Gilroy Unified School District

Here are some highlights from the May 6, 2021 GUSD Board of Education regular meeting. Watch the full meeting on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aBZUQIc52rg. Superintendent Flores introduced the newly appointed Assistant Principal of Gilroy High School: Elaine Carne. Ms. Carne has been a math teacher at GECA for 11 years, and will begin her new role with the Mustang Nation for the 2021-2022 school year. Superintendent Flores and staff members presented the GUSD Reopening Plan...ning Committee's recommendation for the 2021-22 school year and contingency plan. The Board approved the recommendation for a full return to in-person learning for all grades beginning August 18, 2021 as well as a contingency plan if circumstances warrant it. GUSD will also offer the Virtual Learning Academy as a full online option for students. Staff presented updates on the expanded summer school programs using one-time and federal funds, which will serve specific groups of students in GUSD. The Board approved a recommendation from the IT Department for the purchase of additional technology resources for the 2021-22 school year. The Board will hear recommendations from staff regarding the community service graduation requirement and permitted activities for students at the May 20 board meeting. Following stakeholder input, the Board of Education will receive the first draft of the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan) at the May 20 board meeting. The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees is May 20, 2021 at 7 pm. The meeting will be livestreamed for the public on the GUSD YouTube channel.

Congratulations to this week's GUSD Behind the Scenes All-Stars: Jean Wells-Southland, Principal of Rucker Elementary School and Maggie Garcia, Attendance Liaison at Middle School! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jean Wells-Southland: I would like to nominate my principal from Rucker School. She is a great team leader and she listens to you even though you are a custodian. She is very fair to everybody. Thank you Jean. You are a true all-star!... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maggie goes above and beyond every minute of every day to make sure that Brownell's students are taken care of. She works tirelessly calling students, parents/guardians, and is always doing home visits to ensure that students are taken care of. She works from the minute she gets to work until the minute she leaves, often after her shift is over. She is always brightening up the office and celebrating staff anyway she can. No matter what is happening, or how bad things get, she is always smiling asking what she can do to help. Maggie goes above and beyond everyday! She is truly a ROCK STAR! Maggie is our team leader at Brownell.. She has a big heart and attends to our families in need.

May 7 a is National School Lunch Hero Day and we are so grateful to all of the Food Service staff in GUSD! These heroes have worked tirelessly to provide nutritional resources to children in the Gilroy community from the beginning of the pandemic and do it with smiles on their faces and love in their hearts. We are so lucky to have them be part of Team GUSD! Please share your thanks and love with our favorite school lunch heroes below! #GUSDProud #GilroyGrown

The Gilroy Unified School District Board of Education will livestream the May 6, 2021 regular board meeting at 7:00 pm on the GUSD YouTube account: youtube.com/c/gilroyunifiedschooldistrict Public comment for the meeting can be submitted online by 6:00 pm May 6, 2021: https://forms.gle/JUTEXyW1NLxLaDVJ6. Access GUSD Board Meeting agendas here: https://bit.ly/GUSDBoardAgendas

May 5 UPDATE: Due to the overwhelming demand for both age groups, classes are at capacity. Going forward, students interested in participating will be placed on a waitlist. Please contact Eric Thompson ([email protected]) directly with any questions. The Gilroy Unified School District has partnered with Rebekah Children's Services to offer in-person Art and Life Skills groups to middle school and high school students. The groups will be held at Brownell Middl...e School (for middle school students) and Gilroy High School (for high school students), but are open to all middle and high school students in Gilroy Unified School District. Students will learn strategies for self-improvement, decision making, coping with anxiety, communication skills, and social skills while expressing themselves with a variety of arts and crafts, such as watercolor, and a variety of expression paintings. Middle school students will meet Mondays and Wednesdays, from 2:30-3:45 pm, beginning May 10 and concluding June 2. High School students will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2:30-3:45 pm, beginning May 11 and concluding June 3. Please contact Eric Thompson at [email protected] or Lorenzo Sandoval at [email protected] if your student is interested in joining the Art and Life Skills group.

Congratulations to this week's GUSD Behind the Scenes All-Stars: Natalie Martinez in the Business Services Department at the District Office and Rachel Pali, sixth grade ELA and Social Science teacher at Brownell Middle School! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Natalie joined GUSD in 2018 in the Business Services Department. From her first day in the District Office she has been the ultimate team player. Throughout the pandemic, she has essentially done the work of so many pe...ople across more than one department. Her eye for design and her ability to make hard-to-understand information accessible for people is a gift. She asks the right questions in order to make processes more streamlined and works tirelessly to ensure that information is current and timely. She can do it all: web and graphic design, translation and interpretation, logistics and planning, and she does! We are so lucky to have Natalie on Team GUSD. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ms. Pali started a cooking club at Brownell Middle School this school year. Every week, she meets with club members each week to cook a meal from scratch over Zoom. She sends well-planned recipes and shopping lists before every meeting to make sure the group is prepared. She guides the young cooks through recipes during every Zoom session, which have stretched to two hours or longer. She’s there every step of the way for these students, emphasizing kitchen safety and healthy eating. The group has prepared soups, salads, even curries. She’s gone above and beyond to create and foster a fun, interactive community for Brownell students. Thank you Rachel! You are a true all-star!

