July 01, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

News Digest

Gunn High School is closer this week to installing stadium-quality lights on its athletic field in time for this fall's football season. The school board unanimously approved a $250,000 donation for the project from the site's sports boosters at its meeting Tuesday night.

"I think this will be a positive thing for the student athletes and families in the school community," said board member Gail Price.

There are two major factors, however, that could stall the project for the Arastradero Road campus.

For one, the sports boosters have not yet raised the entire $250,000. The parents are optimistic the community will come forward with donations by the end of this month. The second possible hold up is that the Division of State Architects has yet to approve the project.

That "could be eight to 10 weeks, we don't know. In a perfect world (the lights) would be installed sometime mid- to late October," said Dan Sarouhan, district director of facilities development.

The school board decided to move forward with the project, which will include four 80-foot lighting structures, despite concern from some neighbors about increased trash, traffic and noise.

Palo Alto High School installed lights on its football field last year, and saw an increase in game attendance and school spirit. Board members said the Gunn community deserves the same.

-- Alexandria Rocha

Paly teacher honored for MS fundraising

Last April, Kris Brockmann, a Palo Alto High School teacher of five years, walked alon side her students, fellow teachers, and friends and family in the 2005 Silicon Valley Multiple Sclerosis Walk held in San Jose.

Brockmann had rallied the group, known as "Brock's Flock," after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic disease of the central nervous system, in November. Each person pledged to raise $250 toward MS research.

Just last week, the group was honored for raising more than $6,700, the largest amount of any first-year team involved in April's walk. Brockmann was also honored by the Silicon Valley Chapter of the National MS Society with the "Rookie of the Year" award for raising more than $2,500.

"We're so close to a cure. I don't just hope for it, I believe it," Brockmann said.

-- Alexandria Rocha

Terman names interim principal

With the principal of Terman Middle School, Larry Thomas, on a leave of absence next school year, the district has chosen the site's assistant principal, Carmen Giedt, to take over during the interim.

Thomas is taking the leave to be a stay-at-home dad. His 5-year-old son is starting kindergarten this fall and Thomas wants to be a part of the experience.

"Palo Alto Unified is an amazing place to work, and I have been very blessed to have the opportunity to work at Terman Middle School," Thomas said. "I certainly plan on returning to the district for the '06-'07 school year."

Giedt was hired by the Palo Alto Unified School District in 2001 as coordinator of the Voluntary Transfer Program, a court-ordered desegregation act also known as the Tinsley Program. Since then, she has also served as the district's director of educational services. She came to the district with more than 20 years experience as a teacher and principal.

Also in the interim, Michael O'Neill, a fifth-grade teacher at Walter Hays Elementary School, will move into Giedt's position as Terman's assistant principal.

-- Alexandria Rocha

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