LETTERS LETTERS (March 30, 2005)

Clarification on kindergarten story

Editor:

In last week's article, "Study meeting focuses on kindergarten," one sentence struck me as accurate, but misleading.

In talking about the all-day kindergarten pilot at Oak Knoll, the article states, "So many parents supported the longer day that an additional all-day class was added before school started."

This was true, but does not mention that the principal of Oak Knoll had to scramble hard to try to fill that extra class, once it was created. Indeed, with only 21 students (compared to 25 in each of the half-day classes and 24 in the other full-day class), that class remains small.

The reality among parents at Oak Knoll, therefore, is not that there is an overwhelming demand for all-day classes. More than 60 percent of us voted with our (kids') feet for half-day classes.

We appreciate the gentler transition to school that they provide, the opportunities to choose child-specific enrichment activities in the afternoon, and this last opportunity for our children to really play after school, rather than arriving home exhausted.

Jennifer Bestor

Oak Knoll parent

Yale Road, Menlo Park

Rather than stopping, trains should skip Atherton

Editor:

Atherton recently sent us a survey about our train station, asking if it is a valuable asset to the town.

The survey included some information about Caltrain, but did not give the only statistic that matters, which is the number of passengers using the station daily. That number is 113 departures and 95 arrivals on 22 trains on weekdays. Most trains have no one getting off or on and it is 28/28 in passenger volume.

Since Caltrain provides the town with no revenue of which I'm aware, they must mean some intangible benefit, perhaps memories of bygone days or a fascination with trains that one particular City Council member cherishes.

It can't be the service since so few use it and it can be easily accessed a few miles away. In fact the train passing through town has a large negative impact on our ambiance from the 42 daily stops and starts and 30 passing trains, with their attendant bells and horns, that are heard all around Atherton.

What's worse is that keeping the station open will require spending more than $1 million for track separation, another detail omitted, and even with that, ridership is expected to decline in favor of the express.

Instead of seeking Caltrain to stop, our City Council's focus should be on getting the trains through town as quickly, safely and quietly as possible. Grade separation should be a top priority. Closing the station, building an underpass at Fair Oaks and closing the Watkins Avenue crossing would accomplish all these goals. Then we could tap the real value of the station, which is its parking lot, and encourage a revenue-enhancing project at the site.

Now that you have the facts, please send in your survey before April 6, so the council and Caltrain will know what you think.

Ben Halpren

Catalpa Drive, Atherton

Train derailments are an overlooked possibility

Editor:

The following paragraph comes from the March 21 New York Times: "In the last 10 months, at least 10 derailments have occurred in the San Antonio area. . . Most of those derailments involved Union Pacific."

Wait, isn't it the Union Pacific freights that use our Caltrain rail corridor?

Grade separations are sought by Caltrain so that they can run their trains faster (from 79 to 110 mph). Union Pacific freights will also be running faster.

With grade separations in place, we can certainly expect the California High Speed Rail train to run up and down the Caltrain corridor. How fast will those trains go?

The danger and consequences of derailments increase dramatically as train speeds increase. In Texas, the governor is talking about moving rail lines out of urban areas.

When complete, the grade-separated rail corridor will run through urban residential areas such as Atherton, Menlo Park and Palo Alto. Faster trains and more of them? Faster heavy freights? And, eventually, even faster California High Speed Rail?

Menlo Park is considering getting grade separations on its four cross streets. In all the talk from the Joint Powers Board/Caltrain about the future, the word that I have heard no one use is "Derailment."

Isn't that just what our neighborhoods need. Martin Engel

Stone Pine Lane, Menlo Park

A message for council member Andy Cohen

Editor:

In regard to your comments in last week's Almanac:

The city needs more traffic downtown. Traffic brings customers, customers spend money, and that means more sales tax dollars.

The city government lives on sales taxes, Mr. Cohen. (Isn't that in "Councilperson 1A" or have you not taken that class?)

We also need to build public garages to house this traffic increase, and while we are at it how about restoring El Camino Real to three lanes in both directions as it was originally?

Change is good, Mr. Cohen.

Pat White

Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park

Valley schools get applause for top scores

Editor:

Let's have a loud cheer and a rousing round of applause for the students and teachers of Ormondale and Corte Madera schools in Portola Valley for achieving the highest scores in the Academic Performance Index (API) among the 13 local schools, as well as for ranking as one of the very few top schools in the nine-county Bay Area.

It is also gratifying to learn that the Town of Portola Valley will replace the equipment that was found to be below state standards so that Little People's Park Playground will still be available. Many of these Ormondale and Corte Madera stars "graduated" from this very playground.

Bernard F. Bayuk Paloma Road, Portola Valley

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