School Consolidation Advisory Committee (SCAC) Update | |
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Update from Berryessa School District to district families on Friday, Oct 18
Dear Berryessa Community,
On behalf of the Berryessa Union School Board of Education, we would again like to thank our School Consolidation Advisory Committee members for their commitment and dedication throughout this difficult and complex process. The Board and District Leadership appreciates the committee’s diligence and efforts in preparing a proposal of recommendations for school consolidation to the Board.
Yesterday evening on Thursday, October 17, 2024, the School Consolidation Advisory Committee (SCAC) met and reached consensus on the following, subject to a final, formal vote by the SCAC at its next meeting. These rankings are for potential closure of schools, with number 1 being the highest ranked for closure, and 5 being the lowest. Once the SCAC takes its final vote, the recommendations will be presented to the Board, and the Board will ultimately make the final decision regarding which schools to close.
Ranking of Elementary Schools
1. Cherrywood
2. Toyon
3. Laneview
4. Summerdale
5. Ruskin
Ranking of Middle Schools
1. Sierramont MS
2. Piedmont MS
3. Morrill MS
In addition, the SCAC discussed recommending a TK-8 school option. The committee discussed the following middle schools to be considered in the following order for school reconfiguration:
1. Sierramont MS
2. Piedmont MS
Next Steps:
The committee will meet one more time next Thursday, October 24, 2024, at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, 1290 Ridder Park Dr, San Jose, CA 95131. During this meeting the committee will affirm where they have reached consensus thus far and vote on the final recommendation, as well as review and approve the final report to the Board.
Please bear in mind that the Committee’s decision is a recommendation only, and that the Board will make the ultimate decision on which schools to close or consolidate. The Committee’s recommendation will provide options for the Board to consider, which the Board will discuss in detail at its study session which will include a public hearing on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 6:00 pm at Piedmont MS. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The Board will not take action on this critical decision until Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at the BUSD Board of Trustees public meeting.
Thank you for your time and active participation in addressing this important matter.
Any questions can also be submitted to school-consolidation@busd.net or visit the Committee website.
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Election Day Less than Two Weeks Away | |
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Vote Centers open this weekend for in-person voting and additional services.
To locate your nearest Vote Center, visit rovservices.sccgov.org
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Same Day Voter Registration, known as Conditional Voter Registration, is a safety net for those who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information for an election.
Eligible citizens who need to register or re-register to vote within 14 days of an election can complete this process to register and vote at the registrar of voters. Their ballots will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.
The Registrar of Voters will be hosting a variety of language workshops (Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Khmer, Japanese, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, and Nepali) to assist all members of the community in familiarizing themselves with the upcoming November 5, 2024 Presidential General Election. All English and bilingual members of the public are welcome to attend these workshops which will mainly focus on the following:
- Voter's Choice Act
- Vote by Mail Information
- Vote Center Information
For all election related information, head to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Website
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Join my team and the wonderful people at Our City Forest for another tree planting event October 26th at Piedmont Middle School from 9:00 am - Noon. Equipment, snacks, and refreshments provided! There's no better way to beautify your neighborhood than to plant new trees! We hope to see you there! | |
Public Meeting on Park Fees and their Impact in North San Jose | |
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Councilmember Cohen would like to invite you to join the Office of Economic Development (OED) and Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) to discuss a potential park fee realignment and how that impacts upcoming park developments in North San Jose. The meeting will be held from 6:30 pm to 8 pm on Monday, October 28th via zoom.
Please see the tentative agenda for the evening and zoom link below:
- Start 6:30 p.m.
- Opening Remarks - CM Cohen
- OED - High Overview of Incentive Program
- How this is 'separate' but is expected to be considered at the same time
- PRNS – Realignment of fees for multi-family developments in North San Jose
- PRNS - How this affects Montague & Seely Turnkey Park - Master Plan, Sakauye House, budget, remaining fees
- PRNS - D4 park needs including Agnews
- Q&A - 30 (+/-) mins
- Follow up steps and Closing Remarks- CM Cohen
ZOOM LINK: https://sanjoseca.zoom.us/j/97326670446?pwd=LbdCApsRj2kkIrau48b4K37DzXuVHa.1
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King Road Complete Streets Plan | |
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Upcoming community engagement events in October and November for the King Road Complete Streets Plan:
- Eastridge Transit Center Pop-up, 10/30/24, Wednesday, 4-6 PM
- Berryessa Flea Market Pop-up, 11/2/24, Saturday, 10AM-1PM
- Mexican Heritage Plaza Open House, 11/6/24, Wednesday, 6-8 PM (English, Spanish, Vietnamese)
- Mexican Heritage Plaza Open House, 11/7/24, Thursday, 6-8 PM (English, Spanish, Vietnamese)
We have mailed a promotional postcard about these events to ~1,200 families along King Road and side streets.
