Board Communication Corner

Homestead High School Buildings A, B, S, and Library Quad Grand Opening – September 6

A large group of community members, along with the Board of Trustees, the Superintendent, district staff, school staff and students, attended the grand opening of Buildings A, B, S and the Library Quad at Homestead High School. After the opening ceremony, students led community members on tours of the modernized buildings. It was a fun event for all, celebrating the opening of several new excellent facilities for our students.

Masters in Governance, Course 2 – September 23

All five Trustees, along with Superintendent Graham Clark and other members of district staff, attended Course 2 of the California School Board Association Masters in Governance program. FUHSD is hosting the program for over 30 other school governance participants from across the state. Course 2 dealt with Policy & Judicial Review and Student Learning & Achievement. The purpose of CSBA's Masters in Governance program is to equip local education agencies with the knowledge and skills to build and support an effective governance structure. The remaining three courses will continue at the FUHSD district office through the rest of the school year.

APISBMA Northern California Mixer – August 13

Three FUHSD Trustees attended a mixer hosted by the board of the Asian Pacific Islander School Board Members Association (APISBMA), including APISBMA board members Rosa Kim and Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto (board president). This was an excellent opportunity to network with other Bay area board members and discuss upcoming issues. The guest speaker was Malia Vella, council member of the City of Alameda and Deputy Superintendent for the California Department of Education. Malia shared her interesting life journey with the group.

Summer Academy Graduation – July 27

All five Trustees attended the Summer Academy graduation. Summer Academy is for students who need at least one more class to graduate. Commencement remarks were given by Summer Academy Principal Viviana Torres, Assistant Principal Bronwyn La May, and Board President Rosa Kim. Congratulations to all the graduates who are moving onto a bright future.

FUHSD Graduations – June 8-9

Each of the five Trustees attended the 2023 graduation ceremonies at their assigned high schools, allowing them the privilege of handing diplomas to the students. The graduation season is filled with excitement, hope and gratitude. As the Trustees often say during the graduation ceremonies, “graduation is not an ending, but rather a beginning of learning in a wider arena.”

Cupertino Rotary Poetry Contest Awards – June 14

Trustee Jeff Moe participated in the Cupertino Rotary Poetry Contest award ceremony. The Poetry Contest theme for this year was "Turn your dreams into reality." The student awardees read their poems to the audience during the ceremony. A total of 57 high school students participated in the contest including students from each of the five FUHSD schools. Former Cupertino Poets Laureate Jing Jing Yang and Jennifer Brown provided a brief overview of the contest and the selection process. Congratulations to the outstanding awardees listed below.

 FUHSD Adult School Graduation – June 20

All five Trustees attended the 2023 FUHSD Adult School graduation. A total of 36 students graduated from the Adult School this year. These students represent the epitome of perseverance. Many experienced hardships during their high school years which drove their high school experience to extend beyond the typical four years. Their drive and determination to graduate is an inspiration.

May 9 – English Learner Speech Contest

The 13^th annual English Learner (EL) speech contest was held at Fremont High School on May 9. EL students from throughout the district participated. The contest required the help of numerous volunteer judges who included parents, teachers, community members, all four School Board trustees, students, and even former EL contestants. 

The EL Speech Contest is an award-winning program that helps EL students boost their English language skills.  he students are required to memorize a 3 to 5 minute speech. As former speech contestants shared, participating in the contest is a challenging and nerve-wracking experience, yet very rewarding. 

May 19 – Lynbrook In-Design Fashion Show

Trustees Stanley Kou and Jeff Moe attended the In-Design Fashion show at Lynbrook High School. The student designers and student models did an outstanding job replicating a Paris fashion show. Other students gave singing and dancing performances between the design sets. It was an outstanding evening of entertainment for the large audience of parents and community members. A special thanks to art teacher Charlotte Kruk for being the inspiration for the fashion show.

May 21 – Asian American & Pacific Islander Multicultural Festival

Trustees Rosa Kim and Jeff Moe participated in the Asian American & Pacific Islander Multicultural Festival held at the Cupertino Library Square. Several hundred members of the community attended the festival, which included games, cultural booths, cultural dances and music. The Festival was a wonderful celebration of the rich cultural diversity of our community.

