September 27, 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.
Pillars of Success
GGUSD district office employees now have a daily reminder of the success of our students. Last week, banners highlighting our 2018 graduates were installed on the entryway pillars to the district office. What a great way to start the day! 
Welcome Back Spartans
Doig Intermediate School hosted Back to School Night last week to showcase their exceptional programs and provide parents with an overview of what students are learning. Thanks to all the parents who attended and who support our Doig scholars! Go Spartans!
Spreading Peace
The students at Carrillo Elementary School celebrated the United Nations International Day of Peace last week at an outdoor assembly with readings, songs, poems, posters, and the release of a balloon painted by students to depict the earth. The student-created planet was tethered on a two hundred foot string to float above the school and carried a flag with the word PEACE in many languages.
GGUSD Hosts Parent Leadership Academy
This week, GGUSD kicked off its second annual Parent Leadership Academy to provide education, leadership, and communication training to parent leaders from all of our school sites. We are very grateful for the dedicated and engaged parents who work with staff to make GGUSD schools the best they can be for our students. You won't find a more fantastic group of parents anywhere else!  #GGUSDPride
UCI Cancer Researcher

Pacifica High School student Elle Tran earned the opportunity to participate in a summer internship at the UC Irvine Cancer Research Center. The program helps build the pipeline for the next generation of cancer researchers. During the six-week internship, Elle conducted research under the guidance of faculty and postdoctoral researchers, attended meetings about the college admissions process, and provided presentations on her research. She hopes to pursue the Biotechnology field as a career.
Santiago's Auto Shop Renovations

Over the summer, Santiago High School's Transportation Engineering Room underwent a complete redesign. Recently, the school hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the state-of-the-art auto shop. Students in Automotive classes will now be able to receive industry-recognized certifications, gain auto technician skills, use cutting-edge Snap-on tools, and become immediately employable in the automotive industry.
Save the Date for the College Fair
Save the date for GGUSD's 2018 College Fair on Monday, October 8 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Great Wolf Lodge in the Redwood Ballroom, 12681 South Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove. Free parking validation will be offered. This event is for high school juniors and seniors and is the perfect opportunity for students to meet with representatives from more than 100 colleges and universities. Don't miss the chance to explore programs offered at in-state and out-of-state universities! GGUSD counselors will also be on hand to answer questions and provide information about the college admissions process. For more information, call the Department of Parent and Community Outreach at (714) 663-6084.
A Prestigious Academic Accolade
Two students from GGUSD were named semifinalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. Nghiem Pham of Garden Grove High School and Jennifer P. Pham of La Quinta High School received the prestigious recognition earned by less than one percent of high school seniors nationwide.   
 
The National Merit Scholarship Program is designed to recognize students with extraordinary academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college courses. Approximately 1.6 million students from 22,000 high schools entered the 2019 National merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2017 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test 
 
Semifinalists are eligible to compete for 7,500 scholarships worth an estimated $31 million with over 90% of semifinalist being expected to attain finalist standing.
Vietnamese Dual Language Update
The Vietnamese Dual Language Program at Murdy Elementary School is going strong! Students are fully engaged in learning in both Vietnamese and English! Recently, a reporter from Spectrum News stopped by to film a feature story on the success of the program for the Orange County news channel which will launch in November. Stay tuned...
A Cultural Celebration
Gilbert Elementary School hosted a Mid Autumn Festival to celebrate the culture and traditions of the school's families and community. Guests enjoyed student performances, lantern making, and more.
GGUSD is committed to providing families with top-notch customer service! As part of our ongoing goal toward transparent and open communication, we created a new document called “ Communication Guidelines for GGUSD Parents/Guardians" to help navigate communication channels in the district. The document is being sent to all parents as a helpful tool to ensure they receive answers to their questions in a timely manner and know who to call when they have questions. "Communication Guidelines for Parents" is also posted on the district website in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Bolsa Students Celebrate Environmental Win

For years, the Bolsa Grande High School Wilderness Adventure Club, a faction of the Sierra Club, has worked to make the world a better place. Recently, students saw their hard work come to fruition when the grant they received from the Drought Response Outreach Program for Schools (DROPS) was used to transform the grounds of Bolsa Grande into an ecologically beautiful and effective, drought-tolerant landscape of native plants and catch basins which will help protect the earth for generations to come. The warmer summer months brought the planting of more than 20 different native species of trees, flowers, shrubs, and grasses selected by students. The grant also provides for an educational program that raises awareness of water-resource sustainability.
Shining a Light on Success
I SPY! I spy with my little eyes GGUSD students in the sky! Have you seen Alan or An? The banners of these 2018 Rancho Alamitos High School graduates are hanging near the school and put a spotlight on their enrollment at UCSB and UCSD. Alan attended Carver and Alamitos and An attended Patton and Lake! We love our grads!  #GGUSDPride

Have you seen your favorite grads’ banner around town? If so take a photo and post it on our page to play “I Spy” and show off your #GGUSDPride
Nominate an Employee of the Month!

Garden Grove Unified School 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!

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​​
  • demonstrates innovation, leadership, or passion for the job

Those employees who are selected as Employee of the Month 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. They will also be highlighted in our GGUSDPride e-newsletter.