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11/11/17 12:48 PM #774    

 

Elverta Yoshida (Yamanaka) (1963)

RIP Jim.  💖


11/12/17 08:19 AM #775    

 

Lynn Reiter (Robarge) (1963)

I’m extremely sad to learn of Jim’s passing.  I’m fortunate I got to spend some time with him 2012 at 60’s reunion. I found him to be the same person i knew in high school a real great guy.

 


11/15/17 01:55 PM #776    

 

Jim Brown (1970)

After reading the issues surrounding the closure of PHS, I spoke to my father-in-law, Nathan Kleinstein, to see what he remembered. He is now 95 and is doing pretty good, walking daily and water exercising 3x/week.   He served on the school board for 12 years, from 1968-1980.  This is what he recalls:

1. Declining enrollment in the district resulted in discussion, research and a recommedation from school district administration. 

2. There was suffienceint room at one site for both schools, with the possible addition of a few portables.

3. The district would save personnel and maintenace costs by combining the two high schools into one.

4. The initial administrative recommendation was to close SLHS and move all high school students to PHS.

5. This was meet by heavy public discussion and outrage. One group wanted to keep SLHS open and gave the following reasons: a) SLHS was the original school in the district; b) it had room, with the additon of portables, to serve the new student body; c) it would provide a financial opportunity to update the school; d) the mayor and business development community wanted to close PHS since it was in the middle of businessa center and close proximity of a major freeway, which SLHS is not.

6. As a result of these dicussions, the district decided to recommend the closure of PHS instead.

7. Two major groups formed, one from PHS and the other from SLHS communities. They lobbied the strengths and weaknesses of each plan. No decision could be made so it went to arbitration and it was decided to close PHS.

8. He thinks that the PHS site was sold for $3.1 million with the fields and park going the the parks and recreation department.

9. Where did the money go? It was put into the general opporating budget, a category for general purposes. At that time, there were few restrictions placed on a general operating budget so the money, more than likely, paid for the site improvements at SLHS along with salary increases, program development and maintenance improvement.

Nathan then suggested to lease out PHS knowing that every 12-15 years communities go through both declining and increasing enrollments. He thought by leasing, when the population would grow larger than capacity, they could reopen PHS. Afterall, the cost of the land and remoding of the school would be much more fiscally responsive than to build a new school on very expensive land (as is the case with the current 9th grade structure - the Fred T Korematsu Center, built in 2004 at at a cost of $21 million, and I believe this is in addition to the land costs!)

I found this interesting coming from one who was an integral and decision making body of the district. I hope this helps.


11/15/17 02:50 PM #777    

 

Yvette Viguet (Buhler Rice) (1970)

thank you for a more clear story of the closing of PHS. It seems to be a NEVER ending story.

 


11/15/17 02:53 PM #778    

 

Joseph Bustos (1962)

which side of the tracks were the board lived is what determined the slhs selection

 


11/15/17 05:34 PM #779    

 

Vincent Acosta (1967)

i believe the last responce really weighed in very strongly. 


11/15/17 09:26 PM #780    

 

Jim Brown (1970)

Board of Trustees Areas

  • The District is divided into six trustee areas. Trustee areas are made as equal as possible in total population as declared by the most recent U.S. census. Boundaries of a trustee area shall, so far as practicable, follow precinct boundaries as delineated by the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County. Trustees are nominated from each trustee area. One trustee is nominated from the District at large. If nominated from a trustee area, the candidate must be a resident of the trustee area. Candidates for the office of member-at-large shall be nominated by a petitions signed by at least 20 registered voters circulated in the district at large. Candidates from the trustee areas shall be nominated by a petition circulated in their respective trustee area and signed by at least 20 registered voters.
     
    Here is the link to see a map with areas identified by # and color:
    https://www.sanleandro.k12.ca.us/Page/85
     
     

11/15/17 10:48 PM #781    

 

Vincent Acosta (1967)

jim thanks for the current information. i have lived in nevada for 27 years. so i really don't know anything about san leandro school system. i even try so stay away from california. my visits there are rare. this is home to me.


11/16/17 08:34 AM #782    

Joseph Freitas (1965)

Having retired from law enforcement San Leandro is not a place to live anymore

11/16/17 10:40 AM #783    

 

Gustavo G. Lopez Jr. (1980)

I'm with my good buddy Vinny, the fight doctor. I left San Leandro 36yrs ago, although the family home still remains in San Leandro, I very very rarely go to San Leandro. I layed my roots in East Richmond Heights and that is home to me. San Leandro is nowhere what it used to be. One thing that I still am and always will be is a Viking Por Vida!


11/17/17 08:58 AM #784    

 

Phyllis Baker (Lively) (1966)

Hi fellow Vikings - I’ll join the “club” of ‘San Leandro is no longer what it used to be’ -  the bay area and quite frankly California in general is not what it used to be but that’s a different story.  My reason for leaving CA in the first place was being married to a military service member (51 years now)... but was stationed in CA a couple times. Our last duty station was in SATX in the late 80’s and that’s where we retired and loved Texas so much we called it Home Sweet Texas Home... and still do. I frequently went back to CA to visit family but when my last parent, mom, passed away a half-doz years ago that was the end of that...

and the end of having any family....I guess my 2 X-sisters still live out there. I wouldn’t know nor do I care! I still have my brother, George... praise the Lord.  

But all that’s not the issue...  The destruction of Pacific High School has always disturbed me to the point of saddness & anger I guess. It made no sense whatsoever. I always thought it was ‘political’ but regardless the reason it still left an empty spot in my heart. The destruction of our beloved Pacific High School is in essence like a death....  and the spirit lives on too!!!  Once a Viking always a Viking.

