December 4, 2017
#GGUSDPRIDE E-newsletter
The #GGUSDPride E-newsletter features many of the great things happening in GGUSD.   
Send your photos to pio_department@ggusd.us to highlight your school or students in the e-newsletter.
A Special Connection
Each Friday morning a bus arrives at Santiago High School filled with students from Mark Twain Special Education Center to provide a wonderful experience for students who participate in a unique cross-school collaboration opportunity called Peer 2 Peer. Mark Twain and Santiago students spend a full day together engaging in activities that cover the whole high school experience.

Inspiring Students to Work Hard

Superintendent Gabriela Mafi spoke with Gilbert Elementary School third through sixth grade students about her own personal and professional journey and the importance of working hard in school. Students spent time reflecting on their own personal ideas of success.
Shooting for Success

More than 360 Special Education students, from 12 GGUSD schools took to the courts last week for a very special tournament hosted by the Special Olympics California. The tournament was a fun way to help students focus on what they can do. Thank you to the GGUSD Special Education staff who supported the event and helped students celebrate their individual successes.
Los Amigos High School Hosts College Application Day
Los Amigos High School hosted a College Application Day recently to ensure students are fully supported during the college application process. This video captures the excitement of the day and features Los Amigos students talking about their plans for the future. Senior Counselor Michelle Ramos and Avid Coordinator Erin Chase share what Los Amigos High School is doing to support college readiness.
Garden Grove TV3 Features GGUSD Dual Language
Thanks to Garden Grove TV3 for this wonderful highlight about our school district's cutting-edge Spanish and Vietnamese dual language programs. We are so proud of all that our students are accomplishing on their journeys to become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. Call (714) 663-6143 to inquire about enrollment for 2018-19 for the Spanish dual program at Monroe Elementary Language Academy and the Vietnamese program at Murdy Elementary School.
An Environmental Accolade

GGUSD received an exciting award this week for two zero net energy projects that when completed will bring solar car ports, solar canopies, and energy tracking technology to Ralston Intermediate School and Santiago High School. Students will monitor and study real-time results of energy consumption. Click here to learn more about the award and the projects.
GGUSD Charity Campaign
GGUSD employees have the opportunity to give back to several non-profit organizations during the GGUSD Charity Campaign through December 22. One of the organizations employees can donate to is the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG). GGUSD and BGCGG have enjoyed a wonderful relationship for nearly 30 years. BGCGG serves more than 17,000 individuals each year in GGUSD with before and after-school academic enrichment programs, tutoring, dental, vision, and health services, school-based counseling, and prevention and intervention programs.
Photo from Boys & Girls Clubs website. Visit https://www.bgcgg.org/ for more information.
Fitz Students Launch Rockets in After-School STEM Program

Last week, students at Fitz Intermediate School saw the rockets they built in the school's after-school Rocketry class take flight 50-60 feet in the air. Every Friday, for ten weeks, students have learned the mechanics of rockets and worked on building their own. They began with a basic design and modified their designs to improve the rocket’s distance. Once their rockets were built, the instructors placed the students’ rockets on a launcher that triggered the electrical conductor and launched the rockets about 50-60 feet into the air. The program helped students learn about rocketry in a scientific, hands-on manner that allowed them to be fully immersed in the development and launching of the rocket that they built, tested, and refined during the classes.
La Quinta Launches Project Legacy at Hall of Fame Night

On Friday, La Quinta High School hosted its 2 nd Annual Hall of Fame Night. The evening was held to honor and induct into
La Quinta’s Hall of Fame two former teacher coaches, Jim Perry and Larry James, who were previously named to the CIF Hall of Fame.  During the ceremony,
La Quinta High School Principal Denise Halstead also launched a historic campaign called “Project Legacy,” a multiyear endeavor drawing on the time, talent, and treasure of alumni and the community with the mission of enhancing the student experience, connecting students with the school’s rich history, and providing new internship, scholarship, and job experience opportunities.  The Hall of Fame evening was sponsored by 1976 La Quinta High School alumni Gary Crisp, President/CEO and Founder of Crisp Imaging. The evening ended with La Quinta High School’s varsity basketball team’s 63-39 victory over Orange High School.