Dublin Unified School District Annual Concert 2012

With the increasing pressure to do well in high school, get accepted into college and ultimately find a job, it is tempting for some to set aside music education as not relevant, or a nice to have, or too much of a time commitment. This view is counterproductive – “The most important thing about music (or, more generally, Arts) education, which has been demonstrated by numerous studies, is its effect on non-Arts studies. The Arts teaches students how to think, how to analyze, how to study, how to practice, how to focus. Spending on the Arts is one of the most efficient uses of money, with the highest return per buck of just about any object of funding.” – Philip Morehead, Head of Music Staff, Lyric Opera of Chicago.

According to a Harris Interactive poll of school principals, music programs contribute to higher attendance and graduation rates and The College Board reported in 2011 that SAT takers with coursework / experience in music performance scored 120 points higher on the verbal portion of the test (reading + writing) and 44 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework or experience in the arts. SAT scores for those with coursework in music appreciation were 129 points higher on the verbal (reading + writing) and 43 points higher on the math portion.

Finally, the benefits of music education aren’t just for those planning to pursue music in college or as a career. In fact, 95% of the University of Minnesota’s Marching Band are not music majors.

To go beyond the stats, Dublin High School Music Director Paul Everts reached out to current and former members of the University of Minnesota’s band program for their thoughts on how music has been a positive influence on their lives:

Ryan G, E.I.T. ., B.C.E. Structures Emphasis, University of Minnesota:

“I am a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering. I was also a four-year member of the University of Minnesota Marching Band or ‘Pride of Minnesota.’ A lot of people view music and the arts as an ancillary item in a person’s education; however, music has been an important player in my life for as long as I can remember. The examples that I draw from are based on my high school and college education.

“In high school I was involved in both band and choir, including marching band. These activities were a great way for me to hone my craft. During my senior year, however, I faced a difficult decision: whether or not to take Physics, which only occurred during either the band or choir time slots. Since I was planning on enrolling in a science-based major in college, I elected to take Physics. In order to be active in choir, which I replaced with Physics, I also dropped my study hall and enrolled in our high school’s music theory course. This was possibly one of the best decisions that I made in high school. Although I was not in the actual choir, I was able to learn the parts in Music Theory and participate in that manner. This allowed me to not only take Physics, but also to hone my ability to quickly work up new songs or parts.

“When I went to college, I was told that being in the marching band would be difficult with a science or engineering major. This was true, but participating in band was also the single best decision I have made in my entire college career. Marching band helped me in three ways: I instantly had over three hundred friends who wanted to see me succeed, the stress that I felt in my major was easier to manage in the fall semesters when I had the two to three-hour diversion from my course-load, and finally, the time management skills that I gained while juggling homework, classes, and band will be beneficial throughout my entire life.

“In conclusion, I know that my life could have been much easier had I not been so thoroughly involved in the Arts, especially music. However, the positive impacts that I have experienced by being involved in band so thoroughly outstrip the negatives that I can say without any hesitation that it is worth the time and effort, even at the expense of choices that could have set me up better for my future as an engineer.”

Clara M., University of Minnesota Marching Band Color Guard

“Why stay in band?

• Band provides camaraderie. I met most of my high school friends in band, and the people in my college marching band are fantastic.
• Band is cool in college. I can’t tell you how many times people have said to me, “You’re in the marching band? That’s so awesome. I wish I had stayed in music back in middle school so I could do that.”
• Band is a learning experience. Marching for the University of Minnesota was one of the hardest things I have done, but also one of the most rewarding.
• There’s a lot of pride that goes along with being in the band. Not only do people all over campus recognize you, but so do people throughout the community and you feel really good about what you do. I’m extremely proud to be a part of the Pride of Minnesota, and it’s helped me get more involved in my school in general. There’s this fantastic feeling that comes with getting out on the field in front of several thousand people to perform a show that you know is good and that you’re really proud to be a part of.
• College band is just super fun.It’s not just marching band, but also the concert bands that any student can join and the concerts you can attend. I had a great time in marching band, but I also loved being in concert band during the spring semester.
• Band is something you can do for the rest of your life, no matter your profession. Some research has shown that being in music makes you better at a lot of other topics. For me, music can be a way to relax. There is so much of a push today to make sure students like you are ready for a career. That is undeniably important, but at the same time, you have your whole lives to develop that career. Life isn’t just about where you work. It’s about doing things that make you happy. Band might not be “cool” or “important” right now, but I can just about guarantee that if you stick with it a little longer it’ll be pretty darn awesome.”

Lindsay B., University of Minnesota

“I am in the Color Guard at the University of Minnesota Marching band and I will be entering into my fourth year of college, as well as fourth year with this band in the fall. Amongst all the major coursework I have for my BA in Pre-Law, I make it a priority to leave enough time in my schedule for Marching Band. This band makes me feel like I am a part of this university in a way no other student activity can. Marching Band is considered a class, but I don’t think of it that way. The band it’s something I love to do; it keeps me motivated both academically and mentally. It has taught me so many life lessons that sitting in a lecture hall could never teach me. I have gained lifelong friends, determination, and adaptability just to name a few. Band is a major part of my like and has always been a highlight of every school year, including my high school years, and I couldn’t even imagine how boring my life would be without it.”

