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HELLO SUNOLIANS!Hyper Local News Source Returns To SunolPast issues of The Sunolian are displayed; a full archive of allpast issues is under current development.In T hi s Is su eH Y P E R - L O C A L N E W SS O U R C E R E T U R N SO P I N I O N P A G ES C H O O L G A R D E NC L U B S P R U C E S U PI T S O U T B U I L D I N GT H E S U N O L I A NLOOKING BACK AND MOVING FORWARDF R O M T H E E D I T O R I A L B O A R D s some long time Sunolians may recall, the original publication known as The Sunolianwas created and published by founderGeraldine Baldassarre, and it appeared inSunol from 1981 to 1988. Many of thatfounding publication’s copies can still beviewed at Museum on Main located indowntown Pleasanton and offers quite a tripdown memory lane. According to the OnlineComputer Library Center, during 1981, thepublication held a series of title naming contests and subsequently utilized severaltitles over the course of some months: Ol'Sunol Sun, June 1981; Sunol Fashion News, July1981; Sunol Sounder, Aug. 1981; SunolTrailblazer, Sept. 1981; Sunolian presents 'TheSunol Sentinel', Jan. 1982.Published news in Sunol actually goes backeven further than the original Sunolian; in fact,the town of Sunol had a regular newspaperdating back well over 100 years ago.Continues on next pageAH O T T O P I C : A R E C A L L& A R E T I R E M E N TC O O K ’ S C O R N E RS U N O L I A N P R O F I L EN E W S & E V E N T S :E V E N I N G O F R E C E I V I N G

In Victoria Christian’s book, Images of America: Sunol,we learn that The Sunol Sentinel was published by G.L. Frank and Company for 10 issues in 1887. TheUnited States Library of Congress even includes thishistorical newspaper in its database (located athttps://www.loc.gov/item/sn98061764/).What we can derive from this is that no matter howsmall a community, local journalism is important. Soimportant, in fact, that community members arewilling to volunteer their time and expertise to makesomething good come to fruition for the bettermentof their neighbors and beyond.Back in 2009, Sunol resident Neil Davies understoodthat significance––just as Baldassarre once had––and resurrected The Sunolian as a monthlypublication in a printed newsletter format that ranuntil the end of 2012. It should be of no surprisethat this publication is once again being resurrectedin 2024; as the famous saying goes, “the news neversleeps”, so perhaps we’ve just been hibernating,waiting for things to heat up.Now, this latest version of our local publication istaking on a new format as an all digital subscriptionplatform. If we receive enough feedback, we willconsider providing a printed version as well,however we are trying to keep production costsdown and digital allows us to be much more costeffective while delivering you a multi-media levelpublication. Our new platform will allow us tosupport embedded animated GIFs, Videos,Slideshows and hyperlinks. This isn’t just importantfor our editorial content, but for our futureadvertisers as well.We are looking for 1 or 2 Sunolians to join ourEditorial Board to help us determine the direction,opinions and endorsements of our publication as itreflects within our community at large; jump to page 6 if you are interested in joining our board.We welcome contributions from writers far andwide––not just those living within the perimeter ofSunol––so if you’re a San Francisco resident and youjust love hiking the Sunol Ridge, tell us about it! Thisis but one of many examples on the variety of voicesand perspectives that contribute to our lovelycommunity.T H E S U N O L I A NP A G E 2F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4MOVING FORWARD: NEWS SOURCERESURFACES FOR TOWN OF SUNOLF R O M T H E E D I T O R I A L B O A R D & F R O M T H E A R C H I V E SContinued from page 1Above left: Cover of Victoria Christian’s book “Images of America:Sunol”, published in 2007. Above right: Included in Christian’s bookare many historical photos and artifacts, like this image from 1887depicting a page from The Sunol Sentinel. / Arcadia PublishingAMONG OUR PAST VOLUNTEERSGeraldine Baldassarre, Julie Banta, Alice-AnnCantelow, Victoria Christian, Cammie Clark, SueDaniels, Neil Davies, Paula Dovholuk, Barbara Egbert,Leanne Heine, Joanne Hendrix, Pamela Hood, BreeJames, Demian Lindberg, Frank Louthan, MaryMarshall, Cathy Morris-Brown, Julio Staben andStacey Wyatt. Images of America: Sunol can be purchased at Museum on Main indowntown Pleasanton or through their website. It can also bepurchased online at Barnes & Noble or directly fromArcadia Publishing.

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This newsletter is published on or around the5th of each month and is available  for  sale inan  online  subscription  format  only,  via  ourpublishing  platform,  SimpleBooklet.  Currentyear’s  back  issues,  including  previous  year’sarchives,  will  also  be  available  for  a  feethrough  SimpleBooklet.  The  goal  of  thispublication was,  is and  will continue to be to“Promote  a  more  informed  Sunol.”  Oursubscription fees cover  our  production costs,while  our  advertising  fees  are  donatedannually  to  a  local  organization  of  ourchoosing. Our objective is to provide access toall  Sunolians,  both  readers  and  writers.  Allsubmissions  and  contributions  are  subject  toethical  fact  checking  and  verification.  Allgroups in town are invited to submit monthlycolumns for publication, and we invite stories,comments, letters, photos, inquiries and otherinformation  that  would  be  of  interest  to  thecommunity,  and  all  contributions  are  subjectto  approval  and/or  correction,  guidance,delay  or refusal. This  paper  is dedicated  toproviding  all  points  of  view  within  thefollowing guidelines: (1) All submissions are tobe  respectful,  supported  by  factualinformation  (when  applicable)  and  signed;  (2)All  submissions  will  be  confirmed  by  theeditor;  (3)  Space  for  Letters  to  the  Editor islimited  to 250 words maximum. We reservethe right to accept or refuse submissions andedit  for  context  and  length.  We  also  reservethe  right  to  refuse  advertising  that  in  ouropinion  does  not  reflect  the  standards  orvalues  of the newsletter and Managing Team.The  opinions  expressed,  whether  by  paidadvertisement or editorial content does notnecessarily  reflect  the  views  of  thisnewspaper.  Content  submitted  may  bereprinted and acknowledged without consentin future publications.P R I N C I P A L ’ S   C O R N E RMolleen Barnes, Principal & SuperintendentSunol Glen Unified School Districtescorted over to the backarea to receive ice or a band-aide. It is evidenced in theclassroom by a concernedteacher kneeling next to astudent’s desk and talkingsoftly about a concept thatthe child is struggling tomaster. It is when a staffmember is giving a child aconsequence for not makinga positive choice; yes,discipline is a very loving giftfor a child because theimplicit message is ‘I careabout you so much that Iwant to make sure you makea good, kind choice, so thatyou are a positive, caring, andcontributing citizen.’During the week of February5-9, we will be hosting severalactivities that promote careand kindness for ourcommunity. The Leadershipstudents will be readingkindness quotes eachmorning over theannouncements, students willbe encouraged to paint kindmessages on rocks that willthen be placed throughoutthe school, each student willalso receive a ‘kindness at alltimes’ bracelet to celebratethe power of positivity! Thestudents will also be given theT H E  S U N O L I A NP A G E  4Editor-in-ChiefCammie O’Connor,editor@thesunolian.NeilNeil Davies,Publisher-At-Largepublisher@thesunolian.comGeneral ManagerOpen until filled,manager@thesunolian.com“No significant learningoccurs without a significantrelationship.” This quote, byDr. James Comer aptlycaptures the essence ofpowerful learningexperiences for our children.At Sunol Glen School, thestaff heartily embraces thisprecept and the feeling ofcare and kindness permeatesthroughout the school.At Sunol Glen, the month ofFebruary is all aboutcelebrating the power ofkindness; and as such, thestaff has worked tirelessly toensure our students fullyexperience the impact oflearning in an environment inwhich the adults demonstratea deep commitment to theirsuccess. One might ask, ‘Yes,but what does that look like?”I would like to attempt toanswer that question as it isoftentimes difficult to identifythe outward signs of anemotion or feeling such asthe feeling of ‘care’ or‘kindness’. Well, at Sunol Glen,care is demonstrated by thewarm, sunny smiles that arereadily given to our studentswhen we greet them eachand every day. Kindness isseen in the front office whena hurt student is gentlyTHE POWER OF ‘CARE’F E B .  6 , 2 0 2 4Continues on next pageIssue Contributors:Kristen Bobertz, Victoria Christian, LisaBall, and N.B. Burke.

