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Greetings!
In this issue of The Gate, we share Gateway Middle School's upcoming Read-A-Thon with you and invite you to get involved. The Read-A-Thon is one of several events this month at Gateway Middle School intended to build a culture of reading in our school.
Earlier this week, I visited Gateway Middle School's Book Fair with a group of seventh graders. As I looked around, I hardly recognized any books from my own middle school days. Instead, these books were designed to engage modern kids around their interests and habits: Justin Bieber: His World, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Vampire Stalker. The best part: it worked! Students were genuinely excited about buying books, and they lobbied their teachers to expand their classroom lending libraries. (I even caught a couple sixth graders sneaking in early to the Book Fair.)
As an educator and avid reader, I could not have been more proud. Helping our students find success and joy in reading is among the most important academic tasks we can accomplish. As Frederick Douglass said, "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."
I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Gate. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Sharon Olken
Executive Director, Gateway Public Schools
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Gateway Middle School's Second Annual
Read-A-Thon
December 2, 2012 - February 1, 2013
Gateway Middle School's second annual Read-A-Thon serves two important purposes. Most importantly, it encourages our students to be active readers. It also raises essential funds that support our literacy program.
Sixth and seventh graders will be expected to read for at least 30 min./day or 3.5 hours/week. Since the Read-A-Thon lasts 8 weeks, the students will be reading at least 28 hours total. Family members, teachers, staff and other adults are also invited to participate in the Read-A-Thon by collecting their own pledges and tracking the amount of hours spent reading!
We encourage you to help us by sharing the online pledge form with your friends and family by including this link on Facebook, Twitter, and/or in an email:
You can also help by shopping at Books, Inc., our partner bookstore, which will be donating 6% of every book purchase for the Read-A-Thon back to our schools!
If every student gets 10 pledges and we average $0.50/hour pledge level, we can raise over $28,000!
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Save The Date!
Gateway Public Schools' Annual Auction: "Gateway To The World"
Spend some quality time with the Gateway community at our 5th annual fundraising auction - Gateway to the World! This fun-filled night is the perfect opportunity to enjoy scrumptious appetizers, beer, and wine (included in the ticket price), bid on a wide variety of items in the silent and live auctions, and help ensure that every Gateway student continues to have the resources needed to thrive in middle school, high school, college, and beyond.
We can't do it without you so save the date and get involved!
Event Details
When: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 6-10PM
Where: Scottish Rite Masonic Center (2850 19th Ave. near Sloat)
Who: All Gateway parents, guardians, staff, and supporters ages 21+
Why: A Gateway Public School education is truly a "gateway to the world." The annual auction is the biggest parent-led fundraiser, and all the money raised goes to support vital programs like tutoring, Project Week, college counseling, sports, art, and lots more.
What you can do: Tickets and more information will be available soon. In the meantime, please consider volunteering for a committee (sign-up lists are on School Pages), and soliciting items for either the silent or live auction.
Click here to be taken to our website, where you'll find resources to help with solicitations. Feel free to contact co-chairs Julie Thompson or Mary Glassanos with questions or suggestions.
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Gateway High School Business Math Students
Visit Google
November 7, 2012
Gateway High School's Business Math students recently had the opportunity to not only tour Google's facilities, but also attend a private Q&A with Senior Director of Engineering, Louis Perrochon, all of which was made possible by Gateway parent and Google employee, Lee Markosian.
 In designing Business Math, Mr. Aidi's goal is not only to introduce students to essential business concepts (such as designing business plans, managing payroll and tracking investments), but also to teach students about three major business models: corporate, partnership and sole proprietorship. In doing so, the class supports Gateway's overarching commitment of ensuring every student goes to college, by demonstrating why a college degree is essential in today's economy. "We want to have students think about the global economy and how connected everything is," Mr. Aidi explained. "Everything they're learning on these field trips and in class will help them with the ultimate goal of the course, which is to devise an original idea of their own."
Eventually, students will need to figure out how to market their ideas, get funding and become profitable, all of which will prepare them to compete in the current job market and shape their careers after they graduate.
If you or your organization is interested in partnering with Gateway's Business Math class for a guided tour or school-based lecture, please contact Mr. Rick Aidi for more information.
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GATOR OF THE MONTH!
Terry Collins
Gateway High School Parent
Each month, we profile a member of our community, so that you can get to know us better. Our Gator of the Month is Terry Collins, father of Gateway High School student, Kiara Collins.
