As of May 1, the San Juan Unified School District’s (SJUSD) Board of Education named Glynn Thompson the District’s ninth superintendent.

A resident of Sacramento, Thompson joined SJUSD in July 2009 as the district’s first chief academic officer and has been serving as interim superintendent of schools since June 2011. He reportedly has more than 30 years of education experience as a teacher, principal and district leader.

Thompson said he accepted the superintendent position as he had made a commitment to the District through the work being done through its community-based strategic plan.

“The district is doing some amazing work and we’re getting results, but I felt strongly that we needed stability and leadership,” he explained. “So when the board asked me to accept the position, the only answer I could think of was a definite yes.”

Planning strategically

As he begins his term, Thompson feels the district has a number of strengths and has a rich tradition of success.

“We have the most California distinguished schools in the county, (and) we have many teachers that have been recognized by the state for their work in teaching,” he detailed. “The district has a very positive relationship with their labor groups (and) we have a very strong board of education.”

Thompson said he is proud of the District’s 2010-2015 Strategic Plan, which he said has already seen a number of accomplishments, including a successful visual and performing arts program, a dual language immersion school, and a public Montessori school.

“We’re talking about what does it mean to be a 21st century learner and leader in preparing our students to be effective citizens,” he added.

Moving forward, Thompson said the strategic plan will be used as a “road map” to plan where the future of the District is headed.

“We’re really facing some serious fiscal issues, and in San Juan we budget the plan instead of planning a budget,” he explained. “We have a very clear direction of where we’re headed and I think that kind of focus is really important to a district that is this large.”

Over the past few years, SJUSD has needed to cut between $30-50 million from its annual budget. Thompson said that if the November initiative does not pass, the district is looking at another possible $35 million in cuts.

“I’m very hopeful that the community will rally around this November initiative,” he said. “As it stands, the fiscal funding in California is broken and we need to do something together to address this serious issue.”

Community involvement

Thompson hopes to involve the community through new communication venues, such as the virtual Brown Bag Lunch Chat he had hosted on Friday, May 6 for parents, staff and community members. Based on the success of the event, Thompson said the district will probably host something similar again, plus they are looking at more ways for parents and community members to offer their input.

“School districts have traditionally been very good at disseminating information, but we sometimes haven’t done as much as we should in listening,” Thompson said. “And not only listening to feedback, but then doing something with it. So that’s one of the commitments of this administration: we will do everything we can to illicit input from the larger San Juan community. There are some extraordinary people in our district and so we want to listen.”

Future goals

Thompson said there are a number of issues the district is facing that he plans to work on. For instance, he will continue to look at all groups of student attending SJUSD schools to ensure they are college-ready if they choose to go that route.

“We want all students succeeding at high levels,” he said.

He plans to continue to look at the District’s drop-out rate.

“While we’ve made extraordinary progress over the past three years, we want to be the leaders in the state,” he said.

Additionally, Thompson is very proud of the focus on literacy the district has had.

“We want to be the lighthouse district in the state, where people look at us and say that they can learn from the good work that’s happening in San Juan,” he added.

Thompson said it all comes down to the bottom line, which is giving students the skills they need to be successful in college and career.

“We need to constantly be updating our strategies as teachers and leaders for preparing them for their next steps,” he added. “That’s something that we’re doing right now and it’s our ongoing commitment.”

Enrollment is open May 15 through June 15 for San Juan Unified School District’s (SJUSD) new Transitional Kindergarten program for the 2012-2013 academic school year.

The program offers a full-year program for the year prior to traditional kindergarten with the purpose of supplying developmentally appropriate curriculum for students who are not quite age-ready for kindergarten, according to Beth Davies, executive director of K-8 and elementary schools for SJUSD.

”We’re just excited about beginning the transitional kindergarten program for our youngest students in that we have the opportunity to provide this experience,” Davies said.

Who’s eligible?

SJUSD began the Transitional Kindergarten program in response to a new state law that will move back the kindergarten entry date. Traditionally, children had to turn five by Dec. 1 to be eligible to attend kindergarten. However, the new legislation will move the age of eligibility for kindergarten back to Sept. 1 over a three year period.

“The Transitional Kindergarten offers the opportunity for those children who now won’t be age-eligible for the kindergarten program to attend a one-year transitional program instead of waiting out of school,” Davies explained. “It’s the first year of a two-year kindergarten program, so it’s transitional kindergarten and then they go to kindergarten the next year.”