S P E C I A L R E P O R TCammie O’ConnorEditorF E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4following challenges: Monday- compliment 5 people,Tuesday - Clean up aftersomeone else, Wednesday -Smile at 25 people (not yourown classmates), Thursday -Hide a happy bookmark ornote inside a book, and Friday- talk to someone you don’tusually talk to or sit withsomeone you don’t usually sitwith at lunch. Theseseemingly small things canmake a BIG difference insomeone else's day and evenlife and doing so withintentionality can fill our ownbuckets as well!Care and kindness are alsoseen in the way adultsinteract with one another. Acheery ‘hello, how are you?’ isa great way to convey care. Asemployees in the ‘business ofeducating children’, how weconduct ourselves, oncampus, with each other iscritical. Children deserve tocome to school and feel safeand comfortable; theyrespond to the positiveenergy that exudes from theirenvironment. I love JamesComer’s quote and use itannually with the staff toremind them howempowering they are to ouryoung charges. Yes, ourprimary responsibility isacademic achievement; andensuring a caringenvironment and experienceis a primary responsibility too.Mark Twain said it best,“Kindness is the languagewhich the deaf can hear andthe blind can see.” — KELLY G O L D S M ITH, PAR E N TGarden class is a favorite part of my child'sdays at Sunol Glen. As a regular volunteer it'sa highlight of my time at the school as well. P A G E 5T H E S U N O L I A NPRINCIPAL’SCORNERContinuedThis past November and December, agarden refurbishment project for SunolGlen School not only began, but saw it’sway to completion by dedicatedvolunteer parents. The Garden ShedFoundation Rehab project had been agrowing area of concern for severalyears, as parent Chris Bobertz relayedin a recent interview. Cutting boardswere holding up the corners of theshed to prevent it from dropping intothe eroding foundation, which hadn’tbeen replaced in over 12 years.“At the beginning of this school year, Ispoke with parent Erin Choin and wediscussed an opportunity to fund thefoundation repair project,” Bobertz said.“On another day in the garden, I spokewith parents Matt Sylvester and SeanGallagher and agreed to tackle theproject.”Bobertz, along with wife, Kristen, havebeen volunteering their time in theschool’s garden for about six years.Sylvester, owner of Happy Acre Farm in Sunol, has also provided his expertiseand garden starts, while Gallagher hasprovided guidance especially for thecare of the school’s chickens.The budget for the new foundationproject––which included cleanup,resetting the foundation, and stakingand tying down the shed––was set for$1,000 and the team of volunteerswere able to keep costs under $800.There are wide range of things thatparents can do in the garden, Bobertzsaid, explaining he “thinks it's importantfor people to contribute in ways thatlend to their strengths and also in waysthat they enjoy.”The slideshow above takes a look athow this project started and turned out.

OPINIONEditor-in-ChiefCammie O’Connor,Neil Davies,   Publisher-At-LargeT H E  S U N O L I A NC O M M U N I T Y  M E M B E RSubmit your request to join our EditorialBoard to help determine this paper’sposition on local issues:editor+board@thesunolian.comE D I T O R I A L   B O A R DSubmission guidelines for Letters to the EditorSubmission guidelines for Opinion (Guest) EssaysEditorial deadline & publication scheduleI’d like Trustee Jergensen to explain to the communitywhy he has failed to attend 60% of the Tri Valley SELPAmeetings. This consortium of school districts enablesSunol Glen to provide federal and state mandatedservices to children in Sunol. Jergensen has the highestabsenteeism rate of any elected official, missing votesand leaving Sunol without elected representation.Why? Because flag bans and culture wars are moreimportant than effective school management.Jergensen and Hurley are using the same extremistplaybook that’s tearing apart communities in Temeculaand Chino. Controversy gets clicks. Ask yourself whyJergensen hired a Public Relations firm. No trustee doesthat, unless they want media coverage. And those“outsiders”? Hurley and Jergensen both reached out tonational extremist groups before their publicity stunt ofa flag ban. They left a trail of emails and social mediaposts.T R U S T E E  P U T S O B L I G A T I O N S  O N  B A C K  B U R N E Rwith hate groups; incur hugelegal bills and fail to do their jobs.The sad truth is this board is happy to destroySunol Glen, wiping out a 98yr legacy of academicexcellence. This was never about the flag. It hasalways been about culture wars, attacking publiceducation and extremism. Sunol, you’ve beenplayed.Vic Cloutier / Sunol ResidentFormer Trustee, Sunol Glen Unified School DistrictThe anti-recall group want toend the “division.” Perhapsthey should ask why theirtrustees harass teachers –including a veteran; violatefirst amendment rights; workT H E  S U N O L I A N© Adam Zyglis, Cagle Cartoons via CartoonStock.comLetters to the EditorF E B .  6 , 2 0 2 4P A G E  6

OPINIONT H E S U N O L I A NLETTERS TO THE EDITOR (CONTINUED)There’s a solution to the dispute between the “OneSunol” and “Unify Sunol” recall coalitions: TrusteesJergensen and Hurley should do the honorable thingand resign. Let’s play this forward: 9/11 staff and 13/15teachers support the recall. This isn’t one or twodisgruntled employees; this is nearly the entire schoolwilling to jeopardize their careers.The Recall Committee is fifteen strong and is composedentirely of Sunol Glen parents, former teachers, andformer board members (29 years combinedexperience). These are your predecessors, peers, andneighbors. Even if the recall falls through, do you reallywant to go through your day knowing that most of theschool, teacher alumni, and board emeritus are againstyou? This isn’t personal. The number of folks supporting yousays you’re good people. But being nice or having theblind support of old friends isn’t enoughT H E R E I S A S O L U T I O N F O R S C H O O L D I S T R I C T D I S P U T E : R E S I G N when it comes to objective job performance.Actions speak louder than words; no amount offliers can change the fact that your acts as boardmembers have led to this recall and the ensuingdivision throughout the community. Leadership isadmittedly tough, and sometimes it’s just not theproper fit. A true leader would put the good of the communityover themselves. You would earn tremendousrespect if you stepped down and healed thiswound. Agree or disagree, your voices are valuableand you clearly care about Sunol. Resign and helpyour successors unify Sunol. Let’s go back to beingfriends, neighbors, and build One Sunol together.Scott Chong & Anna Wang / Sunol Residents(Parents of two Sunol Glen Alumni, 7 year residents)A note from the EditorAs we launch our (third) inaugural publication of TheSunolian, it’s important to note the voices of small, localcommunities and the residents who live in them havenever been more important. It feels as if journalists frommajor publications on down have been hollering aboutthis for years....and no one has been listening. If you want your views heard, the editorial team at TheSunolian implore you to speak up. Our editorial boardand contributors have a combined 25+ years ofexperience in local news, publishing and journalism. Weprovide the platform to gather your ideas, your words,your opinions, and then synthesize, as applicable, usingour area of expertise––namely editing, writing guidelines,style and context, fact and source checking, etc.We know that opinions run deep; once friendlyneighbors can become enemies over night. While ourteam peruses social media for leads, ideas and thevoices of community members, our focus is to generatea publication that utilizes long held journalisticguidelines. While social media comment threads,Facebook groups and chain emails have a sense ofimmediacy for people to feel heard, the messages thereare often said in haste, without precision, and devoid ofguidelines, sometimes bumping up against legalviolations, such as the Brown Act for elected officials.We ask simply that you take care in how you expressyour ideas and opinions while also taking a moment tostop and listen to others; there is something to begained in that, whether it’s an agreement or sharpeningyour own position.Our ‘Opinion’ pages are a place for carefully expressedideas; it is not meant to be a soapbox where one canpontificate on end and share a thesis-length opinion. Asthe saying goes: Brevity is the soul of wit. Read ourguidelines and submit your letter or guest essay; wereally do welcome all viewpoints as outlined therein. Have an idea for an article you would like to write andsubmit? Pitch us! Sunolians should remain informed onall the good that is taking place within their community;you do not have to be a resident to write for TheSunolian–your article needs to be topical to the area.F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 7