Joseph T., University of Minnesota, Tuba Player & Civil Engineering Major

“I am a civil engineering student at the University of Minnesota and a tuba player there. Why students should continue in music is a question that has too many right answers for one email, so let me settle on the less obvious reasons.

“First: You may never get a chance to play music again. Formally you may never get to pick up the trumpet, never have friends counting on you for that. Music is important and it’s fun, and if you ever stop it’s a lot harder to get back on the bandwagon (just think how hard it is when Fall comes and you haven’t really practiced all summer).

“Second: You will never have certain opportunities without music. Unlike many clubs on campus, which tend to draw from the same disciplines (only civil engineers try out for concrete canoe), the Pride of Minnesota Marching Band draws members from every discipline. By having such a large and tight-knit organization I can count among some of my closest friends people who think about problems in very different ways. I have friends in music education, engineering, social sciences, history, nursing, pre-med, pre-law, communications, management and even a few who have no idea what direction they wish to take, because the marching band is a home for everyone. By knowing, interacting, working and problem solving with all these people who think in different ways I know that I have done better in my classes, have more confidence and have a group of friends who were willing to stand up for me.

“Third: Do you know how hard it can be to get a decent letter of recommendation? For an internship or student job you need at least one by a professor who knows you well. My professors know who I am and that I work hard, but the only one I trust to write a recommendation that shows they know me, that shows that this was not a form letter, that shows that I know what I’m doing and will work hard, is the director of the marching band. It is one of the first things he offers and I cannot thank him enough just for being on my resume as a reference. There are sayings ‘it’s not what you know but who’ or ‘you will think of people what you wish to think of them’, and if you get a glowing, personalized letter of recommendation from a person who is seen in high regard, your application jumps up to the top of the stack, it is equal to a sizable GPA boost (on top of the boost you already get by being a member of the band). There is no doubt in my mind that putting the director the Pride of Minnesota Marching Band on my resume has already gotten me jobs and already gotten me interviews and volunteer opportunities I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise.

“If you are questioning what is best for you for future employment, let me just say, music and the arts are what you need, you need a strong repertoire of dealing with people different from yourself and it will help you more when it matters than any other high school class ever would. I cannot thank my band teachers enough and I still have 2 or 3 years left to go.”

Jacquelyn R., University of Minnesota

“I’m in my third year at the University of Minnesota studying Business Marketing Education with a triple minor in Leadership, Psychology, and Adult Education. I have made the dean’s list with a 3.94 GPA for the last two semesters, have a full-time sales internship with the 10th largest private company in the world, and work a 20-hour / week job for the university during the school year. I am an officer in a co-ed music service fraternity, have a large group of friends (both in an out of band), have been dating the same great guy for four and a half years, and am able to see my 30-minutes-away-family several times a month.

“It sounds like a personal commercial, but what I’m trying to say is that your life is as full as you make it. People thrive in all kinds of different ways, and I thrive under hard work. But what college has taught me most of all is that the human soul, the most untouchable part of you, has to be nurtured in order for anything else to thrive. If you have music in you, you know. It’s in your blood and bones. And if you think that you’ll be healthier or wealthier or better off if you focus on your major, career, social life, or grades, you’re wrong. Those are all important – but if music is part of you, if the four right chords can make you cry and if music has given you anything, college is the time to give back. You will grow and learn and meet opportunities both academic and social, but everything goes back to music. It all goes back. You can’t run on empty, and you can’t grow from anywhere but your roots; being part of something bigger than yourself, giving back, and doing what matters to your soul is what college is for.”

Emily B., University of Minnesota

“Why stay in music?  Why do marching band?  Why the heck do you have a french horn tattooed on your foot? These questions are often followed by my description of my college education choices.  I am an Anthropology Major, a French Minor and a Music Performance Minor on the French Horn and I do marching band.  A better question would be to ask me can you imagine your life without music.  And I can’t.  I play music so I can breathe.  Music is the place I go that nobody else can interfere.  It is my own personal world.  The world that I know I can succeed in.  Using someone else’s words “music is the international language, everybody can understand it.” I fully believe that.  Music is an individual effort along with group effort.  Your part never seems unimportant, it is always important.  Each individual has a specific part to play that without it the whole would collapse upon itself.

“Once you accomplish something so monumental like putting on a concert or a halftime show, you can’t imagine doing it any other way.  And the people who you perform with, you learn to understand them to their very depths, probably even better than they know themselves.

“That’s why I do music.  To get a deeper understanding of myself and of my friends through music.  Through music I soar.”

Fortunately for Dublin residents, the Arts has remained a priority in Dublin’s public schools at all levels. This summer will also see construction start on the new Dublin High School Performing Arts Centre, funded by voter-approved Bond Measure ‘C’. The new facility will significantly expand the performing space available Dublin High students and the community.