For the 2012-2013 school year, children whose fifth birthday falls between Nov. 2 and Dec. 2 are eligible to enroll in the Transitional Kindergarten program, according to the SJUSD website.

How does it work?

Parents can enroll children for the Transitional Kindergarten program from May 15 through June 15. There is no extra fee for the program, as it is part of the public school program.

SJUSD has preselected six schools that will offer the Transitional Kindergarten program for the 2012-2013 year.

“(The schools) are geographically located throughout the district, and parents will be able to choose which school they would like their child to attend the transitional kindergarten program,” Davies said.

The schools offering Transitional Kindergarten for the 2012-2013 school year include: Thomas Kelly Elementary School in Carmichael, and in the Arden area Thomas Edison Language Institute, Cottage Montessori Education, and the Early Childhood Education site on Dom Way. Also offering Transitional Kindergarten are Citrus Heights Elementary School in Citrus Heights and Twin Lakes Elementary School in Orangevale.

Some of the schools offering the Transitional Kindergarten program are specialized schools, such as one that offers a dual immersion program and another that is phasing-in a Montessori program. Additionally, some sites will offer full-day Transitional Kindergarten program, while others will offer a half-day option.

What are the benefits?

Davies said the overall benefit of a Transitional Kindergarten program is that it gives children an opportunity to experience the school setting on a number of levels – academically, socially and emotionally. This, in turn, will give young students a boost to starting their school experience.

“They will be immersed in a language-rich environment with emphasis on literacy and numeracy, as well as those social skills that are really critical to having children have a great start to school,” she explained.

Additionally, Davies said the program helps to bridge the transition from preschool to regular school.

“It really provides that seamless support for students in an academic environment,” she added.

Often called America’s favorite pastime, baseball’s history goes way back and so does the history of retired C.K. McClatchy High School coach Bernie Church.

At 11 a.m., Saturday, April 28, 2012, McClatchy High School will dedicate the school baseball field to this highly respected former coach.

Church coached Varsity baseball at McClatchy from 1973 to 1988. He taught at McClatchy for 36 years and is remembered fondly by many former students, teachers and parents. Church retired in 2004.

McClatchy varsity baseball coach Michael De Necochea recalls his past as a student and baseball player under coach Church and it stirs up many fond memories.

“He was larger than life,” De Necochea said. “He was successful and not just in baseball.”

De Nocochea said Church established a booster club for the baseball team and raised lots of donations. He said Church set up batting cages, a new pitching mound and a storage shed for the equipment. Church also added a scoreboard. De Nocochea said Church expected his baseball team to take care of the field and to know how to dress as a ball player. Players were expected to wear their shirts tucked in and to have their black cleats shined before every game. And their baseball caps had better be straight, not crooked.

De Nocochea laughingly said he remembers being traumatized by having to get his hair cut above the ears. Back then, guys wore their hair longer – but not if they played ball for Church.

The thing that stuck with De Nocochea was how Church said it didn’t matter how many games a team wins, what mattered is that the team was in better shape than when it started.

“Church stressed giving back,” De Nocochea said. “I learned from him the importance of helping the community.”

Bob Sandoval was the JV coach at McClatchy. He said Church is a tremendous colleague and mentor.

“He expected the players to behave in a certain manner,” Sandoval said. “He mentored by example and everyone was rewarded.”

Church grew up in Oak Park and attended Christian Brothers High School, then simply called Christian Brothers School. He comes from a large family with lots of athletes. Church played baseball in high school and college. His dad played semi-pro baseball, and his oldest brother played baseball. Church played ball in the first Oak Park game in1952. He still plays golden senior softball.

Church said McClatchy has always had a reputation for having a good baseball program. When he was hired as the baseball coach, he felt it was important to leave the program in better condition than he found it, continuing the tradition of a good ball program.

Church said he is very honored having a baseball field named after him, but wants people to know he had a lot of help. He feels this award honors all the people who helped. Many families contributed time and money to the effort. He said Bob and Betty Snook, Hank and Barbara Wencke, Dick and Helen Davila, Betty Latino and his wife Jody are just a few of the folks who gave of themselves and their time. It was tradition to have an annual Western Bar-B-Que fundraiser. The money raised was put back into the baseball program. Coach Church did what mattered and felt he had left the field in better condition than he had found it in. He explained the coaches that came after him have followed the tradition by keeping up the program.

“The field is in real good shape right now,” Church said.

Church said his philosophy for coaching was never about winning or losing.

