Great Oak - Newsletter Volume #5

As we reflect on the 2024–2025 school year and look ahead, our focus continues to be on supporting all students, with special attention to groups who have historically faced barriers to academic success,

Celebrations & Growth

• State Testing: Preliminary CAASPP results show increases in all content areas!

  • English Language Arts: up 4%

  • Math: up 3%

  • Science: up 5%

• Fewer failing grades: English and Science saw a 31% reduction in F’s by the 9-week mark.

• Student Competency data (Panorama) showed growth of 1–3% in all areas!

Focus on Continuous Improvement
Last year, each department completed two Cycles of Inquiry—a process that uses data to guide strategies for improvement. For example:

• PE reduced failing grades by 70% with targeted interventions.

• Social Science improved EL proficiency in key courses.

• English & Science saw fewer missing assignments and stronger academic performance.

  
  

Strategic Actions Moving Forward
Looking ahead to this year, our areas of focus include:

• Academics: Targeted reading strategies, math interventions, and dedicated support for Chemistry.

• Attendance: Reducing single-period truancies, clarifying tardy expectations, and increasing parent communication.

• School Climate: Building stronger student connections, creating intramural opportunities, reducing vaping violations through prevention and Saturday School, and ensuring all students feel valued and heard.

  
  

At Great Oak, we believe that by identifying barriers and addressing them together, we can ensure every student thrives. Thank you for your continued support in making GOHS a place where all students succeed academically and socially.

With Gratitude,
Dr. Amber Lane and the GOHS Leadership Team

At Great Oak High School, the safety of our students is always our top priority. As we begin the school year, we want to remind families and students of two important safety expectations on campus:

1. No Skateboarding on the Second Story After School
Skateboarding on the second-story walkways after school hours is extremely dangerous. Students engaging in this behavior put themselves and others at risk of serious injury. Please note that any student found skateboarding in this area will face disciplinary consequences. We ask for your support in reminding your student to keep skateboarding limited to safe, designated areas off campus.

2. Drop-Off Safety
For the safety of all students, drop-offs must take place along the designated curb in the parking lot only. When students are dropped off in traffic lanes and attempt to cross between cars, it creates a dangerous situation where accidents can easily occur. By using the curb, we can ensure a smoother, safer arrival for every student.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep Great Oak a safe place for learning. With your help, we can reduce risks and create a secure environment for all members of our school community.

The deadline to take your senior photo with Studio-94 is October 31st. Please schedule your appointment today! Students must take their photo with Studio-94 to be included in the yearbook.

We are reaching out to alert you about a scam email that has been circulating amongst students. This email did not originate from our district and is not affiliated with TVUSD in any way.

The scam email includes language such as:

This is the last time we will notify you that we'll stop processing incoming emails in your school account, and the reason is you failed to verify your account which may lead to the permanent deletion of your account from our database in the next few hours. to verify this

Copy and paste the URL Below into the address bar of your web browser to cancel the request

( https://forms.gle/Zsd22U9HJUkRa2nn8 )

Please note the one-time submission and entry only..

Please Note : [ TVUSD] in the forms means PASSWORD

Temecula Valley Unified School District Help Desk

This is a fraudulent attempt to collect personal information and/or scam recipients. Please do not click on any links, respond to the email, or provide any personal information.

We advise everyone to:

• Delete the email immediately.

• Do not engage with the sender.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and for parents and families that alerted us to the issue.

Between October 8th and November 4th, students at all TVUSD schools in grades 3-12 will be asked to complete a survey measuring student self-efficacy, self-management, and emotion regulation, as well as their perceptions of school climate, safety, and sense of belonging.

GOHS will complete the survey on October 9th, 2025.

Please see the linked newsletter below for additional information.

Now is the time to sign up to take the PSAT on October 9th, during our Annual College and Career Kick-Off Day!

Please use the link below to register for the test, you don't want to miss this opportunity!

https://user.totalregistration.net/PSAT/053880

On behalf of the GOHS staff, it’s my honor to introduce our September Student of the Month, Rameen Vahdat!

For years, teachers have told me about him—how smart, funny, and eloquent he is, and most importantly, how much character and kindness he shows to others. After spending time with him in class and meeting with him this week, I can tell you—he absolutely lives up to the hype!

Rameen balances school and friendships with ease. He values living in the moment, is loyal, empathetic, and driven. With plans to study biomedical engineering, he loves science and math because they challenge him with new ideas and discoveries—never the same thing twice.

When I asked for his favorite word, he chose perseverance—because he believes in always pushing himself forward. As he says, he doesn’t believe in “I can’t.”

