School to host centennial bash

Instead of relying on the traditional cake and candles, the San Bruno Park School District's yearlong birthday bash continues this week with a little culture at the Belle Air Elementary School.

The event Wednesday, which is part of the district's centennial celebration, will feature kindergarten through sixth-grade students performing Mexican, Polynesian and Hawaiian dances. Students and alumni of the 54-year-old school are invited to attend. And the alumni will be treated to a post-festivities meal in the school's cafeteria.

Part of the celebration will be held at the National Guard Armory, across from the school.

"Every school is having their own separate celebration, and ours has a theme," said Belle Air principal Marcela Miranda. "We are going to have a multicultural dance assembly honoring our diversity."

A large percentage of the school's 423 students is of Mexican, Polynesian and Hawaiian descent.

In addition to putting on a show, Belle Air will honor businesses that have assisted the school, including Starbucks for donating cups and gift certificates to teachers; Washington Mutual bank for donating money for field trips; and Marshall Realty, which donated hundreds of pumpkins to the school for Halloween.

The event has been in the works since August and the children can't wait, said Elena Andrews, Belle Air's office manager and the Parent Teacher Association treasurer. A lot of alumni are expected to show up, she added.

"The school has a lot of children here whose parents went here," Andrews said. "We have a lot of students who are second- and third-generation students."

Belle Air also has some longtime staff members who will be recognized for their years of service to the school. Loretta McClurg, a kindergarten teacher at the school for more than 20 years and a former student, will be honored. Carolyn Chase, an instructional aide at the school and throughout the district for more than 20 years, will also be recognized.

Additional centennial celebrations will follow at each campus through June.

"The final shindig is in the first part of June 2007," said Robert Riechel, a member of the district's committee for the centennial.

Other activities to mark the 100-year anniversary include a June 1 barbecue and the June 2 "Centennial Poker Run" in which participants will pick up one playing card at each of the school's sites. The best hands will be awarded prizes at a dinner and dance that night.