Gary Woods

GUHSD BOARD’S DECISION TO DROP MENTAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDER SPARKS BACKLASH

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Trustee Gary Woods has drawn heat for his comment sugesting that a mental health services provider axed by the district after a public comment over counseling of LGBTQ+  students did not reflect "East County values."

September 27, 2023  (El Cajon)—Two trustees, a candidate, parents and students are speaking out to sharply criticize the Grossmont Union High School District’s board majority for voting against renewing a contract with San Diego Youth Services, the district’s long-time mental health services provider.

SDYS provided two programs for the district:  on-site clinicians seeing students referred by teachers over mental health concerns, and a suicide prevention program.

The action came after a July 20 board meeting at which Cajon Valley School Board Member Anthony Carnevale told GUHSD trustees that he had asked the chief executive director of SDYS whether students could receive talks or referrals on gender-change surgery and transition. Carnevale stated, “He did not answer my question and asked if I did not want LGBTQ+ students receiving care.”  Carnevale said his district had ended its contract with the organization, NBC San Diego reports.


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ALPINE AND GROSSMONT AGREE TO END LITIGATION OVER HIGH SCHOOL

 

By Miriam Raftery

File photo: Students testified to GUHSD board on behalf of an Alpine High School, before board reversed its decision to build the school.

March 2, 2018 (Alpine) – In a joint press release, the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD), Alpine Union High School District (AUSD) and Alpine Taxpayers for Bound Accountability (ATBA) announced a resolution to end the prolonged legal battle over the never-built Alpine High School.

The AUSD and ATBA have agreed not to appeal to the state Supreme Court, after an appeals court ruled on behalf of Grossmont that an enrollment requirement to build the school had not been met and that therefore, Grossmont is not obligated to build the school.  In exchange, the GUHSD has agreed not to seek recovery of its court costs from the Alpine district or the Alpine taxpayers group.


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ELECTION WRAP-UP: TWO CLOSE RACES RESOLVED AS BILBRAY, DANON CONCEDE DEFEAT; SEVERAL EAST COUNTY RACES REMAIN TIGHT

By Nadin Abbott

As the vote counting countinues, the margins in two hotly contested East County races have narrowed, while just three votes separate candidates in another local race. 

Two high profile contests, however, are now resolved.


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GLOVES COME OFF IN EMBATTLED GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT RACE

Doug Deane and Jim Kelly confirm Grand Jury investigation; education leaders clash on Alpine High and bond money issues

By Miriam Raftery

November 2, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A prominent education leader has stepped forward to defend GUHSD board member Priscilla Schreiber and candidate Jim Weaver from attacks made by board member Jim Kelly in an editorial published in East County Magazine.


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A LEARNING EXPERIENCE: CANDIDATES CLASH AT GUHSD FORUM

By Miriam Raftery

View full forum videos by Paul Kruze:

Video part 1, Video part 2

October 25, 2012 (La Mesa)—Six candidates vying for two seats on the Grossmont Union High School District Board addressed topics ranging from budgets to bond money expenditures (reportedly the topic of a Grand Jury investigation) and from technology to integrity. The forum October 22 was sponsored by East County Magazine and moderated by Donna Barlett-May the League of Women Voters.

The fireworks started in opening remarks, when education advocate Bill Weaver assailed incumbent Gary Woods for a problem with “what I see as honesty,” alluding to use of bond monies that has reportedly drawn the scrutiny of San Diego's Grand Jury.


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FACT CHECK ON THE GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT CANDIDATES

By Miriam Raftery

October 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Numerous claims and accusations have been flying among candidates running for the Grossmont Union High School District, where the Board majority is reportedly the target of an ongoing Grand Jury investigation over allocation of bond funds.  Which candidates’ claims are true and which are not substantiated by the facts?   Scroll down to read the findings of our hard-working team of fact-checkers.


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PROMISED ALPINE HIGH SCHOOL SPARKS DEBATE AT SCHOOL CANDIDATE FORUM

6 candidates in Grossmont Union High School District also tackle furloughs, Brown tax measure.

By Kristina Houck , Santee Patch

October 23, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Assailing what he called the school board’s lack of transparency, Grossmont Union High School District candidate Bill Weaver told a forum Monday night that he was running because he doesn’t trust the current board members.


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ECM HOSTS CANDIDATES FORUM FOR GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD TONIGHT

All six candidates have agreed to participate

By Miriam Raftery

October 22, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Want to learn more about  candidates running for the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) board?  

The public is invited to a GUHSD candidates forum on Monday, October 22 at 6:30 p.m. in La Mesa.  The League of Women Voters will moderate the forum, which is sponsored by East County Magazine. Audience members will have the opportunity to submit questions in writing and hear candidates’ views in this important race. 


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BARBARA STEVENS STRIVES TO "DO THE RIGHT THING FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS" IN THE GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

By Janis Mork

October 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)- Challenger Barbara Stevens has been a writer/editor for over 35 years. She grew up in San Diego, attended Point Loma High School and San Diego State University.

She wants to focus “on the kids more so than adults, focus on student achievement, education, the students’ and districts’ needs.”Stevens was motivated to run because her daughter went through the district, graduating from Helix Charter in 2008 and recently graduating from California State University San Marcos.


