively represent the city populace in 2015.

Hakim: “I feel confident that I can effectively represent the city populace.

“I am immigrant citizen to the United States of America. I grew up in India in the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai which is very similar to New York in the sense that it is a melting pot of cultures and a city of diverse thinking.  Growing up in the metropolis has uniquely enabled me to understand diversity, culture, values and people. My education and value-system at home has taught me to empathize and create dialogue.  Being in the technology field, I constantly work with people, experts, data centers spread across the world. My work also required me travel to different countries and continents and work with people of all ethnicity and background. This has built a strong foundation for me to understand and reflect appropriately with all people.

“Even with the cultural diversity, people from all walks of life with different careers, affiliations and value-systems, I find a lot of commonalities with respect to education. Every parent wants their kids to succeed to the best of their abilities.  As a school board member, I will leverage these commonalities to engage the community and take the quality of education to the next level.

“It is my opinion that diversity is an asset to our community. It enables our students to succeed better in a multi-cultural environment making them better global citizens.”

Giannini: “I have worked for 20 years as a San Francisco Police Officer, working alongside, and for, a very diverse community. I have had to engage with nearly every type of ethnic origin and language speaker. I have always been able to work with an open mind, address concerns and get the job done, in a caring and compassionate manner. My profession is to serve the people, and that is what I have done for the past 20 years. I have reached out on my own to learn about basic customs, traditions and values within the different groups that I come into contact with. This allows me to have perspective, understanding and most importantly, respect. I respect people’s differences, whether it be cultural, or opinion. This is my chosen profession because I strive to help people, it’s what I enjoy doing. My cultural compassion and knowledge base has allowed me to accomplish objectives that affect people’s lives in a safe and efficient manner. With as much diversity that Dublin has, I feel that I can truly represent all of Dublin. I also have numerous friends within the community that are from all walks of life. I have instilled these values into my children whom in turn have been able to make friends very easily and thrive here in Dublin.

“Five years ago, my family was on the other side of the school board fence when we were part of a boundary change we were not too happy about. We were not thrilled with the decision, and rather than complain, and do nothing, at that point we decided to work more with the schools and city to understand the issues, and help the community understand, and build their knowledge base. Having been through this, and staying active in the city and school community, I feel I have a certain amount of empathy to bring to the school board. With my son in 6th grade now, and my daughter in preschool, we have a long future ahead in the DUSD.”

OneDublin.org: While the Board of Trustees and the district are aligned with the Vision 20/20, if you were appointed, what initiative of change would you champion for DUSD if given the opportunity?

Giannini: “DUSD is on the right track and moving forward with the new adopted Common Core teaching standards. Our recent test scores show that district wide we are ahead of the curve. I can only feel that we will continue to move forward in a progressive manner. Even in these trying times our educational standards are being upheld, which I think should be applauded.

“One area I would like to improve is being conscience of the emotional state of our children. I would like to share a personal experience we had when our son entered the testing arena in 2nd grade. This was going to be his first year of state testing and, as we all know, schools weigh heavily on these tests, trickling down to teachers, and students. My wife helped in the classroom on a regular basis, and the week before testing, the principal at the time, made a point to go to EVERY classroom, and speak with EVERY student about what should be expected in the upcoming test week. The emphasis was not on getting the best, highest scores, studying, and what the scores mean. The emphasis was on getting a good night’s sleep, eating well, and taking care of yourself. It was not over a loudspeaker, or in a newsletter, it was in person, she sat on the floor, and spoke with these kids. (This was the last year for this principal, as she moved on the following year). Since then, our family has been witness to neighbor kids getting sick the night before testing, losing sleep, or crying with pressures of impending test days.

“With modern society, we put great demands on ourselves and our children with both academics and sports. There have been kids in grades as low as 6th grade coming to counselor in emotional distress and this is a red flag. There has also been a rise in suicides among young people. While this is a difficult topic to discuss, it MUST be talked about, and worked through. From my experience often these topics are not talked about at home, I would like to see more opportunity for discussion of modern day stressors, both for parents and for very young students, in particular.”

Hakim: “Each of the four strategic initiatives formulates the four pillars that will enable the vision 20/20 strategic plan.  Each initiative is intertwined with the success of the other three.

