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Calendar
Fri, Mon-Wed, Feb 5, 8-10
Alternate Schedules (see Calendar)
Mon, Feb 8
Site Council Meeting, 4 PM, Staff Lounge (see Agenda)
Tue-Wed, Feb 9-10
Choir/Staff Show, 8 PM, Spangenberg
Thu-Fri & Mon, Feb 11-12 & 15
NO SCHOOL
Tue-Fri, Feb 16-19
Alternate Schedules (see Calendar)
Wed, Feb 17
Sports Booster Meeting, 6 PM, PE Rm, Bow Gym
Thu, Feb 18
PTSA Meeting, 6:30 PM, Staff Lounge
Winter Band Concert, 7:30 PM, Spangenberg
For a complete calendar of all school events, go to the Gunn Calendar. For corrections or additions to the Calendar, contact Martha Elderon. |
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Gunn
Gunn Bicyclists Win Prizes
Pedaling for Prizes volunteers greeted and gave treats and prizes to 670 happy bicyclists yesterday morning. Happy winners who pulled Titan-red wrapped treats won Jamba Juice gift cards. Look for Pedaling for Prizes volunteers on random mornings throughout the year. Who knows? You may be a winner, too!...Gunn celebrates bicycling because every bike is one less car. Start your day getting exercise and reducing auto emissions and congestion. Thanks for biking to Gunn. Individual choices make a difference for us all. For more information on active and sustainable school commutes go to http://www.gunn.pausd.org/transportation.
Junior Class Italian Restaurant Fundraiser
Sat, Feb 6
No plans on Saturday? Eat at Buca di Beppo with dessert at Gelataio (downtown Palo Alto), and bring these flyers (NOTE: Buca needs a printed flyer, Gelataio will accept a digital version.) 15% of your purchase will go to the Gunn junior class funds to cover costs of their spring prom. Bring the entire family for a fun night out that benefits Gunn students! If you'd like to make a direct donation to the Junior Class fund, go to the Gunn Store website and choose "Junior Class Donation". Or, send a check to Gunn High School with "Attn Junior Class" in the memo line. Thanks for your support of Gunn students!
Alternate Bus Schedule
Tue, Feb 9
2:15 PM dismissal. School trippers will depart Vets Hospital at 2:23 PM (88M) & 2:25 PM (88L). An additional N/B 88 trip to Middlefield/Colorado will depart Vets Hospital at 2:27 PM.
NEW Gunn Course: Advanced Authentic Research (AAR)
Exploratory Experience - Advanced Authentic Research (8429) is a new course for 2016-17. It provides opportunities for 10-12th graders to do original research in an area of their choosing. Current students' projects (STEM, English, Government, Sports, Music, Social Science, and more) are viewable at https://aar.pausd.org/projects. Students are paired with mentors, who facilitate students' work off-site. Students are supported and guided by the AAR process-driven curriculum. The AAR program strives to ignite passion through real world, hands-on research. *Commitment: ~60 hrs/sem (3-4 hrs/wk)
*Can be 7th or 8th period class
*5 CTE credits/sem (Pass/Fail)
Need Volunteers for 2016 Lunar New Year Teachers and Staff Appreciation Luncheon
Fri, Feb 19, 11:45 AM-2:45 PM
Volunteers Needed for Juana Run
Sat, Feb 27, 8-11:30 AM
Please sign up to volunteer for the 20th Annual Juana Run! We need lots of volunteers for course monitoring, registration, set up, finish line timing, passing out t-shirts, food table, etc. As always, proceeds will benefit the Terman, Barron Park and Juana Briones Elementary PTA's, and Gunn Sports Boosters. Sign up here: for the course monitors (must be 18 or over) http://tinyurl.com/JR2016-course; for the race day volunteers: http://tinyurl.com/JR2016-vol. Thank you!
Save the Date: Gunn International Potluck
Thu, Mar 3
Please e-mail joyhhinton@gmail.com or rebscholl@gmail.com if you are interested in helping with the planning of this event. At the potluck, with the help of parent volunteers, we serve traditional foods donated by our community of parents and restaurants. Sign up sheets will follow in next week's Gunn Connection.