OPINIONT H E S U N O L I A NG U E S T E S S A YRick Flynn, Sunol Resident 1986-2018EQUALITY IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT–NOT BE COMPLICIT–WITH DISCRIMINATIONSunol, but, rather, from the top down: i.e. what’simportant to a national, conservative agenda, an agendathe people of Sunol never asked to have implemented.Add that to an earlier board proposal that Sunol Glenstaff “out” trans kids, and suddenly Sunol has become asatellite of “don’t say gay” Florida. Simply put, equality is being used as a vehicle for bigotry. Were the two board members decent, they would havebeen forthright about their bicep-flexing culture warmotivations from the start. An even stronger reason to vote for the recall lies in theboard member’s central failure, a failure that echoes therecall of Mike Czerny from Sunol Glen leadershipdecades ago. Back then, nearly retired educator JimO’Laughlin, a man who has given countless hours to thebetterment of Sunol, knocked on the door of the ancientcottage/shack I rented for 32 years and asked me to signthe recall petition. His first argument for signing was hislast. Once he showed me that all of the teachers andstaff at Sunol Glen had signed a petition to remove MikeCzerny, I signed. Losing the support of the entireprofessional team is a failure in leadership. Czerny, whohad done many things to benefit Sunol and had alwaysbeen a welcoming person to me, simply had to go. Between their essential dishonesty that triggered therecall and their nearly entire loss of support fromvirtually (but not entirely) all of the professional teamthat makes Sunol Glen School work, these two boardmembers, also, simply have to go. unol Glen School Board’s ill-fated ban of the Rainbow Flag in the interest of “equality” is dishonest. A 4H flag, for example, would never have triggered theSchool Board to enact a flag restriction in the interest offairness, nor would an Olympic Flag in the run-up to thesummer games or, say, a CERT Flag in advance of aSunol-wide underbrush clean-up day. No, this flag ban,hiding under the aegis of “equality,” directly targets theRainbow Flag’s inclusive message that gay people arewelcome members of the community. The anti-gay angle is central, and the two board membermajority are dishonest in reframing their bigotry in theservice of equality. Their rhetoric is identical to that used by the all-Muslimminority City Council majority in Hamtramck, Michigan.They too, pitched their flag ban as a move towardsequality. The members of the conservative Muslimcommunity celebrated the ban by flooding their socialmedia sites with bicep flexing emojis. Not exactly a“bring the community together” image: more of a “wesure kicked their asses” end note. It left many in thecommunity who welcomed Muslim immigrants in thespirit of inclusivity feeling quite betrayed. These flag bans are about power, the power of aconservative minority to shut down any publicrecognition of gay people. They’re also part of a nationalcampaign, something Sunol’s two board members–werethey honest–would have long made clear. In Huntington Beach, the flag-banning city councilmember Casey McKeon defended the flag restriction byinsisting only government flags “represent everyindividual equally,” the exact arguments used by the twoflag-banning Sunol school board members. The inspiration does not come from the ground-up, agenuine reflection of what’s important to the people in SF E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4P A G E 8From sfchronicle.com

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W E A T H E R F L A S HFrom weather.gov and pge.comT H E S U N O L I A NSUNOL FLOOD WARNING SUBSIDES y the time our first issue is public, Sunolians will have made it through the worst of the wetweather forecasted for the area with this latest storm.However, with flood warnings and atmospheric rivertype events, comes the aftermath of downed trees,power outages and road debris, especially alongKilkare Rd and Foothill Rd. Get used to it, Sunolians. As a safety reminder, area residents should useextreme caution when navigating local roadways andlimit their use as much as possible by staying homeand keeping safe. When possible, check in with yourneighbors and, when safe to do so, check surroundingof your property and roadways to alert others ofunsafe conditions such as leaning trees, dangeroustree limbs, dislodged boulders and debris. Be sure tostay far away from any visible downed power lines; ifyou can see a downed powerline, PG&E recommendsthat you do not exit your car or home.For downed powerlines:1. Don't go near a downed powerlineDowned powerlines can kill you. Never touch them. Always assume that a fallen powerline is live. Followthese guidelines:Don't touch the downed powerline with your handor any objectDon't touch anything in contact with a downedpowerline, including a car or another person.Keep children and pets away from fallen electriclines.Don't drive over a downed powerline.Call 9-1-1 immediately to report a downedpowerline.24-hour Customer Service Line: 1-877-660-678924-hour Power Outage Information Line: 1-800-PGE-5002 (1-800-743-5002)2. Stay safe if a downed powerline touches your carIf your vehicle comes in contact with a downedpowerline:Stay inside your car. The ground around your carmay be energized.Sound horn. Roll down the window. Call for help.Warn others to stay away. Anyone who touches the equipment or ground around your car can be injured.Call 9-1-1 from your car, if possible.Do no exit the vehicle. Wait until a firefighter, police officer or PG&Eworker tells you it’s safe.If your car is in contact with a downed powerline and afire starts, exit the vehicle:First, remove loose items of clothing.Hands at your sides, jump clear of the vehicle. Makesure you are not touching the vehicle when yourfeet hit the ground.Once clear of the vehicle, keep your feet closetogether. Shuffle away from the vehicle withoutlosing contact with the ground.>> If you smell natural gas or suspect an emergency,leave the area now and call 9-1-1. >> If you see downed powerlines, stay away. Don’t exityour car or home. Call 9-1-1. Then call PG&E at 1-877-660-6789.Above: Water pools beneath the overpass along Pleasanton-Sunol Rd. /Photo by Chris BobertzBAbove: An erosion-impacted portion of Tesla Road east of Livermoresustained more damage on Feb. 3, 2024, forcing Alameda County officials toclose it entirely to through traffic indefinitely. / Photo courtesy CHP-DublinF E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4P A G E 1 0

