Opinion

Clean up local parking lots

It is with whole-hearted enthusiasm that I submit this letter of support for the renewal  of Charter School of Morgan Hill’s charter. I am a proud parent of a seventh grader at Charter School. Our daughter has been a student there since kindergarten, and my husband and I could not be happier with the education she’s received since day one.Charter School is a true community that consists of students, faculty, support staff, parents and families. The strong family involvement and community interaction is the foundation of our school’s successful learning environment.Through project-based learning (PBL), which is at the core of the school’s curriculum, our daughter has been able to be immersed in a variety of amazing educational experiences.  In first grade, she traveled back in time for “Now & Then Day” and learned how people truly lived in the past.In second grade she took a trip across the seas for “Ellis Island Day” and experienced the immigration process first hand (please note Ellis Island Day represented the experience of ALLimmigrants to the United States). Our daughter was born in China, and she experienced that day as a Chinese immigrant, just as thousands of Chinese immigrants came through Angel Island to find work and start a new life in the U.S.In third grade she learned problem solving through deductive reasoning by solving a "teddy bear" crime scene. In fourth grade she panned for gold as a 49er in Placer County. In fifth grade she experienced life as colonist in the hamlet of “Charterburg,” running a business as a seamstress and forced to pay taxes to the King. In sixth grade she went spelunking and discovered ancient cave paintings.  Charter’s Math, Science, Art, Agriculture, Music and Spanish curricula weave seamlessly into the PBL subjects. Watching this type of teaching and learning take place year after year is almost magical. All our teachers are dedicated and talented individuals who give of themselves to make Charter the remarkable school it is.My husband and I are both Latino and it was important to us as parents to find a school that reflected the diversity of our Morgan Hill community. Public education in a diverse and positive learning environment is extremely important to us, so Charter was our first choice for our daughter. My husband grew up in San Jose and is the son of farm workers. As a child, he and his family lived and worked in the fields. He was fortunate to attend an elementary school that had caring and loving teachers.  Because his parents worked during the day with no one at home to watch him, his teachers went the extra mile and allowed him to stay after school to do homework and get the extra support he needed. He is the first in his family to earn a college degree. He often says the environment at Charter is much like the environment of his elementary school.  My father immigrated to this country from Latin America to seek educational opportunities for himself. He was profoundly grateful for those opportunities which allowed him to become one of the first Latino neurosurgeons in the U.S. He never let us forget the importance of a free and equal education, which allowed him to better himself and our entire family.Both my husband and I feel the Charter community has the diversity needed to enable its students to become culturally competent adults. In our daughter’s seventh grade class are students of Latino, Asian, Filipino, Portuguese and Middle Eastern descent. Our daughter has the unique distinction of being of Chinese ethnicity, raised by Latino parents, and at Charter she is just Caroline. To us, this demonstrates that her classmates respect and embrace cultural diversity.It is evident that Charter School students are learning and thriving through the PBL curriculum and dynamic environment.  Your vote to approve renewal of the charter should be without question. A vote to deny renewal is a vote to deny students within your own school district an exceptional learning experience that educators throughout the area strive to emulate.

A Letter to Our NeighborsDear Morgan Hill Community,Specialized Bicycle Components would like to apologize for the inconveniences caused by the large number of cyclists that ride each day from our company and the lack of riding etiquette while out on the roads of Morgan Hill. Effective immediately we have changed our lunch ride route so it no longer goes through the Paradise Valley Neighborhood. We are working directly with Specialized employees to educate and enforce the California State Vehicle Code regulations as they pertain to cyclists.We are working closely with the Morgan Hill Police Department to create safer road situations for both cyclists and motorists and will be working together to plan a safety course in the near future.To further emphasize the importance of riding safely and respecting community we have developed the How We Roll guiding principles:How We Roll-RESPECT for all traffic laws, like responsible and intelligent adults-RESPECT to all those we encounter: motorists, riders, runners, kids incrosswalks, etc.-BE COOL and say hello to everyone we meet while out riding-DON’T FORGET that when we ride we are representing both Specialized and cyclists at large-BE RESPONSIBLE and have the courage to remind anyone that is not riding in accordanceSpecialized takes pride in being a part of the Morgan Hill community for over 35 years. Our ultimate goal is to promote health and fitness through the sport of cycling and hope to encourage more people to join. We are a company of passionate people who believe in the power of the bike. Going forward we are committed to following the rules of the road and being better at sharing with other people out and about.Please join us for the monthly community ride we host the first Monday of each month to continue the dialogue and join a ride.If you have any questions or would like to send feedback please email [email protected] or call (408)779-6229.Sincerely,The Team at Specialized

Kevin Heath and the Limelight Actors Theater continually bring well done, enjoyable theater to Gilroy. “Other Desert Cities” is a comedy-drama and not an easy piece to deliver, yet Heath and his company of top Limelight alumni actors bring in a first-class production.

 Anyone who is familiar with and enjoys Russian playwright Anton Checkhov’s work will become fascinated with the parallels of the characters in Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies’ homage to the writer with his play “The Country House.”

My last column was about our community working together collaboratively and how effective we are when doing so. It’s great to see this community be the kind that supports itself so willingly.

Just yesterday, I received a text from a very old friend reminding me that on this very day, 51 years ago, I saw the Beatles at the Cow Palace.

This is a new version of this grand old chestnut that opened to rave reviews  and awards in London in 1986 and on Broadway in 1988. With the same music by Andrew Lloyd Weber and based on the novel “LaFantome de L’opera” by Gaston Leroux, the production at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco is directed by Laurence Conner with a gusto and drive that keeps everything moving at a fast pace.Producer Cameron Mackintosh decided to bring a new "Phantom” theatrically to the stage, and he has succeeded with new magnificent sets by Paul Brown and a little different take on the story line, which still ends the same way.This updated “Phantom” still has the marvelous music, and the basics stay the same. The story moves on the same path as the original but sets, costumes, choreography and a younger Phantom and Christine are offered in a faster moving story.The chandelier still hovers and flashes and intimidates, the Phantom still creates havoc, and the new steep and almost invisible stairs that take Christine and the Phantom to his lair under the Opera House is fascinating. The huge production number “Masquerade” number that opens the second act replaces the sweeping staircases in the older production with mirrors. The cast seems to be a little cramped, but the costumes by the late Maria Bjornson overwhelm with color and design. All are well lit by Paule Constable and made clearly audible by Mick Potter and, most importantly, a fine orchestra under the baton of Dale Rieling.I felt Chris Mann’s Phantom lacked the chemistry and bravado that other Phantoms have delivered, and his voice didn’t seem to have the punch that should have been there (perhaps he was not well.)  Katie Travis’s Christine was full and clear with a fine sound. The rest of the cast gave a smooth supporting performance.There is an old adage that says, “If it ain’t broken don’t fix it.”I don’t think the original “Phantom” was broken, but I guess we must go with the times. A new generation will see this production and probably shake their heads the next time it changes 30 years from now.All in all, this "Phantom” will entertain.