“Student learning is the most important as it prepares our students for the next level of schooling and for success in college and service to the country.  This cannot be achieved without providing a safe and healthy learning environment. The current school facilities are stressed due to the growth spurt within Dublin. If appointed, I will champion this issue. Without adequate facilities, we cannot enable the productivity of teachers/staff and improve the quality of education within the district.  The school board needs to drive the vision around the facilities master plan so that the school district has the right sized facilities that can absorb additional kids from the neighborhood. The facilities master plan will enable the school district to identify the needs, solutions and resources needed to implement projects. With the right facilities in place, we can align resources, establish, maintain and create productive partnerships to better support student learning.

“These four strategic initiatives have to succeed together to achieve the goals set for the students in the DUSD.”

And so we are left with these two final candidates. In some ways, it is a shame that there is only one vacancy on the Board of Trustees. However, the September 22nd session will represent an open opportunity for the two remaining candidates to state their case and for their supporters make a public plea on their behalf. The School District will be facing some serious growth challenges over the next several years and the composition of the school board will play a large part in where the direction is dictated.

Please consider making your feelings known as we traverse into this unknown world. The future of the district is at stake. Follow the DUSD meeting schedule here.

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Clik here to view.DUBLIN, CA — As a follow up to the OneDublin.org article that featured interviews with the two remaining candidates for the vacant Dublin Unified School District Trustee seat, an action item – J1 was placed on Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting agenda to secure a provisional appointment. After a rigorous interview process that included nine candidates, the remaining candidates were winnowed down to two finalists – Joseph Giannini and Sameer Hakim.

Each finalist was given the opportunity to present up to a five minute statement that highlighted their qualifications and to articulate why they felt that they would be the best person to fulfill the vacancy created by Trustee Sean Kenney recent resignation.

The individual statements were concise and both included comments about their passion for the success of all students within the District. Subsequent to their presentations, it became clear that the Board of Trustees would have a difficult decision to make as both Mr. Giannini and Mr. Hakim represented the best of what DUSD could hope for in terms of individuals that care deeply about the present and future of the District.

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Clik here to view.Following the candidates’ opening statements, the Trustees then performed a Q&A session with each finalist given the opportunity to respond to the same questions. The topics raised ranged from the continuing enrollment growth of Dublin, the challenges of acquiring land for new schools, student mental health, the importance of STEM and the emphasis on highlighting technology for our students. Then, public comments were allowed to champion either finalist. They were limited to those that submitted speaker slips and were then limited to a three minute time period. Approximately 15-20 citizens made their case at the podium and their advocacy was nearly split down the middle for each of these gentlemen.

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Clik here to view.The sitting Trustees then conducted a “straw vote” where each could demonstrate where they were leaning anonymously be simply filling out a piece of paper into a cup. Board President Amy Miller then revealed the results of this vote: 3-1. The Trustees then went into a period of open discussion to rationalize/reveal their leanings. After all four Trustees spoke, they could have moved into a period of “advocacy” where one or all of them could attempt to move the vote in either direction. At this point Trustee Tomlinson suggested that a motion be made to make the appointment. Trustee Cunningham motioned to appoint Mr. Hakim and it was seconded by Trustee Rouse. The vote to appoint was unanimous: 4-0. President Miller then administered the oath of office and he was immediately seated into his Provisional post. Sameer then went on to express his gratitude for both the opportunity and to his supporters. Joe simply expressed to the Board and to the audience “Thank you for the opportunity.”

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Clik here to view.It was a long night, but one that was crucial for the direction of DUSD in both the short and long term. It is worth noting that there was a fairly high level of participation by many citizens/parents that reached every corner of Dublin. The process was conducted in an efficient, fair and respectful manner. Each and every candidate should be commended for taking the added step to become even more involved in the direction for the District and its schools. Finally, OneDublin.org would like to congratulate Trustee Sameer Hakim, his wife Sunita Bhimrao and son, Aaryan. You are a welcome addition to DUSD leadership.

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Clik here to view.DUBLIN, CA — While we are barely one month into the 2015-16 school calendar, there has been a flurry of activity occurring within the Dublin Unified School District. On Tuesday, the Board of Trustees appointed Sameer Hakim to fulfill the vacant Trustee seat created by the departure of Sean Kenney. With that, the District is seeking to expand the existing District Optimization Committee (DOC) in anticipation of some critical decisions that need to be made for our community relative to enrollment and facilities. The challenges have been well documented. They include the large number of vested plots that have been committed to housing in Eastern Dublin and the continued negotiations that center on the joint Jordan Ranch construction project which may or may not include land granted to build another school site.