Kiara--who is a Burl Toler Scholar and founder of a race relations discussion group at Gateway--invited her father and friend, Richard Brown, to speak at school about their experiences as members of the historic Black Panther Party.
Over 30 students and staff came to listen to Brown and Collins share the origins of the Black Panther Party - originally intended as a patrolling unit to provide self-defense for minority communities - as well as its growth into a political entity dedicated to the belief that "all power comes from and should go back to the people."
The speakers ended their lecture with an open Q&A, fielding questions on the current state of race relations in the United States and the reverberations of the Black Panther Party's actions. Collins encouraged the students to work hard while at Gateway, so that they can advance the rights of their own communities and engage in meaningful dialogue. "The more knowledge you have, the better you'll be," Brown added. "You all are so much more advanced than we were that you're even more able to make a difference. It's your turn now."
We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Richard Brown and Terry Collins for taking the time to share their insights and experiences with our students. We encourage all the members of Gateway's community to visit our schools. Please email Maren Jinnett or call 415.749.3600 x29 to discuss ways you can be involved.
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Gateway in the News
Here's what you may have missed this month:
- SF Gate: "Charter Schools Going Strong for 20 Years" (Oct. 24)
Images from Gateway High School were featured in an SF Gate story about the 20th anniversary of charter schools, of which Gateway is one of the oldest and most established. Charter school enrollment has reached an all-time high, with "nearly 1 in 10 students" enrolled, marking a major step for the movement.
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES
| Therese Arsenault | David Jackson | Pota Perimenis | | Beth Berliner | Amy Joseph | Jackie Quella | Allison Bhusri
| Hut Landon | Sue Schultes | | *Cathy Dean | Susan Masto | Suzanne Schutte | | Mark Felton | *Lisille Matheson | Laura Spivy | | Amanda Goldman | Joyce McMinn
| Phil Susser | | Erika Goncalves | *Gale Mondry
| *Peter Thorp | Greg Grossman
| Erin Niehaus
| Greg Toler | | Scott Gutterman | Sharon Olken | Jennifer Tulley | | Deundra Hundon | Will Parish | Katherine Welch | |
Briana Zelaya
*denotes Emeritus Trustee |
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Calendar
At-A-Glance
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11/26-30 GMS Book Fair
11/29 GMS Literacy Night
12/3-2/1 GMS Read-A-Thon
12/6 Junior Heritage Projects (GHS)
12/17-21 GMS/GHS Finals Week
12/24-1/4 No School: Winter Break!
1/7 GMS: No School
GHS: Minimum Day with
Project Week Students
1/8 GMS: First Day Second Semester
1/8-15 GHS: Project Week
1/15 GMS: School Spelling Bee
1/16 GHS: No School
1/21 No School: MLK Jr. Day
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Halloween At Gateway!
Both Gateway Middle and High School celebrated Halloween last month, with innovative costumes, pumpkin carving contests, and even an on-site photo booth at the Middle School.
Click the image below to view a slideshow of selected photos from Gateway High School's special Halloween assembly.
Gateway Middle School families can click the image below to be redirected to School-Pages, for a collection of photos from this year's Halloween Social.
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Gateway High School Hosts
Career Day
Gateway High School held its annual Career Day, hosting local professionals from careers as varied as journalism, law, education, retail finance and video game design. Students had the opportunity to listen to a 15-minute lecture, followed by Q&A and "networking" lunch.
We are so grateful to all those who came to the school to spend time sharing their personal career paths with our students.
If you are interested in talking with our students about your career, but missed Career Day, please contact
Maren Jinnett to arrange a time that is more convenient for you. We are always happy to have you!
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Gateway Middle School
Students of the Month (Oct.)
Each month, Gateway Middle School teachers honor a student in their class who exemplifies one of the school's core values: Responsibility, Excellence,
Community, and Respect.
The students receive a certificate and special recognition at a school-wide assembly.
Last month, the following students
were honored:
Responsibility
Guillermo A., Noah C., Meara L., Simone M., Marta M., Ethan M., Isabella N.
Excellence
Estella B., Mekhi C., Evan F., Marcy F., Tyler L., Bella M., Marta M., Sophia R., Mallory S., Huckleberry "Finster" S., Nico S., Zack S.
Community
Ali A., Kathryn C., Tatianna Q., Raul S., Jonathan S., Mia T., Zelda S.
Congratulations, Griffins!
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Support Gateway
There are many ways that you can support Gateway. We invite you to view the full list on our website by clicking here.
To make a one-time donation,
To make a recurring donation,
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