T H E S U N O L I A NTEMPORARY PORTABLES GOING INS U B M I T T E D R E P O R T SDue to an overlap of circumstances, Sunol GlenSchool will be adding two temporary portableclassrooms in the coming weeks. The Measure Jbond, which passed at the end of 2022, includedstandard language in its information to voters that“the costs of interim classrooms and facilities forstudents, administrators, and school functions,including modular facilities” would be covered underinterim costs. Shortly after the measure passed, on New Year’s Eve2022 and heading into New Year’s Day in January2023, the school grounds suffered catastrophicflooding which dislodged three of the school’spermanent classroom portables from theirfoundations, rendering them a complete loss.Thirteen months after the flood damage and thepassing of Measure J, the school is finally receiving itstemporary replacement portables. For the pastPort 1Port 2school year, some teachers have been without apermanent classroom, and the impact to what wasonce a flexible campus infrastructure has hamstrungthe entire school operations. W H A T Y O U N E E D T O K N O WStarting February 2, the parking spaces againstthe red play area along the front of the schoolwill be blocked off (see diagram below, marked“Port. 1” and “Port. 2”). Also, the middle trianglein the parking area will be fenced off (seemarked area in center of diagram). Please notethe red line indicating the parking spacesimpacted.The public is asked to use extreme caution whenentering or exiting the school’s parking lot.During school days and hours, please access thislot for school business only.P A G E 1 1F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4Diagram created by: The Sunolian

SUNOL SONG: PROFILEOF WILL STRATTONT H E S U N O L I A N nterviewed by musical legend Elton John, hasreleased seven albums, andhelps international artistsget visas to the UnitedStates, Will Stratton is livinghis best life. With strongearly-life connections toSunol, he reflects on theimpact Sunol had on his lifeand music and how it holdsa special place in his heart.Join me in learning moreabout the American singer-songwriter and composer,Will Stratton. Can you share a little bitabout your connectionwith Sunol? I attended kindergarten atSunol Glen. Mygrandmother Louise,nicknamed Honey, lived in alittle house named Honey'sHut in Sunol. I spent a lot oftime there up until age 7when my family moved toNew Jersey. My parentslived in Pleasanton, wherethey attended school withformer Sunol students. Incollege, my mom wrote anessay about Sunol’s WaterTemple. I visited the WaterTemple a lot. My mom’ssense of connection to thetemple mirrored my family’sgeneral sense of Sunol as aspecial place.What is a specialmemory you have ofSunol? I remember liking Sunol’squails. I would run outsideS P O T L I G H TDiana Rohini, Contributorto see the quails on theoutskirts of mygrandmother’s property,Honey's Hut. Also, Iremember the shade castby Californian Live Oaks onclear days with a piercinglyblue sky, and yellow hillsdotted with clusters ofOaks. I remember likingthat Sunol was a bitmysterious, dusty, and alittle sleepy. The mostconcrete memories ofSunol are from Mrs. Ward'skindergarten class at SunolGlen and at mygrandmother’s house. I'dlike to come back and visitsoon.IContinues on next pageTop: Will Stratton, age 6 or 7,standing by Sunol’s water temple.(courtesy of Will Stratton)At left: Will Stratton (b. 1987,Woodland, California) is anAmerican musician living inBeacon, New York. (courtesy of willstratton.com)At left: Screenshot from EltonJohn’s Rock Hour by Apple Musicfeaturing Will Stratton.(courtesy of willstratton.com)I was stunned whenI heard it, it’s sucha beautifulalbum...the guitarplaying is exquisite.— E L T O N J O H N , F O RR O C K E T H O U R O NA P P L E M U S I CF E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4P A G E 1 2

T H E S U N O L I A NWhat drove you to write a song about Sunol?The song “Sunol” was one of the first 10-20 songs that Iever wrote. It's a song about the act of remembering aplace from childhood, feeling the fragility of thosememories, and wondering if there's anything deeper to befound there. For reasons I can’t fully explain, Sunol keepscoming back to me in songwriting. Tell us a little about your journey since leavingSunol.Today, I live in the Hudson Valley, New York, with mypartner. She's a landscape designer, and I'm a longtimemusician and a paralegal. I’ve released seven albums, soonto be eight. This upcoming album, called Points of Origin,has ten songs sung by Californians, whose lives wereaffected by wildfires. One of the songs is set at an oldSunol bar. My day job is music-related, too. I manage ateam of paralegals at a law firm that helps foreignmusicians get work visas to work in the United States.To learn more about Will Stratton’s journey, see himbeing interviewed by Elton John, and listen to his music,you can head over to his website at WillStratton.com. Also,his music can be found on Bandcamp, Spotify, and AppleMusic. www.willstratton.comLyrics copyrightWill StrattonContinues belowF E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4 P A G E 1 3

C O O K ’ S C O R N E R NO SLOWCOOKER?NO PROBLEM.“The Soup” got its name when the slow-cooker recipe exploded on Reddit a fewyears ago. I don’t have a slow-cooker, so Iadapted it to cook on the stovetop. It usesmostly pantry items and you don’t evenhave to thaw the chicken before ploppingit in. And it’s fantastic on a cold, rainy day,served with crusty bread!CREAMY TORTELLINI & CHICKEN SOUP, AKA “THE SOUP”WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR EITHER STOVETOP OR SLOW COOKERT H E S U N O L I A NR E C I P E & P H O T O S U B M I T T E DB Y L I S A B A L L• 1 medium yellow onion, diced• 1 Tbsp dried basil• 2 cloves of garlic, minced• 2 Tbsp tomato paste• 3 Tbsp olive oil• 1/3 cup all purpose flour • 4 cups (1 qt) chicken broth• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes• 1 to 1 and 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (2 large half breasts) • 1 tsp salt• 1/2 tsp pepper• 4 cups frozen cheese tortellini (one side of the Costco 2-pk fresh tortelloni)• 3 cups packed spinach (most of a 5oz pkg washed baby spinach)• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese• 1 cup heavy cream or half and halfINGREDIENTSF E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4P A G E 1 4

Slow cooker: Combine onions, flour, basil, garlic,tomato paste and olive oil in a microwave-safebowl. Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 90seconds or so. (The mixture will be pasty and lookweird but don’t worry it will all be okay in the end).Add the mixture to the slow cooker.Stir in broth, tomatoes, chicken, salt and pepper.Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGHfor 3-4 hours (or until chicken is very tender).Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Addtortellini, spinach, and Parmesan cheese to the slowcooker. Warm the cream by stirring into it about acup of hot soup broth a little at a time at first(adding cold cream may cause curdling), then add itback into the pot.Shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces andadd back into the slow cooker. Put the lid back onand cook on HIGH for about 10 more minutes, oruntil the tortellini are cooked through.S U B M I T A R E C I P E & P H O T O :editor+recipes@thesunolian.comDeadline: 3/1/24INSTRUCTIONS:Stovetop: Heat olive oil in large pot or dutch oven,add onions, basil and garlic. Simmer until onions aretranslucent, 5-10 min, then stir in tomato paste. Addflour and stir until well blended. Stir in broth, tomatoes, chicken, salt and pepper.Cover and simmer for about 1 hour or until chickenis very tender, stirring occasionally.Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Addtortellini, spinach, and Parmesan cheese to the pot.Warm the cream by stirring into it about a cup ofhot soup broth a little at a time at first (adding coldcream may cause curdling), then add it back into thepot. If soup seems too thick, stir in 1 cup of water.Shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces andadd back into the pot. Put the lid back on and cookfor about 10 more minutes, or until the tortellini arecooked through.P A G E 1 5F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4COOK’S CORNERT H E S U N O L I A NContinuedSPELLING BEES U N O L G L E N S C H O O LWould you have been ableto spell c-o-c-c-i-d-i-o-s-i-s?Charcuterie prepared and donated by Matthew Sylvester / Photosubmitted by: Denise RomoThat was the word our Sunol Glen Schoolchampion, Anastasia Kolchina, correctly spelledagainst second place winner, Allison Bergeron.Anastasia prevailed after 12 rounds with fellowcontestants and will represent Sunol Glen Schoolin March during the Regional Bee which is hostedby Scripps.If you can spell words such as: propitious, ellipsis,senescent, gloaming or centrifuge, you could havebeen a contender for the Sunol Glen Spelling Bee!On Thursday, January 18th, Sunol Glen hosted ourannual Spelling Bee to the delight of all ourorthographics! It was fraught with excitement anda seemingly perilous journey for our amazinglogophiles!I would like to thank this year's moderator, MorganMitchell and our community judges: Diane Tiessen,Connie DeGrange and Denise Kent Romo. It was awonderful event and we also want to give a bigCongratulations to ALLof this year's classroom winners as well!Thank you also to Matt Sylvester for providing abee-autiful charcuterie board for our contestantsto snack on (shown in photo below), and to SunolGlen Community Club for providing our winnerswith cash prizes!