In addition, DUSD will host a community forum at the Dublin High School Student Union in which the focus will be the crafting of a District Facilities Master Plan on Tuesday, September 29th. While not to be the only one, this public discussion will help the District to receive feedback that will help to distill public desires relative to how growth will be managed, to solicit new ideas about construct new schools in the absence of support from Sacramento and to understand how the community may respond to a potential bond measure for the June 2016 ballot.

All school sites in Dublin have been impacted by enrollment growth over the past five to ten years. The actions undertaken by the District have resulted in boundary changes, the multiple reconfigurations of Fallon Middle School and the placement of portable classrooms at many sites. While this may not be ideal, many of these options have been necessary due to space and economic factors.

With a high number of upcoming plots that have been vested (committed) to housing vs. retail, it would appear that this trend will certainly continue in the very near term. This factor begs not only DUSD, but the entire community to chime in on how the collective to creatively solve these issues. All of this must be done – with DUSD fulfilling their charter to provide safe and adequate spaces for its students. Regardless of where students are currently housed, their current and ultimate destination is Dublin High School. OneDublin.org sought to approach this site and more specifically, the Assistant Principals that work with these students on a daily basis. It was a rather unique opportunity to gather their views as it relates to DHS.

OneDublin.org:  This is the second year of the intriguing Freshman Mentoring Program (FMP).  Clearly, the program has expanded/improved over its initial run.  Please articulate how you and your colleagues plan to evaluate the success/effectiveness of FMP.  

Maureen Byrne: “During the first year of FMP, we encouraged all feedback. We asked parents, we asked advisors, we conducted surveys during FMPs, we met regularly with freshman leadership class and the advisors asked their freshman students in their subject classes. We quickly noticed that the student who felt connected with their mentors enjoyed the program while others did not.

“We made some changes to the program beginning last spring. The first was the selection process for the mentors. Students first had to submit a written application. Next they had a group interview. Those who made it through those screenings first observed then led an FMP. Each phase of the selection process was overseen by our FMP Coordinator, Jennifer Angel-Diaz and our two Directors, Sara Hollison and Lenni Velez, and at each phase there were some students who were not asked to continue. We wanted to make sure we chose mentors who could relate well to students and who could be positive encouraging role models.

“The second change was the continuous support the mentors receive. They took part in a day long training before school started and have monthly ‘Lunch and Learn’ session during the Friday hour lunch. Mrs. Angel-Diaz, Ms. Hollison and Ms. Velez do not have their own advisories this year. Instead they spend their FMP time observing. They are able to respond in the moment to help our mentors. They are able to coach the mentors in relating to students, in positively handing “reluctant participants” and sharing their passion for Dublin High.

“During the summer we developed clearer objectives for the program with the addition of the SELS (Social Emotional Learning Standards). While our goal is social and emotional support ,FMP also provides academic support. We can use these standards to measure our growth. Every freshman was provided a planner and we are utilizing FMP to teach them how to use the planner to manage their time and stay organized. We are looking at grades to be an indicator of success as well as the number of behavioral referrals. While neither of these data points can be used as clear causal evidence, we hope they will speak to a trend that is supported by the program.

“We have come to realize that this program not only serves our 680 freshmen with the transition to high school. But, it also serves as an incredible leadership training vehicle for 92 juniors and seniors. The upperclassmen are taking ownership for the program development in an amazing way. They are helping out during their GAEL period to support Mrs. Angel-Diaz and give their input. I think that is an amazing measure of the continued success.”

OneDublin.org: You recently joined the senior administration at DHS after serving as a Vice Principal at another high growth site in Fallon Middle School.  While Fallon went through many iterations, the addition of portable classrooms helped to stabilize space issues.  Please share any “best practices” that you learned during your Fallon years that might benefit the future growth management at Dublin High.

Paul Faris: “I think that with the growth of Dublin and the expansion of schools at every level in our district, it’s very important to plan, be flexible and to have transparency.  I started in the Dublin Unified School district when Dublin High only had 700 students and the East side of town did not have any houses or schools.   I love the growth that Dublin is experiencing but it is not without its challenges.

“Having grown up in the Tri-Valley area most of my life, I am excited to see how big Dublin has become and that it’s still a great place to raise a family.”

