To All GTA Families

Dear GTA Families,

I am appreciative and excited to join the GTA family of Griffin High School, Griffin Middle School, MIT Academy High School, and Mare Island Tech Academy Middle School.  It is an honor to work with the staff and families that have produced these award-winning schools, six-year running.

First, I want to acknowledge your work these past few months adjusting to online learning.  We know this has been difficult, but it is gratifying to see the progress our students are making…with your help.  And, together, we are all doing better as we learn.

I know you are wondering what the summer and fall will look like.  Rest assured that we have a committed team that is looking at various scenarios to ensure that all our students will stay the course.

This summer we are excited to offer an enriching program for all our students, grades six to twelve.  If your child hasn’t signed up, this link will take you directly to the sign-up page.  Please act now while we still have space.

For the fall, we are remaining flexible. We know that all CSUs and most community colleges will be fully online for the fall semester. We are following the updates from the CDC, the CA Department of Education, and our county health department.  We are planning options to continue a fully online experience along with a hybrid model that would bring students on campus. We believe providing you with choice is a critical component of charter schools.

We know you have many questions, as do we.  We will continue to update you as the picture solidifies.

Lastly, we need to talk about the budget.  Only a few months ago, California had a multi-billion dollar surplus and the economy was roaring.  Today, we are faced with Depression-era jobless rates and an economy that is uncertain at best.  The Governor announced a minimum 10% cut in school funding.  We would love to continue business as usual, but a look outside reminds us how far from the truth that is.

My priority is to ensure the highest quality education for your children.  They deserve nothing less than the best.  We have highly skilled teachers who put students first, and we will continue to offer tutoring, counseling, extra support for student success.  We have dedicated staff, resilient students, and families who care.  Together, we will get through this and return to a post-COVID world stronger than ever.  #GTAStrong

 

Respectfully,
David Yoshihara
Superintendent