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THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY

AUGUST 17, 2018

Flying Colors Dance and Fitness moves shop

Setting barre the

SAN BENITO MAGAZINE INSIDE THIS ISSUE

A supplement to the Hollister Free Lance

Amy Waran is destined for dance P4

WINE WINNER P12 | FIRE-SAFE LANDSCAPING P13

HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY

A New SV Media publication

Friday, August 17, 2018

sanbenito.com • Vol. 145, No. 33 • $1

2 counties looking at new train routes for Hollister, Salinas SALINAS-TO-SJ RAIL ROUTE THROUGH GILROY IS PLAN IN MONTEREY By Barry Holtzclaw Managing Editor

➝ Caltrain, 9

Marisa Duran

The 40-year dream of restoring passenger rail service—stoked by increasing population and traffic congestion—from Gilroy south to Salinas and/ or Hollister has found new life in two counties. Monterey County officials this week began construction of an $81 million project to build a new train station and other railroad upgrades, which they claim could bring daily railroad service to Gilroy and the Bay Area by 2020. Meanwhile, San Benito county transportation officials this spring received a $150,000 grant for an “indepth feasibility assessment of public transit projects, including passenger rail, to help reduce congestion along Highway 25.” One problem: No railway company has committed to, or even expressed an interest in, providing the rail service. The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, which contracts with BART to operate rail service between Sacramento and San Jose, is the latest favorite of the Transportation Agency of Monterey County for the San JoseGilroy passenger rail. Caltrain, the initial

MOTIVATING MASCOT Megan Maggiora (Academy, 7th grade) greets AAA’s green gator during the first day of school Monday, Aug. 13.

First day is a AAA start HOLLISTER’S AAA SCHOOL NURTURES THE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST Scott Forstner Reporter

The 180 fourth- through eighth-grade students who arrived to the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 13 at Hollister School District’s Accelerated Achievement Academy brought their excitement and anticipation with them to the Buena Vista Drive campus. Different from the local district’s other nine

elementary and middle schools, all of AAA’s students were chosen to be part of the Project Based Learning program, which is designed to nurture the educational experience for highachieving and highly motivated students. All 5,500 students in the Hollister district began the new school year on Monday. “Everything was great. It was really smooth, a really nice opening with a lot of happy kids and a lot of happy families,” said secondyear principal Scott Wilbur, whose daughter attended AAA. “I’m a parent and principal, so I’m a big fan.” There are two

fourth-grade classes for the first time, along with one class for each grade level above, as the magnet school grew by 50 students for the 2018-19 school year. AAA is ranked sixth in the state for middle schools and 25th in the state among elementary schools, according to Wilbur. The school plans to gradually grow to two classes for each grade level year by year. “We haven’t had any trouble recruiting,” said Wilbur, explaining that students are identified by their report cards, standardized test scores and internal test scores within the district. The family is contacted and

invited to apply for admission. An application can be found on the school’s website. The student must submit a writing sample and be interviewed for consideration. “In the past, we’ve been kind of the best-kept secret in town. But last year the superintendent told me it was my job to grow and talk about AAA,” Wilbur explained. “We’ve always done well academically, but we’re more than just test scores.” Students and their families are required to do 20 hours of public service throughout the school year to “connect with the local community,” Wilbur said.

An active parent club raises about $20,000 per year to allow students at each grade level to visit a California college campus such as UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley or Stanford. Students also make trips to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. “We really want the students to start thinking and planning what (colleges) they want to go to,” Wilbur said. AAA also holds at least one Project Based Learning Night, where students must share what they have learned with the school community.

San Benito aims to cater to all students PRINCIPAL RAMIREZ SET TO LEAD INTO 2018-19 YEAR Scott Forstner Reporter

upstairs, get the answers and take action quickly.” The sprawling high school campus was already bustling Aug. 8 with a weeklong new teacher academy underway, a Link Crew workshop with Associated Student Body members helping with freshmen orientation and the math department leaders holding a collaboration on curriculum session. “No matter what feeder school you came from, this is a big jump. This is a big transition for incoming freshmen,” Ramirez said. “But despite being a large school, it has a very tight-knit feel” among students and staff.

Robert Eliason

A new bell schedule for students, a new grading system for teachers and a slew of upgraded facilities for everyone on campus have San Benito High School Principal Adrian Ramirez preparing for a seamless start to the 2018-19 school year. For the fourth-year principal going into his 15th year at his high school alma mater, it’s an exciting time as 17 new teachers join the

SBHS staff of more than 140 to help serve just under 3,000 students on the expansive campus. “Year one and two, there was a little bit of anxiousness and nervousness. But by year four, there’s just a lot more excitement for the year to start,” said Ramirez a few days prior to the Aug. 16 first day. “For me, if you don’t love this time of year and have some level of anticipation of the kids coming onto campus, you’re in the wrong business.” If any issues do arise, Ramirez stressed the importance of having the superintendent’s office in the same building so “I can just run

HIS ALMA MATER San Benito High School Principal

Adrian Ramirez believes in the “Baler Strong” values and makes sure his students do as well.

Students this year will see a new classrooms in a Visual Arts and Performing Art building, along

with the completion of the practice athletic field in January and a pedestrianonly Nash Road.


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