Gabrielino High School

Chapter Four: School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth

Committee Membership

Co-Chairs
Chris Saporito, Counselor

Ellen Shimamoto, Librarian

The Committee

Jacqueline Borja, Counselor

Jose Ceballos, Classified Staff

Stephen Feng, English

Matt Gilmour, Business

Mo Hernandez, Campus Security

Julie Lanier, English

Cheryl Main, Classified Staff

Chris Murphy, Special Education

Jan No, Career Center

Jo Ann Ogden, Psychologist

Sheri Reuter, District Nurse

Shalla Rubalcava, Campus Security

Tom Shima, Social Science

Steve Swanson, Physical Education

Todd Terzian, Business

Jason Trapp, Foreign Language

Kevin Weir, Classified Staff

Derek Yuill, Speech & Debate

David Edo, Music (2010-2011)

E1. School Culture and Student Support Criterion

To what extent does the school leadership employ a wide range of strategies to encourage parental and community involvement, especially with the teaching/learning process?

Regular Parent Involvement

Prompt: Evaluate the strategies and processes for the regular involvement of parents and the community, including being active partners in the teaching/learning process. Comment on the effectiveness of involving non-English speaking parents.

Findings / Supporting Evidence
Gabrielino High believes that parent involvement is crucial to student success. In order to keep parents up to date on the events and offerings at the school, the school website has been updated and redesigned. Additionally, the administration is making greater use of the automated phone system and the school’s marquee. Gabrielino High is in the process of piloting an experimental use of on-line grading books and grade reporting to help parents better monitor their students’ academic progress (the AERIES Parent Portal.)
Open House and Back to School Night include a welcome from the Principal, Site Council, and PTSA and invitation to get involved, as well as blocks for parents to visit classrooms and meet their student’s teachers. On Open House night in particular, parents are invited to explore the campus and classrooms and see what opportunities exist on campus for their students. The administration and counselors visit the feeder middle school to begin encouraging parents to get involved even before their students arrive at Gabrielino High.
Gabrielino High also has an active PTSA that supports student activities and curriculum. The PTSA raises money for several scholarships and is involved in the holiday gift basket drive among many other activities.
The GHS School Site Council, which includes elected parents, students, teachers, staff, administrators, and community representatives, acts as an advisory board for the school. The Site Council assists in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of various educational programs and grants.
All parents are encouraged to attend the Fall and Winter Financial Aid and college information meetings, even if their students are not yet applying to college.Gabrielino High holds Parent Information Night and College Information/Financial Aid Night in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. In the Spring, an additional informational night is held to help parents understand how the scheduling process works in preparation for scheduling for the following year.At all of these meetings, FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and Interact Service Clubmembers are available to escort parents to the appropriate classrooms and provide translation services. Parents of English Learners are required to attend or to send a proxy to four English Language Acquisition Committee meetings each year. These meetings inform parents about the education their child is receiving, provide answers to questions parents may have about the school or the community, and include a community leader who serves to inform and educate the parents. The school provides baby-sitting and multiple-language translation at these meetings. The school also requires parents of students in the AVID program to attend mandatory meetings.
Gabrielino ASB continues to have a strong presence on the campus. In addition to the various other clubs and teams that its members belong to, ASB continues its tradition of organizational leadership, community service and school events planning. This past year saw thecontinuing relationship with the American Red Cross with the biannual blood drives and a great turnout for the Holiday Gift Basket Drive that is coordinated with San Gabriel Community Coordinating Council. ASB also takes a major role in planning and executing every major student-centered activity on campus, from Spirit Week and Gab Week to every rally. The ASB student leaders believe in the mission of servant leadership and there will be a renewed focus next year on increasing the community service.
The Student Center on campus also notifies all parents of absent students on a daily basis. These notifications are done in multiple languages. The district employs translators who are available to help parents communicate with the school as well as for teachers who need to communicate with parents. Students are referred to the counselors and discipline if their attendance issues become chronic, and student-specific plans are developed.
The San Gabriel Educational Foundation (SEF) is also highly active in the community, helping keep the local community involved and active in the day-to-day life of all schools in the district. They also provide grants to school sites and scholarship funds to students.
The City of San Gabriel provides an amazing opportunity with the Youth In Government (YIG) program; students are able to partner with city officials and go “behind the scenes” and learn how to run election campaigns, manage departments, and even how to maintain the trees and traffic lights in the city. /
  • Open House, Back to School, Financial Aid Night, Grade Level Info. Week
  • Mock Trial, Athletic, Speech and Debate Boosters, PTSA involvement in Holiday Gift Basket Drive
  • School Site Council minutes
  • City of San Gabriel/YIG, Optimists, Key/Kiwanis, Parks and Rec, Interact/Rotary, FBLA, Asian Youth Center, LA CALSOAP,
  • ELAC Committee
  • Connect Ed program.
  • Community Liaisons
  • Translatable Website
  • AVID Parent Meetings
  • ASB calendar