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D4 Pumpkin Giveaway Recap | |
This year’s District 4 Pumpkin Giveaway was a screaming success! With candy, games, and a coloring table, kids from all over the neighborhood came out to our pumpkin patch to kick off Spooky Season! Thanks to Berryessa Union School District, and all of our hard working volunteers for making this a monstrous event! | Preview of Next Week's Council Meeting | |
Speed Safety Camera Pilot Program Report
San Jose is one of six cities to receive funding through California Assembly Bill 645 to implement a speed safety camera pilot program. This program aims to reduce fatal and severe roadway injuries by promoting safer driving and differing excessive speeding. Staff will be presenting a report on program requirements, upcoming milestones and locations identified for the speed cameras.
Semi-annual Climate Smart San Jose Report
This report will highlight the progress that the City of San Jose is making towards our 2030 Climate Smart goals. The staff presentation will look at items related to public outreach and engagement programs, EVs and shared mobility services as well as policy and program updates. These programs include incentives for saving energy during peak electrical use hours, rebates for the purchase of heat pumps or energy efficient home appliances, and the move to all electric for the city’s fleet vehicles.
Beautify SJ Neighborhood Blight Reduction Status Report
The BeautifySJ Neighborhood Blight Reduction programs are the core delivery system for the City’s blight reduction and beautification strategy that focuses on working collaboratively with neighborhood associations, schools, businesses, and residents to improve the cleanliness of public spaces. Last year, the Neighborhood Blight Reduction programs removed approximately 12,642,000 million pounds of trash and debris, eradicated 2,994,859 feet of graffiti, presented at 40 neighborhood association meetings, and engaged with 7,400 youth through education and outreach. This staff presentation will cover our progress from 2023-2024 and look forward at the work still needed to be done.
| Tuesday, October 22, 2024 - City Council Meeting, Afternoon Session | Tuesday, October 22, 20224 - City Council Meeting, Evening Session | Rules & Open Government Replay | My team had an amazing time with friends celebrating Filipino American History Month at FAHM JAM, the largest Fil-Am festival in the South Bay! Enjoyed some delicious lumpia, pancit, and ube shakes, all while reflecting on the historical significance of this day in 1857 when the first Filipinos arrived in what is now Morro Bay, California. Big thanks to @fact_sanjose (Filipino Americans Coming Together in San Jose Coalition) for organizing this incredible event and bringing our community together! | A Fond Farewell To Angela Pedrigal | |
It is with a mix of gratitude and sadness that I announce the departure of an amazing member of our District 4 team, Angela Pedrigal. For the past two years, Angela has been the heartbeat of our office—working tirelessly, bringing creativity, energy, and empathy to everything she does. She has a unique way of making every project fun, and she tackles each task with enthusiasm and dedication. Her big, bright smile will be missed by all of us.
While we will deeply miss her presence here, we are excited for her as she embarks on a new journey in the California State Assembly. We know she will continue to make a positive impact there, just as she has with us.
For any constituents who have been working with Angela on ongoing projects, please feel free to reach out to the rest of our team by emailing District4@sanjoseca.gov.
Thank you, Angela, for all you’ve done. Wishing you nothing but success in your new role!
— Councilmember David Cohen
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Recycling keeps garbage fees low and recyclable materials out of landfills, reduces waste, and helps protect the environment. It also saves energy and valuable natural resources and creates jobs. When a community recycles right, it improves quality of life and supports the local economy. You can do your part to Recycle Right. Unsure of what goes where? Visit SanJoseRecycles.org for a complete recycling guide and more. | |
It's Spooky Season at the Library | |
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Get a Free Book and a Spooky Comic or Graphic Novel: October 21 – 31, 2024!
