During the last few years the Willow Glen mother has, little by little and mostly on her own, spruced up the surroundings at the middle and high schools, creating a landscape design that students and faculty take pride in.

"She has come in here and planted gorgeous gardens with all kinds of plants," middle school principal John Tavella says. "It has really added to the look of our school."

According to San Jose Unified School District spokeswoman Karen Fuqua, Pete Pearne, the district's director of maintenance and operations knows of a few schools in the district where volunteers donate plants and their time landscaping the grounds.

"We don't see that as a problem," Fuqua says.

With two of her children, Marcus and Joy, attending the middle school and her oldest son, Charlie, 15, at Willow Glen High, Findeisen says her efforts are simply a way of doing her share as a parent volunteer. But there's also her natural passion for landscaping.

"I do it because I want it to look good," says Findeisen, who lives on Carol Drive off Curtner Avenue. Her home sits on "Communications Hill," the same three-acre parcel where she was raised.

Findeisen, used to living on so much open space, has been an avid gardener for as long as she can remember. Pointing to her lush backyard overflowing with plants, Findeisen says most were bought or saved from the garbage.

"I like to take plants that need help and bring them back to life," she says.

Findeisen's involvement as a volunteer school gardener started 10 years ago, when Charlie started kindergarten at Schallenberger Elementary.

She felt compelled to put in some flowerbeds and eventually a birdbath as soon as she saw the school's "prehistoric" landscaping.

That was just the beginning. When Charlie started middle school, she was startled to see the same juniper bushes from her years as a student at the school.

"As soon as I got there I yanked out the bushes," Findeisen says.

Thus began a series of horticultural makeovers for the school. She would eventually add flower beds and Japanese maple trees to the front of the campus, as well as plant a number of curly willows, trumpet vines and calla lilies in the teachers' lunch area.

Last September when Findeisen's oldest son moved on to the high school next door, she took to gardening there as well.

She has found new homes for abandoned plants on school grounds, where they now flourish. Findeisen also brings in plants from her own backyard. Every once in a while Findeisen makes her rounds through local garden centers and nurseries, asking for donations.

"I've constantly got my eyes out for anything that helps the school," she says.

Because the school district does not provide regular landscaping groundskeepers, Findeisen also does the maintenance work on everything she's planted, which has made her a common sight at both campuses.

"She'll be here on any given day," Tavella says. "I'll look out my window, and she'll be trimming something, watering something, weeding, pruning the roses or planting more flowers."

While she does acknowledge that between managing her family's industrial park, caring for her family, maintaining her own garden and looking after the schools' plants, her life becomes hectic at times, Findeisen says she has never felt the need to stop volunteering.

Her commitment, she says, is a way of setting an example for her children.

"If I show pride for the place then they better show pride for the place," Findeisen says.

Findeisen has also been inspired by the positive feedback and gratitude she's experienced. She has never witnessed any disrespectful behavior or vandalism from students toward what she's planted, she says.

On the contrary, during a recent beautification day at Willow Glen High School, Findeisen was accompanied by a league of teens eager to help out with planting and maintenance work.

"I'm overwhelmed that so many of the high school kids are willing to help," she says. "They do feel like they own it."

Teachers such as seventh-grade history teacher Gale Uyehara are equally appreciative.

An avid hobby gardener, Uyehara says she's impressed with the variety and quality of plants Findeisen has brought to the school.

"She has done a fantastic job," Uyehara says. "I am just amazed at the amount of wonderful work that has taken place here at Willow Glen Middle School. It makes a tremendous difference as to how the common grounds look."

Eighth-grade language arts teacher Gloria Luna says Findeisen's dedication is an excellent example of positive parent involvement.

"It's a morale booster to students and teachers alike," Luna says.

For Findeisen, that's what it ultimately boils down to, making a difference in the demanding lives of students and teachers.

"The whole thing makes you feel good," she says. "If the teachers feel good, they'll have a good day, the kids will have a good day and everyone else will have a good day."