Class of 2012 Valedictorian Andrew Song

Dublin High School’s annual Senior Awards Night filled Dublin’s Shannon Center with students, parents, educators and members of the Dublin High community. Over $1,800,000 in scholarships and awards were presented Dublin High School Class of 2012 students for their achievements at Dublin High, including 35 merit scholarships for colleges nationwide.

Included in the event was the traditional passing of the gavel ceremony where outgoing senior and student body president Tatum Wheeler (attending UC Berkeley this Fall) introduced incoming student body president Samantha Theard.

Among the many seniors winning awards, Rebecca Beasley was accepted into the highly selective U.S. Air Force Academy. Rebecca was recognized with a special presentation by a representative of the Air Force Academy. Over 12,000 applicants competed for a position in the Academy. The Dublin High School Class of 2012 Valedictorian Andrew Song, who will attend the University of Chicago to study economics, was also awarded a National Merit Scholarship. Raymond Liu, who will be attending Stanford University, was also the recipient of a National Merit Scholarship.

Class of 2012 Student Body President Tatum Wheeler

OneDublin.org prepared the third annual edition of the popular “I am Dublin High” video (see below) featuring nearly 70 Dublin High School Class of 2012 seniors sharing their post-high school plans (in under 5 minutes). The full list of colleges that offered admission to Dublin High Class of 2012 seniors, which includes Stanford, Brown, Duke, Purdue, US Airforce Academy, every University of California (UC), every CSU campus and many more is available here.

Dublin High Senior Awards Night 2012 Results:

Passing of the Gavel

• Student Body President 2011-2012: Tatum Wheeler
• Student Body President 2012-2013: Samantha Theard

Senior Class Officer Recognition

• Senior Class President: Edward Achziger
• Senior Class Treasurer: Monica Moorjani
• Senior Class Secretary: Crystal Fisher

ASB Officer Recognition

• President: Tatum Wheeler
• Vice President: Joe Nealon
• Treasurer: Irma Deljkic
• Secretary: Lauren Koa
• School Board Representative: Katelyn Haubert

Jostens Senior of the Year

• Tatum Wheeler

U.S. Air Force Academy

• Rebecca Beasley

U.S. Marine Corps

• Rick Bettencourt
• Austin Cortez
• Regin Guevarra
• Andrew Roosa

U.S. Army

• Brandon Chavarria

Air Force Math and Science Award

• Patricia Li
• Christian Wang

U.S. Army Reserve – National Scholar/Athlete

• Clint Jackman
• Noria Mitchell

United States Marine Corps

• Distinguished Athlete
  • Edward Achziger
  • Shannon Irwin
• Scholastic Excellence Award
  • Andrew Song
• Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence
  • Adele Sievers

Dave Burton Scholarship

• Bowen Chan

Dublin Rotary Student of the Year

• Bowen Chan

Dublin Lions Club Student of the Month

• September – Tatum Wheeler
• October – Joseph Nealon
• November – Irma Deljkic
• December – Lauren Koa
• January – Clint Jackman
• February – Kacey Borgeson
• March – Jaime LeQuin
• April – Rebecca Beasley
• May – Paolo Cordero
• June – Chandler Bullock

Dublin Lions Club Student of the Year

• Clint Jackman
• Tatum Wheeler

National Daughters of the American Revolution

• Tatum Wheeler

Diablo Black Men’s Group

• Demani McFarlin

Dublin Teachers Association Academic Student Scholarship

• Jason Van Dorn
• Noria Mitchell
• Kellen Mitchell

Teresa Herrington Memorial Scholarship, CSEA

• Rachel Reed
• Hannah Villanueva
• Ryan Meadows

Dublin United Soccer League Scholarship

• Robert Carino

Dee Ronchette-Dublin United Soccer League Scholarship

• Kyra Esmeyer
• Katie Somerville

Sally Muhly Award

• Talor Ingram

Justin & Sara Peelle Student Athlete Scholarship/Mentorship Award

• Edward Achziger

Dublin High School Alumni Scholarship

• Noria Mitchell
• Kellen Mitchell
• Tatum Wheeler
• Lacey Platter
• Katelyn Haubert

Dublin High PFSO Scholarship

• Clint Jackman
• Chandler Bullock
• Ronil Bhatia
• Alexander Palomares
• Kristyn Lue
• Jasmine Bafaiz

Dublin High Irish Guard Band Boosters Scholarship

• Avijit Dey
• Rachel Reed
• Adele Sievers
• Christian Wang
• Cecila Wijayang

Dublin High Band Director’s Award

• William Shiell

Dublin High Athletic Boosters Scholarship

• Edward Achziger
• Shirley Chen
• Shannon Irwin
• Noria Mitchell
• Katie Somerville
• Zachary Tucker
• Hannah Villanueva

