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The FOGHORN
ROTARY CLUB OF HALF MOON BAY
August 5, 2021
ANNUAL CUSD NEW TEACHERS AND STAFF WELCOME
Article by Stacy Trevenon
Photos by Elizabeth Schuck
Excitement rolled over the zoom airwaves, as the Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay met virtually for what many attendees described as the most popular meeting of our Rotary year – the meeting in which the new teachers who would head Coastside classrooms were introduced to the Rotary club and the community. That sentiment was captured perfectly in the welcome to teachers and Rotarians from Cabrillo Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Sean McPhetridge.
President Joe promptly turned the meeting over to Liz Schuck, someone well versed in local education from the inside. Liz too called this her favorite meeting of the year, noting for the teachers that while typically we meet over lunch, due to the pandemic we now meet over Zoom. She explained that while club members represent a variety of backgrounds, they are typically local business owners who are “all here to support you” through such things as Rotary’s Life Skills event, polio eradication, the dictionary project, or supporting the local library.
Sean Engmann echoed Liz’ words with his own warm welcome to the new teachers, saying he was excited because we are now back in school.
Liz went on to introduce some new faces and people in new positions in the Cabrillo Unified School District: Assistant Superintendent Dr. Leticia Bhatia, Director of Human Resources Jason Owens, Director of Business Services Jesus Contreras and Director of Special Programs Rosalva Segura.
The principals of Coastside schools were then introduced, and each introduced their new teachers:
El Granada Elementary School Principal Claire Beltrami introduced Kristy Jordan, Special Day Class. A Half Moon Bay resident, Kristy had taught lower grades, but after doing long-term substitution work, fell in love with special education; Lauren Williamson, fourth grade. A Pescadero resident who had previously taught in private schools, Lauren says she is excited to be part of the Coastside community; Melinda McCabe, fourth grade. Melinda was not on the call; Sydney Mohr, second grade. Sydney grew up in Southern California and attended Cal Poly. She took a “gap year” to work as an au pair in Spain, before earning a master’s degree in education and falling in love with second grade.
Farallone View Elementary School Principal Amy McVicker recalled having lunch with the HMB Rotary club a few years ago as a new teacher herself. She introduced new fourth-grade teacher Molly Ballard, who is new to California, having taught in Virginia for 14 years and lived in Montana. Molly fell in love with the Coastside on a visit to San Francisco, calling it “a beautiful spot to work with children.”
Hatch Elementary School Acting Principal Alyssa Jaramillo indicated that Hatch does not yet have any new teachers.
Kings Mountain Elementary School Principal Debbie Silveria indicated that Kings Mountain does not have any new teachers.
Cunha Intermediate School Principal James Barnes introduced Virginia Frisch, Resource Specialist and special education. “Ginny loves how this is a community,” and was married in Half Moon Bay, he said. Other new Cunha teachers: Rose Manning, math. Rose had previously taught with Main Street Scholars; Sonia Myers, science. Born and raised in this area, Sonia is a graduate of Notre Dame de Namur University;
Matthew Borowski, English. Originally from Southern California, Matthew taught English in Taiwan for a year, and is excited to start at Cunha.
Half Moon Bay High School Principal John Nazar did not mince words: “I am really excited about the new staff,” he said. He also thanked Rotary for its community work, and affectionately kidded Warren about how his children had been at Half Moon Bay High “forever” (listing Warren’s daughter Kendall, the last Barmore at the high school), and added that other Rotarians’ kids had also attended the school, such as Maddox Serdy, Rose’s grandson. He noted that the high school, now at about 1,100 students, was in high demand this year. He introduced the following new teachers: David Badet, math (geometry and algebra readiness.) A graduate of Hillsdale High School and Sonoma State University (where he was an assistant basketball coach), David has a math teaching credential from California State University, East Bay; Janelle Bracamontes, art spectrum. A Southern California native, Janelle fell in love with the Bay Area when she earned her bachelor’s degree in art from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, followed by a master’s degree in education while completing a teaching credential through National University and student teaching at her own alma mater, Chino High School in Chino, Calif. Kennan Damon Jr., special education (foundational history, intro to ag and natural resources, enhanced earth science.) Montara resident Kennan earned his BA in history from the University of Oregon and a special education teaching credential from Alliant International University. Noted for his dedication to his students and his sense of humor, he has taught for the past six years at Summit Public High School in Redwood City. Scott Hannon, math (geometry, algebra I.) Scott earned double major undergraduate degrees in mathematical economics and history from the University of California, Berkeley, and from there earned a master’s degree in psychology and human development from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is currently working on a doctorate in interdisciplinary studies from Columbia Teachers College. Karen Hoffman, Community Service Coordinator/Real Life Learning. The high school’s community service requirement is refocusing this year into a vehicle through which students engage in academic curricula and learn about themselves through real-life experience. Karen, the parent of Half Moon Bay High students Milo and Caroline Hoffman, earned a BA in psychology from Bucknell University and a Master of Social Work Administration from the University of Michigan. Hannah Korslund, science/chemistry and earth science. Hannah earned a bachelor of science degree from John Hopkins University (where she led the volleyball team that won a Division III national championship in 2019) and a masters degree and teaching credential in chemistry from Stanford University. Katherine Walera, earth science/biology and AVID I/II. Kate graduated from St. Mary’s College with a degree in environmental studies and earned a teaching credential and a masters degree with a focus on life, earth and space science from Brandman University. She also coaches volleyball. Thomas Walrod, English II and ELD. A graduate of Bellarmine High School, Thomas earned a BA in English and then a Master of Fine Arts from Regis University, followed by publication of his first manuscript, March of the Mindless. Not mindless himself, he completed a teaching credential at Notre Dame de Namur University, while concurrently teaching for the past three years at one-to-one private school Lydian Academy and coaching football.