“It’s not about how many games you win as a coach, a coach never wins a game,” Church said. “What I based my career on was how many students came out of the program to be better sons, better brothers, better husbands, better fathers. And that is where you judge yourself as a coach.”

Bob Feikert, the athletic director at McClatchy said Church was nominated because he has integrity and discipline.

“I remember a student coming into Coach Church’s office visibly upset because someone had stolen his shoes. After we looked for them and could not find them, Church asked him what size shoe he wore. It was the same size shoe Church wore, so Church took off his shoes and gave them to the young man, Feikert said. “That’s the kind of person he was.”

Church said it bothers him that it is harder for coaches in schools with budget cuts to keep baseball going.

“I don’t think enough folks understand what sports do for these kids,” Church said. “They learn about success and failure and how to deal with it.”

Just like the history of baseball, those whose lives he touched will always remember Coach Church.

Ask any Sacramentan what they consider to be the biggest landmark in the Capital City and chances are many will say the historic Tower Theatre, located at the corner of Broadway and 16th Street. Built in 1938, today the theater is the symbol of the Broadway District, which is also known as the birthplace of the now-defunct music chain, Tower Records.

Community celebration

To help celebrate the history of the Tower Theatre and Broadway Corridor, photography studio and art gallery Beatnik Studios will present “Tower and the Broadway Icons” on Friday, March 30 as part of its “Final Friday Arts and Music” monthly event. Sponsored in conjunction with The Greater Broadway Partnership, the purpose of the event is to honor the Broadway District and get the surrounding community involved said Wes Davis, Beatnik Studios co-founder and board member for the Partnership.

Economic asset

“We’re just trying to get the businesses and community here in Land Park more excited about art happenings and more art coming to Broadway,” Davis explained. “Art has been proven to drive economic success and we’re hoping to attract more artists and art and in turn attract more businesses to Broadway. There are quite a few vacant spots on the corridor and we’re trying to get people interested in what’s going on over here.”

Art and eats

The “Tower and the Broadway Icons” event will begin with a Broadway Corridor Crawl on March 30 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to spotlight local eateries including Jamie’s Bar & Grill, XO Lounge, Riverside Clubhouse and Iron Steaks, as well as a sneak preview of the New Helvetia Brewery. Davis said the Crawl is free to attend and restaurants will be offering specials for attendees.

Local history

Beatnik Studios will hold a free opening reception from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. featuring food from local eateries Slice of Broadway and Tower Cafe, with coffee by Java Lounge and a hosted bar by Arte’ Por Vida Foundation. At the studio, attendees will have the chance to view historic photographs of the Broadway District from the 1920s and 1930s provided by The Center for Sacramento History, as well as original artwork inspired by the Tower Theater and Broadway District. Participating artists including Sacramento painter Anthony Montanino and Sacramento artist Andy Littlefield.

Live music

Then from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. live music will be provided by two bands, Full Melt and The Gins – whose band members are former Tower Records employees. There is a suggested donation of $5 to $10 at the door after 9 p.m. to support the musical performances.

Family fun

Like all of Beatnik Studios’ “Final Friday Art and Music” line-up, “Tower and the Broadway Icons” is for all ages.

“We encourage families to come and we love when the kids come out and get to experience artwork,” Davis said. He added that their Final Friday events draw anywhere from 100 to 300 attendees.

More in store

Davis said this event is part of an effort to bring in more arts-related activities. He said The Greater Broadway Partnership is looking at future arts events, such as art competitions and even street art.

Additionally as a Broadway District business owner, Davis feels the Broadway District has great potential for growth and is starting to see a resurgence thanks to the opening of new businesses.

“I think a new feel and a new energy has come into the district and we’re excited about that,” he said.

“A dynamically gifted person.” “She’s been my mentor for 10 years.” “An impressive lady.” “A remarkable woman.” “Kay is St. Francis.”

These are just a few of the myriad of comments by staff and alumni of St. Francis High School about Kay Gaines, who will be retiring from the school after 43 years on March 31.

“I think it’s a good time to retire – I have my health, I have my energy, so I want to move while I can still re-engage,” Gaines said about her upcoming retirement and move to Lewiston, Idaho at the end of March so she can be closer to her sister’s family, as well as her two grown sons and two 3½ year old granddaughters currently living in Colorado.

“It will be very difficult to leave my life-long friends in Sacramento, but I’ll carry wonderful memories with me,” Gaines said in a letter emailed out to St. Francis High School supporters in February. “I have good health, lots of energy and a loving family, so I’m very fortunate.”

