People hate Christians and hate conservatives up there, he said. Because judges dont decide what charges prosecutors bring, OConnors only option is to plead to all the charges she now faces. The criminal complaint released Tuesday by the Santa Clara County district attorney outlines dozens of incidents over an 8-month period where OConnor allegedly purchased alcohol of the teenagers choosing and encouraged them to have sex in her home, in a rented beach house in Santa Cruz and in a cabin in Lake Tahoe. "What happened to me in high school followed me over the next two decades and continued to drown me throughout my life.". happy national womens history month look up to these strong women , pick up a copy in your 6th-period class today happy early st. patricks day from our gingers to yours, Read about our Player of the Month, Miles Kramer, in El Gato or on elgato news.com!! Used with permission. This is for our community., About a week after the first student survivor came forward, LGHS alumna. Our administrative team, including football program leadership, has taken immediate steps to open an inquiry into any specific allegations of wrong-doing and to begin an honest conversation regarding how we can improve our education and prevention activities There is certainly more work to be done, and we will do it., A week later, on Jul. Shea Shaw, a Campbell resident who was then 15, was with her boyfriend around 1:10 a.m. Jan. 8, 2011 at the intersection of Camden and Bascom avenues when she was hit by a motorist traveling east on Camden in a gray or silver early-2000s sedan, according to San Jose police. Compare Los Gatos High School to Other Schools lghs.net (408) 354-2730 20 HIGH SCH CT He blames unreachable landlords who refused to approve a new lease, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Many districts contain only one high school. I just focused on the love I could give to her.. Want to learn how to stand out to Admissions Officers at your top colleges? She alleged that, on Feb. 8, she was raped by an older member of the LGHS football team. Miss Manners: People look when I drive down the street. One important question to ask is: What are we teaching our kids? Free National School Lunch Program Information. His suit claims the district violated his civil rights on political issues and retaliated against him for it and defamed him after he became the subject of accusations of grooming, or sexually abusing minors, at the school. Reporters Robert Salonga and John Woolfolk contributed to this article. "I did not even get to walk at my high school graduation.". By: Macy Dennon News Editor The National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California recently announced a breakthrough in nuclear fusion. "Ultimately, I became so weak during this tumultuous time I was forced to relinquish my identity," she added. Later that night, another rising LGHS senior to created@metoolghs, an Instagram account made for students to anonymously share their experiences with sexual harassment and assault at LGHS and in the broader Los Gatos community. The agencys report also found the district had the right to fire Kissner for different reasons, adding that the teacher responded to new potential and minor conflicts by amplifying them into major conflicts; he became increasingly insubordinate and uncommunicative regarding school activities, even during the novelty and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic; and he continued to exercise very poor judgment outside school in circumstances involving his supervision of teenagers.. Did Black Swan Take (Too Much) Inspiration From Perfect Blue? Cozzella keeps the overhead ceiling lights off and plays calming music to keep the room from feeling like a classroom. OConnor is now facing 39 criminal charges, including 12 felony counts of child endangerment, for allegedly plying teens with alcohol, getting them drunk to the point of vomiting and encouraging them to have sex, whether the girls were conscious or not. The AP participation rate at Los Gatos High School is 72%. A total of 67 people shared that an LGHS student raped them. One of the biggest things I remember is climbing up onto the walls and literally stapling the wellness center words on it, Chen said. Furthermore, 137 individuals said an LGHS student or alumni kissed them without their consent. 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A jack of all trades, Holm has taught English, AP Computer Science, Physics, and several other classes at LGHS, but teaching was not in his life plan when he left high school. Now, they say they're spending their retirement paying for it, Dear Abby: I saw security video of my fiance, and my heart is broken. Before the pandemic, the district had a contract with the Council for Advancement of Social Service and Education, which worked with students who had individualized educational plans or special emotional needs but didnt directly serve the entire student population. Bay City News Foundation. There were no Title IX complaints filed against students in the district in the 2019-2020 school year, and only two this school year. The current enrollment is approximately 2050 students. I live in fear. Los Gatos High School is a comprehensive public high school on the Op of Silicon Valley. Crime and Public Safety | A former Los Gatos High School student is suing the school district and two former track coaches over the alleged sexual abuse she endured from a coach while she was a student-athlete. Crime and Public Safety | Theres a general consensus, he said, that OConnor fled Los Gatos at the end of the school year because of the firestorm that was about to hit.. She fought like a little warrior, gave her everything she could, she was spectacular, Cari Shaw said. Los Gatos High School is ranked 94th 24. A message left on her cell phone Wednesday afternoon was not returned. Kids move through academic content at their own pace with this instructional approach. She left the school after her junior year, "as I had endured as much as I could at that point," she said. in the Los Gatos reels after mom arrested for drunken teen sex parties News Crime and Public Safety News News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported. Bay City News Service contributed to this report. COVID-19 INFORMATION. This case is not getting better for her, Clark said. San Jose police are investigating Shaws death as the 28th roadway death of 2022 a total that grew to 29 after a North San Jose collision early Friday and the case becomes the 16th pedestrian fatality of the year. This year, they are presenting The Lightning [] Used with permission. Robinson was arrested in 2019 on the campus of San Francisco State University where he was a women's assistant track and field coach and charged with sexually assaulting at least six minor victims ages 12 to 17 in Santa Clara County. 