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Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Students, staff react cautiously to removal of mask mandate

Students, staff react cautiously to removal of mask mandate

Michelle Koo, News Editor, Graphics Artist April 13, 2022

As of March 12, masks have become optional in schools following an order from Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Feb. 28. Though masks are still strongly recommended by the state government, students and staff are now free to decide whether they would like to continue wearing masks indoors. Social...

Teachers, students adjust to delay in new technology

Teachers, students adjust to delay in new technology

Chris Lee, Managing Editor March 8, 2022

Math teacher Daniel Hahn tries his best to work around the limitations of his broken SMART Board. “My [SMART] board does not write,” he said. “I can’t use the pens, and the projection image is very blurry. I only use one of the lights in my room, along with larger fonts, so that the board is...

Gov. Gavin Newsom announces plan to lift indoor mask mandate in schools on March 12

Gov. Gavin Newsom announces plan to lift indoor mask mandate in schools on March 12

Raphael Semeria, Managing Editor February 28, 2022

On Feb. 28, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan to loosen the state’s current mask mandates. Unvaccinated individuals will no longer be required to wear masks in most indoor settings starting on March 1. On March 12, the mask mandate in schools and other child care facilities will be lifted for all...

COVID transparency survey

PAUSD administration should improve transparency regarding COVID-19 cases

Raphael Semeria, Managing Editor February 11, 2022

In the past year, billions of dollars in COVID-19 relief have been allocated to schools in order to provide students with safer learning environments. Now, the skyrocketing number of cases and transmissibility of the Omicron variant has led many Americans to once again ask schools to take extra safety...

PAUSD combats staff shortages with new initiatives

PAUSD combats staff shortages with new initiatives

Irene Tsen, Managing Editor February 11, 2022

Following the recent Omicron variant surge, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) has faced a substitute teacher shortage due to increased staff absences. To continue in-person instruction, the district has implemented new measures to address the shortage, including calling for parent volunteers...

PAUSD community adapts COVID-19 protocols to Omicron presence

PAUSD community adapts COVID-19 protocols to Omicron presence

Carly Liao and Amann Mahajan February 11, 2022

This semester, rising case numbers and the recent Omicron variant have forced the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) to adapt rapidly to new challenges, including a surge in district cases that has contributed to student and staff absences. While the Omicron variant has not been found to cause...

Juniors, seniors have difficulty adjusting to upperclassmen role

Juniors, seniors have difficulty adjusting to upperclassmen role

Raphael Semeria, Managing Editor October 27, 2021

On Wednesday, August 11, along with all of the other Gunn students I set foot on campus feeling like being in-person was unusual and “normal” at the same time. Despite the multitude of events that had occurred since the last time I had really been at Gunn, the crowded halls, blistering sun during...

Return to in-person learning allows students to practice perseverance through social interactions

Return to in-person learning allows students to practice perseverance through social interactions

Haley Pflasterer, News Editor September 24, 2021

After more than a year of online learning, the majority of Gunn’s student population has fully returned to campus for in-person learning. However, what seems like a return back to “normal” also requires a social adjustment. Students are now returning to face-to-face interactions with no more...

Delta variant presence within district sparks concerns

Delta variant presence within district sparks concerns

James Huang and Becca Wu, Reporter and Centerfold Editor September 24, 2021

The Delta variant is a highly infectious strain of COVID-19 that has continued to new levels of uncertainty among Palo Alto Unified School district (PAUSD) students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), rising cases have largely been attributed to the variant, with over...

New state-wide program offers free lunch for all students

New state-wide program offers free lunch for all students

Chris Lee, Managing Editor September 17, 2021

Along with other schools across the state of California, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) has begun to provide free meals for all students for the 2021-22 school year due to new national and state policies. Free school lunches were initially offered by the federal government as part of...

Students return to new safety guidelines, bell schedule

Students return to new safety guidelines, bell schedule

Raphael Semeria, Managing Editor August 20, 2021

After a year of online classes, Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) schools are reopening at full capacity, welcoming new and familiar faces back to the hustle and bustle of in-person school. Students will return to campus, experiencing the many changes made to the 2021-2022 school year compared...

Are we out of the woods: Vaccination and the future of the pandemic

Are we out of the woods: Vaccination and the future of the pandemic

Raphael Semeria, Managing Editor June 1, 2021

On March 11, during his first Prime-Time address, President Biden announced his intentions to bring the nation closer to normal by July 4. Despite that goal, many doctors believe that we are far from seeing the last of COVID-19. With this in mind, are we really out of the woods when it comes to the...

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