Use of Community Resources

Prompt: How effective is the school use of community resources to support students, such as professional services, business partnerships, and speakers?

Findings / Supporting Evidence
Although San Gabriel is a small community, Gabrielino High has a rich tradition of including community members in many aspects of the school’s program. Gabrielino High utilizes many local vendors in recognition and fund raising programs, as well as asking them to provide job opportunities for the students. Through the local Rotary Club and YIG programs, students are mentored by adults and learn about various careers.
Gabrielino High graduates are encouraged to continue to be involved in the school, and many come back to serve as tutors, role models, coaches, and advisors. Mock Trial, Speech & Debate, and FBLA use these mentors extensively. AVID is increasing the use of community resources to help students achieve.
Recently, Gabrielino Alumni have created an Alumni Network to help current students develop the skills they need to succeed beyond school; this past year they provided workshops on interviewing techniques and skills and how to effectively write a resume. Many classes also incorporate guest speakers from the community.
The school has also utilized community resources such as Smith Park and Alhambra Golf Course for the athletic programs. The athletic programs strictly adhere to the CIF standards for academics and behavior. Many coaches use the athletic teams to help promote issue awareness (such as Breast Cancer fundraising, and Ovarian Cancer awareness) and faculty recognition (halftime events, etc.) to further encourage community participation.
The Career Center relies on community support and representation for the college and career fairs, which take place at least twice a year. The career center also overseesthe ROP program to provide students with access to community-based vocational training programs, and facilitates students’ enrollment in ROP courses offered in different districts. Guest speakers and mentors are used extensively, such as in the Fashion Merchandising class.
Through the local Asian Pacific Family Center (APFC), and La Casa Community Center, families are provided with resources for job placement, behavior modification, and health issues. TheDistrictFamilyResourceCenter coordinates many of the referrals to these agencies. /
  • Job Placements and College Fair through Career Center,donations from local vendors/businesses, participation in Tongva Card program,
  • AMP (Alumni Mentorship Program), Speech & Debate/Community Business Fundraiser Night
  • Guest speakers for AVID and Peer Helping, and various clubs
  • Fashion Merchandising Mentors
  • Rotary Club
  • Youth In Government
  • CIF rulebook
  • Faculty recognition games
  • HIV/AIDS and Cancer awareness games
  • APFC
  • La Casa Community Center

Parent/Community and Student Achievement

Prompt: How does the school ensure that the parents and school community understand student achievement of the academic standards/expected schoolwide learning results through the curricular/co-curricular program?

