SCHOOL SCENE in Almaden Valley

Fifth grader’s letter brings professional wrestlers to school
World Wrestling Entertainment Superstars make appearance at Pine Hill School

By Eric Zimmerling
Staff Writer

Kenny Jacques, a fifth-grade student at Pine Hill School brought a couple extra friends to school on Feb. 27 —World Wrestling Entertainment superstars “Hacksaw” Jim Duggen and the legendary Ron “Farooq” Simmons.

Nearly four weeks ago Kenny wrote a letter, with the help of his Parents Nancy and Larry to the WWE asking if some wrestlers could visit Pine Hill School, and that wish was granted.

Fifth-grade student Kenny Jacques of Pine High School wrote a letter to World Wrestling Entertainment superstars asking them to visit his school and on Feb. 27th Kenny got to be Big Man on Campus when the superstars actually showed up. Here he poses for a picture with the legendary World Wrestling Entertainment superstar “Hacksaw” Jim Duggen

The gaudy men were greeted with cheers as they sauntered into the cafeteria at Pine Hill School full of nearly 80 smiling students and faculty.

Second Start-Pine Hill School is a nonprofit organization, which has provided specialized academic and vocational training and related services for the past 32 years. The K-12 school offers therapeutic services to disadvantaged, at risk children and adults who are challenged by learning and social / emotional differences. Many of the students are diagnosed with high-functioning autism, pervasive developmental disorder or Asperger’s Syndrome.

Many of the students struggled in district-provided classrooms that didn't meet their needs, but at Pine Hill, they are thriving, happy to come to school, and they are receiving an education and developing life skills that provide hope and promise toward a future of independent living. According to Nancy Jacques, Kenny calls Pine Hill "Heaven's Playground", a stark contrast to the "torture facility" he called his other schools.

Jacques said that having the wrestlers come to Pine Hill was a great experience for the kids.

“A lot of these kids can’t participate in sports,” said Jacques. “A lot of these kids live vicariously through sports. They are attracted to these athletes – to these wrestlers. They know all about their matches and the details of their careers. It is great to have them here because this school is very small and we need to get the word out that a school like this exists and the programs offered need visibility.”

“Hacksaw” Jim Duggen, who had his first professional wrestling match in 1979, riled up the kids with his trademark “Hoooo” chant as he entered the building, a grunt students screamed along with the legendary wrestler.

For the next hour, Simmons, who has been wrestling professionally since 1986 and Duggen answered all types of questions from the giddy group of students.

“What was your favorite match,” one student asked. “How do I get my sisters off me when they team up against me,” yelled another student. One student even sprinted around a table to show his quickness to the on-looking wrestlers.

Greg Zieman, principal at Pine Hill School said having an opportunity to bring in role models like these for the kids is something they’ll remember for a very long time.

World Wrestling Entertainment superstars “Hacksaw” Jim Duggen (left) and Ron Simmons (second from left) speak with students at Pine Hill School on Feb 27.

“We are so fortunate that we have involved parents at this school,” Zieman said. “We try and have a family environment here at this school and it opens up opportunities like this for students. A lot of these kids don’t have access to assemblies and that type of event. When role models come into the school and talk with these kids it gives them encouragement for the future– it helps build their confidence and social skills because they feel comfortable. I’m very happy they got to talk with these professional wrestlers.”

After answering questions and talking with the students about the importance of school, the legends signed autographs and took photos with everybody in attendance.

Kenny Jacques said he was happy that his letter got the wrestlers to come to his school and that seeing the men was fun and exciting, but admits that wrestling may not be in his future for a career path.

“I liked them a lot,” Jacques said. “Hacksaw Jim Duggen won the first ever Royal Rumble match and he wrestled at Wrestle Mania also. But I don’t know if I’m big enough to wrestle when I get older – I might just do something with math or create video games.”

For more information about Pine Hill School, located at 1325 Bouret Drive in San Jose call (408)979-8210 or visit www.secondstart.org.

Two new press releases concerning Pine Hill School:

A San Jose Special Education Program Has Been Honored With International Recognition

San Jose, California -- May 12, 2009

Pine Hill School, a 35-year-old special education non-public school received Peter Batten from Australia's "The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust" last week. Mr. Batten, a Churchill Fellow, is tasked with finding the best Autistic programs in the World. After detailed and extensive research for which he received his fellowship, he scheduled an in-person visit to those schools and programs across the globe that he found to be most effective in helping moderate- to high-functioning Autistic children.
Pine Hill School was one of two schools he discovered (the other is in Brighton, England) which warranted a personal visit. He was particularly interested in the "Newton Learning Method" of Social Thinking Class structure and application, curriculum individually and uniquely tailored which engages students to excel in learning, reading programs, integrated counseling services throughout the school day and several other programs.
In the same vein, Mr. Batten found Pine Hill's staff to be uniquely effective. Some on the staff are Asperger's Adults, giving the program a genuinely personal identification and connection of staff and student.
Pine Hill School's excellence has been commended by the State of California Department of Education and recognized nationally, but this is the first International Recognition.
Australia's "The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust" is administered by Her Majesty the Queen's representative to Australia: Sir Michael Jeffery and can be reached at: www.churchilltrust.com.au
Pine Hill School is operated by Second Start Learning Disabilities Programs Inc., a 501c3 California Nonprofit organization. Second Start has been helping children with disabilities in the San Jose /South Bay area for 35 years.

Pine Hill School, San Jose’s 35 year old Nonprofit, Non Public Special Education school has been selected as a NASET School of Excellence

San Jose, California -- April 14, 2009

Selection as a School of Excellence by The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) is one of the highest honors a private special education school can achieve through any professional association.  The recognition is bestowed on private special education schools that meet rigorous professional criteria and have demonstrated truly exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in the field of special education.

In addition the California Department of Education recently gave Pine Hill School commendations for several of its innovate programs for children on the high end of the Autism Spectrum and/or children with Asperger’s syndrome.  

A few of commendations given included: Pine Hill School’s Social Thinking Class, after school academic support, curriculum uniquely tailored which engages students to excel in learning, reading programs, integrated counseling services through out the school day and several other programs.

As evidence of Pine Hill’s excellence, the California Department of Education specially brought attention to a former student of Pine Hill School who was the recipient of the “Every Child Succeeding Award” presented by the Herman Intermediate School in recognition of her high academic and social achievement.

Pine Hill School is operated by Second Start Learning Disabilities Programs Inc. a 501c3 California Nonprofit organization. Second Start has been helping children in the San Jose /South Bay area, with disabilities for 35 years.

In Northern California, Esther B. Clark School (related to Children Health Council in Palo Alto) was the only other special education school to receive the School of Excellence recognition.
The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) is a national membership organization dedicated to rendering all possible support and assistance to those preparing for or teaching in the field of special education.  NASET was founded to promote the profession of special education teachers and to provide a national forum for their ideas.