Principal's Message
Hello and welcome to the 2011-2012 school year at Joe A. Gonsalves Elementary School -- A California Distinguished School. The staff here at Gonsalves is dedicated to providing the best educational experience possible for our students. This is done through the team effort of all stakeholders, including staff, parents and families, students, and community members. As a team we all work collaboratively to create an environment conducive to learning and student achievement. We are successful because we provide a rigorous academic program for our students in a safe, nurturing, and supportive atmosphere. Every student is important and we believe every student can succeed. It is this combination of high quality teaching in the classroom, the commitment of our families to promote and support learning, and the desire of our students to do their very best that makes Gonsalves a special place to be.
School Mission
The mission of Joe A. Gonsalves Elementary School is to educate students to become productive, informed, and involved participants in the 21st Century. To ensure success, each student will experience a balanced curriculum with a focus on academic excellence in a supportive learning environment. We believe that the success of the program springs from active involvement of students, parents, community and staff.
Character Development
The positive, "can do" atmosphere that is created at Gonsalves begins with our commitment towards all students getting along, and encouraging and respecting one another. Building character is a focus and we emphasize this through our monthly Core Values. Students are recognized at Recognition Awards Assemblies for displaying these values. Every student is a S.T.A.R. at Gonsalves when they Stop, Think and Act Responsibly, and they are praised and rewarded for this positive behavior in various ways.
The positive, "can do" atmosphere that is created at Gonsalves begins with our commitment towards all students getting along, and encouraging and respecting one another. Building character is a focus and we emphasize this through our monthly Core Values. Students are recognized at Recognition Awards Assemblies for displaying these values. Every student is a S.T.A.R. at Gonsalves when they Stop, Think and Act Responsibly, and they are praised and rewarded for this positive behavior in various ways.
A Bit of History
Our school was named after former mayor and assemblyman, Joe A Gonsalves. It officially opened its doors in 1973 and, since then, its staff and students have received numerous awards and recognition through the state and nation. We honor our heritage each June at "Gonsalves Day" where we tell the story of Mr.Gonsalves through song and dance.
Our Academics
During the 2010-2011 school year, Gonsalves Elementary School achieved an Academic Performance Indicator (API) growth score of 971! Our school has received many awards among which include being named a California Distinguished School and a California Business for Education Excellence Honor Roll School. Through a rigorous, standards-based curriculum, grade-level collaboration, data analysis and strategic interventions, we know that our students will continue to achieve and be successful academically.
Our School Spirit
Our very active Student Council sponsors "fun" days for students and provides community outreach by donating to disaster relief efforts, supporting troops locally and overseas, and many other community service projects. They also host our "Taste of Gonsalves" at the end of the year which is a celebration of our school's diversity of cultures through food, song, and dance.The Gonsalves "Grizzly" students and staff take every opportunity to show their pride in their school. Each Monday the students and staff participate in Spirit Day. This fifteen to twenty minute ceremony enables the entire student body to recites the Pledge of Allegiance together, sing a patriotic song, discuss an ethical character trait, and honor students for accomplishments. Each year we also participate in Red Ribbon Week to display our commitment to staying healthy and drug-free.
Our very active Student Council sponsors "fun" days for students and provides community outreach by donating to disaster relief efforts, supporting troops locally and overseas, and many other community service projects. They also host our "Taste of Gonsalves" at the end of the year which is a celebration of our school's diversity of cultures through food, song, and dance.The Gonsalves "Grizzly" students and staff take every opportunity to show their pride in their school. Each Monday the students and staff participate in Spirit Day. This fifteen to twenty minute ceremony enables the entire student body to recites the Pledge of Allegiance together, sing a patriotic song, discuss an ethical character trait, and honor students for accomplishments. Each year we also participate in Red Ribbon Week to display our commitment to staying healthy and drug-free.
Parent and Community Partnerships
The success of our school is due in large part to the immeasurable contributions made by our parent organization, the Booster Club. Our Booster Club consists of parents, community members, and staff members. The Booster Club helps provide a well-rounded educational experience for our students by sponsoring field trips, assemblies, and special activities throughout the school year. They also provide funding for music instruction, our P.E. program, a state-of-the-art computer lab, and student incentives. Parents volunteer hours and hours of time both inside and outside the classrooms. Parents directly participate in the direction of our school through other organizations as well, such as School Site Council, English Language Advisory Committee and our various Parent Groups. We also have our annual Community Read Aloud where we connect with members of the community who help and support our school as they visit classrooms and read to our students.
After School Programs
We also have afterschool opportunities available for our families. The Extended Day Program provides working parents a place where their child can go to continue the “Learning Day”. Homework support, academic skill-building, enrichment activities, and physical activity are just some of the outstanding support they provide. At Gonsalves we also have chess, art, and foreign language classes available for students to take.