Findings / Supporting Evidence
Gabrielino High provides parents and community members up-to-date data on schoolwide performance and expectations through a variety of media. Each year, a packet is sent home which outlines the mission statement and the academic standards; at Back to School Nightthe previous year’s testing results are shared with the community.Theschool website is available for all to see, and includesthe API and AYP information. The school’s daily bulletin and monthly newspaper are also available both in hard copy and online. The district newsletter, Vista, is mailed home to allcity residents, and is available in multiple languages. Parents have easy access to teachers via e-mail or telephone, and parents are encouraged to participate in the PTSA or School Site Council, as well as participating in other functions on campus throughout the year.
This year, Gabrielino High is piloting a program where parents can access the student’s grades online for particular teachers through the AERIES Parent Portal. In addition, staff members have expanded the use of theConnectEd system, school marquee, and have also created a Facebook page to help disseminate information about the school and upcoming events.
Parents of students in the special education programs also receive detailed information as to how their child is progressing towards meeting their IEP goals, and annual meetings are held by the case carrier, parent and a classroom teacher to modify the IEP as needed.
The athletic department and the music department utilize a parent booster program to allow for parents to actively participate in their students extra-curricular activities.
All teachers are required to send home detailed classroom grading information and grading policies; most teachers require parent signatures on these syllabi in order to ensure parents are clear about the requirements to earn credit or particular grades in any class. /
  • School website (Principal’s message, AP’s Corner)
  • Beginning of the year packet, student handbook
  • VISTA
  • Renaissance Rally, Sports Rally, holiday performances, drama performances, AVID open house, Speech & Debate Showcase, Fashion Show
  • Spec. Ed. Quarterly progress report on goals and objectives
  • Booster clubs
  • IEP schedule
  • AERIES Parent Portal
  • Classroom Syllabi (distributed to students and also kept on file in the Assistant Principal’s office)

Additional Findings

Prompt: From examining additional relevant evidence, what has been learned regarding the extent to which this criterion is being addressed?

Findings / Supporting Evidence
Gabrielino High makes a concerted effort to involve parents in helping students to achieve their highest academic potential and to behave appropriately on campus. There is a parent notification component in the tardy and truancy policy that mandates contact home if a student is habitually late to class or truant.
Progress reports are sent home at the end of each 5-week grading period. Parents of students in danger of failing must be given noticebefore a student earns a grade of Fas a semester grade. Counselors regularly act as liaisons between parents and teachers to facilitate communication. Each year, letters are mailed home from the counselors to the parents of any Junior or Senior who is in danger of not graduating on time. These letters are translated into the appropriate home language, and phone contact is often made via translators for the non-English fluent parents. This is in addition to the meetings counselors schedule with any student who earns a grade of D or F in any grading period. /
  • Aeries database
  • Tardy policy
  • Grading policy
  • Classroom Syllabi
  • “Close on Grad” informational letters

Critical Academic Needs

Prompt: Comment on the degree to which this criterion impacts the school’s addressing of one or more of the identified critical academic needs.

Findings / Supporting Evidence
The school Single Plan for Student Achievement, in conjunction with the School District’s Master Plan, addresses issues of campus security and parental involvement. All staff members have been provided information regarding the SPSA and Master Plan, and are expected to facilitate the effective implementation of the SPSA and applicable portions of the Master Plan. Additional resources have been used to offer trainings to counselors and administrators on how to effectively deal with and minimize bullying and cyberbullying. An additional campus supervisor was also hired to help monitor the campus environment and assist students. Gabrielino High has also taken steps to improve the safety of the parents and students in the parking lot, by creating a supervised entrance and exit plan for pedestrians, cyclists, and cars. As part of a recent bond measure, a redesign of the campus entrance is being considered to help facilitate access and eliminate back-ups of traffic onto San Gabriel Boulevard. Additionally, the school’s security camera system was updated and coverage was improved. /
  • SPSA
  • Security staff
  • Cyberbullying materials & initiatives

E2. School Culture and Student Support Criterion

a) To what extent is the school a safe, clean, and orderly place that nurtures learning? b) To what extent is the culture of the school characterized by trust, professionalism, high expectations for all students, and a focus on continuous school improvement?

