Cupertino Teachers Union Moves in to New Digs

When Barbara Bayha walked into the tidy room housing a greige-colored copy machine and storage cabinets her mouth dropped open, her eyes grew wide and she let out a one-syllable word: "Wow."

"This is so classy compared to what we've had in the past," she added.

Bayha is a retired Cupertino school teacher who taught in the area since 1965, and it's not that she likes copiers and printers so much, it's just that the teachers union has never had a whole room dedicated to devices such as these. They've been crammed into corners of dual-purpose rooms or other shared spaces. But a whole room? Just for a copier? Never.

It's been 60 years in the making for the Cupertino Education Association, but the organization finally has a place to call its own at 10011 N. Foothill Blvd., Suite 107.

"We've been hunting and working for this for so long," Bayha said.

The Cupertino Education Association, which represents teachers, counselors, psychologists, librarians and other staff, has rented classrooms from the district or rented office space in the area, but it has never owned its own office space, which it now does.

Dave Villafana, president of CEA, said the group took advantage of the downturn in real estate prices, and its reserves, to buy the suite. To those who contributed over the years, an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday was akin to the unveiling of a treasure chest.

"We invited all our retirees, past presidents; anyone involved with our union so they could see what their hard work and money they put into has paid for," he said.

Dozens of retired and active teachers and other staff from the Cupertino Union School District showed up to tour the 1,500-square-foot space with its two dedicated offices, plus one currently storing extra fold-up chairs, a kitchen, the copy room with an attached bathroom, and a large entry area which will serve as a conference room that can hold about 60 people.

"This space was bought by all the teachers in the union," Villafana said as he cut the ribbon.