Vista Neighborhood Association
Minutes
Board Meeting January 2, 2007
Called to Order: 6:30 PM at 100 Farallon Drive.
Officers present: Rich Martinez, Rich Lyons, Holly Giles, Jim Thornton, Bob Wolf and Curtis Lafferty. Absent and excused, Liz Hoffman.
Guest: Cathy Preovolos, Chair Crime, Traffic and Code Enforcement Committee. Julie Lyons, Chair Events Committee, Sue Martinez and Becky Thornton.
We still do not have the minutes for August 6, 2006 meeting, we will contact Liz Hoffman and see if she can come up with anything.
Approval of Minutes from December 5, 2006. Approved unanimously.
Treasurers Report: Bob Wolf says we now have $2902.91 in the checking account.
Committee Reports:
Crime, Traffic and Code Enforcement Committee:
Cathy Preovolos is putting together a letter to the members at large and is going to hold a meeting in January. She has also suggested a Mixer for Business owners that live in the Vista, and we could hopefully have it at Gina Snyders.
Events Committee:
The Christmas Decorating contest and the Neighborhood Dog Contest did not get the amount of entries desired. The Committee is suggesting that they put more of their efforts into the Neighborhood Garage Sale and the National Night Out.
Discussion:
We are asking Mark Hutchins to delete some of the old stuff from the website and ask him to make links for the Board Members as well as the Chairs of the different committee’s.
Holly Giles suggested we look into a neighborhood truck, after some discussion the Board decided the liability outweighed the need.
We are trying to figure out a way for us to keep track of new members and the renewals, Holly and Curtis will look into it.
Adjourned 7:25 PM
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Vallejo High Closes Campus
"Beginning today (2/19/07) students must stay on school grounds for lunch." "The Nebraska St. campus will be closed during lunch, and students will no longer be allowed to walk to nearby stores, hang out in the neighborhood or drive to nearby restaurants during the school day." Neighbors and businesses are encouraged to call a "hot-line" at 334-5422 if they see students off campus during the day. Vallejo High closes campus
Beginning today, students must stay on school grounds for lunch
By SARAH ROHRS/Times-Herald staff writer
Vallejo Times Herald
Article Launched:02/20/2007 07:04:14 AM PST
When Vallejo High School students return to class today, a new era will begin for the city's oldest high school.
The Nebraska Street campus will be closed during lunch, and students will no longer be allowed to walk to nearby stores, hang out in the neighborhood or drive to nearby restaurants during the school day.
Vallejo High School is the district's most recent campus to close for lunch. State Administrator Richard Damelio closed Hogan High last year to improve student safety and attendance, and reduce tardiness and impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. Jesse Bethel High School opened a decade ago as a closed campus.
As VHS teens enjoyed their last unrestricted lunch hour Friday, Principal Phil Saroyan pointed out the new outdoor eating areas around campus, each sporting bright red tables and weather-proof coverings. The district spent nearly $600,000 in Measure A bond money on the renovations.
"It will be a big adjustment for the kids, but we think it will go very well," Saroyan said. "I've been talking to a lot of kids and they're ready. The use of the cafeteria has gone up way. It looks so much more inviting. So many more kids are staying on campus already."
Kitchen manager Terry Ticer said her crew is gearing up for the increased demand. She said about 350 students currently eat at the cafeteria. A new lunch court offers more menu choices, such as Mexican, Chinese and Italian dishes.
The school sent out letters to hundreds in the surrounding neighborhood and to nearby stores and restaurants informing them of the change. They are encouraged to call a hotline at 334-5422 if they see students off campus during the day.
As the campus closes today, the school will have enough seating for nearly 800 students, about 46 percent of the enrollment. More outdoor eating areas in the campus' eastern portion will come on line soon, and provide seating for 240 more students.
Ultimately, the campus will have enough seats for 60 percent of the students.
Saroyan and other district officials say this is enough. They said students can go into classrooms to eat, if they want.
VHS Student Body President Doris Le said she understands why the campus is being closed, but said she has major concerns. She said she and other students believe the campus is too small to house everyone, and fights might break out. She said teachers should not be expected to open their classrooms so students have enough places to eat.
The closure, Le said, stems from a small percentage of problem students, and stressed most VHS students don't bother the neighbors or get into trouble.
Despite her reservations, she said, "I think a lot of us are starting to get used to the idea." She and others in the VHS leadership classes are staging numerous activities to help keep students busy and entertained during lunch hour.
Art teacher Connie Milholland said closing the campus is "generally a good idea. We have so many tardies after lunch." She said some students will benefit from the increased structure and controls.
Campus supervisors will patrol during the lunch hour, and a few extra golf carts will help them get around. Campus supervisor Ruth (Grandma) Bailey said she doesn't expect any problems.
Saroyan said an incentive program is being developed to allow students to leave campus if they are not late for class, and also improve their attendance.
