Principal Stratton's Update
Community Update: March 20, 2024
How does our Staff support Participation and Performance?
How do Gunn Students Benefit from State Testing?
How do the state tests benefit our school and community?
The Critical Importance of Full Participation in State Testing: See Video from Parent Night!
Dear Titan Families,
While it will be just our 10th and 11th Graders who will participate in state testing next week, our entire school is impacted by their participation. Most recently, my assistant principal, Rebecca Shen-Lorenson and I facilitated an information night for parents, so they could better understand why it is so important that all sophomores and juniors test. To learn more about this low stakes assessment for students, listen to the recording of the parent night held last week.
Link to the recorded event: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17yqLezVmhq-gEt3s9DiFVkDMegbhwGHB/view?usp=sharing
In advance of next week's testing, I'd like to acknowledge the collective effort of the class of 2024 for giving back to Gunn by taking the assessment and helping us exceed the state mandated 95% participation rate. It is now up to this year's junior class to support our school. Please listen to the event from last week to learn why this is so important. If you have any questions, please reach out to AP Shen-Lorenson, or me.
Thanks again for supporting our school!
Warm regards,
Wendy
See article below about the negative impacts of student opt outs on a school district in Marin County: https://www.marinij.com/2024/01/29/tam-union-school-district-dinged-in-state-ratings/
Featured Articles
- California Healthy Kids Survey
- February Happenings
- El Camino Health, Movie Screening
- Career Week
- Food Drive
- Gunn Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Titan Tidbits
- Schedule Changes March 21-29
- Key Dates
February Happenings
Listening Session
Over 120 students and 20 administrators and counselor participated in a listening session on February 27.
GunnSideLands
Students performers showed off their musical talents during the annual GunnSideLands concert during lunch.
Visit from the Hawaii Department of Education 🌺
To Do: Please Complete (ASAP) California Health Kids Survey -for PARENTS
Access the survey using the following URL: https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wested/ts/j9ak
Every other year, we survey our parents and guardians using the California Healthy Kids Survey to learn more about your perceptions of your child’s school experience. You can find the instructions and survey link below.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESSING THE SURVEY
If you have more than one child at this school, you will only need to complete one survey for this
school. Please fill out just one survey about the school using your oldest child as a reference.
After the first page of the survey, you will be able to change the language to one of 18 options.
Again, Access the survey using the following URL: https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wested/ts/j9ak
You may visit the CalSCHLS website or email Maria Apen-Espinoza at mapenespinoza@pausd.org with questions. The purpose of this important survey is to obtain parent perceptions about Gunn. Your participation is voluntary and the information you provide will help guide district and school's efforts to promote safety, enhance learning supports, and improve student well-being and outcomes.
- This is an anonymous survey. It is designed so that no one can be identified from the data. You do not have to respond to any questions that you feel could be used to identify you. Simply skip any such questions.
- All questions apply to this school only.
- The results are for the use of your district. The California Department of Education and WestEd will preserve data confidentiality and refer any data requests to the district.
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INSTRUCCIONES PARA ACCEDER A LA ENCUESTA
Si tiene más de un niño/a en esta escuela, solo necesitará completar una encuesta para esta escuela. Por favor complete solo una encuesta sobre la escuela utilizando a su niño/a mayor como referencia. Acceda a la encuesta usando la siguiente URL: https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wested/ts/j9ak
A message from El Camino Health, Movie Screening
A mesage from El Camino Health:
My name is Sam Kotmel and I work as the ASPIRE Outreach Coordinator for El Camino Health. I am reaching out to share an important initiative that we believe will greatly benefit our community and spark crucial conversations about a pressing issue, the fentanyl epidemic.
We are excited to announce an exclusive screening of the documentary "Fentanyl High," a powerful exploration of a topic that demands our attention. The purpose of this event is not only to inform the community about the adolescent fentanyl epidemic but also to engage in meaningful discussions that can lead to increased awareness and, ultimately, positive change.
Here are some key points about the screening:
- Documentary Overview: "Fentanyl High" delves into the impact of fentanyl on adolescents and communities, shedding light on the challenges we face.
- Date and Time: Tuesday 3/26/24 5:30-7PM
- Location: Fremont High School Theatre; 575 W. Fremont Ave. Sunnyvale, CA 94087
- Registration: Attendees are required to register in advance through the attached clickable PDF to secure their seats or go directly to this website:
https://fentanylhigh.ticketleap.com/fentanyl-high-screening/
- Community Engagement: We believe that schools in our community play a crucial role in fostering a sense of community and addressing important issues. By sharing this information with your students, parents, and faculty, we aim to create a collective awareness that can make a difference.
- Supporting Materials: Attached, you will find promotional materials, including an invitation and registration details one with a clickable link to send out to parents to facilitate easy dissemination and another with a QR code if you choose to display.
We understand the importance of discretion and sensitivity when addressing such topics. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. We value your partnership in raising awareness and fostering a safe and informed community.
Career Week at Gunn 3/25-3/29
Gunn High School presents opportunities for students to engage with career-based activities to develop their personal career portfolio.
