February 13, 2018
#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.
Bolsa Grande Freshmen Attend Law School

Law school is not just for college students. Bolsa Grande High School freshmen receive a unique instructional experience to attend a six-week Saturday Academy of Law program at UCI. The Matadors enjoy learning from college law school students and work with Superior Court judges to craft and deliver debate speeches about real case law. Learn more here .
Celebrating Counselors and Psychologists

Last week was National School Counseling Week and GGUSD has the very best school counselors and psychologists around! Our motivated and passionate group of counselors and psychologists dedicate each and every day to helping students prepare for their futures. Thank you to our awesome team for all they do to make a difference. 
GGUSD Cares about Community

Over the weekend, our Board of Education Vice President Lan Nguyen, Trustee Teri Rocco, GGUSD principals and staff participated in the West Garden Grove Youth Baseball Opening Day Parade to cheer for our young athletes and support the community. They stopped for a photo with Garden Grove Mayor Steve Jones and members of the City Council.
Pacifica Shines in County's Academic Decathlon

Pacifica High School students took first place in their division in the Orange County Academic Decathlon, the countywide competition that tests students' knowledge of art, economics, history, literature, math, science, and more. Pacifica's team excelled in a series of challenging super quizzes and speeches, proving they are the among the county's very top scholars.
Santiago Students Ace the OC Auto Competition

Santiago High School students Mauricio Rey and Antonio Leana took home first place in the Orange County Auto Dealers Association Automotive Competition, beating out 120 students from other districts. Led by teacher Carlos Sanchez, the students won every challenge, perfectly troubleshooting errors rigged in a Lexus Sedan. The students won scholarships and a trip New York to represent GGUSD and Orange County in the National Championship.
A Family Favorite Teacher

Clinton Elementary School teacher Teresa Jackson was recognized by OC Parenting Magazine as a Family Favorite Teacher. Among 200 nominees, Teresa was selected as a Top Five Favorite. She shows an abundance of passion for her students. Outside of her own classroom, Teresa hosts science shows in the community to get children engaged in science early. She launched a non-profit called Jackson’s College Bound Foundation to provide scholarships for GGUSD students to help ensure they have opportunities to attend science, sports, and music classes or camps over the summer. She organizes holiday caroling and ice skating, and attends the high school graduations of her former sixth grade students. It’s no secret that Teresa Jackson cares about her students and it’s no surprise she was voted as a Top Five Family Favorite Teacher.
Latinos Unidos Students Take Leadership to a New Level
More than 300 elementary, intermediate, and high school students from GGUSD participated in the district’s fifth annual Latinos Unidos (LU) Leadership Conference at California State University, Fullerton on Saturday.

During the conference, students attended a networking fair, exchanged business cards with area professionals, learned about community resources and Latino organizations, and were introduced to potential part-time job opportunities after high school. 
A tour of the college campus was provided by students from CSUF’s Hermanos and Hermanas Undios. Additionally, students attended workshops led by Latinos Unidos alumni on topics like cultural consciousness, leadership in the 21 st century, public speaking, club representation in the community, navigating the path to college, financial aid, and scholarships. The event is sponsored by the Orange County United Way, one of the district’s longtime supporters of Latinos Unidos.   
Cindy Tran is # Homegrown

Cindy attended Paine Elementary, McGarvin Intermediate, and is a 2000 graduate of La Quinta High. She now teaches at Peters (K-3) Elementary.

“I had a wonderful education experience in GGUSD and encountered many caring teachers who were very encouraging throughout my education. My most memorable moment was with my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Clement. I recall a time when my older sister was taunting me with good grades on her report card. Mrs. Clement overheard, called me aside, and reassured me that although my grades may not be as good as my sister, it didn’t mean that I was not working hard and learning. Mrs. Clement continued to make sure I understood that I am special in my own way. As I grew up, that same memorable moment helped guide me in my career choice of becoming a teacher. I wanted to be able to have that same impact on other students in GGUSD and let them know that someone believes in them. My favorite thing about GGUSD is the vast amount of training and support the district offers to teachers in the classroom.”

Cindy has worked for GGUSD for 10 years.
Board of Education in Action
GGUSD's Board of Education is made up of five elected trustees who establish policies and chart the direction of our school district. While the trustees are elected to represent areas of the district’s 28 square miles, all board members work together to serve the entire school district and its more than 43,000 students. The district created a video to introduce you to your Board of Education members and share with you some of their goals and accomplishments.
Outreach through Vietnamese Media
Last week, Board of Education Vice President Lan Nguyen, Superintendent Gabriela Mafi, and Public Information Officer Abby Milone visited a variety of Vietnamese television stations, radio stations, and newspapers to spread the word about the academic success of our students. The district leaders wore traditional attire during the media visits to wish the community a healthy and prosperous New Year. The group visited Little Saigon TV, Saigon TV, VNA TV, Viet Pho TV, KVLA TV, VNCR Radio, Radio Bolsa, Nguoi Viet Newspaper, Viet Bao Newspaper, and Vien Dong Daily Newspaper. GGUSD is proud of its diversity and is committed to providing communication in multiple languages.
LQ Students Ready for Lunar New Year

La Quinta High School's Ms. Dao gave her students the classroom experience of the year with her annual Tet experience! Ms. Dao is also the Vietnamese Student Association advisor and is organizing a variety of exciting Lunar New Year festivities. Schools across the district will celebrate the Lunar New Year with cultural festivities.

Newhope Elementary School Hosts Dads and Daughters Dance
On March 9, Newhope Elementary School will hold its second annual Dads and Daughters Dance in the Multi Purpose Room. All Newhope girls are invited to bring their dads or another important man in their life to this fun and exciting event. Just like last year, there will be a DJ with great music and games. There will also be a photo booth for souvenir pictures as well as delicious snacks and treats. Thank you to the Newhope Parent Teacher Organization for sponsoring this event.
Valentine Love for U.S. Heroes
First grade students and family members at Riverdale Elementary School made Valentines to say, “Thank you”, to United States veterans for their service and bravery. 
Walton Intermediate Students Take Advantage of Extended Learning
Walton Intermediate students have many opportunities to engage in learning outside of the regular school day. A Music Jam session is offered to aspiring musicians who play an instrument or want to learn. The school's computer lab is open after school for students who need access to their Google Drive or Google Classroom pages. Walton offers STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) classes in Coding, Robotics, 3D Printing, Drone Development, and Rocketry. After-school sports teams are organized each quarter and open to all.
Students use computer programming skills to manipulate robots at Walton Intermediate School.