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(8/14/07) After a careful review of the history of the Boosters, blended with the desire to make the program 100% successful in its goal of fundraising for Alameda High School athletics, the decision has been made in 2007 and henceforth to award membership to all parents or guardians of participants. In the past, Booster membership was elective. A participant would bring home a "packet" from the coach, and the parents would look at all of the material to be signed as a huge task. The Booster envelope was one of those tasks, and often parents who would otherwise make great volunteers would not join this great program. Now, parents will automatically become members when their student signs up for a sport.

But the Boosters organization needs more than just membership. It needs members who realize that our school district, like all the other districts in the State of California, can no longer fund athletics like it use to. Once we realize this fact, we must join our forces and work hard to save our sports. Yes, we are in a crisis time period when sports are at risk of going away because there is no money to run them. And if you believe, like I believe. that sports are a vital activity for our youth, you will understand that we need your help to avert this crisis.

We are lucky to live in this great community called Alameda. Community efforts like this will not go unrewarded. We will all see the benefits for years to come as long as we see the need to save our sports now. Please join us in this very unselfish and honest effort to raise money for our kids. You won't regret it!

For more about what we do, please click here.

Thanks very much for your support!
~ Ron Matthews

Anyone wishing to make a tax-free donation to the Boosters
can make checks out to:

AHS Athletic Supporters 
(Tax ID: 94-2650418)

Mail To:  AHS Athletic Supporters 
PO Box 2286  
Alameda, CA 94501

 -- Booster News --

Meat & Seafood Fundraiser

Coming Soon!!! Sometime in the not-too-distant future the Alameda Hornet Boosters will be holding a "Meat & Seafood Fundraiser" at Alameda High. More details to come.

	This fundraiser will offer all USDA Choice or higher beef and FDA Inspected Seafood at excellent prices with all proceeds going to the Boosters and our Hornet Athletic Programs. All you have to do is clear out some space in your freezer and then come down and take advantage of the great deals. Available items (last year) included**: Filet Mignon Rib-Eyes NY Steaks Top Sirloin Ground Beef Sausages  Bacon Ham Chicken Prawns Talapia Red Snapper
We'll try to talk Coach Thomas into wearing this outfit out on the street to drum up business!!	The promotion will be set up: On campus in the main parking lot On TBA
~ Launch/View Flyer ~  Come out and enjoy great savings on Meat & Seafood while supporting Alameda High Athletics! Cash, checks and major credit cards (Amex, Visa, MC) accepted. ** All USDA Choice or Better (Seafood FDA inspected) obtained from USDA-inspected plants.  Sale sanctioned by the Alameda County Health Department.

BUDGET CUTS:
- Parcel Tax Squeaks By -
- Vote to Eliminate Sports - Students Protest -

Alameda Parcel Tax Secures Narrow Victory

By Peter Hegarty
Alameda Journal
6/12/2008

ALAMEDA -- More than a week after voters went to the polls, a parcel tax to benefit local schools squeaked to victory Wednesday after election officials tallied absentee and provisional ballots.

It capped days of anxious waiting by Measure H supporters, who say money generated from the tax will help save music, sports and other school programs.

Homeowners will pay $120 annually under the measure. It needed a two-thirds majority to pass and initial results showed that it was short by 115 votes.

"We have climbed from behind the whole way up," said Bill Schaff, a member of the Board of Education. "It's been quite exhausting for all those who have fought so hard for this campaign."

The board placed the tax on the June 3 ballot to help offset a projected $4.5 million shortfall within the Alameda Unified School District due to the state budget deficit.

Along with taxing homeowners, the measure calls for business and industrial property owners to pay from $120 to $9,500 annually. The tax would be on top of the $189 property owners now pay.

Both taxes will sunset in 2012.

Measure H opponents said district officials should find other ways to raise money, such as cutting salaries and benefits for teachers.

According to the results released Wednesday, the ballot measure secured 11,397 yes votes, or 66.87 percent. No votes totaled 5,646, or 33.13 percent.

The Alameda County Registrar of Voters is expected

to ratify the results by June 27.

While the latest numbers apparently pushed Measure H over the top, Schaff was still cautious about declaring victory, noting that he believed some votes still must be counted.

Opponents may call for a recount with such a narrow margin, he said.

"It's great for education and it's great for our kids," said Trish Spencer, president of the district PTA council, about the latest numbers. "We're very appreciative of all those who supported it."

But Spencer also said that such a tight race means district officials must show opponents that they will be fiscally responsible with money generated from the tax.

Vote to Eliminate High School Sports (Tue, 3/4)

You’ve all read the recent headlines, the threat is real. This Tuesday, 3/4, the AUSD School Board is voting on whether or not to ELIMINATE all high school sports on the island of Alameda.

