TIDE Academy and our community(6 messages)

Dear Board members,

We have just heard about discussions and doubts considering TIDE Academy's fate. Honestly, it was very unexpected and painful, since TIDE is one of the elements of reality that always seemed very bright and gave a lot of reasons to be optimistic and full of hope. It is incredibly sad when such a good part of reality is in danger.

I hear that the main reason for doubts in the case of TIDE is a combination of small public school and high expenses. However, TIDE Academy is an actual treasure of our community, that has only one serious, (but easily fixable) problem.

Let me start from the very beginning and explain what I mean. My older daughter is a TIDE alumni, she was among the very first students of that school, and her choice was a real blessing for her and for many other families. She is a very talented kid, [REDACTED]

TIDE was the asylum that gave her all she needed to go through high school [REDACTED] and still to be in the loop both academically and socially. She not only successfully graduated with a lot of CC credits, she was also, thanks to TIDE, well adapted to CC and university systems, and could transfer to the university and major of her dream very fast and efficiently. Now she is one of the most brilliant Juniors for her Atmospheric Meteorology Major in SJSU (one of the strongest programs of that kind in the country).
It was TIDE that made it possible for her. I can't be thankful enough and I appreciate each and every bit of TIDE's project that makes it work for my daughter and many other kids.

So, what makes TIDE so unique and exceptional compared to other high schools?
TIDE is small - in a perfect way. The size of the school (community. classes, teacher-student ratio etc.) is comparable to the best private schools. Each student can have an appropriate amount of attention, support, counselling, emotional help, role modeling etc. For that kind of benefit in private school people are ready to pay big money - but what about families, who can't pay, but need that kind of environment for their kids very much?! Yes, our community has a lot of kids with neurodivergent symptoms, with different emotional, social, mental and so on factors - who really need that kind of school. Talented, smart and bright kids, who would thrive in small communities, and who would be lost in ordinary big school - most probably lost for their future potential and career start. People, who are ready to pay for private schools, feel that very well - what a blessing that small size of the school can be.
It is also a blessing from a social point of view - kids all know each other and get along like members of one family - even if they are not close friends, they are in one transparent team. They know each other's situations, problems, pains and plans - they enrich each other (meddling of different cultural and social groups of families that are united with the main thing - sincere wish of kids to learn, to move forward academically and socially).
What are typical classic problems of big public high schools? Bullying, drugs, alcohol, smoking, conflicts, separated social bubbles, depression and isolation for many individual kids.

So, thanks to TIDE size, structure and concept all these problems are either completely eliminated or at least are minimal and very well seen. It is priceless and it is what most community members really long for.

Secondly, the unique combination of STEM and art classes and pathways together with a project oriented approach makes TIDE much more advanced and beneficial for its students than a popular and highly desirable DTech school. I saw so many TIDE students of various majors and talents (humanitarians, IT, math, science etc.) who influenced each other amazingly during these years of study in TIDE and performing various projects together. I see them right now - in many strong universities of the country, and each of them is well-balanced in their talents and skills. IT kids are also very good in writing and arts, artistic kids are good in strategic planning and scientific approach. I can recognize that harmonical and balanced TIDE approach in each and every of them.
It is priceless too, and no other public high school is able to give something comparable to the community. Only TIDE so far.

Last but not least, dual enrollment programs and classes. Well, I can't thank TIDE enough for that. So many kids learn how to perform in the CC system, save tons of time and energy taking dual enrollment classes via TIDE, can even achieve AA degree together with a high school diploma...and all of these moments are stress-free thanks to TIDE counseling and mentorship system. All benefits of the Middle college program are combined with a school community pluses. I actually know only one other high school that takes big money for the very same type and level of service - it's Khan Academy. Families there pay a lot to receive the very same type of dual enrollment experience and results. TIDE gives it for free and is more professional. And that is the other reason why so many of TIDE alumni are transferring to strong university programs and perform brilliantly there.