From L-R: Sunol Glen School Board President Ryan Jergensen, SGUSDPrincipal/Superintendent Molleen Barnes, Sunol Business GuildOfficer Andrew Turnbull, Alameda County Supervisor David Haubertand 3VCF Board Treasurer Patrick O’Brien. / Photo by: Cammie ClarkF R O M  S T A F F  R E P O R T S  A N D  3 V C F. n this past Nov. 28, local leaders and elected. officials gathered for a gala of giving at MertesCenter for the Arts at Las Positas College in Livermore,where Three Valleys Community held their first “Stateof Giving Gathering” and distributed funding to localorganizations and entities in the hopes to make animpact in the surrounding Tri-Valley areas.Known colloquially as 3VCF, the grant funding wassolicited through their Power of Collaboration CorporateChallenge campaign, originally set into motion in 2022.The campaign funds were aimed at the top needs ofthe local communities.Among the grants awarded at the event was a $25,000Sunol Relief & Recovery Fund presented to acontingent of community groups from Sunol thatincluded Sunol K-8 School, Sunol Glen CommunityClub, Sunol Business Guild, and Sunol Citizens AdvisoryCouncil. The monies received are aimed at supportinglong-term repairs and mitigation efforts in the wake ofthe School’s 2023 New Year’s flood.Representatives from Sunol in attendance for theevent include Superintendent/Principal MolleenBarnes, SGUSD School Board President RyanJergensen, Sunol Business Guild Officer AndrewTurnbull and SGUSD FEMA Liaison Cammie Clark.OShining a Spotlight on Our Donor & Sponsors–a 3VCF promotionalvideo detailing the organization’s missions through it’s recipients;SGUSD Superintendent Molleen Barnes speaks at the 5:31 mark.T H E  S U N O L I A NA PROSPEROUSEVENING FOR SUNOLRepresentatives from Sunol ComeTogether For an Evening of ReceivingAbove Left: Honorable Guest Speaker State Superintendent of PublicInstruction, Tony Thurmond. Above Right: Cover of 3VCF’s 2023 ImpactReport. Right: SGUSD Superintendent Molleen Barnes and former SGUSDteacher Rebecca Radulovich. / Photos submitted by: Cammie ClarkF E B .  6 , 2 0 2 4 

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n today's fast-paced world––especially the Bay Area––it is easy to get caught up in the chaos oflife. From work demands to personal responsibilities,it’s challenging to find time to slow down andconnect with others. This is where our communitypark, the Sunol Depot Gardens, and our communityvolunteers play a crucial role in fostering a sense oftogetherness and enhancing the quality of life in ourtown.Sunol Depot Gardens, which you may also know asSunol Community Park, serves as the heart of Sunol,providing a space for individuals of all ages to cometogether and engage in various activities. Whether itis a picnic with friends and family, a local game ofbocce ball, or simply taking a leisurely stroll amidstthe many beautiful trees, our park offers a much-needed respite from daily demands. Research hasshown that spending time in green spaces can havea positive impact on mental health and overall well-being. A serene environment, fresh air, and beautifulsurroundings can help reduce stress, anxiety, anddepression, thereby promoting a healthier andhappier community.One of the key factors that contribute to the successof our park lies in the dedication and commitment ofour volunteers. They invest their time and effort inmaintaining the park’s beauty and ensuring itssmooth functioning. From two years old to ninetyyears old, volunteers of all ages come together,united by a common goal to create a welcome andvibrant space for all to enjoy. Park volunteers meetonce a month, generally the 3rd Saturday of everymonth, to rake, clean up garbage and various otherprojects the park might be needing such as trimmingbranches back. All are welcome to join.A HUB OFCULTURALEXCHANGEC O M M U N I T Y C O R N E RKristen Bobertz, for Sunol Depot Gardens T H E S U N O L I A NPark volunteers also organize essential communityevents that take place throughout the year. Theseevents bring together people from diversebackgrounds, fostering a sense of unity and creatinglasting memories. We’ve enjoyed community picnicsand movie nights under the stars, while connectingwith our neighbors and strengthening the bonds offriendship. The park has truly become a hub of culturalexchange, where residents can celebrate their sharedheritage and learn from one another.Looking ahead, the park has some exciting events linedup for the coming spring season. A community art walkis just one of the many activities being planned, whichwill showcase our communities’ local talent andprovide a platform for our many Sunol artists to displaytheir work. Through the tireless efforts of our communityvolunteers, we look forward to future opportunitiesand events where our neighbors can come together,celebrate shared experiences, and build lastingconnections. And, we encourage anyone and everyoneto get involved with our community park as avolunteer––just come on down, you’re welcomeanytime!In January, Sunol Depot Garden volunteers were seen hard at work duringa community clean up day. / Photo submitted by: Kristen BobertzIP A G E 1 7F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4

