MorganHillTimes.com | The end of an era

The end of an era

Jun 1, 2009
By Natalie Everett

Wandering chickens clucking and plucking at the landscaping. Picturesque scenes of children frolicking with horses beyond. Plowed dirt flying through the open windows on hot spring days. Ringing the Burnett bell on the last day of school.

These are some of the memories shared by the north Morgan Hill community that called Burnett Elementary School their home for learning for more than 50 years.

The Morgan Hill Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to close the northwest Morgan Hill school, saving the district $400,000 a year to close a $13 million budget gap. All students and staff will be transferred to P.A. Walsh Elementary School.

"All around were orchards and cherries," Tim Pacelli, who has taught at the school for 33 years, said. "The whole area was surrounded by country."

Pacelli remembered fondly a time at Burnett before carpeted floors and air conditioning.

"It would be 105 degrees outside, and we'd open the windows. But they'd be plowing outside, and the dirt would fly in! You could write your name (in the dirt) on the desks with your finger," he

said, laughing.

The pastoral setting of Burnett is one of the more memorable things about the school.

Teresa Sermersheim remembers her students pausing from classwork and scurrying to the windows to watch a calf being born.

"It's fun having horses and farm animals around," she said.

Other people have enjoyed the sense of community. Longtime teachers agreed that the school was their home away from home.

"It's always been a family community," Sermersheim said. "It feels like family when you're with the students and when you're with the staff."

Burnett is one of two remaining "rural" schools in the district. The other is San Martin/Gwinn Elementary School.

Burnett Elementary School was the first Morgan Hill school and was built at a different location in 1856.

In 1897, a new two-story school house was built at the corner of Burnett Avenue and Monterey Road. Further growth warranted another new school, the current site at 85 Tilton Ave.

Elena Moreno, 87, attended the Burnett Avenue school in the late 1920s, and later taught at both the old and "new" campuses. She said she preferred the old campus.

"They eliminated an orchard in order to put the school building there," she said of the new campus. "I'd always taught beside the railroad track, with the old-fashioned trains going by."

Perks of the new school included her new classroom room and a huge play yard, she said. She remembers as a child being in the school yard, surrounded by orchards and vineyards, as well as fields for sun-drying fruit and growing hay to feed the horses.

Later, Burnett became one of the more diverse schools in the district.

"There's a diversity in the community, a diversity of income, a diversity of educational groups, very supportive families here," teacher Steve Bakowsky said. Bakowsky, known by parents and students as Mr. B, has taught at Burnett since 1975. His former students - some of whom have children he's teaching now - remember him well.

"He's strict, but a good teacher. He made sure the kids were on track. I do remember that," Artemio Alvarez said. Now, his daughters Makaila and Jordan attend Burnett. "They wanted to go to the same school daddy went to."

Erica Sanchez, 29, said Burnett's closure was heartbreaking.

"It was a great school. To me it's like a farm school. There's not too much traffic around there, there's a lot of scenery. I got to walk to school with my brothers and cousins and enjoy the atmosphere," Sanchez said. Her family has owned 10 acres of walnut trees in northwest Morgan Hill for generations. "It's just like a little happiness, my kids getting to experience the same school. My family was going to be there for generations to come, from my oldest cousin to my youngest generation, we all had Mr. B."

Sanchez said her sons felt like Walsh wasn't yet their school.

"It comforts them knowing the teachers they know and have been around will be there," Sanchez said.

But, not all will be lost when Burnett students transfer to Walsh next year. Sermersheim said there are parents there, too, that she's taught over the years.

And all Burnett students will be transferred to Walsh. So will the teachers, even Mr. B.

And although they'll be trading farmland for houses, there are certain perks to Walsh.

"There are huge trees kids could sit under and eat their lunch," Sermersheim said.

Bakowsky said he looked forward to taking his kids on field trips to the Morgan Hill Library across the street.

Principal Barbara Neal has led Burnett for five years.

"I definitely have mixed feelings," she said. "I'm excited to start a new school, start working with new students and teachers, but there's a part of me that will always be on this campus."

Neal, who doesn't know yet what school she'll lead next year, said she's spent a lot of time talking to the students about the change.

"They're anticipating more change than I think will come to fruition," she said. "A lot of students are concerned about the bell."

After it's rung at 12:30 p.m. Friday, it will be transferred to Walsh with the original school plaque, Neal said.

"So a little piece of Burnett will be going to Walsh along with the students," Neal said.

Natalie Everett

Natalie Everett
Natalie Everett is the education and city reporter for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.