Of course, there are other strong points of TIDE; excellent, motivated teachers, extremely supportive atmosphere for stressed teenage students, an amazing environment and resources for various kinds of projects (it is not only about new buildings, fresh space and money, it is very much about TIDE's people, their enthusiasm and creativity), transportation program, dining program and many more....

So, to my mind TIDE is a treasure that actually needs to be cherished, that is totally worth investing in many more various resources to develop all of its strong points.

However, from the very beginning TIDE keeps having one weak side that actually spoils the day and ruins enrollment. I mean advertising. TIDE has endless benefits and strongest points. So many families are searching for these points in pricy private schools having absolutely no clue they can have it all for free in one cozy and beautiful school. But the terrible lack of information, of self-advertising and promoting of TIDE kills it very much. For all these years I suffer watching how poorly the information about TIDE is spread among our school district community.
People have no idea what a treasure they can have. Even if they (luckily!) heard about the school itself, they have no idea about all the benefits and pluses of TIDE. They don't even know about its proximity (I personally met lots of families that denied the idea of TIDE since they didn't know of its transportation system).

Please, please, invest into Promotion, Advertising of TIDE - spread this information professionally to create a wide-spread and stable reputation for at least several years - and then this reputation will work for itself!
This is the part that is a real disaster yet, and it can actually kill the amazing TIDE project with all its endless benefits and hope for so many students. Or - if to change it for the better - it can save it and make TIDE the most desireable and thriving high school of our school district.

I am sure that many former students and their families would agree with what I have written. I hope that many of them will come to meetings to speak up with their own stories.
I just ask you - please, in this crazy world, let us keep and develop this part, that actually makes it better in many ways. Just a bit of investment into the right Advertising strategy - that's all that TIDE actually needs to help our high school community thrive.

I still hope for good news and changes in this world.

Thank you for your time and - regardless of future decisions - for TIDE's role in the life of my daughter and many of her classmates.
I am grateful to TIDE and to our School District for it from the bottom of my heart.

Best regards,
[REDACTED]

Can we prepare a response for the board? It can or should it be general in nature. We should prepare one for staff, parents, and students. They are likely to start reviving more emails.

C-

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: [REDACTED]
Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Subject: TIDE Academy and our community
To: <board@seq.org>, Sandora, Lara <lsandora@seq.org>, Simone Rick-Kennel <srkennel@seq.org>

Dear Board members,

We have just heard about discussions and doubts considering TIDE Academy's fate. Honestly, it was very unexpected and painful, since TIDE is one of the elements of reality that always seemed very bright and gave a lot of reasons to be optimistic and full of hope. It is incredibly sad when such a good part of reality is in danger.

I hear that the main reason for doubts in the case of TIDE is a combination of small public school and high expenses. However, TIDE Academy is an actual treasure of our community, that has only one serious, (but easily fixable) problem.

Let me start from the very beginning and explain what I mean. My older daughter is a TIDE alumni, she was among the very first students of that school, and her choice was a real blessing for her and for many other families. She is a very talented kid, [REDACTED].

TIDE was the asylum that gave her all she needed to go through high school with all [REDACTED] and still to be in the loop both academically and socially. She not only successfully graduated with a lot of CC credits, she was also, thanks to TIDE, well adapted to CC and university systems, and could transfer to the university and major of her dream very fast and efficiently. Now she is one of the most brilliant Juniors for her Atmospheric Meteorology Major in SJSU (one of the strongest programs of that kind in the country).
It was TIDE that made it possible for her. I can't be thankful enough and I appreciate each and every bit of TIDE's project that makes it work for my daughter and many other kids.