Once again, SJPL is excited to present our annual Halloween Booktacular Giveaway, this time with a terrifying twist.
Running from Monday, October 21 through Thursday, October 31, 2024, all youth ages 0–18 can stop by any SJPL location and pick out one free book of their choice, plus one free spooky-themed comic book or graphic novel.
How to Claim Your Giveaway:
• No sign up or library card required.
• Youth MUST be present to claim their giveaway book prize(s) — limit one book and one • comic/graphic novel per person.
• All book giveaways available while supplies last at all 25 SJPL locations.
• Costumes encouraged, but not required.
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Tree Planting at Piedmont Middle • Oct 26 | |
Neighborhood Conference 2024 | |
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You're invited to the second Annual Neighborhoods Conference on Saturday, October 26, 2024. The conference will be held at the City Hall Rotunda from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. It is hosted by our BeautifySJ Program. Please invite all the residents in your neighborhood! All are welcome!
The Neighborhoods Conference is an opportunity to bring together San José residents to connect with other neighborhood organizations and City officials, learn about resources available to them, and share about their experiences in their neighborhoods.
A variety of workshops, resource tables, and children’s activities will be available. Light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Event: Annual Neighborhoods Conference
Date and time: Saturday, October 26; 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: San Jose City Hall Rotunda – 200 E. Santa Clara St
Registration
Residents can register at bit.ly/sj-neighborhoods or visit the Neighborhoods Conference website for more information.
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Veterans Day Parade • Nov 11 | |
Fall Career Fair • Nov 14 | |
Donate Pajamas for Local Kids | |
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The District 4 tradition continues this year as we once again partner with local schools to deliver warm pajamas to kids for the holidays. We had an incredible response to our request for donations during our pajama drives during the last three years, delivered pajamas to nearly 150 kids last year, and are asking for your help through pajama donations this year.
Pajamas are a way for kids to express themselves, keep them cozy and warm, make them feel secure, and even lower risk of cold or flu. Donating a pair of pajamas will make a world of difference for a child in your neighborhood during the frigid winter months.
We request new with tags or new in package pajamas in any kids’ size 5-18, or adult sizes small through XXL for older kids. They can be footy pajamas, night gowns, two-piece pajamas, flannel, plaid, plain, with popular characters, for boys or girls or gender neutral.
Please bring or have your donations shipped to the Berryessa Union School District office, c/o District 4 Pajama Program, 981 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95131.
E-commerce sites such as amazon.com, target.com and Costco.com make it simple to purchase and have pajamas delivered directly, but you can personally drop off if you prefer. Feel free to attach a holiday greeting note to your gift for the recipient.
You may also contact the Council District 4 office at 408-535-4904 if you need guidance with your donation or if you want to make a cash or gift card donation to the District 4 Pajama Program instead.
Take a look at last year's video recap below.
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Senior Nutrition Program • Berryessa Community Center | |
The San Jose Senior Nutrition Program at Berryessa Community Center provides nutritious meals and social activities for seniors aged 60 and older. The program promotes healthy living and offers opportunities for social interaction, reducing isolation while ensuring access to balanced, affordable meals. | |
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Senior Nutrition Program: In partnership with TRIO Senior Meals, provides meals to Older Adults 60+ at 13 community centers throughout the City. All meals served at community centers meet county health standards.
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Free Trees for District 4 Residents | |
Our team is hard at work, pushing toward our goal of planting 1,000 trees by the end of Councilmember Cohen's first term in office. Now we're launching a new program aimed at getting more trees planted in residential areas. If you have a great spot for a tree on your property, get in touch with us for details! | |
We could all use a little extra space around the house this time of year, if you've got junk and clutter in your garage or yard, take advantage of this great FREE service from the City of San José! Make an appointment to get rid of old appliances and furniture, mattresses, and more. It's easy, just fill out a short form online, move your stuff to the curb, and a truck will come and take it all away! | |
Nominate a District 4 Star! | |
Our annual District 4 Stars Gala is our way of honoring members of our community who've worked hard to make a positive impact in District 4. Small businesses, public servants, local leaders, and more. If you know someone you think is a Star in District 4, nominate them by clicking the button below. | |
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Office of Councilmember David Cohen
200 E. Santa Clara St
San José, CA 95113
(408) 535-4904
district4@sanjoseca.gov
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