Don Nelson Scholarship

• Clint Jackman
• Noria Mitchell

Biletnikoff Foundation Scholarship

• Crystal Fisher

Cabrillo Civics Club of CA, Inc. Scholarship

• Tatum Wheeler

College Board – National Hispanic Recognition Program

• Alexander Palomares

Comcast Leaders & Achievers

• Christian Wang

Dell Scholarship

• Thuy Tran

Diablo San Ramon Valley Rotary Club – Wrestling Scholarship

• Rachael Chinn

Musgrove/Applied Fusion Eagle Scout Scholarship

• Kyle Dayton

Nestle U.S.A. Scholarship

• Kyle Dayton

College Scholarships

• Edward Achziger – Marist College
• Jacob Adams – University of Puget Sound
• Jacqueline Amador – Mills College
• Youjin An – Laguna College of Art and Design
• Nathaniel Bennett – Arizona State University/Barrett Honors College
• Ronil Bhatia – University of California, Los Angeles
• Rebecca Bomfim – California Lutheran University
• Taylor Bromley – San Jose State University
• Chandler Bullock – Syracuse University
• Robert Carino – Maple Woods Community College
• Kyle Dayton – Brigham Young University
• Rayna Del Rosario – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• Sarah Finn – Saint Mary’s College of California
• Crystal Fisher – Purdue University, Indiana
• Meghan Hall – University of San Diego
• Collin Hartland – Colorado College
• Katelyn Haubert – Chapman University
• Louis Hernandez – Elmhurst College, Illinois
• Shannon Irwin – University of La Verne
• Elizabeth Jones – St. John’s University, New York
• Julie Leonard – Oregon State University
• Jonathan Lin – Wheaton College, Illinois
• Irene Liu – New York University
• Kellen Mitchell – University of Nevada, Reno
• Noria Mitchell – Saint Mary’s College of California
• Ethan Molinar – Arizona State University
• Tyler Nevans – Chapman University
• Nicholas Oto – Saint Mary’s College of California
• Chelsea Pae – Boston College
• Alexander Palomares – Santa Clara University
• Marlana Pierson – Menlo College
• Adele Sievers – Westmont College
• Nicole Sonobe – Santa Fe University of Art and Design
• Shilpa Stanley – Baylor University
• Matthew Sy – University of San Francisco

Dublin High School Counseling Department

• Selina Johnson
• Nicole Price
• Kristyn Lue
• Clint Jackman
• Andrea Crandell

AVID Student Award

• Alexandra Mace
• Nicholas Oto
• Major Stelly

GAEL Achievement Awards

• Consumer & Family Studies: Lindsay Webber
• Drama: Christopher Harral
• English: Kristyn Lue
• ESL: Seong Hyun Woo
• Fine Arts: Rachel Antone
• French: Sara Forsman
• History: Tatum Wheeler
• Instrumental Music: William Shiell
• Journalism: Lauren Koa
• Mathematics: Nathaniel Bennett
• Physical Education: Jordan Rose
• Science: Patricia Li
• Social Science: Shirley Chen
• Spanish: Gabrielle Basile
• Vocal Music: Jessica Rose
• ROP
  • Nicole Sonobe
  • Brandon Funk
  • Emily Davis

Consumer & Family Studies

• Jacob Hicks

Department Scholarship

• Sean Glaser

Outstanding DECA Senior

• Tyler Nevans
• Danielle Coleman
• Ronil Bhatia
• Vincent O’Brien
• Andrew Hong

DECA Business Student of the Year

• Mohit Dhamija

California Scholarship Federation Life Members

CSF Leadership Scholarship

• Christian Wang

President’s Silver Award for Educational Achievement

President’s Gold Award for Educational Excellence

National Merit Scholarship Finalists

• Raymond Liu
• Andrew Song
• Christian Wang

National Merit Scholarships

• Raymond Liu
• Andrew Song

Salutatorian

• Christian Wang

Valedictorian

• Andrew Song

Dublin High School Engineering Academy students capped an exciting year, that included meeting MythBusters stars Adam Savage and Kari Byron, winning at RoboGames 2012 and building a duct tape suspension bridge, with an exclusive boat tour of the new east span of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge. The new $6 billion bridge, scheduled to open in 2013, has been engineered to withstand a 1,500 year seismic event. Led by Bay Bridge Seismic Safety Projects Educational Outreach Program Manager Steve Padilla, Dublin High School Engineering Academy students learned about the science and engineering decisions behind the new bridge’s design, as well as the story behind a special iron troll crafted by construction workers to protect the existing bridge. The material used to create the troll was taken from a portion of the Bay Bridge that collapsed as a result of the 1989 earthquake (watch the video for a close-up view of the troll, created by construction workers after the 1989 earthquake).