Where it all Began

Gaines began her St. Francis High School career at literally the very beginning of 1969 – she came in to interview for a part-time social studies teacher position on Jan. 2 and started the very next day. Gaines worked part-time from 1969 to 1973, then became full-time from 1974 to 1984, and later the Social Studies Department chair from the mid-70s until 1985.

Rosemarie Bertini, a 1972 graduate of St. Francis who came back in 1997 to become an Italian instructor for the school, recalls Gaines’ reputation as teaching difficult, serious classes.

“When you’re a kid at that age, you’re just going to do anything you can to not put yourself in that position, but when we got to senior year there was no way around it – Civics was Mrs. Gaines,” Bertini said. “And I just thought, ‘Am I going to live to see the end,’ because I knew it was a lot of work!”

Reflecting on her student experience, Bertini said that although at a young age taking a class from Gaines might have been something a student would want to avoid, Gaines knew it was something her students could do. And Gaines would do what she could to keep them on track.

“In the end we were so full of accomplishment – when you left that class, you’d truly learned something and in addition you had this confidence in it,” Bertini added.

Gaines herself admits she was a really tough teacher.

“I think that students can reach very high levels if you ask them to – they can learn skills, improve their own academic knowledge,” she added. “We did a lot of writing in my history classes because that skill you’ll take with you for the rest of your life.”

St. Francis Theology Department Chair Rick Norman recalls beginning his own career at the school in 1977 when Gaines was the chair of the Social Studies Department. He said her long career has allowed her to have a real grasp of the history and vision of St. Francis as she’s managed of number of transitions the school has gone through, from changes in campus location, buildings, administration and enrollment.

“She’s had to weather all the transitions and she’s been just incredibly graceful at guiding that school academically and administratively, and supporting just so many programs at the school,” Norman said.

Also during her time as a teacher, Gaines taught the first advanced placement (AP) U.S. history course St. Francis, which is a course high school students can take for college credit. According to St. Francis AP Literature teacher Rich Weldon, the AP program Gaines started then has grown. He said of the two English AP courses the school offers, over 100 students take the junior year course, while between 60 to 80 students take the senior year course.

“The AP programs, not just in English but in other departments, have really flourished under her because she just believes they could do it and it didn’t matter if it was math or chemistry – it was kind of like move over boys, here come the girls,” Weldon said.

Nora Wehrenberg Anderson, 1983 alumna, recalls her first interaction with Gaines in August 1981 in her AP U.S. history class.

“Lucky for me, I learned so much more,” she said in a note she recently wrote to Gaines to wish her well on her retirement. “I learned how to think critically, to write well, and about how positive role models are all around us – people like you!”

Leaving a Legacy

Gaines continued to support the AP program at St. Francis as she made the move to assistant principal in 1985, followed by becoming principal in 1998. Gaines then decided to retire from the principal position in 2004 to take on her current role as director of special projects.

Gaines said her current role is a “catch-all” phrase that covers a wide variety of unrelated things, a good portion of which are connected to the school’s academic teams, many of which Gaines started during her career, including the Mock Trial, Model United Nations, and Academic Decathlon, and others she also coached, such as the school’s Robotics Team.

St. Francis Director of Admission Moira O’Brien said Gaines is the reason why they have academic teams at the school. Although Gaines ran them herself for a while, she then found staff to take on each team and stick with them.

“We were the first all-girl school to ever go to the national championship in robotics, our speech team wins so many prizes,” O’Brien explained. “It’s all Kay’s energy, she built them, and they are so successful and the girls love it.”

And Norman said the building of these academic teams is what is bringing students to St. Francis today.

“For the first time we interviewed the incoming freshmen – many students now are coming to the school for academic teams,” he said. “She was the one that really got all that rolling.”

For 2010 graduate Amy Bush, being part of the St. Francis Debate Team is what she recalls most from her time at the school.

“Participating in debate meant a lot to me because I had spent eight years in speech therapy prior to coming to St. Francis,” she recalled in a written note to Gaines. “To have St. Francis welcome me and make me feel that they were proud of me is something that has inspired me beyond measure, and still continues to.”

Another program Gaines began and currently oversees is an exchange program with a sister school in Japan. The program with Nakamura Gakuen Girls High School in Fukuoka, Japan has been ongoing for 15 years now.

St. Francis 2001 graduate Jayme Hennessy recalls the exchange program and the impact it had on her education.

“That was really neat because we were able to experience a global perspective with girls our own age from another country,” she recalled. “That was really something I remember a lot – especially as a high school student, it was pretty great.”

