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Homestead High School 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
Volume 61, Issue 7
May 3, 2024 Photo by Saira Ahmed
‘I will carry these memories forever’ Principal Greg Giglio steps down to pursue new role in district office
By Danielle Feldsher and Kevin Miao
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fter 11 years as principal, Greg Giglio will be stepping down from his position to take on the role of FUHSD director of human resources beginning in July, superintendent Graham Clark said. The position became vacant after current director Paula Robinson secured the associate superintendent position, which became available after current associate superintendent Tom Avvakumovits announced his retirement, effective July 1. In his new position, Giglio will be in charge of hiring staff, recruiting teachers and processing their pay and retirement, Clark said. Giglio said pursuing new opportunities that present themselves allows him to push his limits on what he can achieve. In his new position, Giglio said he hopes to maintain relationships among the district staff and improve equity in the hiring process. “It’s time to try something different and learn a little bit and this is a chance for me to work with all the schools across the district,” Giglio said. “It’ll be weird not stepping onto a high school campus, but if I do my job right, then we get the right people in the right places and [students] get a really good education.” ASB treasurer Sophie Park said Giglio is open-minded, gets along with students and is friendly with everyone. “Giglio is always smiling when you see him, and he’s always super open to new ideas,” Park, a junior, said. “You could just bring him an idea and then he’d probably sit down and discuss it with you in order to really bring it to campus. His willingness to learn from all types of people makes him unique.” After working together for nine years, executive assistant to the principal Tricia Crane said she is looking forward to what a new position will bring for Giglio, and how he will impact FUHSD. While she is sad to see him go, Crane said she knows it will be a positive change for the district. “Instead of him merely supporting Homestead, he’s
going to now be supporting the whole district,” Crane said. “As much as it’s difficult to see him leave HHS and his position, I know he will 100% do what’s best for our entire district.” Giglio’s strengths do not just reside in his leadership, Crane said, but in his caring approach to those around him. Crane said Giglio puts his community first, even showing up in a Santa costume to a family Christmas party. “The kids were in awe, and it brought tears to my eyes because how many school principals will step into a Santa Claus outfit and pretend to be Santa with a bunch of kids,” Crane said. Giglio works diligently for the school and community, facing challenges head-on, Crane said. “I admire him in so many ways, watching him behind the scenes,” Crane said. “He’s able to work through very difficult situations with the parents and the community.” Although he is looking forward to his new position, Giglio said he will miss the individual students with whom he has formed meaningful connections. “There’s just an energy about [a] high school campus that is hard to find anywhere else,” Giglio said. “My most enjoyable times have been when I’m just walking around, mixing with kids and talking; that’s when a lot of the fun stuff happens.” Whether it was interacting with students, staff or clubs, Giglio has been an active member of the school
community, assistant principal Terri Hannigan said. “Giglio is frequently in classrooms where I know he makes a lot of connections,” Hannigan said. “He supervises events where he sees the amazing talent that our student body has. I’m happy for him, and I’m excited that he’s in this new role in the district because I think that will benefit not only HHS but all of the schools in our district.” Clark said the process of appointing a new principal will include two rounds of interviews with students, parents and staff members giving their input. The decision will be made by the end of the year with the new principal projected to be announced in May, Clark said. The new principal will start in the upcoming school year. “HHS is one of the top schools in the state and in the nation, and whoever we select hopefully can maintain that excellence,” Clark said. “The teams, the activities, the band, the color guard, cheerleaders, FBLA, are all powerful activities, so [we are looking for] someone who can maintain all of that, and also have good relationships with the staff and the students and the community.” Giglio said he believes HHS will continue to flourish with whomever fills his spot and that the new principal will allow students to continue learning and growing. “Just make sure that you remember to have some fun and enjoy this place because there’s enough stress out there in the real world,” Giglio said. “There can be some great memories that get made here, so try and enjoy it.”
District finalizes new map of by-trustee voting areas
Board of Trustees changes voting districts within FUHSD community By Lindsey Steel, Rajiv Venkatesh and Harshi Vijayakumar
After months of deliberation, the FUHSD Board of Trustees unanimously voted on a map to adopt. Three options were presented and Map 5 was selected during a map hearing on April 24. The selected map determines the boundaries for the five trustee voting areas that make up the district, Board of Trustees president Jeff Moe said. The map is the result of the board’s transition from holding at-large board elections to by-trustee elections, according to an email sent by the district on April 17. Initially introduced in October 2023, district demographers created three sets of maps, with the Board of Trustees voting on the final version at the map hearing. In shifting from at-large to by-trustee elections, prin-
Opinion
Overcoming stigma against community college: While overlooked, community college is crucial to higher education Page 6
cipal Greg Giglio said the district hopes to see more facets of the community represented. “Typically, all our school board members come from one particular area, so with an at-large election where everybody in the district can vote on it, power lies in wherever your biggest numbers are,” Giglio said. “[By-trustee elections] will break that up and allow people to be from different areas, which is a more equitable solution so it’s not just the same kind of people being elected.” In choosing a map, the board took many factors into account, including the racial makeup and populations of each voting area. The map the board ultimately selected will ensure all schools are equally represented and prevent one school from dominating an area, Moe said. “The map we voted for had a closer balance between the voter population in a trustee area that’s within a school enrollment area,” Moe said.
Trustee Area No. 1 Trustee Area No. 2 Trustee Area No. 3 Trustee Area No. 4 Trustee Area No. 5
HHS
MVHS
An unconventional approach to teaching: Staff, students share how swearing can build connections Page 10
Arts & Culture
So long, Taylor: Taylor Swift’s new album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is only for the heartbroken Page 13
CHS
LHS
Data from FUHSD Illustration by Annabelle Yip
See New by-trustee voting areas, Page 2
Lifestyles
FHS
Sports
Bumping to the top: Junior Leon Meng makes 20-player boys U19 national volleyball team Page 14
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