Inaugural Palo Alto Swing Dance
Sat, Mar 5, 6:30-10 PM, Lucie Stern Ballroom
Get your tickets to swing into spring! Have a fun night out while supporting Gunn Music. The Inaugural Palo Alto Swing Dance, a fundraising event for the Gunn music program is coming up Saturday, March 5th, 6:30-10 PM in the Lucie Stern Ballroom. Bring your friends and dance to live music played by the Gunn High School jazz bands. Light food, non-alcoholic drinks, and free swing dance lessons provided throughout the evening. Tickets available now online at http://www.paloaltoswingdance.eventbrite.com/
Tutors Needed in the Academic Center
Tutors really, really needed:
*AB Calculus Thursdays at 2:50 PM
*AP Bio
*Bio Honors
*G Prep-only Spanish 3 tutor
Tutor during B or D Prep: If you have a B or D Prep Period and can tutor Science and Math for our Focus on Success classes, apply in the Academic Center. Write "FOS" on the tutor application.
Apply to be a tutor in the Gunn Academic Center. Earn Community Service Credits for your College Resume. Thank you!
Band and Orchestra Honor Ensembles
Congratulations to the following Gunn Band & Orchestra Students for representing Gunn in various honor ensembles!
CSU East Bay Honor Band (November)
Gaya Gupta (9), string bass
Noah Kuehn (9), bassoon
Emily Springer (10), horn
California Orchestra Directors Association Honor Orchestras (December)
Gaya Gupta (9), string bass
Chelsie Park (9), violin
Anand Chandra (10), violin
Santa Clara County Honor Band (January)
Miranda Shum (12), flute
Lydia Tsai (10), clarinet
Grace Tan (11), clarinet
Madeleine Speagle (9), clarinet
Cameron Most (10), trumpet
Yael Cohen (11), trumpet
Nikhil Ghosh (12), trombone
Anthony Su (12), trombone
Lauren Sheu (10), percussion
California All State Ensembles (February)
Symphony Orchestra
Gaya Gupta (9), string bass
Seena Huang (12), horn
Chelsie Park (9), violin
String Orchestra
Matthew Chan (10), viola
Michael Lu (11), violin
Wind Symphony
Miranda Shum, (12) flute
Symphonic Band/Concert Band
Yael Cohen (11), trumpet
Nikhil Ghosh (12), trombone
Lauren Sheu (10), percussion
Oscar Syu (12), clarinet
FROM THE PREVIOUS ISSUE:
Spanish Language Parent Network Meeting
Reunión de Familias Hispanas de Gunn
Wed, Feb 10, 7 PM, Library
Miércoles 10 de Febrero, 7 PM, En la Biblioteca de la Escuela
El próximo miércoles 10 de Febrero a las 7:00 PM en la biblioteca de la escuela, tendremos nuestra reunión de familias hispanas en la que hablaremos acerca del Gunn Foundation y la beca que ellos tienen para los alumnos hispanos de la escuela. También se hablara acerca de la ayuda financiera que está disponible para los jóvenes que quieran ir a la universidad. Estas charlas están especialmente dirigidas para los alumnos de último grado y sus familias. Obviamente todos las familias están cordialmente invitadas, es importante estar informados de estos temas que son muy importantes para el futuro de nuestros hijos.
Senior Goodwill Donation Fundraiser
Now until 2/21/16, Student Activities Center and Main Office
Help us keep our graduation celebration costs low and fund scholarships. Through Sunday, February 21st, look for collection bins on campus in the Student Activities Center and Main Office where you can drop off clothing, shoes, E-waste, toys, small appliances and household items to be donated to Goodwill. (Note: No furniture, carpet, pet items, items >50lbs or large appliances are acceptable.) Clean your closets--maybe help your neighbor clean their garage--and bring it the Goodwill truck that will be here that Sunday, 12 noon-6 PM. Neighborhood donations welcome too!