Saying Goodbye

With the eve of her retirement upon her, Gaines reflects back on her experience at St. Francis and a comment a colleague she had taught with for 35 years said to her one morning that while driving to school one morning, he realized he had never gone to work a day in his life.

“And I said, ‘Yup, I feel exactly the same’,” Gaines recalled. “I’ve never gone to work a day in my life. In 43 years I just came to play, and I think a lot of people here feel that way. We work really hard, we work really long hours because we wear so many hats, but it’s just such a rewarding experience.”

That constant drive has Gaines already making plans for her retirement, including involvement with the church, League of Women Voters, and schools in the area, as well as taking technology courses at the local community college.

“I don’t intend to sit,” she laughed.

When asked what she has learned the most from her experience at St. Francis, Gaines said one thing was that she grew in her own faith as a Catholic, which has become an integral part of who she is. And she also learned respect.

“Respect for my colleagues, respect for the kids and their parents,” she added.

Gaines said what she will miss the most is the community.

“This is truly a family, truly a community – people really do care about each other,” she said. “I will miss living in a truly faith-based community where it just happens so naturally and people just celebrate together and pray together.”

And her parting words for her St. Francis family? Be creative, be adventurous, and love each other.

“I’ve just had the best career that I could ever possibly have desired and in the best place,” Gaines said. “I’ve been blessed for sure.”

As 15 Patriot Guard Riders lined up on each side of the escalator at Sacramento International Airport, an arriving passenger headed for the escalator, saw the line and immediately stepped aside.

The other arriving passengers followed his course, leaving the escalator empty, until a woman with big blonde hair showed up.

She stepped onto the escalator smiling and thanked everyone for greeting her. The Guard Riders had not noticed as she stepped off the escalator, she stayed with group. The long awaited soldier finally appeared and proceeded down the escalator, while shaking hands and being cheered by Guard members. As he stepped off the escalator the woman with the big blonde hair stepped forward, threw her arms around him and said, “Welcome home.”

Mike Doyle, a former sailor who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and a member of the Patriot Guard Riders for two and a half years, said that is one of his favorite stories.

“The thrill of seeing a soldier come down the escalator of an airport and back to the arms of loved ones is just absolutely incredible,” Doyle said. “If a family invites us to come, how can we not.”

American Legion connection

Patriot Guards began in Westboro, Kansas in August 2005, when a group from the American Legion Riders Chapter 136 was appalled to hear that a group of misguided religious zealots were protesting the Iraqi war at soldiers’ funerals. Their chapter established a mission statement requiring the Guards receive permission from the families to attend the funerals and to include the local police. On Oct. 18, 2005, the Patriot Guard name was established.

There for the family

Doyle said the Guards simply form a flag line and quietly stand in front of the protesters, blocking them from the family and funeral. They are not there to confront anyone.

“Funerals are extremely sad and emotional,” Doyle said. “But it is also such a point of pride to be able to honor these people, particularly those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

When the Guard is invited to attend the funeral of a soldier, there are anywhere from 40 to over 100 riders showing up. Doyle said at a recent funeral in Anderson, Calif., hundreds of riders showed up to honor the local sailor who had been killed. There are close to 400 Guard members in the Sacramento region.

It’s about R-E-S-P-E-C-T

The Patriot Guards mission statement establishes that the one thing members have in common (besides riding motorcycles), is an unwavering respect for those who risk their lives for America’s freedom and security.

Although a motorcycle group started the organization, Doyle wants people to know that riding a motorcycle is not a requirement to be a member of the Patriot Guard. There are no dues or meetings and it is not required to have served in the military. The only requirement is that respect and honor are shown to the soldiers and their families.

Working with families

There is no solicitation by the Patriot Guards. If a family request the presence of the Guard at a funeral or greeting the returning soldier at the airport, a ride captain from the Guard meets with the family to gather necessary information. The ride captain adds this information to the Guard website and sends out a notice to Guard members via a mailing list. There is no requirement that a Guard member must show up at an event. Occasionally the returning soldier is escorted home with flags attached to motorcycles and cars. Doyle said it is quite a sight to see.

All service members honored

Soldiers are amazed when they realize total strangers are waiting to greet them. And, Doyle added, if other military service members show up they don’t know about, they receive the same greeting.

For example, right before Christmas, the Guard had been invited to greet one soldier at the airport. As the Guard members gladly stood at the escalator waiting for this one soldier, streams of military service members started coming down the escalator and they ended up greeting 44 returning soldiers.

