All about Life & Real Estate in Silicon Valley – Broker Michael Koo's Blog.

Teachers, parents and administrators at Los Gatos and Saratoga high schools continually say their schools have some of the brightest students around. And the latest California Academic Performance Index scores show they might be right.
Saratoga High received an API score of 933, with Los Gatos High coming in with a score of 886. API scores range from a low of 200 to a high of 1,000.
“Our goal is to have our students graduate from our campuses as well-rounded citizens prepared for college and/or a chosen career. One component of that is academic achievement. This new API information validates the efforts of our students, teachers, classified staff and parent community to promote this success,” said Bob Mistele, superintendent of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District.
Saratoga High received one of the highest scores in the county. Its score ranked third in public high schools behind Monta Vista High (956) and Lynbrook High (946).
Saratoga’s score of 933 matched its 2011 score.

By Brian Babcock
bbabcock@community-newspapers.com

To review the API scores, visit www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap.

3 stages of Music, Wine, Beer, Food, Ten Scene, Action Day Kids Zone, Cinnabar Grape Stomp Challenge, Saratoga History Museum and More !

For more info www.celebratesaratoga.com
Sunday, September 16, 2012 from Noon to 7pm on Big Basin Way in Downtown Saratoga

SAN DIEGO (CBS/AP) — Home prices in the San Francisco Bay Area approached four-year highs last month as buyers snapped up more expensive properties, according to a San Diego-based research firm.

DataQuick said Wednesday that the median price for new and existing houses and condominiums in the nine-county region reached $421,000 in July, up nearly 13 percent from the same period last year. It is the highest median price since August 2008.

Sales rose 23 percent from last year to nearly 8,500 homes.

DataQuick said homes costing at least a half-million dollars made up a bigger part of the Bay Area’s sales mix, lifting the median price. Foreclosed properties, which tend to a sell at steep discount, were a smaller part of the sales mix.

Median sale prices in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Solano, Marin, Napa, San Mateo and Sonoma counties all increased in the past year with Napa County seeing the biggest price increase at a 32.6 percent jump.

Median prices in that county were at $281,000 in July 2011 and reached $372,500 this July, according to DataQuick.

The highest home prices in the region this summer are in San Francisco with $714,000 listed as the median cost, while the lowest can be found in Solano County at $188,000.

Statewide, home prices also approached four-year highs last month. DataQuick said the median price for new and existing houses and condominiums in California reached $281,000 in July, up nearly 12 percent from the same period last year.

It is the highest median price since September 2008 and the fifth straight month of annual gains.

Sales rose 14 percent from last year to nearly 40,000 homes.

DataQuick says properties foreclosed upon in the previous year accounted for 22 percent of existing-home sales, down from 35 percent a year earlier. www.cbslocal.com

Low inventory couple with limited number of properties for sale in Santa Clara County, multiple offers are common. On the last day of May, there were 1,663 homes and condos for sale in the county. That was up a smidge from 1,552 in April, but way down from the 3,167 properties for sale in May 2011. That is a 48% decline. There is no easy fix for the inventory problem. While this tough on buyers, sellers are very happy.

Francisco Blanch, Head of Global Commodity & Multi-Asset Strategy Research at the investment bank, says he expects the Federal Reserve to initiate an asset-purchasing program of as much as $500 billion in the second half of the year, which will drive spot gold much higher by the end of the year.

“We think that $2,000 an ounce is sort of the right number,” Blanch said on CNBC Asia’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday. “We believe that ultimately the Fed will be forced to do quantitative easing . If it happens in September, as our economists expect, we will get a rally sooner in gold. If it happens after the election (in November), we will get the rally a little bit later; probably we will touch $2000 an ounce sometime next year.”

See many of the newest and rarest cars from hybrids to high-horsepower hot rods, all in one convenient location. Over 350 classic cars will be on display for your enjoyment!

Enjoy the event in a park like setting with a kid’s area, live music and enter raffles & drawings. Free to the public.

Mon May 12, 2012 9am to 3pm Mercury News Campus
750 Ridder Park Dr San Jose CA 95190
www.hybrid2hotrods.com

Redwood Middle School has placed first in the California Math counts competition winning the state title for the fourth times in 11 years. Redwood team beat more than 50 participating schools in the March 17 Northern and Southern California events.

Math counts is a combination math coaching and competition program. Students compete in written and oral matches in the subjects of probability, statistics, linear algebra and polynomials.

For more info, go to www.mathcounts-ca.org

St. Patrick’s Day should be more than jusy a one-day celebration. Of course, they have to change the name of the ocassion – to something like St. Patrick Week or St. Patrick’s Month.

Showtime is 7:30pm $30 www.ticketmaster.com

Get ready for Winter Fest! A counterpart to our wildly popular Summer Fest, our winter Jazz festival includes a variety of established players and exciting Jazz upstarts—from straight-ahead Jazz to innovative young artists that are moving the art form forward, there’s something for everyone to discover.

Highlights include an artist-driven collaboration by Ambrose Akinmusire and Gerald Clayton, Vocalist Jamie Davis, New York-based saxophone prodigy Grace Kelly, The Blues All Stars with J.C. Smith, Chris Cain & Maxx Cabello Jr., and Rupa and the April Fishes, a global group that mixes elements of Gypsy Swing, Colombian Cumbia, French Chanson and Indian ragas. These concerts will be held at the intimate Theater on San Pedro Square, offering you an unique opportunity to experience these artists in a personal way.

www.sanjosejazz.org Mar 9-11 2012 San Pedro Square Downtown San Jose

A riveting fusion of visuals, dance, music and fantasy that immerses audiences in Michael’s creative world and literally turns his signature moves upside down, Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour unfolds Michael Jackson’s artistry before the eyes of the audience. Aimed at lifelong fans as well as those experiencing Michael’s creative genius for the first time, the show captures the essence, soul and inspiration of the King of Pop, celebrating a legacy that continues to transcend generations.

THE IMMORTAL World Tour takes place in a fantastical realm where we discover Michael’s inspirational Giving Tree – the wellspring of his creativity. The secrets of Michael’s inner world are unlocked – his love of music and dance, fairy tale and magic, and the fragile beauty of nature.

The underpinnings of THE IMMORTAL World Tour are Michael Jackson’s powerful, inspirational music and lyrics – the driving force behind the show—brought to life with extraordinary power and breathless intensity. Through unforgettable performances Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour underscores Michael’s global messages of love, peace and unity.

” Michael Jackson ” Presented by Cirque du Soleil www.cirquedusoleil.com/michaeljackson