This would have a DEVASTATING impact on the culture of both campuses and the culture of our city. Nearly 50% of all high school students participate in athletics. This projected loss would levy a tremendous negative impact on the richness, breadth, and depth of a student’s high school experience.

Athletics changes lives; it motivates young men and women to achieve greater levels of success in the classroom; it keeps them off of the streets and engaged in positive endeavors; it teaches competitive desire, self-discipline, team work, dedication and self-motivation. Athletics positively engages young adults in Alameda and imparts lifelong skills that enhance their abilities to succeed in adult life – be it in higher education or any life path they choose.

Eliminating athletics would not only change the face of our high schools, but the feel of our city. Our young adults need positive outlets. They need to develop and flourish in a nurturing, supportive environment. The experience athletics provides equips these young adults with the tools to allow them to deftly move into adulthood, stay properly focused and thrive.

Please come out and support our efforts to preserve the valuable experience student athletics provides and keep high school sports alive and well in Alameda. The meeting will take place @ 6:30 @ Chipman Middle School in their multi-purpose room. The address is 401 Pacific Ave.

Respectively Yours,
- Brad Thomas, Athletic Director Alameda High School 
- Kevin Gorham, Athletic Director Encinal High School

---

It is not just sports that will be cut if we don’t do something, it’s the closing of several schools, the firing of 100s of teachers and staff, an increase in class sizes, and more.

To learn more about the proposed budget cuts, go to
www.alamedaeducation.com 

ALAMEDA:
Hundreds Walk Out to Protest Sports Cuts

Oakland Tribune
March 5, 2008
by Peter Hegarty

Alameda - Chanting and holding signs, hundreds of students walked out of class today to show their anger at the school board's decision to gut funding for high school sports as a way to offset a $4.5 million budget shortfall.

PHOTO:  Dean Coppola/MediaNews

"It's going to affect our entire school, not just the students who play," said Ahmad Shaghasi, a 14-year-old freshman and a cornerback on the Hornets, the Alameda High School football team. "The board is making decisions that will make us suffer. It affects our future." Trustees initially were considering eliminating all money for high school sports and closing the school district's two swimming pools, which would have saved $465,000.

But during a special meeting that stretched through Tuesday night and into the early hours of this morning, trustees opted instead to cut $265,000 from sports and the pools, which the public also uses.

"We are still strong as a team," said 17-year-old Jason Silsdorf, a 6-foot-11-inch player on the Jets, the Encinal High School basketball team. "But we still want to make a stand. We are saying, 'Keep the teams.'"

When Superintendent Ardella Dailey first suggested no longer paying for high school sports last month as a way to help offset the shortfall, the proposal quickly came under fire from parents, teachers and students, who packed last night's special meeting at Chipman Middle School.

It prompted trustees to continue earmarking some money toward the program and make other cuts, including laying off 

the district's public information officer. The student walk-out today culminated with rally outside the district's administrative offices on Central Avenue. Dailey also pledged to meet with a student delegation this afternoon.

The initial cost-saving measures from Dailey cover just this fiscal year and total about $2.8 million. She proposes an additional $2.2 million in cuts during the next fiscal year through "restructuring of the K-12 education program," which she said could mean closing or consolidating schools.

Other school districts, including Oakland, are wrestling with similar cuts.

The current Alameda shortfall stems from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to cut at least $4 billion in overall education spending as a way to help make up the state budget deficit.

Schwarzenegger also wants to spend Proposition 98, the constitutional amendment that guarantees K-12 schools and community colleges annual money from the state's general fund.

In response, dozens of Bay Area parents - including some from Alameda - visited Sacramento last week to lobby against the governor's budget proposal.

"Nak" Win's Comcast's All-Star Teacher Award

By Jay dela Cruz
Comcast SportNet's
Communications Manager
7/21/2008

COMCAST SPORTSNET BAY AREA ANNOUNCES WINNER
OF ALL-STAR TEACHER AWARD

Allen Nakamura of Alameda High School Presented with $10,000 Check,
2008 All-Star Teacher Announced During Giants Pregame Live Show

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 21, 2008) – Comcast SportsNet Bay Area announced that Allen Nakamura of Alameda High School was named the winner of the 2008 ALL-STAR TEACHER AWARD. Ted Griggs, Vice President and General Manager, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and San Francisco Giants All Star pitcher Brian Wilson, presented Nakamura with a check for $10,000 during yesterday’s Comcast SportsNet Bay Area telecast of Giants Pregame Live, prior to the Giants/Milwaukee Brewers game from AT&T Park.

