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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
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National leaders to hear of CVCHS success Linzey, McChesney speak in Washington of high school’s conversion to charter PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
By now, most people around the Clayton Valley area are aware of the success of Clayton Valley Charter High School.
Now, some others are taking notice: The U.S. House of Representatives. This week, CVCHS Executive Director David Linzey and administrator Neil McChesney
are in Washington D.C., speaking to members of Congress on “Raising the Bar: How Charter Schools are Impacting Public Education.” “We’re very excited” Linzey said last week of the invitation, made on behalf of Congressman George Miller, an early supporter of the CVCHS char-
ter. They are two of just five charter school leaders from across the country invited to the House of Representatives Congressional Hearing on Education and the Workforce on March 12. “They want us to tell the CVCHS story,” Lindsay said. “They want to hear about the
great success and the dramatic change in our school’s culture once we became a charter school.” Since becoming a charter school in 2012, the school’s academics have skyrocketed, and the improvement in last year’s API scores made CVCHS one of the top academic high school
Origami crane sculpture sends support to sister city
in the state. Linzey and McChesney both credit the change to becoming a charter school, yet they both say that traditional schools can do the same things, with the will, leadership and teacher support. “Becoming a charter school
See CVCHS, page 8
Museum, council celebrate 50 years
HANK STRATFORD
MAYOR’S CORNER Council meets with MDUSD trustees On Wednesday, March 5, the Clayton City Council and Mt. Diablo Unified School district held a historic joint meeting. During the struggles to win approval for Clayton Valley High School to become a charter school, it became apparent that the relationship between our city council and the school district was very thin. Vice Mayor David Shuey led an effort to establish a stronger relationship between the city and the district. Unfortunately, the school board at the time had no interest in meeting with our city council or a sub-committee of our council. However, I believe that Vice Mayor Shuey’s efforts exposed a need for greater collaboration between the MDUSD and the cities that it serves.
See Mayor page 6
CLAYTON’S FIRST CITY HALL was in a tiny red building at the corner of Oak and Main Streets. The building was later a real estate office and a hair salon. It burned down Thanksgiving weekend, 2010. The photo was taken by Eldora Hoyer whose husband, Bob Hoyer, was Clayton’s first mayor. Rochelle Douglass; rochellezphotography.com
ON THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE FUKUSHIMA EARTHQUAKE, an origami sculpture created from more than 10,000 cranes hangs in the lobby of the Brendan Theater. The cranes represent luck and healing and were folded by the community to support Concord’s sister city in Japan. TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Concord has a sister. Her name is Kitakami and she lives in Japan. And, for 40 years she and Concord have
been sisters. Like all sisters, when something bad happens to one, the other does something to make her feel better. So, when the earthquake and tsunami hit Fukushima Prefec-
ture three years ago and turned life in Japan upside down, Concord did something to make her sister feel better. In Japan, legend has it if you make 1000 origami cranes for someone who suffers, you are
sending good luck and hope for full healing and recovery. Concord did one better for her sister—she made 10,000 cranes! Today, these cranes “fly”
See Origami page 4
‘Team Christy’ captain loses battle with cancer Clayton resident Christy Harris died last week after a long battle with cancer. She was just three weeks short of her 50th birthday. She was diagnosed in December 2012 when an annoying pain in her hip turned out to be a fast-growing tumor. Not one to go down without a fight, the spirited mother of three mounted a two year battle that included leadership posts in Clayton’s Relay for Life, the two day event sponsored by the American Cancer Association. In 2012, Harris served as
the event’s team recruitment leader, never suspecting that, one year later, she would be leading her own team of more than 100 around the field. “Team Christy” all wore bright blue t-shirts and a life-size likeness of Harris towered over the walkers. Across her blue-clad chest, she wore a banner that read “Fighting Like Hell.” In 2007, Harris and husband Joel, realized a long-held dream and opened Clayton Books in the Clayton Station. For the next three years, her quick wit and “book banter” made the store a community center. In 2010, the store closed, unable to compete against publishers who were selling online at less
Captain Grammar Pants . . . .8 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Community Calendar . . . . .14 Concord City Beat . . . . . . . . .8 Design and Décor . . . . . . . .18
Estate Planning . . . . . . . . . .8 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . .6 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . .15 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner
CHRISTY HARRIS WITH HUSBAND JOEL, led more than 100 supporters in the first laps of the 2013 American Cancer Society Relay for Life while undergoing chemo for a fast spreading cancer. Harris lost the battle last week after “Fighting Like Hell” for nearly two years.
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Behind the Badge . . . . . . . . .7 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . .17
than wholesale. Sadness spread through the community at the news of her death. “She loved her family, her church, her neighbors, friends and Clayton Books,” said Sunny Solomon, long-time employee and the store’s Book Lady. “The loss of a bookstore is one thing, but the loss of Christy Harris leaves a huge gap in the community of Clayton.” “Christy loved the finer things,” says her friend Beth Kenneally. “But lived for the simple basic beauties in life; grace and love and gratefulness…She was a shining light.” See page 6 for obituary and funeral arrangements. Pine Hollow Reporter . . . . . .9 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sports Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Teen Reads . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
The city of Clayton just turned the Big 5-0. As many residents know, the town of Clayton was founded by Joel Clayton in 1857 but it took 107 years to become an incorporated city. In 1964, a dedicated group of founding mothers and fathers vigorously resisted a potential take-over by Concord, working to ensure Clayton’s independence and self-direction. Fifty years ago, on March 3, 1964, in a record turnout, 91 percent of the town’s 364 registered voters cast their ballots for independence. The measure passed 251 to 61 and Clayton became Contra Costa County’s 13th city. The first city council meeting was held on March 18 of that year. To commemorate the city’s 50th anniversary, the Clayton Historical Society will open a special new exhibit at the Clayton Museum at 4:30 p.m. next Tuesday, March 18. At 7 p.m., the “liberty” bell will ring once more when the Clayton City Council meets in the historic Endeavor Hall to commemorate that first city council meeting. The public is invited to share in the celebration. Rumor has it, there will be birthday cake.
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