“When engineers design structures to resist earthquakes, they use ‘rock motions’ to help them calculate the maximum seismic forces that the structure may experience; they then design the structure to resist these forces. Rock motions are the vibrations that travel through the bedrock caused by the slipping of an earthquake fault. Seismologists develop the rock motions based on the structures location in relation to earthquake faults and historical and geotechnical site data. The ‘new’ East Span has been designed to withstand rare seismic events. Specifically, the span has a 1,500-year return period. This is defined as the largest rock motions expected to occur at the bridge site once every 1,500 years.” –  Bay Bridge Seismic Safety Projects website

The Dublin High School Engineering Academy curriculum expands in 2012-13 to include a new course, Digital Electronics, as well as a 1:1 computing pilot for students entering the academy.

Tag along with the Dublin High School Engineering Academy as they tour the new span of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge in the photo / video essay below:

New Bay Bridge HD Video Tour

New Bay Bridge Photo Essay

College acceptance letters have been arriving in mailboxes across Dublin from Stanford, Brown, Duke, Purdue, US Airforce Academy, every University of California (UC), every CSU campus and many more. The full list of colleges that accepted Dublin High School Class of 2012 seniors is summarized below. The success of this year’s graduating class builds on the achievements of the Dublin High Class of 2011 (last year’s Dublin High School college acceptance results are available here).

In addition, six seniors in Dublin High School’s Class of 2012 have chosen to serve their country by enlisting in the military, along with one student that is pursuing a mission in Europe.

Fourteen Dublin High School alumni have contributed articles to OneDublin.org’s Life in College series. This unique series of articles by former Dublin High students covers life at colleges across the country including Harvard, Stanford, Columbia / JTS, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UCSD, West Point, University of Arizona, Carroll College, Hamline University, Penn State, Sonoma State, and Santa Barbara City College.

Dublin High School Class of 2011 students are also taking advantage of cost-effective Community College Transfer Programs into 4-year colleges.  According to Dublin High School Counseling, 98% of Dublin High School students destined for a local community college are intending to transfer into a 4-year college for their junior year.  More information on Community College Transfer Programs is available here.

All told 97.9% of the Dublin High School Class of 2012 reported plans to attend college this Fall.  Dublin High School was recently included in Newsweek’s 2012 list of America’s Top Public High Schools and received a statewide rank of 10 (out of 10) and a similar schools rank of 9 (out of 10) from the California Department of Education for its 2011 API of 879 (full results available here).  Dublin High School’s UC admission rate for 2008-9 was 84% (read more…).

Congratulations Dublin High School Class of 2012 and good luck on your finals!

The full list of colleges that extended offers of admission to Dublin High School Class of 2012 seniors is provided below (source: Dublin High School Counseling’s Senior Exit Survey 2012):

Dublin High School Counseling has made available a wide variety of resources for parents (available here…).

Dublin High School Class of 2011 Commencement Ceremony

The April/May timeframe is traditionally a period when community contributors are recognized throughout the City of Dublin. On April 24, the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees honored 18 such individuals with their annual Recognition Program. Those honored included, Certificated, Classified and Administrative employees as well as parent volunteers. In following with this theme, the Rotary Club of Dublin hosted their annual Community Superstar Awards at the Dublin Ranch Golf Course on May 15. OneDublin.org was honored to receive an invitation and the opportunity to report upon this event.

A hearty and hungry crowd of well over 75 people filled the dining room. Mayor Tim Sbranti offered a keynote delivery and the program was under way. The organization of this event was under the steady hand of Janine Thalblum, a parent of two children at Green Elementary School. The Rotary Club of Dublin has established six categories for recognition: City employees in the areas of Police, Fire and Non-Emergency Services, and School District employees in Administration / Leadership, Certificated and Classified staff were recognized. The respective awardees in each category were as follows:

• Police: Officer Channing Rhodes
• Fire: Staff Battalion Brian Caminada
• Non-Emergency: Julie Carter – HR Director for the City of Dublin
• School Administration: Rinda Bartley – Principal, Valley High School
• Certificated: Kim Baumann – AP Chemistry Teacher, Dublin High School
• Classified: Guy Rose – Maintenance Crafts Worker/Locksmith

Each honoree was introduced by a speaker. Some of the speakers were colleagues and most were their direct supervisors. The verbal statements were both succinct and spoke very clearly as to why the recipient was being honored. It was very fitting that some of the families of those honored were present. Of the six honored, only one was not present. Dublin High School teacher Kim Baumann was in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Why? She was touring the campus of Blackman High School and meeting some of her soon-to-be new colleagues, where Ms. Baumann will continue her career as a classroom teacher in Tennessee. Ms. Carol Shimizu, Principal of Dublin High School simply and eloquently stated during her introduction, “Our loss at DHS is their gain.”

Kim Baumann attained a B.S in Chemical Engineering from Grove City College in Pennsylvania. Thereafter, she earned a Single Subject Teaching Credential from California State University, East Bay and then an M.A. in Education from the University of Phoenix. She has been employed by DUSD since 2004 and she currently teaches courses in Chemistry (and AP Chemistry), AVID and serves as the lead Science teacher. While she is a beloved instructor at DHS, a life-changing opportunity was proposed to her family. Her husband, John, was offered a professional opportunity to relocate to Tennessee. He is employed as a Channel Distribution Manager with Hewlett-Packard. In addition, the move would allow both Kim and John to be located much closer to family members that are scattered between the Midwest and the East Coast. It seemed right and they acted, but not without some reluctance about what they were leaving behind.

