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Students start school year amid flurry of changes
Local high schools sport both new faces, new look for academic year
By Gretchen Knaup
Among many ongoing district improvements and changes, students in the Fremont Union High School District embarked on their first day of classes on Aug. 27. Even though there are new buildings going up at every campus and 81 new teachers, it was business as usual in the classroom.
Students at all five high schools went promptly back into their familiar routines, but not to all familiar faces, or to familiar classrooms.
Director of Human Resources Harry Bettencourt said there are more new teachers in the classrooms than usual this school year. According to Bettencourt, the biggest reason for this increase is the high number of retirees he had to replace. "This accounted for about 30 percent," he said.
The next largest category was teachers on leave, who either took another job temporarily or were absent for health reasons. The third category is people who have resigned or went to another district. Bettencourt said this group only accounts for about 10 percent of the loss.
"We attribute this loss to the high cost of living here," he said. "We also base our staff on what the students like to take, so we might need more language arts teachers one year, for example."
"This does affect the students because the teachers are in contact with the students every day, but I don't think in a negative way. The kids are going to get someone that is maybe not as seasoned, but who is just as motivated," Bettencourt added. "We have an absolute great quality of teachers. Some are new; some are veterans."
Bettencourt said only a quarter of the new hires are on an emergency credential basis.
"Some of them have a credential because they just moved to the state," he explained. "They have a credential in another state, but not in California yet because the state wants them to do something else ... The marketplace is different, now we can accept those teachers that are topnotch. You either have it or you don't. I can tell when I see that quality in a person."
There are also changes in the looks of things at each campus. There are new buildings being constructed and some of the older buildings are being modernized.
Director of Facilities Modernization Bill Savidge said, "It is going great. It is getting in the way, but its going pretty well. There is some disruption with the noise, but that is inevitable."
According to Savidge, there are five buildings under modernization or construction at Fremont, and two buildings at Homestead.
"The construction is going on full time," he said. "The biggest problem at Fremont is the students can't walk through where they could before, so it changes the way people get around. The schools aren't as accessible."
He added they have been mapping out ways for students to get around in order to make things easier.
The only other change that had to be made concerning students is a temporary change of classrooms at Homestead.
"There is a building under modernization with 20 classrooms, so those classrooms are in portables until they are done," Savidge said.
According to Savidge, everything is getting replaced: there will be new floors, ceilings, wall finishes, heating and air conditioning and new power data.
"We are basically starting over," he said. "It's a huge job."
As far as brand new buildings, at Fremont there is a new music room going in as well as new locker rooms and showers for the new pool. A new library is under construction and has almost been completed at Homestead.
"We are finishing things all the time," Savidge said. "It is what we call phase construction."
He also said he doesn't expect any delays to construction for the rest of this year on any of the campuses.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