May 22 - New Teacher Induction Celebration

All five board members attended the annual New Teacher Induction Celebration. Although the number of new inductees (5) was smaller than previous years, the celebratory spirit was just as strong. The teacher mentors also attended and gave recognition of the individual strengths of each new inductee. Also attending were Superintendent Graham Clark, Associate Superintendent Tom Avvakumovits and other members of the district staff, as well as representatives of the FEA.

Spring for Education, FUHS Foundation EVENt – April 7

All four Trustees attended the Spring for Education event hosted by the Fremont Union High Schools Foundation. This fundraiser and community party included over 200 guests, including students, parents, teachers, administrators and community members. The event featured student performances and displays, a silent auction and an engaging program.

During the event, Bill and Judy Wilson received special recognition as “Circle of Believers” for their stalwart support of public education. Bill coached youth sports, was actively involved with Cupertino National Little League and served on the FUHSD Board of Trustees for 16 years. Judy has been (and continues to be) an exemplary leader and volunteer from the classroom to the Board Room including PTSA leadership, Chair of the Senior All-Night Party (Monta Vista High School) and has served as President and other leadership roles at Cupertino Rotary. Judy also served on the Board of the Fremont Union High Schools Foundation for over 10 years.

Wafu School of Ikebana 2023 Flower Show – March 4

Trustees Jeff Moe and Rosa Kim attended the 2023 Ikebana Flower Show held at the Quinlan Center in Cupertino. It was a large display of breathtakingly beautiful Ikebana art. Among the dignitaries attending the show was Yasushi Noguchi, the Consulate General of Japan. Honored at the event was Fusako Hoyrup, California Chapter President of the Wafu School of Ikebana. Fusako teaches Ikebana at the FUHSD Adult School. 

Education Options Project Springboard 2023 - March 16

Trustee Jeff Moe participated in Project Springboard 2023, which matches Transition Class students from FUHSD Education Options with Cupertino Rotarians. Trustee Moe participated in the first segment of the Project Springboard called Career Chats. He met with three budding Entrepreneurs to talk about starting their own businesses. Project Springboard is a wonderful program, coordinated by Tabitha Kappeler-Hurley, the Transitions Class Teacher, connecting students with experienced professionals in the community.

Strengthening Families & Schools to Restore Youth Mental Health - Feb. 7

Trustee Jeff Moe attended this event hosted by the Challenge Success group. The keynote speaker was Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, author of “Strengthen Your Family and Raise a Good Person.” After his keynote speech, Dr Ginsburg was interviewed by Challenge Success co-founder, Denise Pope, Ph.D. Highlights of Dr. Ginsburg’s keynote speech include:

• Parents should be guides for their adolescent children, and avoid trying to control them
• Parents should view their children in their best light, and not by what they produce
• The goal is to build an enduring relationship that will last a lifetime. Families thrive through intergenerational connections
• The best way to protect our children is by preparing them for life as adults, including the development of social skills and providing positive examples of respectful relationships
• Parents make mistakes as do all humans. Be willing to apologize
• Model self-compassion and self-forgiveness for our children. It is the most protective thing parents can do
• All students experience stress. With parental support, students can maintain a tolerable level of stress, allowing them to be successful in their learning and growth
• Parents should listen actively, watch closely and guide

Dr Ginsburg believes that the human separation experienced by children due to COVID will lead them to value the power and primacy of human connection and they will lose the shame of emotional distress.

Lunar New Year Celebration - Feb. 2

Three trustees and FUHSD District staff members attended the Lunar New Year Celebration hosted by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce and Asian American Business Council. The event included an exciting and energetic dragon dance. The highlight of the event was the presentation of the Outstanding Individual Service Award to former FUHSD Trustee Bill Wilson.Congratulations to Bill!

Fremont High School Career Day - Feb. 1

Trustee Rosa Kim attended the Career Day at Fremont High School. There were more than 70 careers represented, which included social media manager, entrepreneur, photographer and agriculture careers. The speakers included alumni, parents and community members. Several Spanish only sessions were also offered for English learners. The speakers shared very practical information. Some speakers included demonstrations and activities for students. The insights shared by speakers would help students define their why for future career and encourage them proactively use their resources.

5K Mustang Run – Jan. 21

Trustees Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto and Jeff Moe participated in the 5K Mustang Run at Homestead High School. This annual fundraiser for Homestead High School Althletic Boosters was restarted after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The course wound around and through the Homestead High School campus, allowing participants to enjoy the beautiful campus scenery. Thanks to Homestead staff and a large team of volunteers for making this a fun and successful event.

