PTA Council Endorses School Bond

The South San Francisco PTA Council voted to endorse Measure J, a local ballot initiative to raise funds for the district by selling municipal bonds, at its meeting on Tuesday. Voters will decide on the $162 million bond in November.

The meeting opened with District Superintendent Dr. Howard Cohen describing what the measure would pay for. Though he is not allowed to advocate in his capacity as a district employee, he voiced his personal support for the measure before leaving the room for the vote.

"It really is an opportunity to take us forward," he said.

If the measure passes, the funds it raises will go towards improving technology and facilities across the district. In addition to paying for products like smart boards and new portable classrooms, the district plans to use money from the bond to install solar power systems in its schools. By relying on solar power, the school board hopes to cut utility costs by as much as $1 million a year.

"We're at a crisis point with our portables–they're falling apart," said Karin Jweinat, PTA Council president.

Measure J still needs to gain 55 percent of the vote in order to pass when the public goes to the polls in November. In order to mobilize support, the school board is holding a get-out-the-vote phone banking session on Oct. 28 aimed at parents. Currently, there is no organized opposition to the measure.

According to Jweinat, the PTA Council had "no choice" but to endorse Measure J.

"We know there isn't going to be money coming from the state," she said.

School Smarts Rollout                 

A new program called School Smarts will try to increase parental involvement at three schools this year in South San Francisco.

California State PTA members Carol Kocivar and Jackie Schmidt gave a presentation to the council on the program.  They said parents at Martin, Los Cerritos and Skyline elementary schools will be able to sign up for a seven-session class over the course of the year that will teach them how to effectively engage with their children's school.

Schmidt said the program seeks to "train a cadre of parents in how schools work and how they can have an effective voice…Really, the heart of it is a parent academy."

Volunteers from the school staff or PTA members will lead the sessions so that the school has the knowledge to continue the program in years to come.  A grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation supports the program.