Parents group helps to bridge gaps between culture, schools

Organization started in Cupertino, hopes to spread to Saratoga

By Michelle Alaimo

A parent group that works closely with schools in Cupertino is hoping to spread its roots into Saratoga schools.

Members of the Asian American Parent Association say they have decided they'd like to work more closely with schools in this area after reading a newspaper article last year about tension among Asian students at Saratoga High School.

AAPA held a seminar on safe schools and a safe community in late February at the Saratoga Community Library and Jeff Moe, president of AAPA, said the group received a good turnout.

Flyers were sent home with each SHS student for the event featuring speakers Tom Sing, assistant sheriff for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department and attorney Tony Christensen.

Moe said the seminar was a good way to explain to parents what their childrens' rights are in the event they ever get into some kind of legal trouble.

He added that parent education seminars are just one way that AAPA reaches out to the community.

The group also offers programs to students including a summer speech training program that anybody in the area can attend, said founding vice president Yuh-Ning Chen.

She said that AAPA tries to encourage more parents to get involved in their childrens' education and acknowledges that "one of the reasons why area school districts are so successful is because of parent involvement."

The support group got its start in 1991 as a grass-roots effort among parents, mostly in the Cupertino area, Moe said. Eventually the group connected with the Cupertino Union School District and the Fremont Union High School District.

AAPA meets with school district superintendents on a quarterly basis and discusses ways they can help schools and parents come together. AAPA maintains that one of its strengths lies in its ability to break through cultural or language barriers, and bring parents into school activities.

"Our goal is to be a bridge among the different cultures in our area," Moe said, adding that anyone, no matter what culture, is invited to join AAPA.

Outside of its school activities, the group held a large community Thanksgiving dinner in November last year at De Anza College to welcome new people into the area and expose them to the traditions of the important American holiday.

---

For more information about AAPA, visit its website at http://aapa.net.

---

Sheriff's Report

Asian American Parent Association encourages involvement in education

Saratoga Federated Church gets new senior pastor

Portola Systems builds business software that is exciting to use and see

Saratoga Sampler: Good Sam doctor Harry Cornbleet is top Open Space District docent

Sports Briefs

Westmont baseball team defeats Pioneer

Saratoga, Prospect athletes compete in annual CCS Top 8 Track Classic

Youth sports camps signups