Safe, Clean, and Orderly Environment

Prompt: Comment on your analysis of a) the existing policies and use of resources to ensure a safe, clean and orderly place that nurtures learning and b) all aspects of the school with respect to safety regulations.

Findings / Supporting Evidence
Since the last self-study, Gabrielino Highhas added an additional Campus Supervisor position, bringing the total to three (two male and one female.) Gabrielino High has also upgraded the security camera system to a state of the art digital system, as well as adding additional cameras and improving the strategic covering of campus by these cameras. Gabrielino High is a closed campus, and at all times at least one Campus Supervisor is in charge of the front gate of the school. At lunch, most administrators are out on campus supervision duty. Staff has also looked at traffic entering and exiting the campus, and has taken steps to facilitate entrance and exit by pedestrians, cyclists, and cars.
The school has a team of custodians who are highly visible and routinely cleaning the campus of litter and making sure that any graffiti is immediately removed. During the summer, custodial staff follows a strict campus cleaning schedule, and each classroom is repaired as needed.
Each year through the Parent/Student Handbook, parents are given updates as to any modifications in the school wide safety plan. Throughout the school, the Williams Complaint Procedures are posted and visible.
Gabrielino has an emergency plan in place that follows District and State guidelines and is updated yearly with input from the District nurse, health aide and the administrators. Drills are held on a regularly scheduled basis.
The SPSA specifically addresses the need for anti-bullying and anti-bias programs and education on campus. Staff and students are knowledgeable about the process for reporting and handling any complaints. The administration seeks to deal with any discipline issues quickly and efficiently. The administrative team shares responsibility in enforcing discipline; they deal with students based on alphabetical grouping to provide consistency, but consult with one and another to ensure rules and policies are enforced equally.
Staff at Gabrielino High perform regular drills to ensure that the staff and students know how they are expected to respond to an emergency. Teachers are able utilize the IP phones and email from their room to update the office if there are concerns related to safety in their classrooms, and all classrooms are connected to at least one other classroom to help facilitate communication.
Staff and students are reminded through the bulletin and through the campus wide recycling efforts to keep the campus clean, although this is a constant struggle. Custodians are vigilant about keeping the campus tidy, and are often seen patrolling problematic areas to help minimize the trash.
The campus has been declared a drug-free zone, and drug and alcohol sniffing dogs come through campus several times a semester for random searches of the classrooms and parking lot. Each year, grade level assemblies are held at the start of the year to remind students of the policies related to student expectations and policies, and all students have been required to take Freshman Seminar—which includes a detailed unit on campus rules and procedures. All students receive a copy of the school handbook at the start of the school year, and the information is also available on the school’s website.
Students are able to use the Peer Helping program to help resolve personal issues and interpersonal disputes; counselors are available to assist in resolving disputes as well. Many classroom teachers work to help resolve student disputes and often inform counselors or administration of issues when they come to the teachers’ attention.
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  • Multiple campus security personnel
  • Custodians clean/resurface floors every summer, power washing of paver stone campus wide, general everyday upkeep includes student workers, district maintenance on site when needed. Immediate clean-up response to tagging incidents whenever possible
  • Single Plan for Student Achievement
  • Teachers cover their classroom guidelines and expectations at the beginning of the year.
  • Williams complaint procedures posted in every room.
  • Emergency plan
  • Campus security at main gate and between passing periods, custodial staff
  • School can be completely locked down, 3 full time security guards; SRO
  • Two assistant principals are assigned to student management
  • Teachers are provided maps for posting; Regular drills (fire, earthquake, disaster)
  • intercom for alerts;new IP phone system;
  • Peer Helping course for students with mediation training, Peer Helpers mentor
  • Counselors
  • Recycling bins around campus
  • Student Handbook given to each student in the first week of school; class level meetings address behavioral and classroom expectations
  • Freshmen Seminar addresses additional behavioral and classroom expectations for all 9th grade students.
  • Canine unit conducts random searches.

High Expectations/Concern for Students