OneDublin.org: What are the primary differences that you’ve witnessed today comparative to when you started with the school district?

Kim Baumann: “The physical changes are Dublin High School are obvious. Thanks to a supportive community, DHS has gone through an 80% physical transformation. My room went from a windowless room with one barely accessible fume hood to a state of the art facility with four fume hoods for student safety. We have moved from a model of some teachers working in isolation to one where collaboration is the norm. We also work through a model of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) in which teachers collaborate on curriculum. We use common assessments to obtain data so that we can improve curriculum.”

OneDublin.org: You are also known as a pioneer in “flipping the classroom” – recording your lectures and making them available online to your students. What other innovations have you incorporated into your daily work?

Baumann: “Over the past several years, I had noticed that some of the students were not paying 100% attention to time in the class and that they would not have the tools to complete their homework. So, I began to create videos to walk students through the process of solving problems. After attending a conference in Colorado last summer, I learned about a methodology about “flipping my classroom” through video technology. It has been effective because absent students can have access to the material and other students may watch the lectures when they are focused.”

OneDublin.org: Your classroom time extends beyond the school day. If often includes after school time and Saturdays. Why do you do this and what impact has it made with your students?

Baumann: “My mentor teacher at Logan High School had this practice because she said “Sometimes students just need a little more time to sit, think and to process the material.” I think that this is true and I also believe that students learn more when they learn through each other. When working in smaller groups, it has also helped to build relationships with students and many struggling kids benefit from learning in less stressful situations.”

OneDublin.org: Lastly, your departure from DHS will be a loss for our district. What would you like to say to your colleagues, students and parents that you’ve touched over the years?

Baumann: “I would simply like to thank everyone for encouraging me and allowing me to grow as a teacher. The students inspire me from their inclusive nature and enthusiasm about life. This community is so supportive of their teachers! The staff is second to none and they are always there to discuss ideas, encourage and to pick you up when you may feel down.”

Blackmon High School and the Rutherford County School District are blessed to receive the best that we can offer from Dublin. We wish you, John and your entire family the best of rewards on this move.

Editor’s Note: Kim Baumann was also honored at the DUSD 2011-12 Recognition Program as an honoree in the Certificated Employee category.

Valley High School’s Alumni BBQ event kicked off at 12:45PM and went on into the afternoon. Current and former students were welcomed with a large assortment of lunch offerings and sweets. Former staff members are also invited to join in the festivities. The air was filled with music and an overall positive vibe. To understand how all of this came about and what it meant to the site, OneDublin.org reached out to the organizer of this event, Stephanie Sbranti.

Stephanie has been a Certificated Staff Member at Valley High for eight years. She earned her B.A. in History from the University of California, Davis and attained her Teaching Credential from St. Mary’s College. She currently teaches courses in Civics, Economics, Leadership and Culinary Arts. If the last name sounds familiar, yes, she is married to City of Dublin Mayor and Dublin High School Alumni, Tim Sbranti.

OneDublin.org: What was the genesis of the VHS Alumni BBQ and how has it been organized?

Teacher Stephanie Sbranti (center) with VHS Students

Stephanie Sbranti: “The Alumni BBQ was started three years ago when our former Secretary Karen Miller returned for a visit after moving to Idaho. BBQ’s have always been a part of the Valley High culture and I knew that many of our former students would want to see her. It was a huge success with many former students in attendance. From the beginning, this event has been planned and executed by my Leadership class with support from the entire site staff.”

OneDublin.org: Why is it important to conduct and to continue this event?

Sbranti: “There are several reasons. Valley High has always had the motto of “We are family” and we want to maintain that bond between the alumni and the school. Many alumni return over the course of the year and this is an event that provides them with the opportunity to reunite with former classmates and teachers. I love the idea of connecting alumni with current students so that they can share their experiences and advice.”

OneDublin.org: How have you promoted this event and what are your aspirations for future reunions?

Sbranti: “Initially, we simply used word of mouth communications and we tried using Facebook this year. We also installed a large sign in front of the site weeks prior to the event. Interestingly, we have found that word of mouth has been very successful. Moving forward, we are building an Alumni contact binder that we hope will facilitate an even better turnout.”

The event was a success as evidenced by the images. The luncheon served was provided by a combination of the Culinary Arts program, some food purchased through year-long fundraisers as well as dishes that were donated by families and staff.