T E A C H E R  F E A T U R EDanielle Cimino, Sunol Glen Teacher FROM SUNOL STUDENTTO TEACHERT H E  S U N O L I A NWhere did you go to school?Sunol Glen School for K-8th; Foothill High School;University of California, Santa Cruz (History Major,Education Minor); and Cal State East Bay (MultipleSubject Teaching Credential).While in college I spent a year studying abroad atCambridge University, UK, and then later studying at theUniversidad de Cordóba, España. After undergrad, Iearned my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, with ELAuthorization & GLAD Certification from CSU East Baywhile intern-teaching in Union City. While teaching atSunol, I also completed my Masters of Science inEducation, option in Reading Instruction, with a Reading& Literacy added authorization.Since then, I’ve also attended numerous professionaldevelopment trainings, the Lucy Calkins' Summer WritingInstitute at Columbia, became a Google CertifiedEducator. Currently, I am enrolled in the LETRS trainingprogram based on the science of reading. I want mystudents to be lifelong learners.How long have you been a teacher?I started my teacher credentialing program in 2011, socounting from there, about 14 years.How long have you been a teacher at Sunol Glen?This is my 14th year working at Sunol Glen School andmy 12th year as a 2nd/3rd grade teacher. I was firsthired in 2012 for Preschool/Eagle’s Nest and then left toget my credential and finally came back to 2/3 gradelevel that next school year. I’ve held many differentpositions over the years in addition to classroomteacher; I like to plan and be involved in decision makingprocesses so I tend to gravitate towards variousleadership positions such as K-3 Grade Level Lead, GATECoordinator, Curriculum Adoption, ProfessionalDevelopment Prep Lead, Technology Lead, BeginningTeacher Support Advisor and Yearbook Advisor.Why did you go into teaching?I’ve always known that I wanted to be a teacher. Neverrather than only one class period, easier to build a realrapport and connection. Plus, I’m a third generationteacher, so it's in my blood. My Grandma was a highschool home economics teacher and my mom hastaught virtually every grade level possible and is now aprincipal in a nearby district.Tell us about you and/or your family!I’ve lived in Sunol for about 35 years and currently live ona ranch in Sunol with my husband, Mike, and ourgrowing family. I feel lucky that my son gets to grow up insuch a beautiful place, surrounded by nature, and hisfavorites: cows! Looking forward to getting him enrolledin Sunol Glen’s preschool; we are counting down theyears until he is old enough to join Sunol 4-H! We arealso anxiously awaiting our baby boy #2, due this Spring!Outside of teaching, I have my own photographybusiness (Danielle Cimino Photography) and love totravel––it allows me to experience other cultures andplaces. I also enjoy baking and reading.What do you find the most challenging aspect ofbeing a teacher?Figuring out a work-life balance! Mr. Hoxie used tojokingly ask if I had a cot hidden in my storage room andif I slept at the school because I would regularly stay solate. I’m always trying to make things the very best for myclass. Now that I am a mom, I feel torn between mystudents–who I have always thought of as my kids–andmy actual child waiting at home. There are only so manyminutes in a day and you really can’t do it all–Teachersare people too!really ever considereddoing anything differentwith my life. The only realquestion was whether Iwas going to be a highschool history teacher orgo the opposite directionand teach elementary.Ultimately the littles won.Partially because I amsuper short and when Iwas straight out of collegeI was worried about beingable to command therespect of teenagers andpartially because I liked theidea of working with onegroup of students all dayCimino takes great care in decoratingher classroom with bright colors andfun characters––perfect and invitingfor her students.Photo provided by: Danielle CiminoF E B .  6 , 2 0 2 4 

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Is your opinion moreimportant than my son’ssafety? This truck isobstructing the left handside crosswalk light andsign for drivers goingEast. It’s especially badon Friday whencommuters are speedingthrough town. Pleaseallow all signs for thekids to be seen in time.Have we lost sight thatthe kids come first?— M E L I S S A C O X ,S U N O L R E S I D E N T , W O U L DP R E F E R T O S E E T H I S T R U C KR E L O C A T E D T O A S A F E R A R E AT O E N S U R E T H E S A F E T Y O FS U N O L ’ S K - 8 S T U D E N T S A spun web:From hyperbolic public comments to national news,Sunol Glen gets ensnared on the political stageA TOWN DIVIDEDT H E S U N O L I A NWhat began as theft of public propertywhen local school Sunol Glen had theirLGBTQ pride flag stolen off its fence in Juneof 2023, has unraveled into intense schoolboard meetings, trustee mudslinging andnational media attention vying for a pieceof the political pie at the microscopic level.Although the community of Sunol’spopulation continues to hover around800+ residents, what citizens across thecountry have been learning at a rapid paceis that local policies and locally electedoffices matter more than ever before. Whileseveral constituents in unincorporatedSunol have spoken off record that theongoing fight is nothing more than smalltown politics not worth getting involved in,the growing dissension keeps pulling morevoices into the fray, with many wondering:Can citizens really afford not to getinvolved?From podium to keyboard, Sunol residentsand affiliates are sounding off.W O R D S & P H O T O P O S T E D O N T H E“ L O V E S U N O L , C A ” C O M M U N I T YF A C E B O O K G R O U PContinues on next pageB Y N . B . B U R K EP A G E 1 9F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NAbove L-R: Teachers Nancy Chiprich, ChrisWheeler (khaki pants), Kerouac Diamond, Sunolresident Chris Bobertz and Instructional AideKaren Stevenson. While divisive communitycomments were directed at Chris Wheeler (6thgrade teacher and Sunol’s Federation ofTeachers Union president) from Sunol residentJames Lowder, many in attendance stood withWheeler in a show of support./ Photo provided by Rich BondersonAbove: On Saturday, Jan. 27th, while somemembers of the community had heatedexchanges at a recall information table on MainSt, others who held opposing views cametogether and shared ideas in a more civilmanner, including Sunol residents RodneyZeisse (left) and Matt Sylvester (right)./ Photo by Pauline BergeronContinued from previous pagePublic Comment policy rulesremain inconsistentLivestreams of Sunol’s schoolboard meetings show publiccomments are an area of growingdiscord, where teachers, staff,administrators and even boardmembers have had insults hurledat them and sometimes tradedback and forth. Also at issue ishow public comments are beingconducted. January‘s meetingagenda item n, ‘Report, Discussion,and Possible Action to Amend BoardBylaw 9323‘ (which details atlength guidance on PublicParticipation), signaled that yetanother change to publiccomments is on the horizon. Resident Debbie Ferrari, duringthe comment period for item n,said in past meetingscommenters were “abusing thesystem” and “they let the speakingtime go as long as they wanted”and “they blasted Linda [Hurley]over and over, beating her up forover an hour”. But when reviewingthe April 2023 board meeting inwhich many public commentswere made–both in support and As a self-absorbed jerk, you failed to earn therespect of your colleagues–— J A M E S L O W D E R , S U N O L R E S I D E N T , A D D R E S S I N G T R U S T E E T E DR O M O A T S U N O L ’ S J A N U A R Y M E E T I N G B E F O R E B E I N G A S K E D A TT H E E N D O F H I S C O M M E N T T I M E T O S T E P A W A Y F R O M T H EP O D I U M F O R B R E A K I N G M E E T I N G D E C O R U M P O L I C YRemarks, records requests, a recall,and now a resignationagainst Trustee Linda Hurley–wefound that all public commentperiods throughout the agendawere each limited to 20 minutes,just as they are currently run. Intotal across the April agenda, allpublic comment periods in whichHurley was directly or indirectlyrebuked totaled 20.75 minutes,while comments in which Hurleywas directly or indirectly defendedtotaled 18.50 minutes. At thatsame April meeting, Ferrari spoketwice (during separate commentperiods, here and here) whichallowed her (when combined) aspeaking time of 6 minutes, yetshe chose to speak for just 4.25of those minutes.Next, Hurley provided printedcopies of Bylaw 9323 announcingto those in attendance that thebylaw was originally adopted inJanuary of 2017, stating it’s “beenaround for a while, and I’ve askedMr. [Ted] Romo because we havea revised or a latest reviewed dateto see if this was actually revised”and “the parts we’re talking abouttonight have not been revised, sothis has been around since 2017.”When looking at the bylaw online, Continues on next pageF E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4P A G E 2 0

