Students and parents filled into the Student Union last night for a free DMV driver’s training information meeting setup by the PTSA class of 2014 committee chair Debbie Freeman and Economic Driving School Co-owner Don Myer.
Freeman made it clear that the PTSA did not officially endorse the driver’s school, and that she chose it because of her personal experience with the school.
The meeting supplied informational pamphlets and fliers to parents and student drivers getting ready for their driver’s training.
Myer expressed his credentials as a teacher and discussed the benefits of enrolling student drivers in the Economic Driving School, a local drivers training school based in San Jose.
“Our school is staffed by many credentialed teachers, and offers behind-the-wheel, classroom, and online classes.” Myer explained, “and our website had lots of videos and flash graphics to keep students engaged.”
Myer also explained the various requirements and fees for obtaining a licence, in addition to clarifying the restrictions on newly licenced drivers under 18. He also made parents aware of the 50-hour behind-the-wheel driving requirement that student drivers must complete with their parents. He also explained how drivers ed was no longer a requirement for graduation at Carlmont.
Myer then took a few brief questions from parents before the meeting wrapped up around eight pm.
Incoming freshmen and parents flooded the library last night for the student and parent Forum setup by the Carlmont Eighth Grade Transition Information Committee. There, teachers as well as student ambassadors from Carlmont answered questions and provided general information about Carlmont to future students and parents.
The Forum kicked off with a tour of the school by student ambassadors. Incoming freshmen and parents were split into groups.
One tour group was lead by freshman Maggie Donaldson and junior Rachael Hunter, who lead their group starting from the Library, up to D-hall, around the dance studio and finally through the Quad before looping back to the Library. Hunter and Donaldson discussed the various placement of the classroom in relation to the department they were in, and answered parents questions about the new Biotechnology Building.
The meeting began at 7:30 as Transition Committee members talked about general polices at Carlmont before splitting up the parents with the teachers and incoming freshmen with Carlmont ambassadors.
Future students were able to ask ambassadors personal questions about Carlmont, and Ambassadors shared their own personal experiences with the incoming freshmen.
Eighth grades submitted their questions ether orally or on notecards, and Ambassadors spent time going into great detail about school policy, teachers, and what it’s like to be a student at Carlmont High School.
At about 8:40 the ambassadors switched audiences with the teachers. Ambassadors answered parents questions about specific rules and polices at Carlmont, such as homework load for AP classes and GPA requirements for sports.
Afterwards, students and parents reconvened for a brief recap of major points discussed during the Forum before the meeting ended at 9 pm.
“I’m so excited to come to Carlmont, it’s so much bigger than Ralston.” commented incoming freshman Adam R., after the Forum.
The Forum itself was put on by the Carlmont 8th Grade Transition Committee, which is a committee setup by the PTSA to aid parents and students for the transition to Carlmont. The team consists of Carlmont’s Principal, Dr. Raul Zamora and nine parent volunteers from local middle schools that send students to Carlmont.

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