21, over 72 LGHS students have submitted personal accounts of sexual assault or harassment. According to the complaint, Harmatz was notified about Robinson's predatory behavior by another student who had transferred to Los Gatos High from another school where Robinson worked in order to get away from him, only to find he had begun working at LGHS. But her behavior ratcheted up last summer as her eldest was entering his freshman year in high school. Ask Amy: Is my rule about streaming entertainment foolish? She and her husband, tech executive Robert Amaral, had put their $4.7 million home, with a sport court, hot tub and three car garage, on the market sometime last year and moved to Idaho where OConnor and her sons a 15-year-old who was on the Los Gatos High football team last year and a 13-year-old middle schooler recently moved into a rental home while awaiting the sale of the Los Gatos home, Malykh said. It is a night full of fun, food, music, entertainment and surprises! Leadership put in a lot of work behind the scenes for the spirit rally, and it definitely paid off. Posts about Local News written by El Gato News. A former Los Gatos teacher who gave students F grades on a math quiz they skipped to attend a campus walkout against gun violence has sued the Loma Prieta Joint Union School District and numerous school officials, claiming he was unlawfully laid off, fired and retaliated against for his political speech against the protest. / CBS San Francisco. Julia Prodis Sulek is a Bay Area News Group reporter specializing in breaking news and narrative storytelling at her hometown paper, the Mercury News, and the East Bay Times. Im like, where is the mother?. It definitely helps me during the day.. The EP contains three songs: All Things End, Through Me [], By: Sidney Bricker Media Production Editor Chocolate crinkle cookies are a classic, but as someone whos baking fancies are drastically swayed by the changing of seasons, they just dont feel very spring-like. OConnor, 47, was arrested in Idaho. At least four of the women charged with attacking OConnor have since pleaded no contest to the assault charges, for which they were sentenced to one to two years, court records show. Former Los . Attorneys for the victims urged any other student who may have been a victim of sexual abuse at Los Gatos High School to come forward. Not only has your conduct eroded your relationship with your students, but its also created distrust and tarnished your reputation in the community, Fraser wrote in an administrative filing of charges for Kissners dismissal. "The school district held nothing back in its zeal to protect a storied track program," attorney Robert Allard said in a prepared statement. ft. 18065 La Verne Dr, LOS GATOS, CA 95033 $1,050,000 MLS# ML81920698 Beautifully updated home w/ guest unit - Amazing attention to detail in a country se. In the short time since weve built this wellness center, the biggest thing has been to destigmatize the mental health piece, to normalize it, and I think weve done a pretty darn good job, Vu said. In hindsight, Malykh said, the conversation seems richly ironic. Local News News News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The wellness center is meant to be an accessible space for all students, Cozzella said. A week later, on Jul. Harriette Cole: I never asked him to solve my problems but he won't back off, Bay Area tech bust emerges after yearslong regional hiring boom. Now, they say theyre spending their retirement paying for it, McDonalds is making changes to its Big Mac and other burgers, DeSantis says lawmakers will reassert control of Reedy Creek, jokes about building prison, A 94-year-old CT resident got an eviction notice. Meetings are Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m., in person and via Zoom simultaneously. About a week after the first student survivor came forward, LGHS alumna Abbi Berrycreated a viral post of her own, advocating for the school to adopt a zero-tolerance policy surrounding incidents of rape and sexual assault. Reach him the low-tech way at 408-920-5002. A suspected drug dealer from San Jose is under arrest after a group of Los Gatos High School students overdosed on fentanyl-laced pills they allegedly bought from him, authorities announced Thursday. He blames unreachable landlords who refused to approve a new lease, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Filmed Version of Hamilton Airs on Disney Plus, OPINION: To Kill A Mockingbird Fails to Confront Racism, Intrusive Thoughts and Impulsive Thoughts Are Not the Same, Editorial: Social media creators promote overconsumption. In May 2021, the district placed Kissner on paid leave while it investigated the incidents. At any time of day, students can visit the center to relax during the school day or have a drop-in session with an on-site therapist. If your student is feeling ill, keep them home . John Woolfolk is a reporter for the Bay Area News Group, based at The Mercury News. In the California Healthy Kids 2022-23 mental health report, more than 30% of students reported feeling chronic sadness, one in seven students said theyd considered suicide, more than a third reported social and emotional distress and more than half said they had a low degree of satisfaction in their lives. In an interview Wednesday, Kissner said he stands firm in his opinion that the school district and administrators retaliated against him and violated his constitutional rights to free speech. A balanced calendar replaces summer with shorter, more frequent breaks. In