#GGUSDPride E-Newsletter - September 11, 2017

September 11, 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.

Honoring an American Hero

On Friday, September 8, the Garden Grove Unified School District honored an American hero during our Michael A. Monsoor Memorial Stadium Dedication at Garden Grove High School. Administrators, elected officials, the Monsoor family and friends, the captain and crew of the Navy guided missile destroyer, the U.S.S. Monsoor, and the community all gathered together for a patriotic tribute to honor the life and memory of Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor, a 1999 Garden Grove High School graduate and posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. The event featured former Navy SEALs parachuting onto the field with the American flag, the unveiling of the Navy SEAL trident in the center of the field, a military helicopter flyover, and special remarks from Michael's mother Sally, as well as Jason Booher, the founder and first commander of the Navy SEAL unit in Ramadi, Iraq, where Michael gave his life.

Visit our Facebook page to view more photos from the Stadium Dedication.

Click here to watch the special TV segment called ABC Salutes

Employee of the Month Program

Our district has amazing employees who consistently go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of our students and schools. It is our employees who make us a great school district and we are committed to recognizing them for their many contributions to our district. We invite you to nominate a staff member who you feel is deserving of recognition as an Employee of the Month or GGUSD Difference Maker.

Please nominate a GGUSD employee who puts others first; goes above and beyond to make a difference in their role; carries out each day with a positive attitude and strong work ethic; and demonstrates innovation, leadership, or passion for the job.

Those employees who are selected as Employee of the Month or GGUSD Difference Makers will be recognized at a Board of Education meeting. Their photos will be posted on our website and displayed prominently in our district office lobby.

Click to Nominate a GGUSD Employee of the Month

#AztecsAhieve

At La Quinta High School, students pursue their dreams through strong academic programs, extra-curricular involvement, healthy lifestyles, innovative collaboration, exploration of career pathways, and effective use of technology.

Through academic pathways like Business and Computer Science, LQ students attended a business leadership development camp at Brown University over the summer to gear up for a new season of Cyber Security competitions. Pathway students are preparing for the second and third year of competition. Last year, students in both the Business and Computer Science pathways placed at the state level and Business students competed at DECA's international level.

Outside of the classroom, LQ students participate in competitive sports like football and express themselves through LQ's urban dance program, La Quinta Movement. The Varsity Aztec Football team is gearing up for another successful season, while Movement has high hopes to showcase their talents at the state competition again this year. LQ's extra-curricular programs feature on campus coaches who support students in and out of the classroom. We cannot wait to see what is #LQPossible when #AztecsAchieve.

To learn more, watch the #AztecsAchieve video created by staff and students.

Eisenhower Students Coding for the Future

Eisenhower Elementary was awarded the Institute for Teaching Grant thanks to the innovative work of first grade teacher, Brandy Peters. The grant will help accelerate the school's Coding and Robotics program to the next level. Students in third through sixth grades will have the opportunity to collaborate and work with Lego EV3 Mindstorms culminating in a local Robotics Competition.

Monroe Language Academy is Off to a Great Start in its Second Year

Monroe Elementary Language Academy is very excited about its second year of the Spanish Dual Language Immersion program with approximately 100 new students. To accommodate the student growth, Monroe added four teachers - Maestra Sturtz, Maestra Ayala, Maestra Tavares, and Maestra Cornelison. At Monroe, students are well on their way to becoming bilingual, biliterate, and multicultural -- skills that set the foundation for future success, both academically and professionally.

Visit our website for more great news about GGUSD.