The ALL-STAR TEACHER AWARD was created to recognize middle and high school teachers in Northern California who go above and beyond to inspire their students and community. An esteemed panel of community leaders selected five finalists based on four categories: Overall Commitment, Excellence in Teaching, Rapport with Students, and Level of Distinction. The five finalists were Allen Nakamura of Alameda High School (Alameda, CA); Clyde Carpino of Fairfield High School (Fairfield, CA); Tommie Lindsey of James Logan High School (Union City, CA); Alicia Vosberg of El Camino High School (South San Francisco, CA); and Chris Wardlaw of Anzar High School (San Juan Bautista, CA).

Members of the public voted for the ALL STAR TEACHER finalists from May 23-July 15 by voting on-line at www.comcastsportsnet.com and by filling out official ballot forms in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Allen “Nak” Nakamura grew up in Berkeley and El Cerrito. Staying true to his East Bay roots and desire to give back to the community, the 54-year-old Nakamura teaches ninth through twelfth grades at Alameda High School. When he is not teaching Leadership, Ethnic Studies and U.S. History to students, and coaching the freshmen boys basketball team, he is tirelessly supporting his students and the greater Alameda community.

Typically, Nakamura is in his classroom after school providing academic help and guidance for students, and is often on campus in the evenings and on weekends doing the same. Nakamura’s commitment to his students and community has gone far beyond the classroom. In addition to working on school activities such as pep rallies and assemblies, he has helped plan school fundraisers, which often benefit blood drives, needy families, and disaster victims. Nakamura graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in social science. He currently resides in Alameda.

“We are honored to present Allen Nakamura with the title of ALL-STAR TEACHER and a $10,000 check for Alameda High School,” said Griggs. “Mr. Nakamura has shown tireless dedication and commitment to his students and the East Bay community. We hope this award will serve as recognition for all Northern California teachers as they continue to inspire their students and community every day.”

Griggs added, “We’d also like to congratulate the other four finalists and all the award nominees for making a difference in their schools and communities. We applaud their efforts and wish them all the best.”

The elite panel of community leaders that selected the ALL-STAR TEACHER AWARD finalists consisted of Doug Bartlett, Senior Marketing Director, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), and former Bay Area teacher; Rob Jaynes, Director of Fan Development/The Sharks Foundation, San Jose Sharks; Detra Paige, Director of Community Relations, Oakland Athletics; and Sue Petersen, Executive Director of Giants Community Fund, San Francisco Giants.

Last February, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area sent ALL-STAR TEACHER AWARD nomination forms to over 200 Northern California middle and high schools. Nominations were received from parents, principals, students and teachers throughout the Central Coast and Northern California region.

The ALL-STAR TEACHER AWARD is sponsored by Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast Cable, KNBR 680 AM, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

The ALL-STAR TEACHER AWARD is a component of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area’s annual Stay in School Challenge. The Stay in School Challenge is a community outreach program that rewards middle and high school students for perfect attendance over an eight-week period. Students in grades 6-12 in the Northern California/Northern Nevada region who maintain perfect attendance (no unexcused absences) can win tickets to a 2008 Oakland Athletics or San Francisco Giants home game. Since 1996, over 245,000 tickets to an Oakland or San Francisco baseball game have been awarded to students.

Amazon.com Fundraising  

The Boosters have teamed up with Amazon.com so that whenever you purchase anything from Amazon -- AS LONG AS YOU ACCESS THEIR SITE FROM THE LINK ON OUR HOME PAGE -- the Boosters receive a percentage of the purchase, which will directly benefit AHS athletics.

The key is, you MUST access the Amazon.com website from our home page link -- that's the only way Amazon can track the purchases so that the Boosters receive credit.

You can purchase anything you normally would online, but if you access Amazon via our site, the Boosters get a percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you!

Back to Booster Home Page

NCS Vote Keeps Berkeley, Alameda in ACCAL
Encinal joins the BSAL as part of a 2008-2012 league realignment proposal
By Chace Bryson 
ccTimes – 5/04/07

SAN RAFAEL -- Finally, when it comes to the North Coast Section league realignment of the Bay Shore Conference, it's all over but the shouting.

And Berkeley High School might do just that.

On April 27 at the Peacock Gap Golf & Country Club, an NCS Board of Managers vote of 25-6 with two abstentions ratified the NCS Alignment & Classification Committee's 2008-2012 league realignment proposal for the Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League, Bay Shore Athletic League, Hayward Area Athletic League and Mission Valley Athletic League.

The approved proposal, which came as a result of 13 appeal hearings in February, essentially keeps the Bay Shore leagues status quo with the exception of Encinal joining the BSAL. It was the last of the five NCS conferences to have a proposal approved. The others were voted in on Jan. 19.

Berkeley and Alameda , both of which had hopes of joining the HAAL, were left right where they started when the realignment process began close to a year ago.

With the second-largest student enrollment in the NCS at approximately 3,500 students, Berkeley has actively argued over the past several months that the ACCAL -- and its seven schools each with enrollments under 2,000 -- no longer fits its competitive needs.
It's an argument that Berkeley may now make in an appeal to the California Interscholastic Federation. The school has 30 days to file such an appeal.

