December 12, 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.
Alamitos Intermediate Named AVID National Demonstration School

Alamitos Intermediate School was named an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) National Demonstration School last week. Less than 200 schools across the nation and a select few in Orange County earn the prestigious designation, which signifies exemplary school-wide implementation of AVID’s proven college readiness systems and strategies. 

Alamitos Intermediate is GGUSD’s third AVID National Demonstration School, making GGUSD the first and only district in California to have three National Demonstration Schools. Doig Intermediate School and Santiago High School also hold the distinction, each having passed a rigorous validation process ensuring AVID strategies are implemented at the highest level across all classrooms. 

Last week, officials from the AVID Center and Alamitos Principal Christine Pijl made the announcement to a packed multipurpose room of excited students and staff. Alamitos Intermediate is only the ninth AVID National Demonstration School in Orange County.

Heritage Computer Science Academy Featured on Garden Grove TV3
Garden Grove TV3 featured Heritage Computer Science Academy's ribbon-cutting ceremony and heard from administrators and students about the benefits of learning computer coding! Watch the video to learn how Heritage is preparing students today for the jobs of tomorrow!
Hour of Code Fosters Tech-Savy Students Across the District
Last week, GGUSD schools participated in Hour of Code, a worldwide initiative held during Computer Science Week to give students enriching opportunities to learn computer coding. Students at Newhope Elementary (below, left) and Hazard Elementary (below, right) jumped right in, coding computer games and robots, building obstacle courses for their robots to navigate, and teaching each other all about coding! Coding is the language of the future and GGUSD students are on the path to future success!
A Powerful Voice from Pacifica
Pacifica High School senior Catherine Cueva earned first place in the Orange County Soapbox Speech Competition on Saturday. Over 50 speeches from eight different schools were entered, and Catherine's passionate speech about gun violence rose to the top! GGUSD School Board Trustee Walter Muneton, former Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen, and Pacifica teacher Adam Wemmer attended to recognize Catherine's achievement!  #GGUSDPride
Administrators Give Back
Last week, administrators gathered for the district's annual GGSAA Holiday Social and used the time together to wrap gifts and gift cards donated by administrators and delivered by our Maintenance and Operations team to H.O.P.E., a local non-profit serving families in need. Administrators also created holiday cards which will be delivered to the Louis Lake Senior Center to spread holiday cheer to our seniors in the community! There is nothing sweeter than using the holiday season to help others
Must-Watch Video Features 2018 Showcase of Bands Highlights
Take a look at highlights and interviews from the 2018 Showcase of Bands which took place last month!
Fitz Students Engage in Hands-on Learning on College Campus
Thanks to OC United Way, 150 AVID students from Fitz Intermediate School attended CSUF’s annual program, Catalyze Science. The students participated in minds-on, hands-on STEAM activities such as mapping and graphing earthquakes, building Mars landers, predicting moon phases, and more. These workshops were held in college classrooms and led by CSUF students who also spoke to the students about their college experiences. Fitz students also toured the campus and were provided lunch in the school’s food court. What a way to help students visualize themselves as college students!  #GGUSDPri de
La Quinta to Host Annual Hall of Fame Night
La Quinta High School’s third Annual Hall of Fame Night will honor legendary CIF-champion coach Dave Demarest as well as professional baseball player and La Quinta alumni Brandon Laird on Thursday, December 13. Tickets are on sale now for $5 at the La Quinta main office.

The night will also include two student versus faculty basketball games with proceeds from ticket sales going towards the purchase of a new digital baseball scoreboard in honor of Coach Demarest.
Huge Savings on ACT/SAT Prep Courses!
GGUSD juniors can take advantage of huge savings on ACT/SAT Prep Workshops which are proven to improve results on these rigorous college entrance exams. Classes are being offered at a steep discount and will only cost $50! Workshops are offered at all GGUSD high schools. Call your school guidance counselor to sign up today.
Doig Students Take Coding to Next Level
Doig Intermediate School students enjoy taking computer coding to the next level by participating in an after-school coding and robotics class that runs for 14 weeks. In the coding class, students learn how to design 3-D games using the program "Unreal" while they explore robots using the robot "Spheros" in the robotics class. About 20 students are enrolled in each class.
Heritage Computer Science Academy is hosting Parent Information Meetings and Tours for parents interested in learning more about student enrollment opportunities at the school. The district's first-ever Computer Science Academy infuses cutting-edge technology into daily curriculum across all content areas. Students learn computer programming, coding, and robotics through innovative lessons powered by Code to the Future, the nation's leader in computer science schools. Parents will have an opportunity to tour classrooms and learn more about the benefits of computer science. Heritage students will have a competitive advantage in mastering the technology skills needed for success in high school, college, and 21st century careers that haven't even been created yet. Meetings will be offered in English on January 10 and January 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. They will also be offered in Spanish on January 10 and January 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese on January 17 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.