$7,000 Grant Allows Willow Glen Foundation to Support Transition Program at Middle and High Schools

Thanks to a grant from the Intero Foundation through its Meridian Real Estate Office, the Willow Glen Middle & High School Foundation is providing funds to supplement a Summer Bridge Program that will help sixth and ninth grade students from low-income families make successful transitions from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school, paving the way for academic success. “By helping disadvantaged students during this critical crossroads in their academic careers, Intero is directly impacting our students’ success – in middle school, high school, college, and beyond,” says Willow Glen High School Principal Kaia Hamilton.

At its weekly meeting of realtors today, Intero officially presented a $7,000 check to the Willow Glen Foundation, noting that strong schools not only benefit the students who attend, but the community as a whole. To boost schools as a whole, all students must have the opportunity to be successful, and through their grant it was acknowledged that students from low-income families often don’t have adequate preparation — or even the school supplies — necessary to make smooth transitions to their new environments and to get on track to reach academic success. “Transitioning to a new school can be challenging for any student. For a socio-economically disadvantaged student, the challenges are magnified,” explains Willow Glen Middle School Principal Shannon McGee.

Willow Glen Middle School and Willow Glen High School will not only welcome all of their new students; they will expose 250 of them (who are eligible, on the basis of need) to core academic content and social/emotional development courses, and provide free breakfast, lunch, and school supplies. Sessions will be taught by Willow Glen Middle School and Willow Glen High School teachers credentialed in math, English, science, and physical education. In addition, more than 20 volunteers from the Willow Glen community will provide assistance.

“Willow Glen is an amazing community. With support from local businesses like Intero, along with committed volunteers and dedicated educators at our schools, we can make an enormous difference for kids — today and in the future,” says incoming Willow Glen Foundation President Shari Rodenberger. “On behalf of the Foundation, I’d like to express our sincere thanks to Intero for making a positive impact on our kids, our schools, and our community.”

It was with great pride that the Board of the Willow Glen Middle & High School Foundation accepted the District 6 Community Honoree Award from San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed at his State of the City Address on February 9, 2012.

We are grateful to Councilmember Pierluigi Olivero for his nomination and for his dedicated support of public school education. The Board is also deeply grateful to each of our member donors; it is your money that makes it possible for us to fulfill our goal to offer Superior Programs and Academic Excellence in Willow Glen.

Thanks to all!

The following Board Position are open for the 2012/13 school year:

• President
• Development / Fundraising
• Vice President
• Communications

We also need help with a number of smaller jobs and projects for the remainder of
this school year and next year.

• Help us with mailings to our donors and potential donors
• Help with Back-to-School membership drives
• Coordinate the senior scholarships the Foundation awards
• Help plan assemblies, in partnership with Hickelbees, to bring famous authors
  to WGMS
• Volunteer in one of the many positions related to the Tasting & Auction
• Head up or help with the Silent Auction
• Solicit corporate donations
• Help the Foundation write grants
• Assist in collecting pictures and writing the Foundation’s Annual Report
• Design promotional materials as needed
• Research, write and promote the monthly e-newsletter for elementary schools
• Help plan and implement the High School’s “College & Career Day”

Does one of these sound like something you’d be willing to take on? … Please let us know!

And thanks to Jenny Verdonk for all of these great pictures!

Support the programs and special activities that make our local Middle School and High School even better! 10th Annual Wine Tasting & Auction Willow Glen Public Library Sunday, November 6 3:00 – 7:00 pm Tickets are $60 per person when purchased from a Foundation Volunteer. Online ticket price of $62 covers our merchant fees.

Tickets purchased online will be available at the Door on November 6. You will receive a confirmation notice from a Foundation Volunteer a few days after your online purchase.

Ticket and Donation Options

1 Ticket + PayPal Fee $62.00 Donation Level 1 $62.00 Donation Level 2 $100.00 Donation Level 3 $200.00

Thank You for supporting the Willow Glen Foundation!

Additional questions can be emailed to cheryl.heiman@gmail.com

If you would prefer to pay via check, please mail your check to the following address ($60/ticket):

WGMS & HS Foundation
Tasting/Auction Tickets
1302 Camino Pablo
San Jose, CA 95125

The ticket price is deductible to the extent allowed by law (Tax I.D. #77-0558405)

About Brian Selznick

Acclaimed New York Times-bestselling author/illustrator Brian Selznick graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with the intention of becoming a set designer for the theater. However, after spending three years selling books and designing window displays for a children’s bookstore in Manhattan, he was inspired to create children’s books of his own. His books have received many awards and distinctions, including a Caldecott Medal for The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a Caldecott Honor for The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins and a Robert F. Sibert Honor for When Marian Sang. Brian divides his time between Brooklyn, New York, and San Diego, California.

Playing with the form he created in his trailblazing debut novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick once again sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey. A boy named Ben longs for the father he has never known. A girl named Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother’s room, and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to and what they are missing. Ben’s story, set in 1977, is told entirely with words, while Rose’s story, set fty years earlier, is told entirely with pictures. The two stories weave back and forth before ultimately coming together.

Rich, complex, aecting, and beautiful—with over 460 pages of original artwork — Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary.

2011_WGF_AnnualReport

Students will meet the author who will read from and discuss her new book, “Forge”, as well as be available to sign student and classroom copies.

The Willow Glen Foundation has bought copies of both ‘Forge’ and it’s prequel, ‘Chains’ for each 8th grade Language Arts classroom. If your student would like his/her own personal copy, Hicklebees is offering a price of $17 at this event. Other books in Ms. Anderson’s series will also be available in paperback for $7 – $12 each. Students should bring cash or a check payable to Hicklebees.

Ms. Anderson will sign student and classroom books after the assembly. Students who plan to have books signed may be a few minutes late out from school.