High Street Neighborhood News

by Adelle Foley

Reinventing Our Schools

' Last spring our community learned of the decision to close Elisabeth Sherman School and to "incubate" a new school at Maxwell Park. In the six months that followed, a team has begun to design the new school at the Maxwell Park site, and Melrose Leadership Academy, a middle school, moved from the Melrose Elementary site into the vacant Elisabeth Sherman building.'

' The Maxwell Park design team consists of Principal Mary-Louise Newling, Vice Principal Thomas Hardy, teachers, staff, and parents of both current Maxwell Park students and younger potential students. The community members have opened the process to ideas from all those with a stake in its outcome. Guided by design coach Susan Audap, the group aims to articulate a vision and complete a draft plan for the school by mid-December, in time for the Oakland Options Fair, where parents consider schools for the fall. Team member Ashley Thomsak, who chairs Maxwell Park Families and Support Maxwell Park School, told me that they will be looking for help developing materials to inform and attract parents of potential students.'

Overnight Horse Camp

' Paris Cartier's horses have become a fixture at block parties and local parks. Now the CEO of Bay Area Cowboys and Cowgirls has announced an overnight horse camp at Hayward's Garin Regional Park on Thanksgiving weekend. Campers of all ages are welcome to learn about camping and horses, ride the horses, and toast marshmallows around the campfire. Registration fees of $25 per child are due by November 10. Call Paris Cartier at 938-5271 for details about this camp and to find out about plans for future overnight horse camps.

Sharing Thanksgiving

' When I asked about a program to help feed people for Thanksgiving, Reverend Gregg Brown told me that Miracles of Faith Community Church has opened a food pantry to feed people the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 3 to 5 p.m. In addition, his church will distribute natural food and food boxes after services on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Reverend Brown has also taken the lead in bringing a group of Oakland churches together to distribute food through 504 Distributors.

Melrose-High Hopes NCPC is completing plans for its annual tradition of giving Thanksgiving food baskets to the families of students at Horace Mann Elementary School. To donate or help out, contact Sheila at sdamicolaw\@earthlink.net.

Keep Track of Your Books!

' When I checked out a book at Melrose Branch Library, I learned that fines for overdue books had increased to 20 cents per day and juvenile material has a flat fine of one cent for the first time. The fine for late videos remains at one dollar per day. The Branch is still without a children's librarian, so interim library assistant Juenita Lee has stepped in to direct the Tween Time program for eight- to twelve-year olds on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. The staff has been busy with class visits from Melrose, Horace Mann, and various nearby charter schools. The youngsters get library cards and an introduction to the library and its dos and don'ts.

Curled up for the night

Inside our midnight cocoon

First rain on the roof'

Adelle Foley can be reached at jandafoley\@sbcglobal.net.