OneDublin.org: By most accounts, the inclusion of the Hub into the Gael period has been a success.  However, as enrollment at DHS continues to grow, there will be an increasing number of students that utilize this service.  What ideas have been floated to accommodate this future expansion?

Kara Holthe: “We do find that the HUB is an attractive space for students who want to study during their GAEL period.  Our Librarian, Glen Walder and Scott Ault, our Library Technician, have been instrumental in cultivating a supportive climate in the HUB beginning last year during its inception.  Because of their mindset of being student-centered, they were flexible in expanding hours of access, furniture changes and layout as well as changes in service in order to back this venture.  This student-centered mindset and flexibility is the key to the success of this program, I think, and will continue to be the key as we see growth.

“Physical space and personnel support will be the two needs that we will bump up against in the future.  We have already taken over an office in the HUB to allow for more space, and are looking into the use of the collaboration hallways in the J/K and L/M buildings as possible places for students to study.  The Student Union has been well-used during the GAEL period, and can accommodate a large number of students.  Students enjoy the ability to buy a snack from the cafeteria and study with a group of friends at a round table, or by themselves at one of the smaller, higher tables near the back of the area or near the windows.  Knowing that one of the draws to the HUB was access to textbooks, we have recently begun bringing the textbooks to the students who choose to study in the Student Union.

“As far as personnel, we are enjoying a wide range of tutors and teachers in the HUB who are available to students.  We would need to increase numbers of tutors as the population increases and intend to, based on the needs of our students.”

OneDublin.org: This fall, Dublin High School welcomed in the largest freshman class on record.  With even higher enrollment numbers anticipated in the future, please share what you feel could be potential challenges for DHS in the next three to five years. 

Bill Branca: “As I am sure you know, successful high schools come in all sizes. When Dublin High School was a school of 1200 we had a different set of challenges that we faced and overcame.  As the size of the school grows our fundamental purpose does not change.  Our school-wide improvement will continue as well as the implementation of Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.  We will continue to build our PLC’s and improve our instructional practices. This work will ensure that the challenges below will be addressed – which include:

• Scheduling to ensure we are using our classrooms efficiently
• Maintaining our small school feel and culture as we grow
• Ensuring students that need support are identified and do not fall through the cracks

“Our work on and implementation of the College and Career Readiness Program and the 7 period day address many of the issues that come with growth.  The addition of the Gael Period and the Freshman Seminar class this year helps to maintain school culture and allow students to receive support on a daily basis. The additional period allows for some flexibility in scheduling.  All of our current initiatives and goals will help to address future growth demands.

“As our WASC visit validated, the work at the high school has been extremely successful for our students and staff and continues to demonstrate a commitment to excellence in the classroom and extracurricular activities. We have a supportive parents and community. Our students are dedicated. This is the hardest working most dedicated staff I have ever work with and they are focused on doing what is best for students. As you know, our school’s success has served to attract others who desire similar opportunities, and many new families each year choose to call Dublin home for those reasons. This growth while challenging will not change our school mission or our dedication.  I am certain we will be prepared for these challenges.”

We were hoping to provide the perspective from administrators at DHS that work to manage the ever-changing differences on a daily basis. OneDublin.org would like to applaud the efforts of Maureen Byrne, Paul Faris, Kara Holthe and Bill Branca for their regular contributions to the operation of Dublin High School. In concert, the results of the Facilities Master Plan Community Forum will also add ideas to how DUSD will move forward in the coming years. However, the future decisions to be made will represent both short and long term maneuvers as our community negotiates the next few enrollment growth years. We thank all four administrators for volunteering their thoughts.

As a reminder: The Facilities Master Plan HS Community Forum will occur on Tuesday, September 29th from 6:30 – 9:00 PM at the DHS Student Union. Please register online to attend. Free childcare will be provided in the DHS Library. This is one of your opportunities to make your voice heard and to offer up possible ideas to assist the District with enrollment growth in Dublin.

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Clik here to view.Upon walking onto the Fallon Middle School campus during the 8th grade lunch period, it was an uncommon experience to hear music blaring from the MP. What could be heard was Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.” Upon signing in at the front office and returning to the MP, “Rock the Town” by the Stray Cats was playing. At least for one week, this was the norm at FMS. The purpose was to conduct the first annual Swing Dance Competition. The event began on Tuesday for all participants, moved to cut-downs on Wednesday and then culminated in a final presentation on Thursday.