The capitol region makes a special welcome home dog tag for returning soldiers. The Guard buys the tags and a local printing company donates the engraving on the tags.

When soldiers are greeted at the airport, they receive a card and the dog tag.

Tell a friend

Doyle said he wants to get the word out to all military families about what the Patriot Guard Riders do. He said they greet soldiers returning home from anywhere, even those who just get home from boot camp.

The national Website for the Patriot Guard Riders is www.patriotguard.org. There is information on the site so families across the nation can reach the Guard.

“Bottom line,” Doyle said. “These soldiers are sacrificing their lives for their country.”

Hunger is a bigger problem in Sacramento than you may think, according to Eileen Thomas, executive director of the River City Food Bank based in midtown Sacramento.

In 2011, the food bank served 47,408 people, with about every fourth person a child. Thomas said the food bank is also seeing an increase in seniors – who are living on fixed incomes and pensions with not enough money to go around – as well as those on disability.

To help raise awareness about the hunger problem in the Sacramento area, for the past nine years River City Food Bank has hosted Empty Bowls – an annual fund raiser designed to raise funds for the food bank and awareness about hunger in the community. Thomas said this year’s event will be held at the Sacramento Convention Center on Monday, March 5 with a dinner session from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for $60 per person, and Tuesday, March 6 for a lunch session from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for $30 per person.

“Hunger is one of those problems that can be hidden very easily because you look around and you go ‘Oh, there’s nobody really starving in our community,’” Thomas said. “Starvation looks a little different to us in America than it does like in a third-world country, so some of the people who are starving are actually suffering from malnutrition. They’re not eating healthy because they don’t have enough money for healthy food. Empty Bowls really speaks to the idea that hunger is something that is here in our community and it can be helped.”

At Empty Bowls, attendees come to either a dinner or lunch session to enjoy a soup of their choice donated by a Sacramento area restaurant.

“We try to get the very best restaurants in Sacramento to donate,” Thomas said. Participating restaurants include Cafe Bernardo, Classique Catering, Scott’s Seafood Grill and Bar, Vizcaya and Greek Village Inn. To serve the soups to hungry patrons, the food bank enlists the services of honorary servers from local government and businesses, Thomas said. Some notable servers on tap for this year include City Councilmembers Rob Fong and Steve Cohn.

However, the real draw to the event is the handmade bowl that each attendee gets to pick out to take home. Thomas said this year they will have about 1,200 bowls for guests to choose from made by both professional and student artists. Additionally this year, the event will feature a selection of wood and glass bowls, plus some of the professional artists will showcase their other art at the Potters’ Market held in conjunction with the event.

This year’s Empty Bowls also includes a change in venue. For the first time, the event will be held at the Sacramento Convention Center. This is because the event has grown in popularity.

“We started out nine years ago and we had about 350 people attend – we thought that was pretty good, and then it’s grown and grown,” Thomas explained. The new location also means tickets for the event will not be sold at the door. However, Thomas said patrons will be able to purchase tickets online at www.rivercityfoodbank.org (including the day of the event). Tickets can also be purchased in person at The Avid Reader and the Cathedral Book Shop at Trinity Cathedral on Capitol Avenue.

For Empty Bowls 2012, Thomas said the River City Food Bank hopes to hit its goal of raising $125,000, which will “help us keep the lights on, to keep our building and operation running. It will also pay for some of the food that we have to buy for our food bank,” she explained.

Additionally, Thomas said they hope this year’s Empty Bowls will help them spread the word about the food bank and the hunger issue in Sacramento.

“We hope to gain support for River City Food Bank and raise awareness in the community that this is a real problem and there are people who need not only food, but they need healthy food, they need good nutrition, they need education about nutrition,” she added. “We want to make sure that we explain the programs that we provide the way that people can help to make a difference in their community.”

In 1952, my family moved into a three bedroom, one bathroom house on Janey Way.

With three young children and another child on the way, my dad felt like we needed a “bigger” house. Our family fit right into this neighborhood, as it was filled with other young families. Not only did my brothers and I meet lots of new friends, but my parents also met a whole group of great neighbors.

The Thomsen’s who lived across the street, the Costamagna’s next to them and the Puccetti’s and Viani’s down the street all welcomed Mom and Dad to the neighborhood. Phyllis Thomsen, Leda Costamagna and Pat Puccetti all pitched in to help Mom who was pregnant with my brother John at that time.

However, soon after we moved onto Janey Way, another family moved in down the street who would become Mom and Dad’s closest friends: Bernie Hart, his wife Rose and their infant son, Tom.

