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THE GATE
 eNewsletter | October 2012 | Issue No. 2 
 
Sharon Olken Headshot 
Greetings!  
 

Welcome to another issue of The Gate, 

Gateway Public Schools' monthly online newsletter. In our newsletter, we feature some of the people, events, and programs that define Gateway's culture and set our students on the road to college. When interviewed about what makes Gateway distinct and important as a public school model, Professor Rachel Lotan, the Director of Stanford's Teacher Education Program, said that some people don't believe that you can have both equity and excellence, but that Gateway is demonstrating that you can have both. We hope that by reading 

The Gate each month, you have a window into our schools in order to understand how we achieve these two important goals.

 

On behalf of all the students, families and staff at Gateway High School and Gateway Middle School, thank you for your support.

 

Sincerely,
Sharon Signature  
Sharon Olken
Executive Director, Gateway Public Schools
2012 Matters of the Mind Luncheon Recap

On October 10, Gateway hosted Condoleezza Rice as our speaker for this year's Matters of the Mind Luncheon. With over 600 attendees, we had our biggest turnout yet, making our 10th Anniversary event as special as we hoped it would be. 
 
Dr. Rice spoke movingly about the importance of investing in our nation's schools so that all students have access to a high-quality education, such as at Gateway. Please click here to view a recording of her keynote speech. 
 
We are also incredibly proud of Gateway students Omar Alonzo, Selascie Smith, and Kayla Lee for their charm and poise on-stage as speakers. Omar's speech, about the sacrifices he and his family made to get him from his first day in America - also his first day at Gateway - to the top of his class as a senior, earned him a standing ovation.
 
We encourage you to click here to watch Omar tell his inspiring story.

If you would like to make a contribution to ensure the ongoing success of our program, please click here or contact:

Tina McGovern, Director of Development
t: 415.749.3600 x19. 

We'd also like to extend a very special thank you to Martha Ehmann Conte, Luncheon Chair, for her incredible leadership. 

We hope to see you next year! 
The Gap Donates Supplies to Gateway's "Pioneering" 7th Grade Class
 
Gateway is so thankful for the local community, whose ongoing donations of time and resources help to enhance our schools. Recently, the 7th grade class at Gateway Middle School received 
the gift of a set of brand new classroom supplies. 
 
(Click on the image to enlarge it)
The Gap, which has been donating its time and energy to Gateway High School for three years, saw an opportunity to help the fledgling Middle School, now in its second year, catch up to a student body that has just doubled in size. The class will benefit immensely from the supplies, which they have had to share up until now with the incoming 6th graders. 
 

We are so thankful to The Gap for its donation and look forward to getting to know them better as they help the Middle School grow!

 

 

If you or your organization would like to find out more about how you can contribute to Gateway's students and programs with in-kind donations or after-school support, please contact:

 

Maren Jinnett, Communications Manager

t: 415.749.3600 x29

e: [email protected] 

Burl Toler Scholars Jacket Presentation
Celebrates Academic Excellence 
September 18, 2012

The Burl Toler Scholars - a peer-based study club - was founded in order to ensure that African American students at Gateway are on the road to college. To achieve this goal, the club provides a safe place for students to give each other support, encouragement and recognition for their academic work. 

The Scholars are off to a great start this year, with 23 boys and 22 girls studying together two to four times a week after-school. On September 18, the group hosted a jacket presentation, awarding letterman jackets to students who attended study sessions at least 20 days last spring and earned above a 2.5 GPA for the third and/or fourth quarter. This year, 10 students were awarded their jackets by Scholars who had already earned their letters, in front of family and faculty. 

(Click on the image above to be taken to a slideshow from the event)
 
Mr. Greg Toler, Gateway Trustee and son of Burl Toler, offered words of congratulations and encouragement to the Scholars, pushing them to continue to dream big, and work hard. "Getting an education is the single most important task you have at this time in your life," he told them. 

Congratulations to all of our new scholars! 
GATOR OF THE MONTH! 
Shawna Gallo
Assistant Principal, High School
 
Shawna for Sept. Gate

Each month, we profile a member of our staff or alumni, so that you can get to know our community. Our Gator of the Month is Shawna Gallo, the new Assistant Principal at Gateway High School.  

Ms. Gallo brings almost a decade's worth of experience working with students from diverse populations, with a variety of learning styles and needs. Her recent coursework at the Principal Leadership Institute at UC Berkeley focused on how teachers can effectively tell the difference between what students "know" and what they "understand", which speaks to her commitment to promoting Gateway's culture of uncompromisingly high standards for its students and staff.  