While the introduction of swing dance was not a new phenomenon at Fallon, the construction of a formal competition was. This concept was introduced as a way to ease some of the students into the school year when the weather in late August/early September was still very warm. But what was fascinating to observe was the sheer enthusiasm of the 7th and 8th graders that elected to participate. It was obvious to us that the students embraced this as school-wide event vs. an actual competition. Further, they seemed to enjoy the activity and readily supported their fellow students.

On Tuesday, all participants were invited to perform in different shifts – to provide ample room to perform and to allow the judges an opportunity to view their performances. At the end of each lunch period, all dancers performed en masse followed by an enthusiastic cheer from other students and parents. Wednesday provided a bit more competitive spirit, as the general group needed to be whittled down. The entire competition culminated in final performances on Thursday by both the 7th and 8th grade students.

OneDublin.org had the opportunity to visit with FMS teacher Chris Branson to discuss this innovative program. We wanted to understand the genesis of this Physical Education unit and to understand how this could benefit the students.

OneDublin.org: In our discussion, you shared that you and your colleagues were able to witness this program at middle schools in PUSD.  Please expand upon how this came to fruition at Fallon. 

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Clik here to view.Chris Branson: “Fallon Middle School had the opportunity to collaborate with Hart Middle School in Pleasanton, who has been doing this Swing Dance program for over 10 years. We visited Hart MS last year to see their program in action and were able to gain insights on how to execute a swing dance unit at Fallon. At first we were hesitant to even consider adding this to our curriculum as we were already in the planning phases with two other new units, Archery and Cricket. But as we gained more knowledge on the topic and explored how this would cover even more Physical Education Standards, our confidence and excitement grew.”

OneDublin.org: In order for this event to be a success, the students would need some external coaching.  Explain how you engaged with others to provide the students with proper dance instruction. 

Branson: “We were fortunate enough to have Pat Hallahan instruct for the first week of our Swing Dance unit. Pat demonstrated and taught our Physical Education team, how to teach a large group of students the steps of Swing Dance, the etiquette of partner dancing, and how to have fun while doing it. Pat is known as the “god father” of this Swing Dance unit, having pioneered this curriculum at Hart Middle School. Not only did Pat come at the beginning of this school year to help Fallon launch our swing dance unit, he also came at end of the last school year to train our Physical Education staff on the basic swing dance steps. Through instructional videos from Pat and the collaboration of our Physical Education team, we all worked this summer to grow in our own swing dance abilities.”

OneDublin.org: While FMS had previously provided a swing dance element as a part of the P.E. menu, articulate how the students responded to a possible competition. Were they eager to participate or did you need to recruit some members?

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Clik here to view.Branson: “At first, we really had no idea if any students would be interested in a competition, so when we put the idea out there, we told the students that anyone who participated would be getting a mile pass. Sign-ups began to catch on like wildfire! Students were so enthusiastic, coming in before school, at lunch, and after school practicing with each other and enjoying dancing with one another as they increased their swing dance skills. The highlight was seeing students at Fallon’s first school dance, swing dancing when DJ High Top played “Footloose”! The level of participation in the competition surpassed any of our expectations and even those students who were spectators enjoyed the past three days.”

OneDublin.org: Beyond the physical nature of swing dance, in what other ways do you feel that the students benefited from being exposed to this form of dance and music?

Branson: It can be summed up in the parent and teacher responses we’ve had: “I’ve never seen the students more respectful and having so much fun together in a positive way.” This unit gave students a chance to shine and explore new things while building a positive community at Fallon. Being the lead teacher in Physical Education, I have been a part of the process of writing our school vision statement and a new component to that is how we are developing the “whole” child. The swing dance unit has given our students at Fallon a positive way to interact with their peer and have a blast while doing it. As a department, we were able to see students who may not excel in other areas of our curriculum, exceed all expectations in the swing dance unit. Our hope is that this confidence will be carried with them throughout the year in all areas of curriculum at Fallon.”

As we left the Fallon MP, it was to the strains of Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose.” No doubt, the students were have a raucous time and were not troubled with the actual dance competition. The vibe in the MP was very positive and it was yet another example of district staff offering a very creative way to enjoy physical education and to also be exposed to one of the great joys of life – dancing. OneDublin.org would like to thank Chris Branson and his colleagues for providing this experience to their students. It was a joyous scene. Go Mustangs!

(video by Emerson Salonga, photos by Michael Utsumi)

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