Clubs switch to Google Classroom for communication " November 30, 2021 — by Apurva Chakravarthy and Jason Cheng Google Classroom is replacing Facebook Messenger as the primary way for clubs to communicate. The switch, senior club commissioners Grace Hsu and Nandini Desai said, was to have a system more similar to Canvas, the school’s learning management program. Recently, ASB has had trouble receiving each club’s monthly minutes, which results in clubs getting either […] read more »
Senior receives district recognition for volunteer work to fight hunger " November 30, 2021 — by Serena Li and Daniel Wu Senior Vicky Bai received the Los Gatos Union High School District (LGSUHSD) board Student Recognition during its meeting on Nov. 16 for her volunteer work at Hunger at Home, a nonprofit organization started in 2008 that partners with local businesses to donate surplus food to people who are food insecure in the Bay Area. Bai […] read more »
Guidance counselor creates book club for community adults " November 26, 2021 — by Chris Chen At a recent Friday Family Time, a monthly meeting with parents and principal Greg Louie, guidance counselor Alinna Satake heard questions about student stress and the right way to raise teens in today’s world. Those questions inspired her to start a book club with the theme of parenting in a way that helps teens become […] read more »
Amid COVID-19 pandemic, some seniors adopt new college application strategies " November 24, 2021 — by Benjamin Li and Daniel Wu When his clock struck 1 a.m., senior Weilin Sun’s head hit his desk with a thud. He let it rest for a second before dragging his eyes back up to his computer screen where a jumble of incomplete sentences glared back at him. He had four more college applications to finish, and was on a […] read more »
New principal’s assistant Alison Montgomery eases into her new job " November 23, 2021 — by Nidhi Mathihalli As the school’s new principal’s assistant Alison Montgomery clicked send on a mass email to the pool of substitutes, she reflected on her new responsibilities. After Pola-Michelle Alas left the position on Oct. 25, Montgomery took on the role as a change from her previous employment as the registrar for Silver Creek High School, where […] read more »
District Teachers Association rallies behind effort to get higher pay " November 22, 2021 — by Sam Bai, Shreya Rallabandi and Aiden Ye Just before the start of the Nov. 16 board meeting in the school library, more than 60 Saratoga High and Los Gatos teachers — all members of the District Teachers Association (DTA) — lined up outside while holding signs with messages like “Reserves don’t teach students, Teachers DO!!” and “This Is a School, Not a […] read more »
Bell schedule change advances for second semester November 22, 2021 — by Christina Chang and Lynn Dai During its Nov. 16 meeting, the five-member district board unanimously agreed to modify the bell schedule to incorporate a daily tutorial starting next semester, but nothing has been finalized yet. Among the six possible schedules, the board unanimously supported three but didn’t yet settle on a final decision: Choice A, consisting of 85-minute periods and […] read more »
National trend of substitute shortage affects school " November 19, 2021 — by Nidhi Mathihalli On the morning of Sept. 4, assistant principal Matt Torrens found himself hustling to Social Studies teacher Todd Dwyer’s 2nd-period World Geography classroom. Twenty minutes earlier, he learned he would be needed as an emergency substitute teacher for this class. In his more than 20 years at the school as both a teacher and administrator, […] read more »
Marching band finishes season on high note " November 19, 2021 — by Shannon Ma and Brian Sheen The 150 members of the marching band waited in anticipation, their breaths misting in the cold night air as they watched drum majors Ryan Lee, Christopher Okuno and Petr Tupitsyn standing at attention on the football field below for the results of the Nov 13. Napa Valley Band Reserve to be announced. After nearly three […] read more »
New on-site COVID-19 testing aids school during first student COVID-19 case " November 19, 2021 — by Jonny Luo The school recorded its first student COVID-19 case on Nov. 4. Previously, two school employees had tested positive for COVID-19. The student, who The Falcon is not naming to protect her privacy, tested positive through a test done outside of school. After her father tested positive for COVID-19, she and her entire family got tested […] read more »