- Monday – Service Learning Day: Volunteer + develop career awareness
- Tuesday & Wednesday - Career Speakers showcase their career & describe their pathway. All sessions include a Q&A and are held in the Little Theatre during PRIME.
- Thursday - Career Speaker, PAUSD grad, Tanner Kerrins who produced the Barbie movie (which will be played during PRIME sessions on Wed.)
Students are encouraged to attend at least one event to increase their awareness of various career pathways. Click on this link for more information about Career Week events.
Student Run Food Drive (March 4th - 29th)
Our food drive is being run by three students from the Social Justice Advanced Authentic Research class. Students and staff can bring unexpired canned goods, dry goods (pasta, rice, grains), or jarred goods (pasta sauce, peanut butter, etc.) to the crates in the main office.
- Do not bring items in containers that could be easily broken.
- Additionally, there will be a competition between the SELF classes. The top three SELF classes that bring the most food items will win donuts. In order for the items to be counted in the school competition, please have students take a picture of all the food items to submit to the google form in the office.
High School Visual Art On Display!
High School Visual Art is on display at 25 Churchill! Don't miss the captivating visual art display featuring the talents of our PAUSD high school artists. The Visual Art show, highlighting works from Paly and Gunn students, will be on display at the District Office through March 25th. Alongside the high school art exhibit, we continue showcasing the imaginative pieces from our elementary artists in the Spectra Art Program.
Gunn Theatre
Join Gunn Theatre for drama, music and hijinks in Shakespeare’s lively comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Set in New Orleans circa 2018, soul mates Lysander and Hermia must flee the city into the bayou because Hermia’s father demands she marry Demetrius. Demetrius follows Hermia, and poor Helena follows Demetrius. While in the woods, the king of the fairies and his mischievous assistant Puck get involved in the lovers’ quarrel to a hilarious and catastrophic end. Mix in some amateur actors preparing a play for Duke Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding day, and you have a highly entertaining production not to be missed! Tickets available at gunntheatre.org.
March 20, 4-6pm - Discount Matinee. $5 for all
March 21, 22, and 23, 7-9pm - $20 for adults, $10 students/seniors
The show takes place in Spangenberg Theatre and runs 90 minutes without an intermission.
Titan Tidbits
Sweetheart Awards: Congratulations to the staff (and student!) who received 'Sweetheart Awards' at the annual CAC awards on March 5th.
- "The sweetheart awards started 20 years ago as a means for PAUSD parents who have students with special needs to recognize, honor and show sincere gratitude to people in their community who have made a positive difference in their child's life. The event has grown over the years, but the purpose remains the same--parents and students simply saying 'THANKS!' to the people who have helped them" ❤️
Not pictured:
Dethrick Slocum, and Jorge Chavez.
VA Staff : Arshdeep Shinh, Nick Sopko, Leticia Martinez, Amber Sandoval, Lupe Camacho, Esteban Aguaristi
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Wellness Center: A group of four legged friends from Animal Assisted Happiness visited the Gunn Wellness Center during PRIME on March 6. What good pups! (And kitty cat!) 🐶🦮🐱🐈
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Gunn Chamber Orchestra (Sandra Lewis & Tiffany Ou-Ponticelli, directors) traveled to New York to perform at the Orchestra Cup, held at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. This National Orchestra Championships competition featured top orchestras from across the country.
In the National Orchestra Cup competition, Gunn Chamber Orchestra won:
🏆 2024 Orchestra Cup GRAND CHAMPIONS
⭐ Best High Strings Soloist - Ian Cheung, violin
⭐ Best Low Strings Soloist - Brandon Kang, cello
⭐ Best Section - Gunn Chamber Orch VIOLAS 🎻
⭐ Most Original Selection - Gunn Chamber Orchestra’s performance of Vivian Fung’s “Pizzicato”
Orchestra students also got to explore New York, seeing the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Times Square, Central Park, Top of the Rock, and a cruise to the Statue of Liberty. They also got to enjoy Broadway shows “SIX” and “Wicked”.
Gunn Jazz Bands (Shawn McGinn, Gunn Jazz Director; Todd Summers, Gunn Band Director) traveled to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, to perform at the 54th Annual Loyola University Jazz Festival. Both Gunn Jazz Bands performed at the festival, received adjudicator feedback and a clinic from world class jazz musicians, and attended concerts by the Jazz Faculty and the University Jazz Ensemble.
The trip was packed with live jazz performances including: Private concert & evening public concert by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dinner at The Maison with the Shotgun Jazz Band, River Boat dinner cruise with the Dukes of Dixieland.
Students got to eat great Louisiana, New Orleans, and Cajun cuisine. They visited Mardi Gras World and got to see all of the Mardi Gras floats from this year. Students also visited the National World War II Museum and the New Orleans Jazz Museum.
Bravo to these musicians for their hard work and dedication to music! We are so proud of these Titan musicians 🎵
DECA State Competition: Gunn DECA competed at the state competition in Anaheim this past weekend. Everyone did a great job! We had 7 students who received a medal, 5 students who placed top 10 in their events and 2 students who qualified for DECA International Career Development Competition (ICDC). Please join us to celebrate the following students who placed at the state competition.