So, what makes TIDE so unique and exceptional compared to other high schools?
TIDE is small - in a perfect way. The size of the school (community. classes, teacher-student ratio etc.) is comparable to the best private schools. Each student can have an appropriate amount of attention, support, counselling, emotional help, role modeling etc. For that kind of benefit in private school people are ready to pay big money - but what about families, who can't pay, but need that kind of environment for their kids very much?! Yes, our community has a lot of kids with neurodivergent symptoms, with different emotional, social, mental and so on factors - who really need that kind of school. Talented, smart and bright kids, who would thrive in small communities, and who would be lost in ordinary big school - most probably lost for their future potential and career start. People, who are ready to pay for private schools, feel that very well - what a blessing that small size of the school can be.
It is also a blessing from a social point of view - kids all know each other and get along like members of one family - even if they are not close friends, they are in one transparent team. They know each other's situations, problems, pains and plans - they enrich each other (meddling of different cultural and social groups of families that are united with the main thing - sincere wish of kids to learn, to move forward academically and socially).
What are typical classic problems of big public high schools? Bullying, drugs, alcohol, smoking, conflicts, separated social bubbles, depression and isolation for many individual kids.

So, thanks to TIDE size, structure and concept all these problems are either completely eliminated or at least are minimal and very well seen. It is priceless and it is what most community members really long for.

Secondly, the unique combination of STEM and art classes and pathways together with a project oriented approach makes TIDE much more advanced and beneficial for its students than a popular and highly desirable DTech school. I saw so many TIDE students of various majors and talents (humanitarians, IT, math, science etc.) who influenced each other amazingly during these years of study in TIDE and performing various projects together. I see them right now - in many strong universities of the country, and each of them is well-balanced in their talents and skills. IT kids are also very good in writing and arts, artistic kids are good in strategic planning and scientific approach. I can recognize that harmonical and balanced TIDE approach in each and every of them.

It is priceless too, and no other public high school is able to give something comparable to the community. Only TIDE so far.

Last but not least, dual enrollment programs and classes. Well, I can't thank TIDE enough for that. So many kids learn how to perform in the CC system, save tons of time and energy taking dual enrollment classes via TIDE, can even achieve AA degree together with a high school diploma...and all of these moments are stress-free thanks to TIDE counseling and mentorship system. All benefits of the Middle college program are combined with a school community pluses. I actually know only one other high school that takes big money for the very same type and level of service - it's Khan Academy. Families there pay a lot to receive the very same type of dual enrollment experience and results. TIDE gives it for free and is more professional. And that is the other reason why so many of TIDE alumni are transferring to strong university programs and perform brilliantly there.

Of course, there are other strong points of TIDE; excellent, motivated teachers, extremely supportive atmosphere for stressed teenage students, an amazing environment and resources for various kinds of projects (it is not only about new buildings, fresh space and money, it is very much about TIDE's people, their enthusiasm and creativity), transportation program, dining program and many more....

So, to my mind TIDE is a treasure that actually needs to be cherished, that is totally worth investing in many more various resources to develop all of its strong points.

However, from the very beginning TIDE keeps having one weak side that actually spoils the day and ruins enrollment. I mean advertising. TIDE has endless benefits and strongest points. So many families are searching for these points in pricy private schools having absolutely no clue they can have it all for free in one cozy and beautiful school. But the terrible lack of information, of self-advertising and promoting of TIDE kills it very much. For all these years I suffer watching how poorly the information about TIDE is spread among our school district community. People have no idea what a treasure they can have. Even if they (luckily!) heard about the school itself, they have no idea about all the benefits and pluses of TIDE. They don't even know about its proximity (I personally met lots of families that denied the idea of TIDE since they didn't know of its transportation system).

Please, please, invest into Promotion, Advertising of TIDE - spread this information professionally to create a wide-spread and stable reputation for at least several years - and then this reputation will work for itself!
This is the part that is a real disaster yet, and it can actually kill the amazing TIDE project with all its endless benefits and hope for so many students. Or - if to change it for the better - it can save it and make TIDE the most desireable and thriving high school of our school district.