We are thrilled to add her to our team and invite you to click here to read more about what she brings to the Gateway High School community. 
Gateway in the News 

Catch Gateway's stories in real time by bookmarking Gateway Public Schools' "News & Events" pagefollowing us on Twitter, and subscribing to our YouTube channel. Content is posted throughout the week and gives you inside access to the classrooms, students and teachers at our schools, as well as interesting topics in education. 

Here's what you may have missed this month:
  • "Gateway: Combining Equity & Excellence", a commemorative video:  

Created in honor of our 10th Anniversary Matters of the Mind Luncheon, this short video includes a conversation with Rachel Lotan of Stanford (mentioned in the introduction letter above), as well as Gateway's founders and current principals. Please click here to learn more about how Gateway became a model college preparatory program for middle through high school students. 

  • "Alumni Voices", a new video and print series:  

Throughout the year, we'll chat with Gateway Public Schools alumni and share their stories with you. To watch an interview with Elizabeth Colen, Gateway High School alumna and current Gateway Middle School teacher, 

please click on the image below

 

 

GPS with tagline
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
 
Beth BerlinerAmy JosephSue Schultes
Allison BhusriHut LandonSuzanne Schutte
*Cathy DeanSusan MastoLaura Spivy
Mark Felton*Lisille MathesonPhil Susser
Amanda GoldmanJoyce McMinn*Peter Thorp
Erika Goncalves*Gale MondryGreg Toler
Greg GrossmanErin NiehausJennifer Tulley
Scott GuttermanSharon OlkenKatherine Welch
Deundra HundonWill Parish
David JacksonJackie Quella
 *denotes Emeritus Trustee
Links to Stories In This Issue
2012 Luncheon Recap
The Gap Donates Supplies to GMS
Burl Toler Scholars Jacket Presentation
Gator of the Month!
Gateway In The News
Calendar At-A-Glance
Middle School Spirit Day
Supervisor Olague Visits GHS
Amazing Honor Roll at GMS
Filmmaker Anna Boden At GHS
Calendar 
At-A-Glance
 
 
 10/17              PSAT 
 10/23              GHS Family Conferences
 10/23-26         GMS Family Conferences
 10/30              Senior Portraits
 10/31-11/2      7th Grade Marin Headlands Trip
 11/2                 6th Grade Zoo Trip
 11/6                 Election Day
 11/9                 Career Day at GHS
 11/12               School Holiday: Veterans Day
 11/16               GMS Mid-Quarter 1

Middle School Spirit Day:
College Pride

(click on the image to enlarge it)
At Gateway Middle School, our teachers post more than just their names on their classroom doors: in order to contribute to Gateway's emphasis on post-secondary education, our teachers also post pennants from their undergraduate alma maters. 
 
For Spirit Day at the Middle School this month, our staff and students proudly sported college logowear.
 
Above, Ms. Herko, Ms. Alvarez and Ms. Colen represent Stanford, Haverford and Whittier Colleges, encouraging students to dream big for their own futures. 
Supervisor Olague Visits Gateway High School

Christina Olague, San Francisco Board Supervisor for District 5, visited Mr. Neuberger's Civics class last month. She fielded questions from Gateway's students, including hard-hitting queries on topics such as lowering the crime rate, improving overcrowding in the public housing system, and increasing commerce on
 Divisadero Street. 

(click on the image to enlarge it)
Ms. Olague commended the students for their engagement and offered to connect them with internship opportunities
 in local politics. 

We thank her for generously giving her time  to our students! 
Amazing Honor Roll at Gateway Middle School

Over 120 students 
made the honor roll for Quarter 1 at Gateway Middle School by achieving 
above a 3.3 GPA. We are so proud of not only them but also their amazing teachers who are setting them up for success in high school and beyond. Way to go, Griffins!!! 
Filmmaker Anna Boden Chats with Gateway High School Students

(click on the image to enlarge it)
Filmmaker Anna Boden visited Gateway High School's Creative Writing and Video classes to share her process behind making movies, writing for film and working with such acclaimed actors as Zach Galifianakis. The visit was sponsored by the San Francisco Film Society Youth 
Education Program. 

Fresh
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Support a Gateway Family & Gateway! 

Purchase FruitGuys TakeHome products and earn money for Gateway Public Schools with every box you receive. The FruitGuys is a South San Francisco-based family business run by Gateway Middle School parents and founded in 1998. Use the coupon codes below to donate 10% of your purchase directly to your student's school as part of the on-going fundraiser. 
GATE-MS for the Middle School
GATE-HS for the High School
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Coupon valid for 2012-2013 academic year