December, the Loma Prieta Joint Union School District officially terminated Kissner, who taught math and science at C.T. Did Black Swan Take (Too Much) Inspiration From Perfect Blue? In the case of physical assault, 294 people stated that a student attending LGHS groped them without their consent. Now, they say they're spending their retirement paying for it, Dear Abby: I saw security video of my fiance, and my heart is broken. Shes even been hit with a defamation lawsuit accusing her of spreading rumors that a classmate of her older son was a sexual predator, which OConnorhas generally denied. LGHS Spectator Expectations as we enter the winter playoffs, Los Gatos High School Athletic Hall of Fame Announces 2023 Inductees, Boys and Girls Basketball Holiday Fundraiser, All Teams Schedule: Week of Apr 17 Apr 23, All Teams Schedule: Week of Apr 10 Apr 16, Coed Varsity Badminton falls to Fremont 20 10, Coed Varsity Badminton falls to Fremont 19 11, All Teams Schedule: Week of Apr 03 Apr 09, Coed Varsity Badminton beats Santa Clara 18 12, Coed Varsity Badminton falls to Mountain View 17 13, Boys Varsity Golf vs. Los Altos High School, South Hills High School, Boys Frosh Soph Track vs. Gunn High School, Girls Junior Varsity Track vs. Gunn High School, Boys Varsity Tennis vs. Palo Alto High School. The school enrolls approximately 2,100 students and employs about 100 teachers. On the failing grades, Kissner said in an interview he didnt have a problem with students wanting to politically express themselves, but he took issue with the school district supporting students to take a side on the political controversy of gun violence., They can protest. Harriette Cole: How do I tell him we'll never be housemates? A rising LGHS sophomore became the first to speak up by sharing her story in an Instagram post. She has covered everything from plane crashes to presidential campaigns, murder trials to NBA Finals and nearly every major wildfire in Northern California for the past decade. This inquiry will look into any specific allegations as well as broader perceptions regarding cultures of fear and silence or a culture that allows inappropriate behavior., Grove also acknowledged that many incidents go unreported, writing: In light of this, we will initiate and publicize an anonymous reporting system this fall so that all students have a safe and secure way to report inappropriate behavior if they do not feel safe reporting it themselves.. Students can come during lunch and breaks, or during class with a teachers note, to unwind or have a drop-in session with an on-site therapist. The lawsuit, filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court against the two South Bay high schools, seeks in excess of $25,000 in damages. She said she was on track to become a star athlete, with dreams of being in the Olympics. 20 High School Court Los Gatos, CA 95030. The creation of the @metoolghs account encouraged a student at Saratoga High School to start a similar Instagram account for SHS (@metooshs). Crime and Public Safety | Website by SchoolMessenger Presence.. 2023 Intrado Corporation. Then, on March 21, 2021, district officials received three separate complaints of serious allegations of misconduct against Kissner. The pair converted two classrooms near the campus library into a tranquil space for students to take a break and relax. Dear Abby: My son says Dear Abby will confirm what I did was outrageous, Dear Abby: I can't believe she ended our friendship over this wedding dispute, Ask Amy: My friends walked out of the funeral, and I was frozen in shock. But Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise said that OConnor has instead asked Judge Elizabeth C. Peterson to tell her what sentence shed receive if she were to plead guilty instead. International Baccalaureate (IB) data provided by International Baccalaureate of North America. While finding him unfit for service and upholding his firing, the state commission did not sustain the districts findings regarding allegations that Kissner supplied alcohol to multiple minors or engaged in potential grooming behavior. The school is known for its stellar. Before joining the Mercury News, she worked for The Associated Press in Cheyenne, Detroit and Dallas. Now that shes banked a lot of time in the local jail system, youve now banked a lot of time against a prison commitment. These figures display how well the school as a whole performed in reading, mathematics, and science. Hot News. LGHS COVID & Testing Information Our community remains in a state of elevated COVID transmission, and it is reasonable to consider that we are all exposed to COVID in our schools and community. High school students take AP exams and IB exams to earn college credit and demonstrate success at college-level coursework. Crime and Public Safety | Both involved unprofessional treatment of his students, the district determined. . It makes me so proud that students are able to come here and be completely vulnerable.. He blames unreachable landlords who refused to approve a new lease, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) Cozzella worked with students in peer-to-peer groups like. Phone 408-354-2730 | Fax 408-354-3742. Get the Aeries Mobile Portal App! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 15-year-old girl suspected of killing missing teen found dead in Northern California field, Bay Area man killed in wrong-way crash on highway near Modesto, It could have been a bloodbath: 17 men arrested in Northern California Sikh community shootings, Stanford doctorate student identified as man struck and killed by train, attacked last October by five fellow inmates in the womens jail, Investigation underway after E-40 claims he was ejected from Warriors-Kings game due to racial bias, They spent their lives teaching Californias children. Los Gatos High School News What's New COVID Info. [ ] Used with permission Union school district officially terminated Kissner, taught. And science off and plays calming music to keep the room from feeling like classroom. Malykh said, the district determined these figures display How well the school enrolls approximately students! 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