Like my dad, Bernie worked as a patrolman for the Sacramento Police Department. He met Dad there and probably moved to Janey Way because of the things he heard about our neighborhood.

Soon after the Harts moved in, Mom became fast friends with Rose who everyone affectionately called Rosie. It would prove to be a lifelong friendship.

It’s hard to figure what made these two young women such good friends. Their backgrounds could not have been more different. Rosie hailed from the back woods of West Virginia and mom grew up on the seacoast in Santa Cruz, California. Rose had a wry wit and told racy jokes and tall stories. Mom took things seriously. I am sure she made a good “straight man” for Rosie.

Every morning, back then, Rose left her home early, got into her mint green Cadillac sedan and drove up to our house. When Mom saw her coming, she always put a fresh pot of coffee on the stove to brew, then let Rosie in the kitchen door. Then they sat down at our big round maple dining table to drink coffee, smoke cigarettes and talk for the entire morning.

I remember even today the great stories Rose told about her childhood in West Virginia. She could really spin a yarn. Mom too, had wonderful stories about growing up with five brothers in Santa Cruz. When they weren’t telling stories, they chatted about the goings-on in our neighborhood. It seems like they spent an entire lifetime sitting at that table talking.

Right around noon, Rosie gathered up her young son Tom and drove off the grocery store to buy something to cook for dinner. Mom often took my little brother John and went with her. I remember them driving off in Rose’s big caddy while my brother Terry and I played in our front yard. It seems so long ago now.

Rosie passed away several years back. In 2009, my mom followed her. I guess she missed Rosie and wanted to join her.

There is an interesting twist to this story. My brother John lives now in our family’s home on Janey Way. Rosie’s son Tom inherited her house and has recently remodeled it. Later this month, he and his wife Diana will move into the home where his mom lived for her entire adult life. Both John and Tom look forward to being Janey Way neighbors again.

I bet that Rosie and Mom are looking down from the heavens and smiling.

Sacramento’s Land Park is known as being the home for quite a few city landmarks – the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town, just to name two. One landmark many people may not be as familiar with is William Land Golf Course – a nine-hole course originally built in 1924, reportedly making it the first golf course in Sacramento.

According to William Land Golf Course General Manager Brian Rugne, the golf course hosts about 40,000 rounds of golf and over 70 tournaments each year. The course has also seen its three membership clubs – a Men’s Club, Saturday Ladies’ Club and Thursday Ladies’ Club – grow in membership over 10 percent in the last two years.

“We do very well for a small course, especially in the middle of a park,” Rugne said. “I think a lot of people are seeing this is a good place to be. It’s really just a nice walk in the park, but you’re playing golf.”

Making improvements

What Rugne doesn’t mention is a lot of the growth the William Land Golf Course is experiencing is due in part to changes he helped implement since taking over as general manager in October 2010. For example, Rugne said in early 2011 course management decided they needed to pay more attention to the course’s putting greens, green surrounds and bunkers.

“We have many players from other areas of Sacramento state they think our greens are the best in Sacramento, so we’re extremely excited we get that compliment constantly,” Rugne said. “Having our (greens) superintendent really pay attention to the putting greens and the bunkers really (makes) the course accessible and easier to play, but it’s still extremely challenging, too.”

Other improvements recently made to the golf course include restocking its Pro Shop and a remodel of its Mulligan’s Cafe. For the Pro Shop, Rugne said it is now stocked with the typical accessories golfers need, including shirts, hats, golf balls, and tees. And for items they may not have in stock, the Pro Shop is linked with those at other golf courses in Sacramento and can help you get what you need. The remodeled Mulligan’s Cafe features a better counter flow and expanded menu featuring items requested by golfers.

The golf course recently purchased new power carts as the older carts would not always make it around the entire course.

“It was really a deterrent for some of our older clientele who need a cart to get around the golf course in order to play,” Rugne detailed. “They were going somewhere else because we didn’t have the carts that could accommodate them, and we have that now.”

Lessons for all

Another major focus area for the William Land Golf Course is on learning how to play golf. Rugne is also a teaching pro and along with another staff member offers both individual and group lessons to adults, seniors and juniors.

“Our motto is: ‘William Land Golf Course is where everybody can play and learn.’ We can teach any level from age 5 to 105,” Rugne added.

