On March 18 buying a book can mean more than investing in a good read. It can also help the special education department in the San Jose Unified School District.

Barnes & Noble bookstores will donate 25 percent of all in-store purchases (excluding cafe and gift cards) made between 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. when parents turn in a voucher at the sales counter.

This is the special ed department's first drive and the department plans to send home vouchers a week before the event with each elementary school child. If parents don't receive a voucher, they can go to any district school office and pick one up. The voucher will also be available on the district's website, www.sjusd.k12.ca.us.

The vouchers will be good at the Barnes & Noble in Almaden and the Pruneyard and Westgate shopping centers. Each store will post a list of books recommended by teachers and a list of the nearby schools' library wish lists.

—Moryt Milo

District abandons idea
to mix retail and school

Willow Glen Elementary School will not be open for business.

After San Jose Unified School District officials met with parents and staff members on March 3, the district abandoned plans to construct commercial space at the school.

According to San Jose Unified School District spokeswoman Karen Fuqua, the district decided not to go forward with the project because of potential traffic congestion and community concerns.

" Superintendent Don Iglesias and the district felt it was not a feasible place," she said.

Willow Glen Elementary School parent Felicia Mulvany, who helped spearhead a petition to halt the construction of the proposed commercial space, said she was "very happy" with the district's decision.

"My main concern was the safety of the children," she said. "The commercial space would bring strangers on campus. Even though it would be kept separate, the concern is still there. And there would be no way of policing who would be coming on campus."

Although the commercial space won't be part of Willow Glen Elementary, Fuqua said the district is still considering the idea for other sites.

"I really think it's a creative way to look at financing the district," she said.

—Meghan O'Hare

Starbucks is giving
grants to nonprofits

Starbucks Coffee Co. invites Northern California nonprofits to apply for its fifth annual Grants for Giving Program.

The program is open only to 501(c)3 organizations that serve populations in Northern California. Interested groups need to submit an application by March 11.

Starbucks established the program in 2001 to support nonprofit organizations and charities. This year, the program will grant $375,000 to eligible nonprofits that are interested in building better futures for local youth and families.

For more information go to www.star bucks.com/grantsforgiving.

Under the Tuscan sun
or moon in downtown

An escape to Northern Italy may still be a plane ticket away, but the ambiance of an Italian night isn't that far.

Vin Santo Ristorante owners Greg and Susan Russi will donate their restaurant for the fourth annual Night in Northern Italy on March 20. The event is a fundraiser for the children at Willow Glen Elementary School, with the proceeds going directly toward program funding.

The open house, at 1346 Lincoln Ave., is from 4 to 7 p.m. and includes wine, appetizers and a live and silent auction.

Tickets are limited and cost $50 per person. This is an adults only event. To make reservations or donate an auction item contact Mary Schorr at mschorr@ix. netcom.com or call 408.275.9854.

Ingela's Interiors teams
up with Valle Monte

For those wondering what an old chair or heirloom piece of jewelry might be worth, the answer could be waiting at Ingela's Interiors, Design and Consign.

To celebrate the store's anniversary, owner Ingela Butters asked Venezia Appraisal Services to spend two days at the store appraising antiques and vintage items for customers. A verbal appraisal is $10 per item and is limited to two per person. All the proceeds from the day's event will be donated to Valle Monte League, which supports mental health services in Santa Clara County.

Ingela's Interiors is located at 999 Lincoln Ave. near Coe Avenue. The event is scheduled for March 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call Ingela's Interiors, Design and Consign at 408.971.0535.

Schallenberger teacher
takes it to the top level

Amid grading papers and preparing lesson plans, Schallenberger Elementary School teacher Nancy Davis went one step further.

At the Feb. 17 San Jose Unified School District Board of Education meeting, Davis was honored, along with other local teachers, for earning National Board Certification.

"These teachers have put in an incredible amount of hours," said Mary Ann Rokovich, the district's director of employee career development. Completing the requirements to become certified—an extensive series of performance-based assessments through teaching portfolios, student work samples, videotapes and thorough analyses of the candidates' classroom teaching and student learning—takes a minimum of 400 hours above a teacher's regular workday, Rokovich said.

Addressing those teachers, Superintendent Don Iglesias said, "I personally thank you for the time and effort you have invested in attaining this level of achievement. You have lots to be proud of."

National Board Certification, a growing part of the national effort to strengthen standards for the teaching profession, is a voluntary, advanced teaching credential that goes beyond state licensure by creating national standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. The National Board certifies teachers who successfully complete its rigorous certification process.