MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 51, NO. 1
September 25, 2015
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
Beyond MSJ: Measure E
AC Transit changes proposed Mission area route would be affected By Monica Tang Graphics Editor Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) is proposing 11 major changes to maxim ize service frequency and expand and simplify bus routes throughout Fremont and Newark, which currently only hold six percent of the district’s ridership. If passed, the plan will be executed in August 2016. One of the changes will convert the south section of Line 217 (Ohlone College to Warm Springs Boulevard) into a Flex route, a demandresponse based service in which passengers in areas without regular bus routes may request buses via internet, phone, or mobile application. The remainder of the line will be restructured into lines L8 and L12, extending the existing connection to Fremont Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
to central Fremont, NewPark Mall, and Pacific Commons. Although the shortening of the south segment cuts off access to Great Mall, a transfer point at Dixon Landing Road at the end of the new L8 route links to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail, which provides frequent service to the mall. According to AC Transit, the south portion of Line 217, which visits places along Mission Boulevard such as Little Taipei Plaza, the Indian Community Center, and Great Mall, generally carries a low ridership and thus is more suitable for Flex Service. However, the alteration has raised concerns among parents and students who travel home from school daily via Line 217 due to FUSD’s lack of a school bus system, as well as among the local elderly, disabled, and others who rely heavily on public transit.
After learning about the changes through an email sent by CA State Assembly Member Kansen Chu, Junior Sophia Huang created a petition on change. org and sent letters to the FUSD Board Members, AC Transit Board of Directors, and Chu to ask for their support in requesting to keep the south section of Line 217. As of September 2, the petition has amassed more than 430 supporters. Huang said, “Realizing that not many people might have gotten the message, I decided to make a petition to let our community know...Being a frequent bus rider myself, I thought it really would be a shame to lose a line that so many students need in their daily lives.” Though Flex Service will preserve the usability of the scrapped route, Huang and supporters of the petition argue that converting the south segment into a Flex
Measure E was approved in June 2014, giving FUSD permission to raise $650 million by 2022-23, which is expected to be paid off by 2051. The district will raise $650 million by issuing bonds. The funds are to be used to improve and repair the education infrastructure. This objective spans from 2015 to 2025 in a five series process. Five series of bonds, A, B, C, D, and E will be issued by FUSD every two years. These funds will go towards improving education infrastructure and upgrading classrooms with 21st century learning environments, especially in regard to Common Core.
See TRANSIT NEWS Page 2
See E NEWS Page 2
Multiple repair and renovation plans proposed By Pratham Gupta Staff Writer
news editor apoorva rajanala
New assistant principal joins office Vandal watchhouse demolished House originally built for security purposes in the 1980s
O’Brien is in charge of junior class and freshmen M-Z By Harshita Gupta Opinion Editor
By Sayan Ghosh Staff Writer
Shauna O’Brien replaced Diana Brumbaugh as an Assistant Principal at MSJ effective with the start of the 2015-16 school year. O’Brien will serve as administrator for the junior class and freshmen M-Z, and take over administrative duties from Brumbaugh. Brumbaugh is continuing with FUSD, and has been reappointed as Principal of Niles Elementary
Thirty years after their construction, MSJ’s vandal watch house and an empty portable were destroyed on August 19 and 20 in order to “keep the safety of the students, staff, and the community,” says FUSD Assistant Superintendent Raul Parungao. The structures, which were located behind the E-wing (more specifically near P-7) were demolished, and left a clear tract of land in their place. The watch house was one of many which were ordered to be built by the Fremont Board of Education in the 1980s on each junior high and high school campus in the school district. At the time, several schools in Fremont were facing problems related to vandalism and theft. To counteract such activities, the board hoped that families that would stay in the houses would provide security and protection during evenings and weekends throughout the year. Families that stayed in the houses would be able to live rent-free, and children of the households would be able to go to nearby schools. The watch house remained inhabited until 2001. In 2001, the district decided to terminate the watch house program due to its high cost. Since then, the building has served no real purpose. Due to its abandonment, the structure started to fall apart because of poor maintenance, and over time, became unsafe for habitation. One of many problems was a termite infestation. In addition, many regarded the structure as an eyesore, which was another
“I try to do as much listening as I can; a lot of times, students or parents really just need to feel heard or listened to.” -Assistant Principal Shauna O’brien School. O’Brien was previously an Assistant Principal at Peter Burnett Middle School in San Jose, having taught at Peninsula High School in San Bruno and Jefferson High School in Daly City. She led Health and Medical Technology classes, preparing students to be Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics. Her degrees are in communication, education, and educational leadership. O’Brien is hoping to bring about large-scale change in the MSJ community by leveraging her passion for health in creating a well-rounded environment for students. Through her individual meetings with parents and students, she encourages making healthier and better-
opinion editor harshita gupta
Assistant Principal Shauna O’Brien joins the administration.
balanced choices. She says, “I try to do as much listening as I can; a lot of times, students or parents really just need to feel heard or listened to.” O’Brien particularly sees value in building long-term relationships, saying that she is “really looking forward to seeing my junior class through to their senior year and graduation. I really like that as administrators we follow our class through, instead of always having to start fresh with new students. So building relationships and keeping that going and supporting the students all the way to graduation, I think that’s really important and I’m excited about that.”
See AP NEWS Page 2
COLLEGE APPLICATION ADVICE Seniors, nervous about the college application process? Check out some advice from MSJ alumni! today
factor that led to the destruction of the watch house. The district considered restoring the structure, however, it calculated that the restoration cost would be close to the removal cost. Since the house was deemed unsafe by the district’s maintenance department, Superintendent James Morris ultimately made the decision to remove the structure. The operation to destroy the house, as well as the empty portable, cost $11,200, according to Parungao. The structures were located near the classroom of English teacher Elizabeth Waller. Waller said that due to the absence of the
“I am glad that those two buildings are not the first things that people see when they go past MSJ.” -English Teacher Elizabeth Waller
watch house, the view outside of her classroom is “much prettier”. “I am glad that those two buildings are not the first things that people see when they go past MSJ,” Waller said. According to MSJ Principal Zack Larsen, there are currently no existing plans for future uses of the empty tract of land, but they may certainly arise in the future. ▪
The vandal watch house in 2013.
fusd home development
Read up on the FUSD Board of Education’s decision to keep the Patterson Ranch residential development unassigned. today
SPEAK UP TO SAVE LIVES Take a look at photos of the event Peer Resource, counselors, and administrators put on to encourage and support a healthy community. today
smoke signal archives
FOR MORE COVERAGE,
VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG