The San Jose City Council unanimously approved unfreezing grant funding for Strong Neighborhoods Action and Pride (SNAP) on Aug. 26. These grants will be used by Strong Neighborhood Initiative groups.

City staff will award SNAP grants of up to $198,842 to support selected Neighborhood Action Committee small projects that are identified in SNI areas. According to Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services staff, the Greater Gardner area will receive $2,591.

Greater Gardner Neighborhood Association President Kevin Christman said that in order to be eligible for the grant money, the association will apply for the funding within the next two weeks. Christman also said that if the association can show the money will be directed toward one of its "top 10" Greater Gardner SNI projects, the grant will most likely be awarded to the association.

—Amy Wicks


Parent-based school, Montessori method

After Casa Maria Montessori closed in 1999, Willow Glen parents were left without a local Montessori preschool. So, a group of concerned parents quickly mobilized and started Mariposa Montessori, 1570 Alta Glen Drive. The new Montessori school opened the same year Casa Maria closed.

Since its inception, Mariposa has focused on children's social, intellectual, creative and compassionate potential, Mariposa board member Debra Louison Lavoy said.

The school has at least four openings for children two to six years old who want to begin school in September. Classes are two, three and five days a week in the mornings for younger children or five days a week for older students.

"Mariposa Montessori was founded by a group of parents that wanted a really good preschool for their kids," Louison Lavoy said.

Annual tuition ranges from $3,200 for two-day-a-week morning classes to $8,500 for five-day, full-time classes.

For more information on enrollment or to arrange a school tour, call 408.266.LOVE or info@MariposaMontessori.org. More information is available at http://www.mariposamontessori.org.

—Amy Wicks

Council aide leaves, returns to teaching

Debbie Rocha, the former aide to District 6 Council member Ken Yeager, who worked for Yeager since late 2001, returned to the education field to teach fine arts at Milpitas High School.

Rocha was in charge of economic and neighborhood development, constituent services education and traffic issues, for six District 6 neighborhoods. She served Hamann Park, Sherman Oaks, Canoas Gardens, and the largest neighborhood, Willow Glen.

She said that during her time in Yeager's office, she was glad to see that District 6 is close to having its own community center. Yeager's office has been looking for a location and may have found one at the former location of a K-Mart on Fruitdale Avenue and Southwest Expressway.

Taking over Rocha's duties is Tony Felice. He can be reached at 408.277.2206 or by email at Tony.Filice@ci.sj.ca.us

—William Jeske

Indian Health Center to increase services

The Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley (IHC) was awarded a $565,750 federal grant to assist in increasing its health care services to low-income, uninsured patients. The health center is part of the Willow Glen community and provides services through its offices on Meridian Avenue.

Executive Director Mat Kendall said IHC is delighted to be able to expand its services and increase the number of patients the organization is able to treat.

IHC is a nonprofit, federally qualified community health center that was established in 1977. The organization provides culturally appropriate care to Native American and other low-income residents of Santa Clara County.

IHC provides comprehensive medical, dental, and nutritional services, along with mental health counseling, substance abuse counseling and health education.

For more information about IHC, contact executive director Mat Kendall at 408.445.3400 ext. 202 or visit the health center at 1333 Meridian Ave.

—Amy Wicks


Willow Glen parcels off the auction block

Greater Gardner residents received some good news last week when two parcels of land from the community were taken off the San Jose's auction list.

The two parcels that were recovered include a 23,000-square-foot area on North Fuller Avenue between Bird and Delmas avenues and a 29,000-square-foot possible pocket park on West Bird Avenue between Fuller Avenue and West Virginia Street.

The Greater Gardner area has already been tending to the 23,000-square-foot plot, by putting up fences and picking up litter. Long-time plans for this parcel also include putting in a horseshoe pit, building a half-basketball court and placing some benches in the area.

North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association President Alison England said that when the two Greater Gardner parcels appeared on the auction list, it was a "hassle," to say the least.

"They weren't supposed to be on there in the first place," she said.

Now that the parcels have been officially removed, she says, the Greater Gardner area will continue with its plans to improve each parcel.

—Amy Wicks