GGUSD Celebrates 2026 Classified Employees of the Year

At its meeting on Tuesday, GGUSD's Board of Education recognized nine outstanding classified employees nominated for the Orange County Department of Education’s Classified Employee of the Year program. Watch our video to learn more about these incredible employees, including:

• Maria Cervantes – Doig Intermediate School Community Liaison
• Paul Dalmas – Electrician
• Eric Garcia – Electronics & Technology Support Technician
• Deborah Guevara – Parkview Elementary Student Supervision Assistant
• Donna Monnig – Gilbert Elementary Food Services Lead
• Ramon Moreno-Zanabria – Intensive Behavior Intervention Aide
• Brian Sannebeck – Grounds Equipment Mechanic
• Clara Santacruz – Rancho Alamitos High School Senior School Secretary
• Karla Smith – Bus Driver

Special congratulations to Paul Dalmas and Deborah Guevara, who were selected as Orange County Classified Employee of the Year finalists—an honor awarded to just nine classified employees across all of Orange County!

From supporting students and families to maintaining safe, welcoming learning environments, these dedicated employees make a difference across GGUSD every day.

GGUSD Celebrates 2027 Teacher of the Year Nominees

At its Tuesday meeting, GGUSD's Board of Education celebrated our 2027 Teacher of the Year nominees, including Larinda Kotani, Hazard Elementary School; Donna Page, Crosby Elementary School; and Jeanne Wu, Santiago High School. Watch the video to learn more about these remarkable educators and the difference they make in the lives of students, families, and school communities across GGUSD. Their passion, dedication, and commitment to student success make a lasting impact in our classrooms every day.

GGUSD invites parents and guardians of incoming 7th grade students to a special webinar designed to help families confidently support their child’s transition from elementary to intermediate school.


Topic: Ready for 7th Grade: Supporting Your Child’s Middle School Transition – Parent Webinar

When: Monday, June 8 at 9 a.m. or 6 p.m.

Attend: Join via Zoom at: https://ggusd-us.zoom.us/j/97721131995

RSVP: Please use this link to RSVP: https://bit.ly/RF7THRSVP


The move to middle school is a major milestone for students and families alike. New classes, new expectations, greater independence, and changing social dynamics can feel both exciting and overwhelming. This informative webinar will provide families with practical guidance, helpful resources, and reassurance as students prepare for a successful start to 7th grade. Together, we can ensure every student begins middle school feeling confident, supported, and ready to thrive.

GGUSD's Free Summer Meals Program Kicks Off at Chapman Library

Monday, June 1 marked the first day of GGUSD’s Free Summer Meals Program, helping ensure children have access to nutritious meals even when school is out! The program provides free summer meals to GGUSD students who are participating in Summer School and Summer Extended Learning Programs as well as to all school-aged children and individuals with disabilities who are enrolled in a school program during designated community-based summer meal times offered at 13 school campuses and one public library. A huge thank you to Board of Education President Bob Harden, Vice President Lan Nguyen and Trustee Teri Rocco for joining us on Day One at the Garden Grove Chapman Library and helping serve over 150 kids with care and smiles!

CTE Launches Summer Internship Program

More than 120 GGUSD Career and Technical Education (CTE) interns are spending this week sharpening their professional skills before heading out to internship sites across Orange County. Students are learning valuable workplace essentials, including how to complete time cards, take professional headshots, communicate effectively in the workplace, and represent themselves with confidence.


We are proud that our 15 Career Pathways provide students with unique real-world internship experiences that allows students to connect classroom learning with future career opportunities. GGUSD is excited to see these future professionals make an impact throughout the community!

Summer Learning Starts Off Strong in GGUSD

This week, more than 900 high school students began summer programs designed to support learning, growth and a successful school year ahead. Freshman Seminar is being hosted at Los Amigos and Santiago high schools for select Incoming freshmen to provide targeted support that will prepare students for a successful transition to high school. At the same time, Bolsa and Santiago high schools welcomed hundreds of students to summer school which provides an accelerated timeline for students to earn credits, receive academic support, and help students stay on track for graduation. GGUSD is proud to see students making the most of their summer as they continue learning, growing and preparing for future success!

Hazard Elementary Hosts Summer Bridge Program

More than 70 students in TK–6th grade participated in Hazard Elementary's Summer Bridge Program this week, strengthening their reading, writing, science, and math skills (Goal 1) while staying engaged through exciting enrichment opportunities (Goal 2) including STEAM, robotics, leadership activities, and even golf! Kudos to these scholars for staying engaged in learning this week!