Neighbors are welcoming the change. Barbara Thompson said she and her Loma Vista neighbors strongly support the campus closing. She said while trash problems have decreased greatly, students still traipse through yards, she said.
School board member Cathy Preovolos, who lives near VHS, said more students are staying on campus, and the litter problem is not as bad. "You very rarely see students wandering around," Preovolos said at a school board meeting earlier this month.
At the Tesoro gas station, at Nebraska and Broadway streets, manager Manjeet Singh applauded the campus closing, saying the students should be in school where they can be supervised and controlled.
Though many students shop at his store, he said they also drive away other customers when they loiter around the gas pumps. He said he does not expect his business to suffer. "We are happy because we won't have the extra headache, the place will stay clean and we will get our customers back," he said.
A manager at the nearby Jack in the Box said she's noticed a big decrease in the number of students eating at the restaurant lately. At Ho's Chinese Kitchen on Broadway and Tennessee, employee Susie See said only a few students eat at the restaurant.
E-mail Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6832.
Beginning today, students must stay on school grounds for lunch
By SARAH ROHRS/Times-Herald staff writer
Vallejo Times Herald
Article Launched:02/20/2007 07:04:14 AM PST
When Vallejo High School students return to class today, a new era will begin for the city's oldest high school.
The Nebraska Street campus will be closed during lunch, and students will no longer be allowed to walk to nearby stores, hang out in the neighborhood or drive to nearby restaurants during the school day.
Vallejo High School is the district's most recent campus to close for lunch. State Administrator Richard Damelio closed Hogan High last year to improve student safety and attendance, and reduce tardiness and impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. Jesse Bethel High School opened a decade ago as a closed campus.
As VHS teens enjoyed their last unrestricted lunch hour Friday, Principal Phil Saroyan pointed out the new outdoor eating areas around campus, each sporting bright red tables and weather-proof coverings. The district spent nearly $600,000 in Measure A bond money on the renovations.
"It will be a big adjustment for the kids, but we think it will go very well," Saroyan said. "I've been talking to a lot of kids and they're ready. The use of the cafeteria has gone up way. It looks so much more inviting. So many more kids are staying on campus already."
Kitchen manager Terry Ticer said her crew is gearing up for the increased demand. She said about 350 students currently eat at the cafeteria. A new lunch court offers more menu choices, such as Mexican, Chinese and Italian dishes.
The school sent out letters to hundreds in the surrounding neighborhood and to nearby stores and restaurants informing them of the change. They are encouraged to call a hotline at 334-5422 if they see students off campus during the day.
As the campus closes today, the school will have enough seating for nearly 800 students, about 46 percent of the enrollment. More outdoor eating areas in the campus' eastern portion will come on line soon, and provide seating for 240 more students.
Ultimately, the campus will have enough seats for 60 percent of the students.
Saroyan and other district officials say this is enough. They said students can go into classrooms to eat, if they want.
VHS Student Body President Doris Le said she understands why the campus is being closed, but said she has major concerns. She said she and other students believe the campus is too small to house everyone, and fights might break out. She said teachers should not be expected to open their classrooms so students have enough places to eat.
The closure, Le said, stems from a small percentage of problem students, and stressed most VHS students don't bother the neighbors or get into trouble.
Despite her reservations, she said, "I think a lot of us are starting to get used to the idea." She and others in the VHS leadership classes are staging numerous activities to help keep students busy and entertained during lunch hour.
Art teacher Connie Milholland said closing the campus is "generally a good idea. We have so many tardies after lunch." She said some students will benefit from the increased structure and controls.
Campus supervisors will patrol during the lunch hour, and a few extra golf carts will help them get around. Campus supervisor Ruth (Grandma) Bailey said she doesn't expect any problems.
Saroyan said an incentive program is being developed to allow students to leave campus if they are not late for class, and also improve their attendance.
Neighbors are welcoming the change. Barbara Thompson said she and her Loma Vista neighbors strongly support the campus closing. She said while trash problems have decreased greatly, students still traipse through yards, she said.
School board member Cathy Preovolos, who lives near VHS, said more students are staying on campus, and the litter problem is not as bad. "You very rarely see students wandering around," Preovolos said at a school board meeting earlier this month.
At the Tesoro gas station, at Nebraska and Broadway streets, manager Manjeet Singh applauded the campus closing, saying the students should be in school where they can be supervised and controlled.
Though many students shop at his store, he said they also drive away other customers when they loiter around the gas pumps. He said he does not expect his business to suffer. "We are happy because we won't have the extra headache, the place will stay clean and we will get our customers back," he said.
A manager at the nearby Jack in the Box said she's noticed a big decrease in the number of students eating at the restaurant lately. At Ho's Chinese Kitchen on Broadway and Tennessee, employee Susie See said only a few students eat at the restaurant.
E-mail Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6832.
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