Dedication of Barbara Nunes College and Career Center at Cupertino HIGH SCHOOL – Nov. 15

All five trustees attended the dedication ceremony for the Barbara Nunes College and Career Center at Cupertino High School. CHS principal Kami Tomberlain began the ceremony by summarizing Barbara’s long and distinguished career in education.  Other speakers included Superintendent Graham Clark, former Superintendent Polly Bove and Trustee Bill Wilson, who served on the board with Barbara longer than any other current board member. One of the highlights of the event was the performance by the Cupertino High School choir.  It was an excellent event, worthy of Barbara.

Schools for Sound Finance, Fall Regional Meeting – Oct. 19

Several Trustees, along with Superintendent Graham Clark and CBO Christine Mallery, attended the Fall Regional Meeting of Schools for Sound Finance. The presenters provided an update on the state economy and education budget along with a legislative update. In addition, representatives from the several local school districts exchanged information on their successes and challenges. It was a great opportunity for board and staff members to keep up with the ever-changing education environment.

Tournament of Bands – Oct. 8

Trustees Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto and Jeff Moe attended the 51st Annual Tournament of Bands competition at Cupertino High School. Ten high schools participated, including all five FUHSD high schools. It was a great event to watch and the performances of all of our high schools were outstanding.

Saratoga State of the City – Oct. 1

Trustees Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto, Rosa Kim and Jeff Moe, as well as Associate Superintendent Tom Avvakumovits, attended the Saratoga State of the City annual event. The meeting began with the Saratoga Youth Commission introducing local elected officials. Two of the Saratoga Youth Commission members, Saket Kelkar and Lisa Jing are students at Lynbrook High School. Next Mayor Tina Walia provided an overview of Saratoga programs and achievements. And finally, several awards were presented to outstanding organizations and members of the community. It was a great opportunity to network with other community leadership.

Lynbrook High School Night on the Quad – Sept. 29

Trustee Jeff Moe attended the Lynbrook High School Night on the Quad. Families were invited onto campus on for an evening that featured food trucks, club showcases in the cafe, performances in the quad, Robotics demonstrations and lots of smiles. Representatives from the district office were in attendance to help parent and community volunteers complete the required registration and fingerprinting process. Night on the Quad was made possible by the collaborative efforts of PTSA leaders, the Lynbrook ASB student leaders, teachers, club officers and members, and school administrators. It was a fun event and a great opportunity to see many of the outstanding clubs and activities that are available for our students.

Sunnyvale State of the City - Sept. 17

Several Board members and Superintendent Graham attended Sunnyvale State of the City. Updates about new projects in Sunnyvale were shared by Mayor Larry Klein. The highlight of the event was the Community Awards Ceremony. Several awards went to FUHSD students and alum, with the City sharing their appreciation for their contributions to the community. 

This year’s High School Student of the Year went to a Homestead High senior, Natalia Esparza, the Sunnyvale Youth Climate Action Team received the Environmental Achievement Award and the Mayor’s Award of Excellence went to a Fremont High School alum, Ari Feinsmith.

Homestead HIGH SCHOOL Robotics Open House - Sept. 14

Trustees Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto, Roy Rocklin and Rosa Kim attended Homestead Robotics Second Annual Open House in Homestead's iHub Building. Students presented past and current projects, including older robots, t-shirt designs and informational business videos. Trustee Kim shared that It was great to see newly joined freshmen and their families as well as school community members to have a chance to learn more about the Robotics students’ wonderful teamwork and innovative ideas in various fields.

Fremont High School Annual Watermelon Run - Aug. 31

After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Annual Watermelon run returned to Fremont High School for the 38th time. Trustees Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto and Jeff Moe participated, and Trustee Rosa Kim provided moral support. Approximately 300 students and staff members participated in the run, celebrating the return to school. After the race, 11 categories of “winners” received the award of a watermelon, while all participants and observers ate their fill of watermelon slices. 

Welcome Back Breakfasts - Aug. 26 through Sept. 1

The Trustees hosted informal breakfasts at each of the five high schools to welcome staff back to a new school year. The breakfasts were received with appreciation and staff shared their excitement about having the smoothest school-start in at least three years.