I am sure that many former students and their families would agree with what I have written. I hope that many of them will come to meetings to speak up with their own stories.
I just ask you - please, in this crazy world, let us keep and develop this part, that actually makes it better in many ways. Just a bit of investment into the right Advertising strategy - that's all that TIDE actually needs to help our high school community thrive.

I still hope for good news and changes in this world.

Thank you for your time and - regardless of future decisions - for TIDE's role in the life of my daughter and many of her classmates.
I am grateful to TIDE and to our School District for it from the bottom of my heart.

Best regards,
[REDACTED]

I'll put together some drafts that we can review this afternoon.

On Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 9:16 PM Crystal Leach <cleach@seq.org> wrote:

Can we prepare a response for the board? It can or should it be general in nature. We should prepare one for staff, parents, and students. They are likely to start reviving more emails.

C-

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: [REDACTED]
Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Subject: TIDE Academy and our community
To: <board@seq.org>, Sandora, Lara <lsandora@seq.org>, Simone Rick-Kennel <srkennel@seq.org>

Dear Board members,

We have just heard about discussions and doubts considering TIDE Academy's fate. Honestly, it was very unexpected and painful, since TIDE is one of the elements of reality that always seemed very bright and gave a lot of reasons to be optimistic and full of hope. It is incredibly sad when such a good part of reality is in danger.

...

Best regards,
[REDACTED]

Yes! If we don't talk about this at 1 pm, I'll work with Heather separately on it.

On Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 9:16 PM Crystal Leach <cleach@seq.org> wrote:

Can we prepare a response for the board? It can or should it be general in nature. We should prepare one for staff, parents, and students. They are likely to start reviving more emails.

C-

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: [REDACTED]
Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Subject: TIDE Academy and our community
To: <board@seq.org>, Sandora, Lara <lsandora@seq.org>, Simone Rick-Kennel <srkennel@seq.org>

Dear Board members,

We have just heard about discussions and doubts considering TIDE Academy's fate...

Best regards,
[REDACTED]

Ooops - disregard my last reply. I saw this after sending . . .

I'm writing up notes from the meeting last night. Should have those done shortly.

On Fri, Nov 14, 2025 at 7:48 AM Heather McGowan <heather@mcgowanimpact.com> wrote:

I'll put together some drafts that we can review this afternoon.

On Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 9:16 PM Crystal Leach <cleach@seq.org> wrote:

Can we prepare a response for the board? It can or should it be general in nature. We should prepare one for staff, parents, and students. They are likely to start reviving more emails.

C-

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: [REDACTED]
Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Subject: TIDE Academy and our community
To: <board@seq.org>, Sandora, Lara <lsandora@seq.org>, Simone Rick-Kennel <srkennel@seq.org>

Dear Board members,

We have just heard about discussions and doubts considering TIDE Academy's fate...

Best regards,
[REDACTED]

Dear [REDACTED],

Thank you for writing and for caring so deeply about your student and the TIDE community. I know this news is unsettling, and I'm sorry for the worry it creates. Please know that no decision has been made to close TIDE Academy. On November 12, the Board asked the Superintendent to bring a clear, transparent process and timeline to the December 10 meeting that shows how families, students, and staff will be informed and heard before any decision is considered.

We also want to honor what makes TIDE special--its small-school community and strong academic and college- and career-readiness experiences (including dual enrollment, CTE, and Nucleus). Considering a process does not diminish that value. At the same time, the District is confronting a structural deficit and the higher per-student costs of very small schools over time, and we have a responsibility to examine how resources are used so all students have strong, sustainable opportunities.

Thank you again for your advocacy and trust. Your voice matters, and we're listening.

On Nov 13, 2025, at 8:46 PM, [REDACTED] wrote:

Dear Board members,

We have just heard about discussions and doubts considering TIDE Academy's fate. [lengthy parent letter about TIDE's value, advertising needs, etc.]