GGUSD High Schools Provide Showcase for 8th Grade Students

GGUSD high schools gave a warm welcome this week to 8th grade students, providing student-led assemblies and performances and highlighting all of the wonderful academic and extracurricular opportunities available at our schools! Student leaders did a fantastic job giving 8th graders a preview into their future high schools!

Garden Grove City Council Recognizes Students who Inspire

This week the Garden Grove City Council recognized Bolsa Grande High School student Phillip Nguyen for studying Mandarin through the 2022 NSLI-Y Virtual Summer Intensive program and for his scholarship from the U.S. Department of State. The City Council also recognized La Quinta High School student James Nguyen for his research project to develop a cancer-detecting tooth brush that earned him a scholarship through the global Rise Challenge. We're so proud of these two bright scholars!

Stanford Elementary School Opens Wellness Center

Stanford Elementary School hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with its families this week to celebrate the school's new Wellness Room - a space where students can receive counseling from Stanford's ASPIRE social workers, relax and re-energize during recess, and learn coping skills to overcome worry and stress. This was a great way to kick off Valentine's Day - showing students how much they are cared for!

Pacifica Show Choir Earns Multiple Wins

Pacifica's Show Choir, Encore, participated in the Kennedy Show Choir Invitational last Friday and took home several 1st place wins including 1st in musicianship, 1st in choreography, and 1st overall. Hazel Fleck was awarded a most outstanding performer medallion! Way to go Mariners!

OC Parenting Magazine Recognizes Top Teacher from Los Amigos

Check out the "Parenting OC" Facebook Live video announcing Los Amigos High School teacher Rebeca Martinez as the 2023 Top Teacher of Orange County!! Watch the video beginning at 14:18 to hear what her students had to say about what makes her their top teacher!! https://youtu.be/MHQFt8yoKyY

Ms. Martinez rose to the top of hundreds of nominations, and we are not surprised! Students love Ms. Martinez because she finds innovative ways to teach complex macroeconomics theories as well as the practical side of budgeting. Ms. Martinez heads up The Econ Fair, a semester long project where students develop products and plans to manufacture and sell them with a Shark-Tank Style pitch session. She also spearheads The Bite of Reality Simulation which equips students with budgeting skills needed in life after high school. Her daily lessons are just as inventive and fun! She also leads the way in helping students earn the state seal of civic engagement. Congratulations Ms. Martinez on this well-deserved recognition!

GGUSD Administrators Earn Awards for Leadership in Arts

The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators recognized two GGUSD administrators for making a difference in the lives of students through leadership in arts education during a special awards ceremony at Segerstrom Center for the Arts last week. Awards were presented to Stacy Harris, Coordinator of GGUSD’s Visual and Performing Arts department as well as Eisenhower Elementary School Principal Beth Cusimano. The cover art of the awards ceremony program titled “Lillies Afloat” was created by La Quinta High School student, Breanna Prum under the instruction of art teacher Annie Ta. Garden Grove High School students Caitlin Echavarria and Abby Valdivia choreographed and performed a featured dance performance under the direction of their teacher, Chrissie Leong.

GGUSD Adds SRO for Westminster Schools

This week, GGUSD welcomed Westminster Police Officer Omar Ayala-Campos as the newest member of the district’s School Resource Officer (SRO) team. He is dedicated to serving all six GGUSD schools located in the City of Westminster including La Quinta High School, McGarvin Intermediate School and Anthony, Carrillo, Marshall and Post elementary schools. Click here to read more about Officer Ayala who graduated from GGUSD's Bolsa Grande High School!

GGUSD Schools Celebrate School Counselors

Last week, GGUSD schools celebrated our wonderful school counselors for National School Counseling Week, thanking them for all they do to support students' academic and personal growth and helping students navigate their pathway to lifelong success.