Fitz Intermediate Celebrates Class of 2026 Graduates

Fitz Intermediate Language Academy celebrated the promotion of its eighth grade students with a memorable commencement ceremony last week featuring a performance of "I Lived" by the Fitz Choir, welcoming remarks from Principal Louie Gomez, a heartfelt farewell address by student Zaudi Chavez, class reflections from student Luke Shippee, and acceptance of the class by Los Amigos High School Principal Todd Nirk.

Students were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements, leadership, attendance, service, AVID participation, and success in the school's Spanish Dual Immersion and Biliteracy pathways.

Fitz was recently named a 2026 California Schools to Watch school, a prestigious recognition awarded to high-performing middle schools that demonstrate excellence in academics, student support, equity, and leadership.

Congratulations to our students, staff, and families on these incredible accomplishments. We know our Falcons are ready to soar in high school!

AVID Senior Celebration Recognizes Class of 2026

Recently, GGUSD honored more than 350 students who make up our incredible AVID Class of 2026 at the 15th Annual Senior Celebration!

From their first Focused Notes in 7th grade to receiving their medals at Don Wash Auditorium, these scholars have defined what it means to work hard. The results speak for themselves:

• 87% Acceptance Rate to four-year universities!

• Students heading to top-tier public and private colleges nationwide.

The future isn't just bright... it’s being led by these GGUSD graduates.

Walton Intermediate Celebrates Eighth Grade Students

Walton Intermediate School celebrated its eighth grade students during a memorable commencement ceremony last Wednesday as Wildcats took the next step toward high school! Families, friends, and staff gathered to honor the Class of 2026 with inspiring remarks from Principal Marci Loo and student speaker Dema Laham, along with the presentation of the prestigious 4.0 Academic Award and Wildcat of the Year Award by Assistant Principal Gabriel Gonzalez.

Congratulations to Walton’s Class of 2026 as they begin an exciting new chapter! Walton continues to prepare students for success, earning recognition as a 2025 California Honor Roll School and being named among the nation’s Best Middle Schools in 2025 by U.S. News & World Report.

Northcutt Elementary Celebrates Sixth Grade Scholars

Northcutt Elementary School’s sixth grade students celebrated a major milestone as they were promoted and prepared to begin their next chapter in intermediate school!

Surrounded by proud families, dedicated staff, and supportive friends, students reflected on their elementary school journey and the accomplishments that brought them to this special day. GGUSD congratulates the Northcutt Bulldogs on their promotion and wishes them continued success in the years ahead!

Garden Grove High School Celebrates Seniors Going to College

Last month, Garden Grove High School celebrated their seniors who are continuing their education after graduation. These Argos are ready to set sail into the future, whether it be at a local community college, at an in-state school, or at an out of state institution! Wherever they have chosen to attend, they will surely achieve great things inside and outside of the classroom before going on to leave their mark on the world, congrats Argos!

GGUSD Offers a Free Summer Meals Program

GGUSD is offering its annual free Summer Meal program, including both breakfast and lunch, to help ensure that children continue to have access to nutritional meals when school is not in session. The program provides free summer meals to GGUSD students who are participating in Summer School and Summer Extended Learning Programs as well as to all school-aged children during designated community-based Summer Meal times offered at 13 school campuses and one public library.

Lunches, provided at no charge, are designed to meet a student’s nutritional needs, featuring meal items like sandwiches, pizza, breaded chicken bites, mini tacos, mini cheeseburger sliders, yogurt, a variety of fruits and vegetables from the salad bar, juice and milk. Breakfast options include cereal, breakfast bars, French Toast bites and pan dulce. Last year, GGUSD served more than 200,000 summer meals through the program.

GGUSD Offers Online Learning Resources to Keep Students Engaged

As summer begins, we encourage families to help students stay engaged and prepared for the 2026–27 school year. As we do each summer, GGUSD has compiled free online resources for students in grades K–12, including access to digital textbooks, learning platforms, and parent support tools. Students may use these tools to preview the next year’s content across subjects so they can be prepared for the academic year to come or to review concepts from the past school year they have yet to master!

GGUSD is Hiring College Tutors!

GGUSD is seeking dedicated undergraduate and graduate students to support programs like AVID, AVID Excel, Academies, and Resource Centers. This is a great opportunity to make a meaningful impact while gaining valuable experience in education.

College tutors play an important role in mentoring students, supporting their academic success, and helping build confidence for the future. With a positive work environment, competitive pay, and a strong team, GGUSD offers a rewarding way to give back to the community.