TODAY is the last day to register!
Interested in attending the summer session of Driver Education? Sign-up now!

If so, now is the time to sign-up! Spots are available for students interested in taking the summer Driver Education course. Summer session runs from July 1 through August 14, 2009. To learn more about the program, click here. The last date to sign-up is June 30--so register today!

Celebrating your achievements...
Congratulations to the Class of 2009

On Sunday, June 28, 2009, 446 Guilderland High School students walked across the stage at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany to receive their diplomas and begin the next chapter of their lives beyond of the halls of GHS.

Graduation is a time for students and teachers to reflect upon their memories and experiences of the past 12 years. Thoughts of school dances, football games and good friends will always hold a special place in their hearts. Yet graduation is also an occasion to celebrate success. As the Class of 2009 goes forward—whether it be at college, in the workplace, or in the military—they can be confident that they have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful, no matter what the endeavor.

As noted by Superintendent of Schools John W. McGuire in his commencement remarks, “as you embark on the first steps of the next phase in your personal life journey, remember we are all learners, at each stage of this experience we call life.”

“Others can describe a direction, but only you can chart your course,” he added. “I am very happy and excited about all that you will encounter and all that you will do.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2009 for all that they have accomplished. Their hard work and dedication throughout the years are achievements to be celebrated. Best wishes to you all as you enter into a bright and exciting future!

Unable to attend the 2009 commencement ceremony? Watch a replay of the entire event on TWC Channel 16 throughout the summer. For a list of scheduled broadcasts, please click here. (PDF)

New GHS Building Project Update newsletter is now available online

As the school year draws to a close, construction is well underway at Guilderland High School. Over the April and Memorial Day recesses, a majority of the asbestos abatement activities were completed. In addition, a new telephone system was installed and the construction of a new 10-classroom addition broke ground. Most recently, work on the technology education classrooms has begun. To read more about what's been started at GHS, and to learn about what's in store for the building over the summer, please visit the Building Project Update home page and download the latest edition of the GHS update newsletter.

Pictured above: Top Row (L to R): Mark Rudolph (Coach), Noah Rubin, Alonna Rudolph (Coach); Middle Row (L to R): Brian Reed, Kyungduk Rho; Front Row (L to R): Yipu Wang, Jeremy Simon, Bing Zhang, Zagreb Mukerjee, and Ved Tanavde.

GHS Masterminds team wins New York State championship

Congratulations to the Guilderland High School Masterminds team, who recently took home the top prize at the state championship on June 13, 2009 at LeMoyne College. The competition was a round robin tournament consisting of the regional champions from Albany, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. The GHS team went undefeated in states, 3-0, to cap off a very successful season with a final record of 18-1. 

Kudos to team members Greg Barber, Herbie Goldstein, Haejim Hwang, Sunny Hwang, Beatrice Malsky, Dana McLaughlin, Alex Metzger, Sindhura Mandava, Zagreb Mukerjee, Brian Reed, Kyungduk Rho, Noah Rubin, Jeremy Simon, Ved Tanavde, Yipu Wang, and Bing Zhan. Special honors in the state tournament went to Zagreb Mukerjee, for MVP, and Yipu Wang, for making the All-Tournament team.

Summer Reading lists now available

Summer is the perfect time for children of all ages to sit back and relax with a good book...or two! To that end, GCSD's recommended summer reading titles are now available online. Click here to see the full list of titles. Please take a few moments to review the list, organized by grade level, as compiled by our district librarians and teachers. New in 2009: Critical reviews and/or book summaries have been included to help make your selection process a bit easier. Happy reading!

Pictured above are (from left to right): Enaw Elong, Alexandra Tomaso, advisor David Best, Tomisha Rayford, Karley Giles, Miguel Franco, Abayomi Dickson, Amanda Hart, and advisor Rene Sheehan. Not pictured are Dominique Harvey-Dorsey, Elijah Sharma, and  Gabriella Vaga.

Guilderland students recognized at NCBI Youth Leadership Awards

On Thursday, May 28, ten Guilderland High School students were honored at the first annual National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) Youth Leadership Awards Program. The ceremony, held at Hudson Valley Community College, recognized those students who went above and beyond as part of their service to the NCBI program. Guilderland High School students honored at the event included Abayomi Dickson, Enaw Elonge, Miguel Franco, Karley Giles, Amanda Hart, Dominique Harvey-Dorsey, Tomisha Rayford, Elijah Sharma, Alexandra Tomaso, and Gabriella Vaga (under the supervision of GHS NCBI coordinators David Best and Rene Sheehan). Congratulations to all of these outstanding students!

Since 1984, NCBI has worked with elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the world to create more inclusive, safe, and welcoming learning environments by building a coalition of concerned teachers, staff, administrators, parents, community leaders, and students. More than 150 Guilderland High School students have participated in NCBI programs throughout the 2008-09 school year. Click here to learn more about NCBI and to watch a video produced by some of the recent student award-winners.

Guilderland High School student selected to be a delegate at the World Leadership Congress

Congratulations to Guilderland High School sophomore Dustin Maguire, who served as the Guilderland delegate at the Hugh O'Brian (HOBY) Leadership Conference held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy on the last weekend in May. Dustin was selected from 10 finalists at the RPI conference to be a delegate at the World Leadership Congress to be held in Washington, D.C. this July. A total of 400 students from across the globe will attend this conference. Dustin is also one of 5 New York State students to receive a scholarship to the World Leadership Congress.

The Guilderland, Mohonasen, Niskayuna Model Transition Program presents...
Transition Thursdays

Transition Thursdays are a series of workshops facilitated by the University at Buffalo’s MTP Senior Trainers designed to assist students with disabilities and their parents become acquainted with many of the issues related to post high school planning. Download a brochure of upcoming workshops. (PDF) At the end of each session, there will be an opportunity to ask questions of the presenter(s) and/or network with other parents and students. To register, please contact: Carol Wall, Training Coordinator at (518) 382-2511 x4085 or cwall@niskyschools.org.

Operation Recognition underway at Guilderland

Guilderland Central School District is proud to be a partner in Operation Recognition, a New York State program which grants a high school diploma to any veteran who left school prior to graduation to serve in the military during World War II, the Korean Conflict, or the Vietnam War. Individuals need not have attended GCSD at the time of service to be eligible for this program. Diplomas may also be awarded to next of kin, if eligibility is established.

Community members interested in participating in Operation Recognition are encouraged to contact Guilderland Superintendent of Schools John McGuire at 456-6200, ext. 3102, or visit our Operation Recognition home page for additional details and eligibility requirements.

Keep in touch with Guilderland High School news

Subscribe to The Journal - Receive seven issues delivered anywhere in the country for only $10 per year. Send your name, home phone number, address for delivery and payment to: Guilderland High School, c/o The Journal, 8 School Road, Guilderland Center, N.Y. 12085. Please make checks payable to The Journal.