Veteran Half Moon Bay High staff members who have recently made significant changes this year:
Jake Ward, special education (foundational English, algebra readiness, study skills.) A graduate of Half Moon Bay High School and University of Oregon summa cum laude with a BA in Spanish and a long-term substitute for many years, Jake realized his true passion in working with students with special learning needs and is currently pursuing his credential in special education. Lisa Longaker, full-time teacher on special assignment (100 percent grant-funded) career and technical education coordinator (CTE). Lisa has taught at Cunha Intermediate for 25 years, has a son and daughter who are graduates of Half Moon Bay High School; her husband Tom is an assistant basketball coach here. She has also taught home economics for many years.
Club Meeting - August 5, 2021
Rotary President Joe welcomed the virtual attendees.
Pledge of Allegiance - John Evans was “volunteered” to lead the Pledge of Allegiance; a task he accepted smilingly.
Inspirational Thought - Warren Barmore paraphrased Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People saying that we are not products of circumstance; we are products of decision.
Happy/Crappy News 
Sean Engmann had dual happy news: he announced the birth of his son, Shane, and that he completed his MBA degree. Now, he said, back to Rotary.
Mary Rogren said she had a message from Freda Jeffs with an update on Robin: he is in assisted living in a nice place over the hill. Freda may move to the area to be closer to him.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Congratulations to our own Stacy Trevenon, a July graduate of Fairfield University (Connecticut) with a Master of
Fine Arts degree in creative writing.
Announcements
Krystlyn Giedt said that Make it Main is back and pianos are in place. Music on Main Street will resume on Saturday at Mac Dutra Park.
Warren announced that the Half Moon Bay club is teaming up with the Pacifica Rotary club for a beach cleanup and that the days of the cleanups have been moved from Sundays to Saturdays, beginning at 10 a.m., this Saturday. Volunteers will do a cleanup at San Pedro Creek. Members of the Pacifica club are interested in joining Half Moon Bay Rotarians for their next Coastside beach cleanup.
Pres. Joe's Weekly 'States of the Union Quiz
President Joe then did his next quiz on American states, which he is doing from the end of the alphabet backwards. This week he featured Vermont, and welcomed Judy Dardeck, a friend since high school who lives in Vermont.
Her first question involved ice cream giants Ben & Jerry’s, and discontinued flavors which ended up in the discontinued flavors graveyard in Vermont.
Then she asked, how many Vermont representatives are there in the House and the Senate? Three, said Paul Wrubel, and he was right.
Road signs in the northern part of the state? They are in English and French.
What’s the significance of the number 802 in Vermont? That’s the area code for the whole state, which has a population less than that of San Francisco.
At 67 percent, Vermont’s rate of Covid vaccination is among the highest in the nation.
Many people flock to Vermont for its open space and lower housing costs.
Three most recognizable universities in that state? The University of Vermont, Bennington, and Middlebury, which figured in the movie “American Graffiti.”
President Joe had fond memories of his own visit to Vermont, and he held up his cell phone for viewers to see his photos from there, while he added more interesting Vermont tidbits. Vermont is known for its marble, which has been used in major bridges, in the floor of a national art gallery and in at least one well-known library. Vermont is most famous for Bernie Sanders and maple syrup, which is rated from dark to light, with light being the most expensive. It takes 42 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. The sap run is March and April, when you are likely to see hoses stuck into maple trees to collect the sap.
Moving on to more trivia, Joe said that billboards are illegal in Vermont, as well as in Maine, Hawaii and Alaska. He also noted that the real-life von Trapp family, of “The Sound of Music” fame, settled in Vermont when they came to America to flee the Nazis.
Paul added another interesting piece of inarguable trivia about youth: they make up 25 percent of the population and 100 percent of the future.
Next Week
Next week’s talk will focus on environmental issues in a changing climate.
Marble Draw 
No green marble for Rose. Rose’s name came up for the marble drawing, but unfortunately the marble she “picked” (by reaching her hand out to the Zoom screen) was a green one.
No green marble for Rose. Rose’s name came up for the marble drawing, but unfortunately the marble she “picked” (by reaching her hand out to the Zoom screen) was a green one.
PHOTO GALLERY