"Nothing is off the table for us at this point," said Pasquale vice principal in charge of athletics. "Overall, we think there could've been an opportunity for a little more working together between all the leagues involved to try and find something more creative. We still think that can happen, but at this point there doesn't seem to be a willingness to do that."
At the April 27 meeting, Alameda principal Mike Janvier attempted to have the final vote tabled and made a motion that the conference go back to the drawing board one last time with the help of NCS administrators and the Alignment & Classification committee. That motion was defeated after gaining just 10 supportive votes.

"I think the process could be improved," Janvier said after the meeting. "I think we need more help, from both the conference itself and the leadership of the NCS. ...With a little bit of help, we could come up with a better solution that fits the bigger picture.

"We certainly had our say. Everyone had their say, and this is the way it played out so we'll try and make the most of it."

The issue of realignment wasn't the only thing addressed by the Board of Managers on April 27.

The Board approved an amendment to the NCS hardship appeal procedure that would make any initial appeals go straight to the NCS commissioner. Appeals of the commissioner's ruling would then be heard by an NCS Eligibility Hearing Panel. This was an effort to make the procedure more in line with that of the CIF.

Also, a proposed motion which would have extended playoff hosting rights to teams that were co-champions of their league but not given an automatic berth, was soundly defeated.

Four schools were unanimously approved for membership to the NCS/CIF. El Sobrante Christian and Cornerstone Christian were both added to the section as non-league affiliated members of the Bay Area Conference for 2007-08. Fremont Christian and Redwood Christian were given the nod to do the same beginning in 2008-09.

FINAL Decision

After nearly six months of proposals and appeals, the North Coast Section Board of Managers has approved a 2008-2012 league realignment proposal for the Bay Shore Conference. Schools now wishing to appeal their placement would need to do with the California Interscholastic Federation. Also included is the Valley Conference realignment which was approved on Jan. 19.

Bay Shore Conference

ACCAL: Alameda, Berkeley, De Anza, El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole Valley, Richmond

BSAL: Albany, Encinal, Holy Names, Kennedy-Richmond, John Swett, Piedmont, Salesian, St. Joseph Notre Dame, St. Mary's, St. Patrick-St. Vincent

HAAL: Arroyo, Bishop O'Dowd, Castro Valley, Hayward, Moreau Catholic, Mt. Eden, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Tennyson

MVAL: American, Irvington, James Logan, Kennedy-Fremont, Mission San Jose, Newark Memorial, Washington

Valley Conference

BVAL: Antioch, Deer Valley, Freedom, Heritage, Liberty, Pittsburg, new Brentwood school

DFAL: Acalanes, Alhambra, Campolindo, Dougherty Valley, Dublin, Las Lomas, Miramonte

EBAL: Amador Valley, California, Carondelet, De La Salle, Foothill, Granada, Livermore, Monte Vista, San Ramon Valley

NEW: Berean Christian, Clayton Valley, College Park, Concord, Mt. Diablo, Northgate, Ygnacio Valley

Links 
Below are links to several popular local sports-related sites:

• North Coast Section (NCS) Website:  www.cifncs.org
• Alameda Sports Project:  www.alamedasportsproject.com
• NCAA Clearinghouse (for prospective college athletes):  www.ncaa.org
• MaxPreps (stats):  www.maxpreps.com
• Cal-Preps Sports (football stats):  www.calpreps.com
• DyeStatCal (track stats/results):  www.dyestatcal.com 
• SportsFocus:  www.ktvu.com/sportsfocus/index.html
• Local Sports Coverage:
  • Oakland Trib/Times Star: www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune
  • Alameda Journal/ccTimes: www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes
  • Alameda Sun: www.alamedasun.com

Sportsmanship Code  
The following is reprinted from the Alameda High website:

Students should set a good example in the matter of sportsmanship. To this end, they should:

• Remember that a student spectator represents his/her school in the same manner as does the participating athlete.
• Recognize that the good name of the school is the primary concern.
• Learn the rules of the various athletic programs.
• Respond with enthusiasm to the calls of the cheerleaders.
• Appreciate and applaud an exhibition of fine play or good sportsmanship by any player or team.
• Accept the decision of the officials.
• Refrain from going onto the court or field at any time particularly at the end of the contest.
• Be considerate of the injured on both teams.
• Do not make abusive remarks or use unacceptable language.
• Respect the opponent's campus.
• Never belittle an opponent or cheer his/her misfortune.
• Never direct abusive remarks at individual players during a contest.
• Never boo a penalty.
• Remain quiet during attempted free throws.
• Respect the name, colors, symbols, insignia, etc., of the opposing school.