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GARY WOODS SEEKS REELECTION TO GUHSD, AIMS TO INCREASE TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS

Trustee defends stances on Alpine High and bond monies amid reported Grand Jury probe

By Janis Mork and Miriam Raftery

October 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)- Elected to the Grossmont Union High School District Board in 2008, Gary Woods, Ed.D., is a professor of psychology at Southern California Seminary who says he has been an advocate of modernizing high school campuses and bringing technology into classrooms, although he opposed bond measures that provided that funding and is staunchly against new taxes.

Other priorities include "risk students and graduation success, best practices in secondary education, business internships, character development and charter school reform."


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GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION OF GUHSD BOARD ACTIONS LAUNCHED, TRUSTEE REVEALS

By Miriam Raftery

An ECM  Special Report

October 13, 2012 (El Cajon)—The San Diego Grand Jury has launched an investigation into possible misuse of bond funds by the Grossmont Union High School District’s board majority, muliple sources have confirmed to East County Magazine.  

“We’re in a Grand Jury investigation about Alpine,” GUHSD board trustee Priscilla Schreiber told ECM. Schreiber said she learned of the probe “by accident” while in the District’s office.  Schreiber has been a vocal critic of the Board majority (Trustees Gary Woods, Jim Kelly, and Robert Shields) for blocking construction of a high school for Alpine while allowing diversion of school bond funds for costly new projects not mandated in two bond measures, Prop H and Prop U. Both measures were approved by voters and specifically called for a new high school in Alpine.


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GENIUS TEEN RUNS FOR SCHOOL BOARD: ZACH MILLER HOPES TO BRING A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE TO THE GUHSD

By Janis Mork

October 7, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—Zach Miller has first-hand knowledge of what a student needs to learn. Now 19 and a junior at SDSU, he is running for the Grossmont Union High School District Board to apply some critical thinking skills and assure that students' needs are met.

At age 5, he was admitted to American MENSA, an organization for those with genius-level IQs. He headed up Academic League teams and was captain of the Rubik’s Cube Competitive Team at Cajon Valley High School, where he graduated with honors.  While still in high school, he took community college classes; finishing 10th grade he enrolled at San Diego State University’s mechanical engineering program. 

His priority is to ensure that teachers and students have resources to teach and learn. He hopes to include more Advanced Placement and honors classes and increases in student enrollment, resources for AVID courses.  He hopes to better the district, to look at what the schools need and use the money to help students learn instead of luxuries, such as building new swimming pools and performing arts centers.


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JIM STIERINGER BELIEVES HE CAN CREATE HARMONY AMONG GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS

By Janis Mork

October 10, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)- Retired La Mesa city treasurer Jim Stieringer is running for the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) board with confidence that he can, first and most importantly, create greater collegiality among the board members by presenting a policy that all board members must abide by, if elected. In this policy, Stieringer expects that “all board members will agree to the standards of conduct amongst themselves, and their relationships with each other and the public.”


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BILL WEAVER HOPES TO BE A VOICE FOR PARENTS' AND STUDENTS' NEEDS ON GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD

By Janis Mork

October 6, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)- Bill Weaver hopes to replace incumbent board member Dr. Gary Woods on the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) board. He is a parent of a son and a daughter in Alpine schools, soon to enter the district. His two kids are the main reason of why he is devoted to GUHSD. He has championed a high school for Alpine but believes in reaching out to all schools. He also pledges to listen to concerns of every parent, make kids the focus when reaching a decision, use tax money wisely, and be open-minded and considerate of students’ needs.


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PRISCILLA SCHREIBER WANTS TO CONTINUE TO MEET GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT'S NEEDS

By Janis Mork

October 7, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)- Priscilla Schreiber seeks reelection to the Grossmont Union High School GUHSD) District Board this November.  She is motivated to run again because “there are many things that still need to be done, and I’d like to be a part of it.” She was a concerned parent when she ran in 2000, and she’s been on the board ever since.  Also a businesswoman, her priorities are maintaining financial integrity, rigorous academic standards, career technical education, and strong work ethic with character education.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: GUSHD BOARD’S SHORT-SIGHTED POLICIES ARE DRIVING STUDENTS OUT OF DISTRICT

"Alpine could be the first of a district-wide peel off! This GUHSD Governing Board needs a wake-up call." -- Bill Weaver

By Bill Weaver, GUHSD Governor Board candidate and parent

The current Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Board majority, which includes up for re-election incumbent Dr. Gary Woods, has shot themselves in the foot with recent bad policy decisions. They claim declining enrollment, and loss of Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funds as the justifying basis.

The GUHSD Board has passed a resolution to not move ahead with the 12th High School, until California State ADA funding returns to the higher 2007/08 levels. This has the Alpine Union School District, and the Alpine High School Citizens Committee, currently mounting an effort to pull out of the GUHSD.


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GUHSD TRUSTEE ASKS BOARD TO RESCIND PLAN TO VOTE ON NAMING NEW HIGH SCHOOL FOR REAGAN

 

April 10, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Grossmont Union High School District trustee Gary Woods has asked the board to rescind plans to hold a public hearing and vote April 15 on naming the new Alpine high school after Ronald Reagan. Instead, Woods is calling for establishment of a committee to receive naming recommendations from the public.


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