T H E S U N O L I A NContinued from previous pageit indicates that some portion ofthe bylaw was last revised onAugust 1, 2023–well after severalcontentious board meetings andan influx of public commenters.Hurley, along with BoardPresident Ryan Jergensen, closedout item n by requesting ideasfrom the community on publiccomment rules to be emailed tothe board.But it is curious: by the time thenow notorious September 12thmeeting occurred, why didn’t theboard have a better handle onthings? Instead, the publicwatched as Jergensen shuffledthrough public comment cardsrather than pull them in the orderreceived; he also instructed forthe clock to continue runningbetween speakers, dedicatingpublic comment time to dead air–something that had not beendone in previous meetings. Jergensen and Hurley seemedaghast at the explosive responsefrom the audience, even thoughthe board had clearly comeprepared for disruption with theSheriff in attendance.Public comments at this January’smeeting, on the other hand, feltalmost quaint by comparison.Jergensen opted to allow all publiccomments without the previouslimits in place. (It’s worth notingthat the meeting had acomparatively much smalleraudience.) But if you’re keepingup with current news trends,there are a growing number of Do we really have Ryan [Jergensen] sitting onour board or is it another person who tried tobe on our board and failed?— E R I N C H O I N , S U N O L R E S I D E N T , D U R I N G P U B L I CC O M M E N T S ( A T ) T H E 2 0 2 4 J A N U A R Y B O A R D M E E T I N Gchanges to public commentperiods being made by manyschool boards, and some parentsare wondering if Jergensen andHurley’s flip-flopping on the rulesis to give the illusion of a goodfaith effort. Even in California,these updates seem to limit thepublic’s right to free speech underthe guise of conducting officialbusiness in an efficient manner.While elected officials mayperceive public comments asinconvenient, it’s worth notingthat hearing from the public is anintegral part of their duties.It’s now February and a recall (forTrustees Hurley and Jergensen) has officially been filed with theAlameda County Registrar ofVoters, with a majority of the localTeacher’s Union and a majority ofthe Classified Staff’s Unionpublicly stating their support forthe recall. And so it might bedisconcerting for some, as theywatch the two-trustee majority,re-determine the rules for publicparticipation and commentperiods at the board meetings.An official lapdog?Also at the January meeting,public commenter Erin Choin–while discussing email communications obtainedthrough public records requests–suggested what she deemed“inappropriate and unlawful”behavior by some board trustees.“There is one voice that I seeamplified when I see emails thathave come through in some ofthese public records: I have seenthe name of James Lowder comethrough and mention a flagresolution or changes he wantedto the flag and at the very nextmeeting, all of a sudden ourboard is talking about that. Thevoice of one person–” Choin wascut off at this point during hercomment by Hurley, but shereminded the elected official itwas not their turn to speak andcontinued: “I am profoundlyuncomfortable because again Isaw another message from JamesLowder about ‘lease and leaseback’ and again, at the Decembermeeting, we are talking aboutlease and lease back. And so Iwonder, whose voices are reallybeing amplified on this stagehere? Do we really have Ryan[Jergensen] sitting on our boardor is it another person who triedto be on our board and failed?”Choin asked near the end of hercomment, referencing Lowder’s Continues on next pageP A G E 2 1F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4

Jergensen, seemingly caught offguard, responded defensively: “Iam not here to be interrogated bymy other trustees, but what I willsay is the PRA requests that we’vereceived normally...in a year...isabout 3 or 4. This year there’sbeen, 34?.... Several of them comefrom ‘Transparent Sunol’ and‘Concerned In Sunol’. I’ve hadconfirmed to me by a communitymember that you’re attached withthis ‘Concerned In Sunol’ that’sdriving up legal costs.”Other than this statement toRomo, Jergensen did not provideanything to verify his claim that theanonymous PRA, ‘Concerned InSunol’, was connected to Romoother than a rumor he heard froma “community member”. Jergensenthen doubled-down: “It’s yousending in these requests of ouremails that’s driving up the costs,”again without providing anything tosubstantiate such a claim. When Romo pointed out thatHurley responded to the same PRArequest nearly 3 months quickerthan the board president,Jergensen claimed that legal T H E S U N O L I A NContinued from previous pagefailed bid at a board seat in theprevious election cycle.Public Records Requests slowto a crawl–is it a tactic?While school board meetings takeplace in public, a lot can go onbehind the scenes, especially viaemail. The school has beenbesieged by Public Records Act(PRA) Requests–34 requests so far,according to Jergensen. Californiatilts PRA’s in favor of the requestor,who may keep their identityanonymous for the entirety of theirrequest–even if that requestor is aschool staff member, teacher orschool board member.At the January meeting, TrusteeTed Romo’s agenda item k.attempted to address the ‘timelycompliance’ with the district’s PRArequests. In California, PRArequests have their own set oflegally binding guidance, andRomo–who has been a practicinglawyer for over 20 years–pointedout Jergensen’s lengthy responsetime in fulfilling such requests: “Iwanted to understand better fromyou, Ryan, why it is that it tookapproximately four months for youto respond to the one PRA requestfrom ’Concerned In Sunol’–theSeptember 15th request–it’s a legalobligation required under the lawto respond. You have to promptlyrespond–it’s not at your will orchoice. In having taken...fourmonths...there were a number ofother things that you had time for,but why did this not getaddressed?”counsel said “We’re fine, thetimeline’s fine, just keep working onit.”Taking into consideration thetotality of these issues: publiccomments disarray; the growingtrend of school boards across thecountry quashing public commentas much as possible; this board’s(perhaps dubious) requests forcommunity ideas regarding publiccomments; the accusations of theschool board doing Lowder’sbidding; and the rise of unpunctualPRA requests––it could be telling tolearn who actually submits publiccomment ideas to the board andhow fair and balanced those ideaswill be––just don’t count on findingthat out anytime soon.From PRAs to website updates–traces of obfuscation aboundAt the heart of most disputes–bothbig and small–typically liesmiscommunication. In America, weare no strangers to the manyforms that miscommunication cantake, be it disinformation, fakenews, unsubstantiated rumors, etc.Most of us remain at the ready toclick the next link and absorbwhatever claims we find withoutdoing the much needed–yet muchmaligned–fact check.A public comment made by KellyGoldsmith at the January boardmeeting highlighted a key lessonfor constituents in Sunol whenshe pointed out misinformationon Jergensen and Hurley’s anti-recall website, launched inresponse to combat a recentlyfiled recall of their appointments.Continues next pageI am not here to beinterrogated by myother trustees.— RYAN JERGENSEN, AT THE JANUARY SCHOOL BOARDMEETING RESPONDING TOTRUSTEE TED ROMOF E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4P A G E 2 2

