What Makes Our District Unique?

On the first day school is in session on or after February 15, we determine how many spaces are available in each grade level pursuant to our Classroom Capacity Resolution. If spaces remain as of that date, we continue to accept students until we reach capacity. If we are beyond capacity on the first day school is in session on or after February, we use the following process, from our charter, to conduct a lottery:

Public Random Drawing 
We endeavor to admit all pupils who wish to attend the Charter School. However, if the number of pupils who wish to attend exceeds the Charter School’s capacity, attendance shall be determined by a public random drawing, except for existing pupils of the charter school. If a public random drawing is necessary, preference for admission in the lottery will be given in the following order: 

1. Students currently attending Gravenstein Elementary School or Hillcrest Middle School
2. Students who would otherwise qualify for attendance pursuant to District Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5117
3. Siblings of existing students 
4. Children of school employees 
5. Students who reside outside the District 

In the public random drawing, all applicants are drawn and listed in order, separately, for each grade level. Once the school’s capacity is met, the remaining applicants will continue to be drawn randomly and placed on the waiting list. If space becomes available during the school year, students on the waiting list will be contacted.  

Each year, we typically have room to add new students in TK, K, 6th, and 7th grades; space in all of the other grade levels varies from year to year. To check to see if there is room at the grade level you are interested in, please call the Gravenstein School Office at 707-823-5361 for grades TK-5, and the Hillcrest School Office at 707-823-7653 for grades 6-8.

From EC 48354:

(2) An application requesting a transfer pursuant to this article shall be submitted by the parent of a pupil to the school district of enrollment prior to January 1 of the school year preceding the school year for which the pupil is requesting to transfer. The school district of enrollment may waive the deadline specified in this paragraph.

From BP 5118:

In order to ensure that priorities for enrollment in district schools are implemented in accordance with law, the Board hereby waives the January 1 deadline in Education Code 48354 for all applications for transfer from nonresident parents/guardians of children attending a school on the Open Enrollment List in another district. Transfer applications shall be submitted between February 1 and March 1 of the preceding school year for which the transfer is requested.

We begin accepting applications for the following school year on the first day in January that school is in session through February 15.

GUSD provides Resource Specialist Program (RSP) teachers at every grade level, and provides in-class support as needed in all subject areas through general education teachers (“push in”) as well as modified grade level instruction in mathematics and language arts by RSP teachers (“pull out”) as identified in a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). For students requiring greater amounts of support, we rely on placements in other districts or programs.  

GUSD utilizes a social-emotional learning program (SEL) entitled Second Step. All teachers are trauma-informed, receive annual ACEs training, and have built their own classroom-level SEL lessons and activities. Both campuses focus on the development of life skills such as empathy, emotion management, impulse control, problem solving, and anger management. The district has a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), which includes mental health services led by our academic counselor and our mental health coordinator, who is a licensed marital and family therapist.

Beyond the Bell
On both school sites, we offer before and afterschool day care called Beyond the Bell. Click the link below for a description of our childcare program.

Afterschool Sports
Our Athletic Program at Hillcrest Middle School consistently competes for and wins league championships. For more information click the link below.

Drama
Each year, Hillcrest students perform a Spring Musical. Rehearsals are Mondays and Thursdays after school. For more information click the link below.

Click below to learn all about our field trips.

We welcome parent and family involvement at GUSD. We invite you to choose the type of involvement that works best for you. Here are some options. 

• Committees:
  • The Board of Trustees
  • Site Council (Survey Sub-Committee)
  • District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)
  • Strategic Planning Committee
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
• Field Trips
• Gravenstein Parent Association
• Grade-level Parent

For more information on volunteering, click the link below.

Click the link below for information on immunizations.