20-25 Service Day Chaperones Needed
Wed, Mar 2, 8 AM-2 PM, various community sites
Parent chaperones are essential on Wednesday, March 2, from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM to make Service Day happen. Over 300 students will be volunteering in local community agencies for this annual event. Chaperones will accompany teams of students on buses to service sites on the peninsula. They assist student team leaders in guiding students through their projects, possibly taking photos of the day, and ensuring that students leave and return in the same group. Volunteers may express a preference for a particular site. The sites are not yet confirmed but will be similar to last year (Half Moon Bay, Friends of the Library, Padua Dining Hall, Acterra, Full Circle Farm). There will be an online sign up sheet soon. If you can help our students make this day happen please contact nhesterman@pausd.org as soon as possible.
Principal's Coffee
Fri, Mar 4, 8-10:30 AM, Staff Lounge
All grades are invited to the Principal's Coffee on Friday, March 4th, 8-10:30 AM. Join Principal Denise Herrmann, Superintendent Max McGee and Dr. Jeong Choe, Coordinator of PAUSD's AAR (Advanced Authentic Research) at our next Principal's Coffee on Friday, March 4th from 8-10:30am in the staff lounge. Learn more about the program here: https://aar.pausd.org/ Please RSVP so we have enough coffee and remember to pick up a parking pass from the office. The online feedback form remains open for anonymous comments/questions. Dr. Herrmann encourages parents to keep using it.
IN THE GUNN CONNECTION EXTRA:
New Course: Advanced Authentic Research Project...read more.
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Gunn Athletics
Last Friday, boys' basketball hosted rival Palo Alto, trying to avenge its early season loss to the Vikings. The Titans started strong and never let up, finishing with a 72-59 victory. Seniors Jonathan Davis and Alex Gil led the way with 23 and 21 points respectively as the boys moved to 6-1 in league and 13-1 overall...Girls' basketball played Wilcox Tuesday night and lost 62-50. Junior Archer Olson had 23 points in the defeat as the girls dropped to 3-5 in league and 12-7 overall...Girls' soccer played Lynbrook Wednesday night and tied 1-1 after a tight match. Sophomore Natalie Hill scored the Titans' lone goal on a penalty kick late in the game. The draw snapped the girls' five game win streak and the team is now 6-2-1 in league and 8-5-1 overall...Boys' soccer faced off with Fremont last Friday and fought to a 1-0 victory. Freshman Eric Tang scored for the Titans as they got their first win of the season...Wrestling hosted Cupertino, the top team in the league, on Tuesday night and fell 44-27. The Titans had 3 pins, giving them 62 pins on the season, and are now 4-3 overall and 1-3 in league.
Support Your Gunn Student/Athlete
Make your Athletic Participation Donation today! The overall participation percentage for Fall/Winter sports teams is 68%..32% needed to reach the 100% goal! The Athletic Participation Donation is the sole income for the athletic department to cover the expenses so our athletes can compete. Without this donation, they do not have the funds necessary to cover expenses which could result in cuts to our athletic program. The suggested donation amount is $200 per athlete/per sport played but all donations are accepted. To make your donation online, go to www.gunnsportsboosters.com or donate by check payable to Gunn Sports Boosters. Please include your athlete's name and sport played when donating. Your donation counts, make your donation today! Questions email spainsdj@comcast.net. |
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PAUSD / PTAC
California State PTA 2016 Legislation Conference
Mon-Tue, Mar 14-15, Embassy Suites Hotel, Sacramento
Whether you're experienced in speaking up for children or you are interested in learning about key issues and legislation that impact education, children and families, the California State PTA Legislation Conference is for you. Join other PTA volunteers to:
*Be a part of the statewide effort to strengthen education, health and safety for all children by engaging in PTA's advocacy goals and legislative priorities.
*Get the latest information from legislators and key officials about the most important issues for children and families including the continuing need for adequate funding for schools, the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs), and learn what legislators see on the horizon for CA schools.
*Visit directly with the legislators who represent your community.