T H E S U N O L I A NContinued from previous page“Disinformation on your anti-recallwebsite indicate that recallpetitions will be available for thepublic to view and check thevalidity of each signature,” shestated. “You even go so far as toattack Sunolians who arecollecting signatures by implyingthat they are lying when tellingtheir friends and neighbors thattheir signatures will remainprivate. The truth provided directlyto me by the Registrar of Votersand the California Secretary ofState per state election code andoutlined in the official RecallProcedures Guide is that the rightof examination is not available tothe public.”The anti-recall website has sincebeen updated, however record ofthe website remains availableonline, as shown in this document(click to view on screen).Resignations of a resignationIt’s hard not to draw parallelsbetween the Jan. 24 school boardmeeting in which Lowdercommented at the top of theagenda on item 1d, calling forBarnes’ resignation (and doublingdown the next day in a follow-upletter to the board), and thenBarnes submitting her officialretirement only a week later.“I’m requesting that aninvestigation and potentialdisciplinary action be taken andrequest the resignation of ourSuperintendent Mrs. Barnes forher continued pattern ofdisregard for district policies in theCalifornia Ed Code,“ Lowder statedto the board as Barnes looked on.In an interview with the SanFrancisco Chronicle, Barnes hadthis to say of her retirement: “It’sbittersweet,” she said. The stress,she added, had becomeoverwhelming and unhealthy. “ButI feel so blessed to have beenhere for almost half of my career.It’s been my home away fromhome. I love this place.”Alameda County superintendentof schools, Alysse Castro, alsocommented to The Chronicle that Barnes was widely known andrespected.Many Sunol Glen parents seemedaghast at Barnes’ suddenannouncement–but not entirelysurprised. An outpouring ofcomments began to immediatelycirculate in a private FacebookGroup for parents, some of whichhave been shared by parents, atleft.While Barnes’ departure packsquite the punch to the smallschool, she’s actually the secondstaff person to exit the roster,after the district’s IT Manager,Sean Gabel, resigned from hisposition last November after heendured an onslaught ofaccusations made by Hurley forsupposedly editing school boardmeeting videos, despite usinglivestream technology whichposts the recordings in real timeto the District’s YouTube Channel.Classified Union Employee,Elizabeth Harmuth–who workeddirectly with Gabel prior to hisdeparture–took over the task ofrunning the livestream for themeetings even though it’s notcurrently a part of her unionposition. This was short-lived, asHurley continued to suggest thatIT Staff had edited content out ofpast school board videos, eventhough an attempt has beenmade on several occasions toexplain that real-time livestreamcapture does not allow for editsto be made.Nevertheless, at the Januarymeeting, Hurley suggested anContinues on next pageP A G E 2 3F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A Nlimitations of livestreaming.The future of livestreaming schoolboard meetings is now at risk;Harmuth will not livestream themeetings under what she deems a“catch-22 situation.” The schoolboard meeting is a public forum,however, and any member of thepublic may record or livestreamthe board meeting so long as theyare not obstructing othermembers or causing a disruptionto the proceedings. In the heart of Silicon Valley,amongst tech titans andsurrounded by districts that haveno issue connecting in real time vialivestream; smack dab in themiddle of the progressive Bay Areawhere a majority of school districtsfly the LGBTQ flag during a monthwhen school isn’t even in session;in an area where by and large adiversity of voices are allowed thetime to speak; and amongstrespected Superintendents farand wide––Sunol steps back andinto the dark.Continued from previous pageupdate to Board Bylaw 9324, toadd the verbiage “No districtrecording may be edited ormodified in any way.” Harmuthspoke on the agenda itemclarifying that while livestreamvideo recordings are captured inreal time and are not everintentionally edited, streamingtechnology is not an exact scienceand can lead to stop and restartsof the video feed capture, breakingthe recording into severalYouTube posts when a URL getsregenerated. This can happenduring peak traffic on YouTubeand during packet loss on weakwifi signals.Immediately following Harmuth’sstatement about livestreaming,Jergensen asked a follow upquestion about the other part ofHurley’s suggested edits to thebylaw which were associated withvideo storage retention–but not asingle board member addressedHarmuth’s main concern regardingthe intermittent nature oflivestream video capture.Instead, all of the trustees gotcaught up in a wanderingdiscussion about backing uprecordings. Had they givenHarmuth a full chance to respondwithout interjecting and cross-talking over each other, they mighthave learned that the District isalready able to accommodatevideo backup storage and the realissue at hand was that Harmuth,as expressed in her preparedstatement, is not able to complywith the new verbiage forproviding the livestream. Beingthat livestream technology can beAbove: Volunteers forUnited for Sunol Glen,the campaign to recallRyan Jergensen andLinda Hurley, set up atSunol resident AndrewTurnbull’s house onMain St. / Photos byChris BobertzAbove: “The right of examination is not available to the public in general” according toSecretary of State’s procedures for recalling a local official. / From the official recall guidedependent on factors beyond hercontrol, there isn’t a way forHarmuth to do the task withoutrisking the possibility the real timefeed might cut out and createseparate file captures––acontinuity nightmare that does notmeet the demands of Hurley’s newwording of the bylaw. Harmuth, Adminstration and atechnology consultant were notasked to weigh in with theirexpertise before the bylaw editswere placed onto the agenda.Given the language of thesuggested edits, it’s clear thatHurley (and the board) does notunderstand the technology — STREAMYARD.COMLive streams are fun, butunlike recorded videos,they don't give you theflexibility to make edits.F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4P A G E 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NDIV ER SI TY E QUITY & INCLU SI ONAurora Commentz, Former Sunol Glen Teacher MAY WE BE BRAVEENOUGH TO LISTEND. iversity, Equity and Inclusion–DEI–has become a bogeyman for some and a hopeful hero for others.The reality, like most human endeavors, lies somewherein between and both at the same time. There is nomonolithic, universal “DEI” that we can point to as thedefinitive “DEI”. This is human work, in relationship tohumans and their lives. There is variation. So I can onlyspeak from my perspective, based on over a decade ofeducation and experience, but it is still only my own. Thetip of an all-encompassing iceberg. In order for any communication to be effective, thereneeds to be shared understanding of the languageused. So allow me to define my terms. Diversity is thevast variety of human lived experiences through cultureand identity, including religion, sex, gender and genderexpression, race, ethnicity, language, nationality,education, family and community, economic access,veteran status, interests and abilities - to name a few.Equity means providing what is needed to eachindividual in order that everyone may be empowered tothrive. Not everyone needs the same thing, so equity isdifferent from equality in the support provided. Equalends, equitable means. Inclusion means that everyperson, every voice and perspective is welcome andvalued. Inclusion goes beyond having a seat at theproverbial table. It means that there is no one groupwith ownership over the table–we all equally belong. I hold an Interdisciplinary Bachelor’s degree inIntercultural Studies and Education. My teachingcredential coursework closely integrated DEI concepts.For me, education and seeking the inclusive thriving ofevery student have always been joined. During mycareer as a teacher, I taught kindergarten, transitionalkindergarten, fifth grade, seventh grade, and fourthgrade. I also taught a middle school intercultural studieselective class at Sunol Glen. The students in my classeswere diverse, unique and incredible. Their intrinsic valueis limitless. Still, I left my career as a classroom teacherlast year. Leaving was not an easy decision to make and Ispent over two years considering it before making acareer change. In the end, I left because fear seemed toDhave successfully turned what should have been a fiercepartnership between teachers, parents, and society intoan ongoing, soul-crushing argument. Fear is loud, and when it is firmly dug in, no one can hearover the din. Because of fear filters, I may say “Studentsought to be allowed to see themselves represented inpositive ways through story” and someone may hear mesay “Other stories matter more than yours.” My hope forthe future of education is that the conversations getsofter as we all do the work to acknowledge our fears.Maybe folks will learn to be brave. Maybe we’ll be able toshow the students that truly inclusive spaces willnaturally include disagreements, and that disagreementsare okay. They’re often how we learn from one another. Now I’m a Diversity and Inclusion Education Manager fora private, not for profit system of hospitals and clinics.The education looks different - adults instead of children,healthcare team members instead of students - but mygoals remain the same. My team and I strive to cultivatean environment inclusive of diverse perspectives as wework to create equitable thriving for every person withinour community. To do this, we must promote anenvironment which values learning. We must learn fromeach other and able to feel psychologically safe beforewe can learn. My role as a DEI Education Manager is notto change anyone. I am not an activist in the workplace. Iwill not agree with every staff member on every issue.The question is: are we willing to learn from each other?When we disagree, can we voice our diverseperspectives without fear? Without resorting todevaluing one another? If we can, then we get to do thework in a psychologically safe space. We get to thrive.Not just those with power or other advantages, but all ofus. It’s a big ask in our world today to suggest folks leanaway from fear and towards humble inquiry. Real harmhas been done and we cannot close our eyes and ears.May we each do what it takes to provide and ensurespaces where diverse individuals all equitably belong.May we be brave enough.P A G E 2 5F E B . 6 , 2 0 2 4