First Tee

William Land Golf Course has a special focus on teaching kids how to teach golf, thanks to The First Tee of Greater Sacramento – an organization that provides educational programs that promote life skills through golf – that manages the golf course. According to Dave Roughton, board chair for The First Tee of Greater Sacramento, the group offers an educational program for kids at a dozen sites in the Sacramento region, including at William Land Golf Course, which serves about 1,800 kids a year. They also offer outreach programs that serve more than 4,000 kids each year.

“It’s just a wonderful opportunity for kids to experience the game of golf,” Roughton explained. “They get this curriculum built around nine core values – we call them life skills. The beauty of the program is because the kids are learning these life skills through the game of golf, they don’t even know they’re learning them. It’s just a part of the program, which makes it very easy to teach these life skills.”

More youth golfers

Rugne said they run junior programs throughout the year and during the summer, which have been very successful. Before, there would be only be 10 to 12 young golfers out on the course on a Saturday. Now, they’re seeing 30 to 40.

“Once I took over the manager position, one of our big pushes was to get back to serving the inner city youth of Sacramento and we’re starting to do that,” Rugne explained. “We’re up 25 percent last year in enrollment and we’re up another 25 percent in just the first month of this year, so we’re very excited that we’ll really be moving forward in getting kids out here to play golf and get them instruction.”

To help ensure all kids have a chance to experience the game of golf, Rugne said The First Tee fund raises to sponsor those kids that may not be able to afford the junior program.

corrie@valcomnews.com

The school lunch line has come a long way over the years. Gone are the corndogs and French fries, and in are much healthier options like salad bars and soup. And the ‘ole school lunch standby, pizza, has gotten a makeover as well – now it’s made on a whole grain bread with a light marinara sauce and part-skim cheese.

“People think sometimes pizza is bad, we get a bad rap for that, but they get a healthy pizza here,” said Brenda Padilla, manager of the Nutrition Services Department for the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD).

Going greens

According to Padilla, over the past few years SCUSD has been implementing a number of changes in school lunches, including more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Students also have access to a fresh salad bar every day.

“Of course, we want them to eat it. So we’re introducing things to get them used to seeing them, things like spinach and kiwis,” Padilla said.

These changes helped the district prepare for the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new rule, announced this January, that brings school nutrition meal pattern requirements in line with the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). Padilla said the new regulations “change our meal patterns more than they have been changed in the last 15 years. We’re required to serve a certain amount of things: that being meat, meat-alternate, bread, grains, fruits and vegetables, and dairy milk.” She said the new regulations also look at sodium and calories.

San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD) is working proactively to make changes to its school lunch program that will put it in line with the new regulations, said Director of Food Services Monique Stovall.

“We already offer plenty of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables for our families,” she said. “We’re also working very, very closely with our food vendors to make sure that the foods we already serve meet the requirements of the regulations.”

Additionally, Stovall said that SJUSD’s Food Services Program follows the SHAPE (Shaping Health as Partners in Education) California nutrients and menu planning program, which requires the district to have an even more stringent nutritional guidelines.

“That means that we also look at fiber and sodium much more closely than the regulations require, so students are getting a pretty healthy meal,” she said.

Better choices = Increased prices

As most people know, eating healthier comes with a slightly larger price tag. To help offset rising costs in school lunches, recent federal regulations are requiring all school district in the United States to raise their lunch rates to meet an approved rate, according to information on SCUSD’s Website, www.scusd.edu. The site states that SCUSD raised its rates, starting Jan. 9, by 25 cents to $1.50 per lunch.

Padilla said the rise in prices is through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in December 2010.

“There is a section in there, ‘Meal Price Equity,’ that does require districts to bring their full-price meal rates up,” Padilla said. “The rational is to get closer to what the Federal government reimburses us for the free rate. A lot of districts already have been incrementally increasing their paid lunch rates over time and those of us who hadn’t needed to do it. We were leaning that way anyway, but now that that regulation came out, we want to be in compliance so we did raise ours to ensure we are in compliance.”

SJUSD raised lunch prices over two school years, Stovall said, bringing its current lunch prices to $2.75 for elementary and $3.25 for middle and high schools.

“We were able to make assessments and make the adjustments in two phases to hopefully soften the impact on our families and set us up for several years to come so they don’t have to see an increase every single year,” she said. “We do not anticipate having to increase our prices, even with the new regulations, for hopefully at least another five years.”

The extra funds generated from the increase in prices will help benefit the meal program, according to Padilla.

“The meal program is a partner in education because we all know kids can’t learn if they’re hungry. They need nutrition, so that money will go back in to help us,” she said.

corrie@valcomnews.com