MMHS and Adult Ed relocate to South County Annex

The Gilroy Unified School District is delighted to announce that Mt. Madonna High School (MMHS) and the District’s Adult Ed program will relocate to the South County Annex beginning with the 2025-26 school year. This move marks a significant step forward in expanding and enhancing the educational experience for MMHS students and staff, as well as the Adult Ed program.

The new location at the South County Annex will provide updated facilities, improved resources, and more space to support student learning and success.

Karen Christopher Cougar Cave opens for CHS students

On April 30, Christopher High School hosted a ribbon cutting for the brand new Karen Christopher Cougar Cave-- their new Wellness Center. This ribbon cutting means that ALL secondary schools in GUSD (middle and high school campuses), now have a Wellness Center on campus, with full-time staff members who provide mental health resources and support for students.  

The design and furnishings in the Wellness Center were chosen by students for students.

Congratulations CHS on your beautiful new space! We are sure students will find the support they need here. And thank you to the Christopher Family for their support of this project.

Jonathan Souza to conduct at Carnegie Hall in 2026

Congratulations Jonathan Souza, longtime Gilroy High School Choir Director, who has been invited to conduct at Carnegie Hall in New York City as part of the prestigious MidAmerica Productions 2026 Concert Series. Mr. Souza will lead a performance featuring Ralph Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music and John Rutter’s Gloria on April 1, 2026. Members of the GHS Choirs and South Bay Singers will be traveling with him to perform at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Souza, who has been a member of the Gilroy Unified community since 2013, has built a thriving choral program at Gilroy High School, inspiring students through a commitment to musical excellence, artistry, and inclusive education.

The Carnegie Hall performance will feature a full orchestra and soloists, with singers drawn from high school and community choirs across the country. Mr. Souza is extending a special invitation to his alumni, former students, colleagues, and friends to join him for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Residency activities in New York City will take place from March 29 to April 2, 2026.

For more information about the event or how to get involved, interested singers are encouraged to contact Mr. Souza directly.

Stop for Flashing Red Lights

In April 2025, Public School Transportation Departments throughout California assisted the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) by participating in a survey to determine the prevalence of illegal passing of school buses.

This data is the first step in developing improved safety countermeasures at the state or national level.

While most drivers obey the law and stop for the flashing red lights that a school bus uses while loading and unloading students, some do not.

On April 29, 2025, GUSD bus drivers participated in the national survey. They counted vehicles that illegally pass our stopped school buses while loading and unloading students. Most drivers our Transportation team encoutered follow the law and stopped for flashing red lights on a school bus, but on the survey day, 71 drivers did not stop. Drivers can face up to $250 in fines for not stopping for a school bus's flashing red lights, but more importantly, drivers who don't stop put student safety in jeopardy. Please stop for school buses as they load and unload students. Waiting for the red flashing lights to turn off could prevent a tragedy.

Congratulations Future Chefs Finalists!

Congratulations to the fifth grade finalists who participated in the annual Future Chefs competition on April 22 at Gilroy High School. Students prepared their dishes with the help of our Food Service staff and GHS Culinary Arts students, and the results did not disappoint!

Following the preparation and tasting of dishes, the judges deliberated to determine a winner.

• In first place, Zoey Takeda, from Luigi Aprea, who served "Japanese Korroke."
• In second place, Genevieve Musy-Verdel, from El Roble, who served "Ratatouille."
• In third place, Alessandra Lopez, from Glen View, who served "Philly Ground Beef Quesadilla."
• Colin Gonsolin, from Rod Kelley, served "Chicken Adobe."
• Lucy Rudkin, from Rucker, served “A Massaman Curry Recipe.”

Many thanks to our distinguished judges: Sam Bozzo and Gene Sakahara (the famous SakaBozzo duo), and Andrew Briggs from Kneaded, and a special shout-out to GHS senior, Kaiden Gonzales, who won the Future Chefs competition as a fifth grader in 2018.

Quinn Alarcon honored by San Jose Museum of Art

Congratulations to Christopher High School senior, Quinn Alarcon, who received second place in the San Jose Museum of Art's Dr. Jerry Hiura Next Gen Visual Artist Award.

The Dr. Jerry Hiura Next Gen Visual Artist Award honors Dr. Jerry’s passions through a scholarship that celebrates young visionary artists and supports their artistic practice and goals as they pursue higher education. Quinn is in Ms. Willie's Advanced Ceramics class.

She will be honored during the awards ceremony on Thursday, May 15 at San Jose Museum of Art.