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Letters
SEF volunteers to hold phonathon for support
On Feb. 4, the Saratoga Education Foundation (SEF) will ask parents and community members to show their support of Saratoga Union School District (SUSD) educational programs by making a tax-deductible donation. The phonathon is an annual event that depends on more than 150 parents, school employees and community volunteers to reach this year's fundraising goal of $250,000.
More than two decades of small education budgets have left California's public school system with inadequate funding. This year's increased education funding from the state was not large enough to cover the necessary increases in teacher compensation and higher energy costs. Per-student funding in Saratoga is among the lowest in the county.
The gap between all the funds the SUSD receives from state, federal and local government sources and the amount required for the high-quality education students deserve is actually growing. To close this gap, SEF needs to provide $560 per student this year.
SEF has raised more than $4 million since its inception in 1982. The 2000-2001 SEF grant awarded to the SUSD was $785,000. As an all-volunteer organization, over 96 percent of all donations are returned to the schools. Donations to SEF allow SUSD to provide basic educational programs, including hands-on science, music, art, physical education, computer technology and support, libraries and grants awarded to teachers for innovative classroom programs, as well as science and computer lab equipment.
Many Saratogans moved here, and stay here, because of the high quality of education. It takes a dedicated community willing to donate resources and volunteer its time to maintain this standard of education. Not only do our schools rank high academically, but they also provide a well-rounded, enriched educational experience for our children. Our efforts do make a difference. Please donate generously on Feb. 4 when our volunteer calls.
Cathie Thermond and Mimi Thomas
Co-presidents of SEF
The fire commissioners should have responded
While attending the Jan. 23 Saratoga Fire Commissioner's special public input meeting on the DMG Maximus Report it quickly became obvious that we, as a community, have a major problem. The commissioners were neither interested in, nor willing to, address with culpable answers any of the questions or concerns brought to their attention by the public, whom they invited.
After the meeting I realized the commissioners have an agenda set in motion with which they plan to follow through without concern and at the expense of the citizens of Saratoga. Their desire to have a new fire station as a legacy to their tenure is not only selfish, but has put the quality of fire protection in the city at risk.
We the citizens cannot allow the commissioners to continue on their proposed time line of development. We need to stop the process now to give adequate time for reconsideration of the proposed plan.
If the process is allowed to continue, Saratogans will have spent millions of dollars physically and aesthetically upgrading the fire department's physical plant without an upgrade of the service capabilities. Only by joining with the Santa Clara County Fire Department can we both save money and substantially increase our fire protection. The commissioners refuse to accept this reality which is the main reason Saratoga Firefighters Local Union 3875 have declared a vote of no confidence in this Commission.
This is an extremely serious situation which requires our support of the firefighters in their endeavors to bring our emergency services up to the standards that we both deserve and pay for. If you are willing to help in this important endeavor, please give me a call at 408.867.2015.
David W. Dolloff
Sigal Drive
Drivers on Big Basin Way are a menace
I cannot understand why the residents of Saratoga are not demanding a state or federal investigation of the air quality in the village. It appears these toxins cause a curious form of Alzheimer's.
What other explanation could there be? It's clear to all of us that at the very moment people drive onto Big Basin, they completely forget how to drive.
Bob Ingle
Toll Gate Road
Teacher seeks funds for performing arts facility
My name is Lauren Boyle and I've taught piano and voice in Saratoga since 1984. As musical director for the Redwood spring musicals for seven years, I originated the annual Saratoga Music Boosters' "Best of Broadway" fundraiser, which raised nearly $10,000 for the performing arts programs at Saratoga High School and Redwood Middle School
Although my children are grown and no longer involved with the music and theater programs at Saratoga High, I continue to nourish my passion for the performing arts by teaching, doing vocal workshops for Jenny Guemmer's Concert Choir, and singing in the choir at Saratoga Presbyterian Church. I would like to encourage, with all my heart and soul, a capital campaign to raise funds for a performing arts facility at Saratoga High School.
My Best of Broadway concerts were held at Los Gatos High School and as someone from outside the community, I often faced an uphill battle in my attempts to secure the venue. The students were further challenged with transportation of the sets to the Los Gatos auditorium, a major feat under the best of conditions, and an exasperating task, given traffic and parking conditions on the Los Gatos campus. While the students have made good use of the Saratoga High Little Theatre, constructed in the cafeteria, their choice of shows is severely limited due to the nature and location of that space.
For those of you who have not heard the Saratoga High School Orchestra, I highly recommend that you attend their next concert. Under the very capable instruction of Michael Boitz, they are now a symphony of excellent quality, and one whose accomplishments speak well for the dedication and skill of both the staff and students.
Imagine that sound in a concert hall, as opposed to the gym! Anyone who attended the Elizabethan Festival surely was impressed with the quality of singing, costumes, and acting--an entire Shakespeare play--that our students and their directors produced. I feel that the level of talent and both the singular and collective achievements of the students will support community involvement and generate strong attendance at future performances, especially if given new acoustics and space.
Most of my voice students participate in the spring musical productions, so I get to hear firsthand about the amount of time they put into each production. I want the community to know that the time commitment of these performers is every bit as overwhelming as it is for the students in the athletic programs. The athletes have always received the money and the support of the community, and it is now time for the artists to be given the support that they so much deserve. Without getting too spiritual, I have always lobbied for opportunities for those students who excel in the arts, opportunities to develop their talents and natural gifts while nourishing the soul and building a strong sense of self-esteem.
Now that the swimmers have their outstanding new pool complex, it is time for the community to put its efforts into developing the arts by supporting the construction of a Center for the Arts at Saratoga High School. We need a facility that nurtures the creativity in our young people. This facility could be used for more than just dramatic productions; it could be a venue for guest speakers, meetings, guest performers, fundraising concerts, multimedia presentations, and so much more.
I have been asked if I would revive the Best of Broadway fundraising concerts if SHS had a facility. My answer is this: "If you build it, we will come and sing ... ."
Lauren Boyle
Quito Road
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