I’ll like to add a public note of thanks here to Vinny... a special thank you Vinny for always taking the time to stop by and see and talk to my dad Victor Baker when you were in SL town.  That was special... I’ll always be grateful. my heartfelt thanks Vinny!!  

And to all PACIFIC HIGH SCHOOL VIKINGS:  your feet may go but your heart always stays at Pacific.

God Bless You always. 

 

  


11/18/17 05:39 AM #785    

 

Larry Overstreet (1966)

I also fell in love with Texas. The military brought me to El Paso twice and I just couldn't resist living here with the friendliest and most hospitable people you would meet. Play golf practically all year round and you can't beat the cost of living for retirement anywhere especially if you grew up in California. Loving it here in this incredable bordertown... El Paso, Texas, USA.


11/18/17 09:19 PM #786    

 

Renne Grace (1983)

To add to the information on the closure of PHS.  Prior to the push to close Pacific, the superintendent (at the time) was looking ahead to reduced student population.  He made a recommendation to he board that the Junior Highs be shuttered, San Leandro become the Junior High School, and Pacific become the High school. Pacific had room to expand to handle the student body if the student population trend changed. This caught everyone by surprise.  Being an attendee of John Muir, I attended the public meetings related to this.  We heard alot of angry eastside parents complain about having to cross town and drop their kids off in our crime and drug ridden school.  Even the proximity of industry and 880 were mentioned as reasons the eastside parents didn't want their kids coming to the PHS.  Eventually the school board punted and moved the 9th grade up to High School.  Following this,  the board got rid of that superintendent and began planning behind close doors.

When the push came to close Pacific:

1. Closing Pacific was the only plan.  At a board meeting, I specifically asked if closing SL, or the previous superintendent's plan were consdidered.  I got a resounding "NO" from the current superintendent and nods from the board members in attendance.

2. I received a negative answer if construction (seismic survivability) was part of the consideration in closing Pacific?  It seems the Hayward fault is very close to SLHS, but that didn't matter.

As part of the student body that tried to stop the closure I learned alot.

1.After pacific was closed, Redwood Christian inquired about renting the facility, but the SL school district wasn't interested.

2. The developer that built the strip mall there was a "friend" of a board member. Years later, he wanted the sports fields too for parking, but city required an equal size and capable facility be provided as a replacement.

3. The sports fields actually belonged to the city, and San Lorenzo school district rented them, so early on, San Leandro had to play their games at the "Pacific fields" at less desirable times.  Remember, no lights allowed at SLHS.  Once PHS was gone, no pressure on SLHS neighbors to allow lights and night games.

4. Pacific as it was commissioned was never finished.  It was missing one wing and indoor swimming pool. Bond money for the missing wing and indoor pool was spent on SLHS.

 

The closing of PHS was done, with steps taken to ensure that SLHS would never be threatened again. It took the school board many years, to pass a school bond because of PHS closing. When they did, many of those promises to the "westside" to get their support, were not kept.  The coup de grace for the westside was the building of that 9th grade school, right on East 14th (so much for the traffic arguement against Pacific).  Saddest Irony is that PHS was in the center of the city (by driving).


11/19/17 08:49 AM #787    

 

Alicia Fields Rudnicki (1969)

Thanks, Renne, for the clear picture of what happened to Pacific High. I was busy with my life out of state when the school board made its unfortunate and, it appears, underhanded choice to sell a school of relatively recent construction. Talk about throw-away culture! I never understood how or why the board would make such a bad choice financially for the school district. In my opinion based on many trips back home, San Leandro is a more interesting, more diverse place these days. But its school situation is much worse due to extreme crowding at San Leandro High. You reap what you sow.


11/26/17 03:12 PM #788    

 

Janice Vegas (Heal) (1962)

I have come to the conclusion That greed in high places is the new tradition; never mind the general public. 


11/27/17 09:22 PM #789    

Gregory (George) Crispin (1967)

Sue, thanks for the web site.  5 months late, thamks for reunion.  Tech Ed turned out, but I tuned out on senior year. Sargeant Peppers Marching Band Called😎


11/28/17 09:55 PM #790    

Gregory (George) Crispin (1967)

Class of 68, I hope you pull off a reunion as good as the one the class of 67 had👍


12/02/17 11:24 AM #791    

 

Sue Ferreira (Nunes) (1967)

Fellow Vikings.  

Heres a great site to keep tract of whats new in San Leandro.

http://sanleandronext.com/

Thanks, John Tapia for the information.. Sue


12/24/17 02:10 PM #792    

 

Sue Ferreira (Nunes) (1967)

Just wanted to wish everyone a

Merry Christmas

and the

Happiest of New Years !!!

Love to all..


12/25/17 08:49 AM #793    

 

Michael D Corbett (1962)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you also. Thank you for all your work and time making this site available for our enjoyment and providing a means of staying in touch with our class mates. 


12/26/17 10:02 AM #794    

 

Cheryl Garcia (Jaeger) (1963)

Wishing everyone a New Year of only Good happenings.  Regards Cheryl (Garcia) Jaeger


12/26/17 01:20 PM #795    

 

David M. Bunday (1965)

Wish everyone a Happy New! With nothing but good happenings. Sue thanks so much for all your hard work on this site. It means a whole lot to all of us. May God Bless you and yours. As always David Bunday. 


12/26/17 04:24 PM #796    

 

Bruce Williams (1963)

Seasons Greetings to ALL.

Sue, Thank you soooo much for this great website and forum.


12/27/17 08:43 AM #797    

 

Carol Purcell Bethke (1962)

Wishing Everyone a Blessed and Happy New Year! And a special thanks to Sue for all she does for this site.


12/29/17 03:00 AM #798    

Barbara Bricker (Stutzen) (1962)

I want to extend my best wishes for a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year to all my old classmates.  Fun to think about you from so far away.

Barbara


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