There is no food service at GUSD schools during Spring Break. Meal bags for the entire week of break will be distributed to families on Friday, April 2, at our meal distribution sites. Every child within the community, 18 years or younger, will receive a grocery bag of meal items. As always, children do not need to be present to pick up meals bags. A parent or guardian can pick up meal bags for all children in the household/family. Meal service will take place during norma...l service hours or while supplies last. Meal bags for next week can be picked up between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm at the following school sites, or while supplies last: Eliot Elementary School Glen View Elementary Luigi Aprea Elementary Rod Kelley Elementary Ascencion Solorsano Middle School South Valley Middle School Meal bags will also be distributed at Rucker Elementary from 10:30 am-11:30 am on Friday, April 2, or while supplies last.

Translation for the April 1, 2021 GUSD Board Meeting can be accessed using this link: https://gilroyunified-org.zoom.us//tZYpdO6orj0sHtwQuR5dInp

Congratulations to GECA senior Ephraim Aung who was awarded the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps - NROTC Marine Option scholarship on the Gavilan College campus on March 29! Ephraim earned the top award-- one that is only given to 60 high school seniors throughout the United States! Ephraim was joined by his Marine Recruiting Officer, other commanding officers, GUSD Board Member Michelle Nelson, GUSD Superintendent Flores, Gavilan College President Kathleen Rose, Gavi...lan College Board Member Edwin Diaz and members of his extended family and friends who surprised him during the ceremony. Congratulations Ephraim! We are so very proud of you! #GUSDProud #GilroyGrown

The Gilroy Unified School District Board of Education will livestream the April 1, 2021, regular board meeting at 7:00 pm on the GUSD YouTube account: youtube.com/c/gilroyunifiedschooldistrict Public comment for the meeting can be submitted online by 6:00 pm April 1, 2021: https://forms.gle/goCMDYiG9qktF3j97. Access GUSD Board Meeting agendas here: https://bit.ly/GUSDBoardAgendas.

We are celebrating National School Counselor Week February 1-5, and sending all of our love to the school counselors and academic coordinators at the three middle schools and four high schools in the Gilroy Unified School District. Thank you for all you do! #GUSDProud #GilroyGrown #nscw21

January 28, 2021 Update from Superintendent Flores: recommendations regarding reopening the district to in-person learning; new food service schedules; high school athletics, and upcoming events https://www.gilroyunified.org/parentstudent-resources//news

Congratulations to this week's GUSD Behind the Scenes All-Stars: Traci Johnson, fourth grader teacher in the GUSD Virtual Learning Academy from Rucker Elementary School, and Monica Smith, former Health Clerk at Luigi Aprea Elementary School and new ASB Clerk at Christopher High School! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Traci has fully embraced all things technology. She jumps in head first in every request that is asked from her. She dives into the curriculum to make sure that she is fu...lly teaching all standards where the kids are. She spends many hours making herself available to scaffold children, provide quick feedback, and communicate with families. She is a true team player and wants to further the excellence that is in GUSD. Thank you Traci! You are a true all-star! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Monica Smith has been a parent at Luigi Aprea for 12 years, a yard duty for one year and a Health Clerk for seven years. She supports all students, parents, teachers, front office staff, and cafeteria staff. She has a warm friendly face who shows sympathy for students who need medicines, Band-Aids or a hug. The students lovingly call her Miss Monica. She is always willing to help out and she says "yes" as the first words out of her mouth. Monica Smith rolls up her sleeves and happily helps out. She cares about staff. She cares about our current students and keeps in touch with former Luigi students. Monica stays fit and healthy, but makes time for sweets too. :) She has been together for many years with her loving husband, Gene. She has two kids who are very smart and involved in sports and supports them at every practice, home game or away game. She is moving onto a new job at CHS and we wish her the best of luck and we will miss her! Good luck on your new adventures Miss Monica, and thank you! You are a true all-star!

Gilroy Unified School District Board Meeting

January 27, 2021 is the 100th day of school in GUSD and we are celebrating 100 days smarter! Although this year has been unlike any other, we are so proud of the resilience our students and families have shown. Share your 100th day of school photos with us in the comments below or email to [email protected]. #GUSDProud #GilroyGrown