ICDC Qualifier
Charlotte Qian: 4th in Business Growth Plan
Xiangxiang Bai: 4th International Business Plan
Top 10 winner
Jake Friedman & Janus Tsen: 6th in Community Awareness Project
Jennifer Bukchin & Charlotte Qian: 9th in Business Law and Ethics
Mini award winner
Naomi Wang: 3rd in exam for Principles of Business Management
Hayden Chong: 2nd in exam for Sports and Entertainment Marketing
Science Olympiad Club
The Gunn Science Olympiad club competed in the Santa Clara County Regional Competition at Milpitas High School on Saturday. Gunn sent two teams, Gunn Crimson and Gunn Obsidian, with a total of 27 students. The students competed in 21 events and learned a lot about preparation and teamwork.
- Gunn Crimson earned 13th place out of 40 teams.
- Gunn Obsidian earned 28th place out of 40 teams.
These pairs earned medals:
- 1st Place: Microbe Mission – Fiona Li and Audrey Luong (Audrey not pictured)
- 4th place: Fermi Questions – Samuel Chen and Kean Tong
- 6th place: Anatomy and Physiology – Fiona Li and Evelyn Shen
Walsworth Gallery of Excellence Award!
Congratulations to Kristy Blackburn and the entire Gunn Olympian/Yearbook staff on winning the Walsworth Gallery of Excellence Award!
- The Walsworth Gallery of Excellence showcases publications that capture the essence of their school year and also show creativity. It's reserved for the highest caliber yearbooks printed by Walsworth, and it means that The Olympian will be prominently featured at the Walsworth booth at conventions, as well as featured in the educational materials Walsworth publishes and distributes. We are very excited to have been awarded this honor.
Schedule Changes March 21-29
Below are the schedule changes for March 21-March 29
Thursday, March 21
Elections Assembly Schedule
Zero Period (7:55-8:50)
Period 1 (9:00-10:15)
Brunch (10:15-10:30)
2A (10:30-11:40)
2B (11:40-12:50)
Lunch (12:50-1:30)
Period 3 (1:30-2:45)
Period 4 (2:55-4:10)
Friday, March 22
Consent Education Programming Schedule
Period 5 (9:00-10:15)
Brunch (10:15 -10:30)
Period 6 (10:30-11:45)
SELF A (11th & 12th): 11:55 - 12:40
Lunch (12:40-1:20)
SELF B (9th & 10th): 1:20 - 2:05
Period 7 (2:15-3:30)
Monday, March 25
YCS Service Day/Regular Monday Schedule (Students who signed up for service day, may be out part or all day for service projects)
Tuesday, March 26
CAASPP/CAST testing
Zero Period (7:55-8:50)
Period 1 (9:00-9:40)
Brunch (9:40-9:55)
ELA/PT/CAST/PRIME (9:55-11:55)
Prime A (9:55-10:50)
Prime B (11:00-11:55)
Lunch (11:55-12:25)
ELA CAT/PRIME C (12:35-1:40)
Period 2 (1:50-2:30)
Period 3 (2:40-3:20)
Period 4 (3:30-4:10)
Wednesday, March 27
CAASPP/CAST testing
Zero Period (7:55-8:50)
Period 5 (9:00-9:40)
Brunch (9:40-9:55)
Math/CAT/CAST/PRIME (9:55-11:55)
Prime A (9:55-10:50)
Prime B (11:00-11:55)
Lunch (11:55-12:25)
Math PT/PRIME C (12:35-1:40)
Period 6 (1:50-2:30)
Period 7 (2:40-3:20)
Thursday March 28
Safety Drill Schedule
Zero Period (7:55-8:50)
Period 1 (9:00-10:15)
Brunch (10:15-10:30)
Period 2 (10:30-11:45)
Safety Drill (11:45-12:30)
Lunch (12:30-1:10)
Period 3 (1:10-2:25)
Period 4 (2:35-3:50)
Friday, March 29
Minimum Day
Period 5 (9:00 - 10:15)
Brunch (10:15 - 10:30)
Period 6 (10:30 - 11:45)
Period 7 (11:55 - 1:10)
Key Dates
March:
- Wednesday 20:
- Gunn Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream. 4pm, Spangenberg Theatre
- Thursday 21:
- Alternate Schedule- Elections Assembly
- Gunn Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream. 7pm, Spangenberg Theatre
- Friday 22:
- Alternate Schedule- Consent Education Programming
- Gunn Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream. 7pm, Spangenberg Theatre
- Saturday 23:
- Gunn Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream. 7pm, Spangenberg Theatre
- Monday 25:
- YCS Service Day/Regular Monday Schedule
- Career Week
- PTSA Staff Appreciation Latte Cart
- Tuesday 26:
- CAASPP/CAST Testing
- Career Week
- Wednesday 27:
- CAASPP/CAST Testing
- Career Week
- Thursday 28:
- Alternate Schedule- Safety Drill
- Career Week
- Friday 29:
- Alternate Schedule- Minimum Day
- Career Week
- Monday 1- Friday 5:
- Spring Break, No School
- Monday 8:
- School Resumes