And I’ll leave you with his advice for all of us: live with no regrets, because whatever happens will be fine. Wise words from an outstanding young man. Congratulations, Rameen—we are so proud to celebrate you today!

Our AFJROTC cadets led our campus in a thoughtful Patriot’s Day Assembly this week, bringing our school community together to remember and reflect. Through student-led presentations, readings, and a moment of silence, cadets honored the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and highlighted the importance of service, leadership, and unity.

We are proud of our JROTC students for organizing and leading this meaningful event. Their dedication provided a powerful opportunity for their peers to learn, reflect, and honor the spirit of Patriot’s Day.

September 15th begins the month-long celebration of the histories, cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino/a or Latinx Americans that have had a profound and positive influence on our country. National Hispanic Heritage month is celebrated on September 15 to October 15. The term Hispanic or Latino/a (more recently termed Latinx) refers to a person’s culture or origin, regardless of race. The U.S. Hispanic population reached 62.1 million in 2021, up from 50.5 million in 2010. Nearly one in five people in the U.S. are Hispanic/Latinx.

The timing of Hispanic Heritage month coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of several Latin American Nations. September 15th is the Independence Day for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua from Spain in 1821. Additionally, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. As culturally proficient educators, it is important that we incorporate the histories, cultures, and contributions of all cultures throughout the year, not only limited to one month. Hispanic Heritage Month is another opportunity to highlight Hispanic and Latino/a or Latinx Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our Nation and society.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to share the wonderful celebration our student-led club, Nuestra Cultura, organized alongside Peer Leaders on our senior lawn. Students from Nuestra Cultura Ballet Folklorico performed, and many joined in traditional dances. Peer Leaders also facilitated activities where students could create keychains and charm bracelets to commemorate the event.

Additionally, last night our students participated in a celebration at City Hall, hosted by the City of Temecula through its REDI Commission. This gathering aimed to recognize our club members for their contributions in celebrating their culture. Our students presented to the council and community, sharing their efforts both on and off campus. We are incredibly proud of their achievements, especially as they received a proclamation from the commission and had the chance to speak about their initiatives.

Thank you for your continued support as we celebrate our diverse cultures and the hard work of our students.

If you know a school hero who deserves recognition, The Patch would love to hear from you! Simply answer a few questions, and they'll take care of the rest.

Honesty is valued at Great Oak High School and is an attribute of INTEGRITY, one of our guiding principles in the SPIRIT of the PACK. We believe it is a fundamental obligation to promote, model, and otherwise educate students about the importance of this basic character value. Cheating of any kind while completing course requirements (e.g., taking examinations, completing term papers, projects, and assignments) is a violation of the high standard of behavior we strive to maintain. Many people think of Academic Dishonesty as copying another’s work or borrowing someone else’s original ideas, but terms like “copying” and “borrowing” can disguise the seriousness of the offense. The intent of this policy is to encourage honesty and ethical conduct throughout the campus.

There's a lot in store for you and we don't want you to miss out on all the fun things we're planning.

For those of you who are new to Great Oak High School, WSB sends you a newsletter each week that features events, activities, and news.

We'll see you at this week's events!

What's in this Newsletter:

1. UPCOMING Event - Pink Out Game

2. Freshman Newsletter

3. Lunchtime Activities

4. Athletic Events This Week

5. Club News

6. Other GOHS News and Information

7. Social Media and WSB Card

All children are offered a breakfast AND a lunch every school day for FREE! Most of our school sites operate under the community eligibility provision and do not require meal applications. However, if you have a student that attends any of the schools listed above, and you think you may qualify for free or reduced price meals submit an application today! Having an approved application on file may qualify you for utility discounts, testing waivers (including AP exams!), and earn money for your school/district.

Care Solace can quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance.

Care Solace's care navigation services are confidential and complimentary to TVUSD students, staff, and their families. Care Solace's team is available 24/7/365 and can support you in any language.

• Call 888-515-0595
• Visit www.caresolace.com/tvusdfamilies and either search on your own OR click "Book Appointment" for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

How can Care Solace help you?

• Mental Health & Substance Abuse: Find community-based providers & secure appointments.
  
• Food Assistance: Access food pantries, home delivery meal programs, and government/non-profit programs.
  
• Shelter Support: Find transitional housing, shelters, and housing programs.
  
• Community Health Services: Connect with low-cost or free medical and dental care, female health services, and preventative care.
  

Please be aware that these are the only approved GOHS social media handles:

GOHSFacebook

GOHSTwitter

GOHSInstagram

*GOHS does NOT endorse or support the messaging of any other social media platform claiming connection to our site.