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The Epitaph hhsepitaph.com
Volume 63, Issue 2
Homestead High School 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
“We’re meeting students where
“The discrepancy [in English and
“We provide pinpointed interven-
they’re at, meaning that, even in
math skills] existed before stu-
tions using a research-based pro-
the class, you could see kids on
dents got here, so we do our best
gram to help with the instruction
different points in the program.
to catch up on skills. It’s the first
of reading and math, and then we
This course is designed to meet
year we’re running this class to see
supplement the teaching in areas
them there with a program that
how we can close some of that gap
they have issues with.”
adapts to their skill level.”
for students.”
—English teacher Jon Vranesh
— Assistant principal Mayra Valdivia
— Principal Denae Nurnberg
November 6, 2025
Staff, students adapt to E Building infestation Band classes shift practices while staff solve rat problem Henry Hu
Photo Photo by Ethan Xue
Photo by Maya Dutt
Photo by Parth Dhaulakhandi
New Academic Foundations class reinforces English, math skills Teachers, administrators discuss class implementation Parth Dhaulakhandi and Alicia Liste Aiming to support students’ reading and math comprehension skills, a new Academic Foundations course is being offered to freshmen this year, principal Denae Nurnberg said. The demand for this class arose after Literature and Writing teachers observed concerning results in the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test that is administered annually to assess freshmen reading level, English teacher and former Literature and Writing team lead Natalie Owsley said. “We started noticing that a handful of students were coming in with low reading levels and that there were no set supports for those students,” Owsley said. “There wasn’t a specific class we could put them in. There weren’t any curriculum changes we could really give them, so we were doing our best to help them be successful in our classes. A lot of times, those ended up being the students who were not successful.” Instead of focusing solely on one subject, the class aims to balance both English and math learning, expanding on the model of the Algebra 1 Workshop class, Nurnberg said. “It was one of those situations where students who struggled in math wouldn’t necessarily want to do double the amount of math, so it was just a mismatch of a model,” Nurnberg said. “We’re hoping to find a little more success with this model, where students are given half the time but more targeted support.” Throughout the course, student learning in both English and math is guided by the MyPath platform, English teacher Jon Vranesh, who teaches the new Academic Foundations course, said. MyPath uses AI to adapt online instruction to each student according to their performance on an initial assessment, Vranesh said. Any gaps in students’ knowledge are then addressed through traditional teacher instruction. “MyPath is very individual learning,” Vranesh said. “They’re on their own on the computers. Everybody’s at a different spot because everybody has strengths and weaknesses. They’re working on their lessons, and then it’ll tell me if they don’t pass a lesson or to review it, so I’ll pull people
Following a recent surge of rat sightings within the E Building, all music classes have moved to other locations for practices as staff and parent volunteers clear the infestation, director of instrumental music Ben Scharf said. The rodent problem was first observed in early 2024 in the form of noises and droppings, Scharf said. “We found out that the rats had chewed through some of the wiring in our HVAC unit, which limited air flow and caused a buildup of carbon dioxide in the room,” Scharf said. “We were able to bring up the issue more urgently with the school, and that’s when we started to investigate more.” Since then, the infestation has expanded to a point where the band room is no longer safe for students to practice in, Scharf said. Once staff identified a concrete infestation within the building, both staff and parents began taking action, Scharf said. Staff have begun work to seal entry points, clean droppings and clear all rodents from the building, Scharf added.
off on the side, working one-on-one with them on lessons that are related to what they were doing.” See Rat infestation, page 2 Rather than electing to take the class, freshmen are selectively placed in the course based on teacher recommendations from middle school and previous standardized test scores, Vranesh said. “In the regular Academic Foundations classes, [they teach] student support, organizational skills and student skills, and that’s what kids need,” Vranesh said. “But sometimes, coming in as a freshman, they don’t have that foundation in mathematics and reading, so that’s why they decided to do this different type of Academic Foundations.” Immunologist Fred Ramsdell added Standing out from more lockstep teaching styles, asto list of impactful alumni sistant principal Mayra Valdivia said the course’s flexibility ensures freshmen succeed in core classes early on in their Sachin Chandran and Aviv Matas high school journey and keep students on track to meet their graduation requirements. In his quest to tackle rheumatoid arthritis, 1979 “Students can take their time because we’re meeting them graduate Fred Ramsdell won the Nobel Prize in Physwhere they’re at,” Valdivia said. “The program, by design, eiiology or Medicines on Oct. 6. He played a role in the ther slows down or speeds up for them in both areas. What discovery of a gene that prevents autoimmune diseasVranesh is finding now is that some students are speeding es. up in English, a little bit slower in math or the other way Adding to a list of storied alumni and accomplisharound. Knowing the baseline, he’s also able to offer that ments, Ramsdell’s win brings pride and motivation to in-person support so students can continue to progress.” the student body, principal Denae Nurnberg said. Math teacher Phil Lee, who taught the Algebra 1 Work“You might not know what you’re capable of here as shop last year, said implementing additional academic supa high school student, but then you look at somebody port systems is crucial to ensuring students’ long-term suclike [Ramsdell],” Nurnberg said. “Knowing that you cess in core classes such as math. have the potential to have that level of impact in our “If the students buy in, and if the teachers create an ensociety is really meaningful.” vironment where students can succeed, then [students will Ri-Chee Chou, a friend of Ramsdell from the same benefit],” Lee said. “A lot of students don’t get the support at graduating class, said he was elated when he heard home or things like that for them to be successful. The more about Ramsdell’s achievement. During their time toresources that we have at school to be able to help various gether in their accelerated classes and NHS leaderstudents, the better.” ship, Ramsdell displayed a combination of intellect While the effectiveness of the new course is yet to be deand a friendly personality, Chou added. termined, Valdivia said she is optimistic about students’ out“[I was] very excited and proud of him,” Chou said. “I comes and is looking to track the impact of the class on its sent him an email to congratulate him. He responded students’ trajectory over the next four years. back to me pretty quickly, and we have exchanged a “We’re already seeing results with the program. I see it few emails since then.” expanding or, at least, continuing,” Valdivia said. “I see this program as an opportunity for us to identify students needSee Nobel laureate, page 2 ing support across these two core areas students need across their entire high school years, sooner rather than later.” PAGE DESIGN BY NATASHA BANDIL AND MALAR RAGURAMAN
Alumnus wins Nobel Prize