During the event, OneDublin.org had the unique opportunity to meet with some real pioneers at VHS. Also in attendance were two former staff members that were largely responsible for making Valley High School what it is today. Linda Flanagan joined Valley High in 1975 and still occasionally contributes as a substitute teacher to this day. She resides in Oakland. Tom Simonds is the first teacher that was employed to work at Valley High in 1967. The original campus was located in Pleasanton and then was established in Dublin on York Drive. When asked what subjects he taught back then, he responded “Back at that time, I taught everything!” Tom is 84 years old. With apologies to Jack LaLanne, Mr. Simonds is the fittest octogenarian that we have ever met. He developed his passion for weight lifting when he was an enlisted serviceman in the Army and was stationed in Japan. He presently resides in Livermore but he would not have missed this event for anything.

A sunny afternoon combined with BBQ? It sounds like a family affair to us.

Led by Dublin High School’s Music Director Paul Everts, the third annual Jazzin’ for a Cure event raised close to $3,000. East Bay student jazz bands from Wells Middle School (Music Director Erik Bertleson), Dougherty Valley High School (Music Director Teri Musiel), Foothill High School (Music Director Josh Butterfield) and Dublin High School teamed up to entertain a full house at the Shannon Community Center on Friday night. Student volunteers served food and drink for the event, and Wells Middle School Principal Kevin Grier served as auctioneer to raise additional funds. When asked if anyone in the audience had been affected by or knew someone who had been affected by cancer, nearly every hand went up.

Participating in middle and high school music programs isn’t just fun and rewarding, it’s also an advantage down the road when applying to and succeeding in college. According to data from Purdue University, Purdue’s band and orchestra participants earned a higher collective GPA than all undergraduate students at Purdue. Purdue’s band participants also earned a higher average number of credits per semester. And SAT / ACT scores (both math and verbal) are higher for Purdue band students than the average scores for all students.

An investment in music during middle school and high school is both a life-enriching activity and a core academic pursuit.

OneDublin.org captured video and photographs from this year’s event (below). If you are inspired by these student performances, consider donating to the ALS Association or the American Cancer Society. Jazzin’ for a Cure returns next year on May 17, 2013.

Related articles:

• Thomas Dolby on Music Education and the Evolution of the Music Industry
• Meet Dublin High School Music Director Paul Everts
• Life Backstage – The Magic Behind the Curtain at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
• Dublin High Class of ’80 Alumni Bill Fulton in Running for a Grammy
• Dublin High School ’72 Grad Dennis Jones Combines Beatlemania and the Law
• Life at Sonoma State University – Fulfilling a Love of Music
• Dublin High School, Fallon and Wells Unite for Drumline and Color Guard Show

Jazzin’ for a Cure 2012 Slideshow

Dublin High School Jazz Band Performance

Wells Middle School Jazz Band Performance

Dougherty Valley High School Jazz Band Performance

Foothill High School Jazz Band Performance

Jazzin for a Cure 2010 - Four High School Jazz Bands

The popular and powerful Jazzin’ for a Cure fundraiser in support of cancer research returns for a third year on Friday May 18 at 6:30pm (doors open 6:00pm). As in past years, the casual jazz social is a collaborative effort led by Dublin High School Music Director Paul Everts. The evening will include jazz band performances by Dublin High School, Wells Middle School, Foothill High School and Dougherty Valley High School. The event, held again at the Shannon Center, is casual with round table seating. This year’s event will include a “no host” wine bar serving Concannon wines in commerative glasses ($5 per glass). Tickets are $12 at the door and donations are encouraged.

All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society and the ALS Association. Last year’s event raised over $2,000 for cancer research.

Write-ups and video from the 2010 and 2011 Jazzin’ for a Cure events:

• Jazzin’ for a Cure Unites Local Schools to Raise Money for Cancer Research (OneDublin.org, 2011)
• Why Jazzin’ For a Cure Meant So Much (Dublin Patch, 2011)
• Dougherty Valley, Monte Vista, Foothill, and Dublin High School Jazz for a Cure (OneDublin.org, 2010)

In the case of Dublin High School (ranked #12), US News & World Report used an enrollment of 493 students (off by more than 1,000) and for Green Valley High School (ranked #13) an enrollment of 477 students (off by more than 2,300). According to a Nevada reporter OneDublin.org spoke with there may be other schools in Nevada and California where the data is incorrect.

OneDublin.org also spoke with US News & World Report Director of Data Research Bob Morse who stated it is not possible for the US News & World Report to verify the data for 22,000 schools (the data used is pulled from U.S. Department of Education databases and other sources, according to the US News & World Report website). According to Mr. Morse the school rankings were determined solely based on those data sources, the school districts were not involved in the process, and no sanity check was performed on the data before publishing. Mr. Morse didn’t provide a timeline for addressing the data integrity issues.

A comprehensive and accurate set of Dublin High School academic rankings (including API, SAT, ACT, AP, UC acceptance rates and college admissions information) is available here.