Adult event registration - $210 (Registration closes March 10). For more information visit capta.org or contact Komey Vishakan, VP of Advocacy, Palo Alto Council of PTAs at kvishakan@gmail.com.
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Community
Help Palo Alto Students Adopt the Growth Mindset
The Heroic Imagination Project, a non-profit organization founded by Stanford Professor Philip Zimbardo, has created the learning tools and training to teach students the Growth Mindset. The Growth Mindset is based on extensive social science research and refers to positive thinking and action that combines our natural ability with genuine effort to achieve higher results. The Growth Mindset enables us to achieve our goals in a more productive, effective way with less stress. Freshmen from Palo Alto High School are raising money to license the content and obtain the training that will enable them to teach the Growth Mindset to hundreds of Palo Alto Students. Please help our students adopt the Growth Mindset. Follow the link below to watch a video about this student-led initiative and to donate. Every dollar counts for our kids. https://www.tilt.com/tilts/help-students-learn-the-growth-mindset
Donations for Costaño Elementary's Library in East Palo Alto
Help to sponsor the refurbishment of the school library at Costaño Elementary in East Palo Alto! This project is organized by the library at Jordan Middle School, in partnership with Access Books Bay Area, a new non-profit started by Jordan librarian Amanda Marchand. In order to complete the library refurbishment, Access Books needs to raise $20,000! So far, they have raised a little over $6,000. You can help them to reach their goal by donating at http://www.store.accessbooks.net/collections/access-books-bay-area, and you can double your impact through your employer's matching donation program. All funds will be used to purchase new hardcover books for the Costaño school library, paint and supplies to repaint the walls, and new colorful furniture to make the library an inviting and comfortable place for children to spend time and explore new worlds. For more information, please visit http://www.accessbooks.net, or email amarchand@pausd.org.
Blind Date with a Book!
Month of February, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto
Go on a blind date with a specially wrapped book in the Teen Zone during the whole month of February. Checkout a book, take it home, read it, and rate your blind date for a chance to win a prize. If you don't like what you chose, just checkout another one. No hurt feelings!
2016 Summer High School Internship with Magical Bridge Foundation
Applications due Feb 14; internship Mon-Fri, Jun 20-Jul 22, 1-5 PM
Designed to be "magical" in every way, the Magical Bridge Foundation's high school internship program for current 10th, 11th and 12th graders captures the essence of Silicon Valley with a 5-week rotation through our various business and community assignments. Ten community-minded teens will be selected to work with industry experts on projects involving public and media relations, digital and social media, content and video creation, nonprofit development, fundraising, sales, marketing and advocacy. Interns must be available to work from June 20, 2016 until July 22, 2016 onsite at Magical Bridge Foundation (located in North Palo Alto), Monday through Friday, 1 PM to 5 PM. Applications are due by February 14. Submit applications at: bit.ly/1RLuh2E.
Youth Community Service Annual Luncheon -- Celebrating 25 Years of Changing Lives Through Service
Fri, Feb 19, 11:30 AM-1PM, Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto
All community members are invited to attend this year's annual luncheon sponsored by Youth Community Service. To honor the 25th anniversary of YCS in the community, YCS will be featuring a number of our visionary founders, YCS alumni, and current participants as speakers. There is no cost to attend. For more information, and to RSVP online, click here.
Palo Alto Philharmonic Orchestra Concert III
Sat, Feb 20, 8 PM (pre-talk at 7:30 PM), Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St
Pianist Daniel Glover will perform Concerto for Piano and Orchestra by composer-in-residence, Lee Actor. Glover, who debuted the work in 2013, has been hailed as "an incisive, exciting, and apparently tireless player - a natural for hyper-virtuosic challenge." The concert will also feature Johannes Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 1, a piece inspired by the unpredictable spirit of Hungarian folk music, and Symphony No. 7 by Antonín Dvorák. Purchase tickets at: Palo Alto Philharmonic - Orchestra Concert III.
Parent Chat: Peer to Peer Support
Tue, Feb 23, (and every 2nd and 4th Tue), 7-8:30 PM, Los Altos Library Orchard Room, 13 S San Antonio Rd, Los Altos
Are you concerned about the emotional wellness of your child? Join Parent Chat: Peer to Peer Support hosted by the Mental Health Subcommittee of SELPA 1 CAC. All parents welcome to talk about children 14+. Professional guidance by Monique Kane LMFT. Questions: Contact Donna Soo (650)-823-0997 or Trudy Palmer (650)-208-9116.
12th Annual Sweetheart Awards
Wed, Feb 24, 6-8 PM, Nixon Elementary School Theater, 1711 Stanford Ave, Palo Alto
Is there a bus driver, friend, teacher, administrator, neighbor, aide, crossing guard, fellow student, therapist, physician, volunteer or relative that has done something (however large or small) for your special needs child? Honor that person by nominating him or her for a Sweetheart Award. Submit nominations using this online form: goo.gl/HIHtkO. Deadline for nominations extended to February 17th. For more information about the awards email: sweethearts.award@gmail.com or go to www.cacpaloalto.org for ceremony details. Sponsored by the Palo Alto Committee of SELPA 1(CAC) and the Palo Alto PTA Council.
Leap Year Mini-Golf Party
Sat, Feb 27, 7-10 PM, Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd, Palo Alto
The library will transform into a mini-golf course! DJ Kevin will be playing music, and lots of snacks will be provided to keep that energy up! Grades 8-12 invited to this free event. Register at http://tinyurl.com/hxzkc2g.
Teen Arts Council Luminescence Film Festival
Submissions due: Mar 2, 2016; Festival: Apr 22, 2016, Location TBD
This teen-run film festival promotes the art of filmmaking and the fun of doing so! Join them as they watch a variety of films made by teen filmmakers locally and around the country! Luminescence Film Festival is a Teen Arts Council event to emphasize the brilliance, excitement, and fun of the art of film making. Participants in Luminescence Film Festival must be between 12 and 24. All genres of film are accepted. Maximum run time of film is 15 minutes. To submit a film, send a link of the video either from Youtube or Vimeo. If the video is accepted, it must also be submitted through a mailed flash drive, downloadable link, or any other hard copy version of the film. To get more information about Luminescence or just have general questions, contact Zack Gibson at zack@grant-gould.com.
Raising Resilient Children Presentation
Mon, Mar 14, 7:30-9:30 PM, Cubberley Community Center Theater, 4000 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto
Dr. Robert Brooks of Harvard Medical School will describe a) why some children from birth have an easier time developing a positive self-image and resilience than others; b) the importance of identifying and reinforcing each child's "islands of competence;" and c) specific strategies for nurturing self-discipline, problem-solving skills, responsibility, caring, hope, and resilience in our children. Presented by Friends of PreSchool Family. Register for your free tickets at: http://drrobertbrooks.eventbrite.com.
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Gunn Connection Publication Guidelines:
- The Gunn Connection is published ONCE a week, every Friday. Deadline is noon the day before publication.
- Please submit ANNOUNCEMENTS ONLY to the Gunn Connection at gunnconnection@paloaltopta.org. Only announcements specific to the Gunn community will be published. Any other announcements from outside the Gunn community must first be submitted for review to the PTA eNews (enews@paloaltopta.org), which will then distribute it to the relevant schools in the district.
- Announcements will be limited to 100 words or less. Any lengthier or more in-depth articles or news should be submitted to the Gunn Connection Extra (GunnNews@gmail.com).
- Announcements will be published in two consecutive issues. To have further announcements made after that, please submit your announcement again.
- Please use the words "Gunn Connection" in the subject line. Items should include a title, the date, time and location of the event, and a brief (100 words or less) description of the activity. List email, contact information and web links at the end. Content should be in the body of your email as unformatted text. Attachments subject to approval by the editors.
- Items are published at the discretion of the editors.
Thank you,
Shari Arensdorf & Rita Lee
Gunn Connection Editors & Parent Volunteers
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