Despite the controversy, Dublin High School has had many reasons to celebrate recently:

• Dublin High School’s API rose to 879 last fall (read more…)
• Dublin High School placed the Dublin Unified School District on the CollegeBoard’s AP Honor Roll for achievement in expanding access to AP courses while maintaining or improving performance on AP exams (read more…)
• Dublin High School’s Irish Guard Band performed in Carnegie Hall earlier this year (read more…)
• Dublin High School’s Engineering Academy Open House starring MythBusters attracted over 1,000 Dublin residents to a sold out display of science, technology, engineering and math programming earlier this year (read more…)
• Dublin High School’s Drama Program won first place recognition at the Ohlone College High School Theatre Festival earlier this year (read more…)
• Dublin High School Athletics has had an outstanding year with multiple teams reaching the playoffs, coach Mark Wainwright winning the 2012 NCS Honor Coach Award (read more…) and the Dublin High Cheerleading Team winning first place at Nationals this winter in Las Vegas.
• 98.7% of Class of 2011 Dublin High School graduates reported plans to attend a 2- or 4-year college (read more…) and a numerous Dublin High School graduates have written for the Life in College Series (read more…)

The following statement was issued by Dublin Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hanke earlier today:

“When the district received word that Dublin High School was listed among the nation’s top performing high schools, according to U.S. News and World Report’s high school rankings, we were delighted, but not surprised because we know that our teachers, administrators and students achieve remarkable academic results.

“Upon closer examination of the data used by the magazine, it was clear to us that they used inaccurate student enrollment information.  The district migrated to a new student data reporting system in fall 2010 and due to an error in the migration, enrollment data for Dublin High School was incorrectly reported. This inaccuracy was reported to the California Department of Education’s California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) office in December 2010. The district worked over the next several months with state department of education agencies to correct the data, and we were notified that the inaccurate data had been corrected.  Unfortunately, it appears the correction was not shared with the various state systems used to disseminate data and statistics statewide. The magazine’s formulas were applied to data still inaccurate on the California Department of Education’s data reporting system, which in turn was inaccurately reflected on federal student information and statistics databases.

“In this District, we value honesty and integrity, so we took action immediately to notify the both the magazine and the public.  In Dublin, we model what we teach, and we teach the importance of truth.

“We do want to use this opportunity to draw attention to the great work that is being done at Dublin High School and throughout the entire district.  Our high school may not be ranked 12 according to a magazine, but the manner in which they are handling this disappointment demonstrates that they are number one when it comes to maturity, integrity and character.  We are proud of Dublin High School, and we are proud of our great kids.”

- Dublin Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hanke

Joy Sherratt

Director and choreographer Joy Sherratt, ”With ‘Hairspray’ being such a popular and thrilling show to perform in, PCRT had over 150 actors audition for our production from all over the Bay Area. I was pleasantly surprised by two Dublin High School talents, Chris Harral and Patrick Wallace and was able to cast them in our production. This is going to be a wonderful opportunity for them to work with top actors in the Bay Area and a professional production team. My hope is that it inspires them to continue training and performing in the arts!” Ms. Sherratt, also an accomplished actress, was recently seen on the stage in the Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre’s production of “The Last 5 Years” at the Firehouse Arts Center.

Chris Harral

Chris Harral, ”I am super stoked to be involved with such a large and professional production. This will definitely be a new challenge for me but I am looking forward to learning from an amazing cast and production staff. Hairspray is a very special and unique show and I think its great for Patrick and I to be able to be a part of it representing Dublin together!”

Chris recently won first place at the Ohlone College High School Theatre Festival for an excerpt from “The Merchant of Venice” and has performed in numerous Dublin High School Drama Club productions, and also appeared as “Jason” in the Contra Costa Civic Theatre of “Rabbit Hole” last month.

Patrick Wallace

Patrick Wallace, ”I’m so excited to start working on this show. The whole cast and staff seem absolutely amazing and talented, I’m actually a little bit intimated. But I’m really looking forward to getting to work with people of this standard and I’m ready to learn all I can.”

Patrick was recently a finalist at the Ohlone College High School Theatre Festival for the dance routine “First Moon” with fellow Dublin High student Danielle Moon. Patrick has also appeared in multiple Dublin High School Drama Club productions. Patrick spent part of last summer at the California State Summer School for the Arts where he continued his theatre arts training.

Dublin High School Drama Director Bryant Hoex, “I’m excited for both Chris and Patrick to have this opportunity with the Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre as they continue expanding their theatre arts knowledge and networks. Knowing they both aspire to professional careers in the performing arts, their continued success does not surprise me. Both of these young men are Dublin High Drama Club officers who’ve played numerous leading roles here at DHS, and they’ve each taken the initiative to supplement what they’ve learned in our shows and classes with outside dance courses, summer workshops and performances with community theatre groups. I’m proud of both of them and look forward to seeing the show!”

Tickets are on sale now (available here) and performances run July 13-29 at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts.

Related articles:

• Fallon Middle School’s Joy Sherratt Stars in “The Last 5 Years” – Firehouse Arts Center
• Meet Teacher Bryant Hoex On and Off the Stage
• Dublin High School Impresses at Ohlone College High School Theatre Festival 2012
• Life Backstage – The Magic Behind The Curtain at the Lyric Opera of Chicago