Student Activities

Brownell's Associated Student Body represents all Bruins, and works to enrich the school day.  With students meetings on a regular basis, we provide the students with countless activities to participate in. 

• School Dances: The dances are open only to students attending Brownell. Students suspended during the time between dances may not attend. When attending school dances, students must bring their ticket, a signed parent permission slip, and a current school ID card.  The school dress code is in effect at all dances, and students who arrive wearing clothing that breaks that dress code will be sent home.  Parents MUST pick up students from dances promptly.
• Spirit Days: Held throughout the year, students have the opportunity to show their Bruin spirit by participating in a theme day.  

Eligibility

Appropriate student behavior is a requirement for participation in all students activities, including ASB. Student leaders are expected to represent high ethical standards. Students must attend at least half of the school day to be eligible to participate in ASB and related activities. GUSD board policy states that to be eligible for a position of leaderships, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher with no more than 1 failing grade. In addition, ASB students must have satisfactory citizenship. Eligibility shall be determined at the end of each quarter. 

Brownell Band Director, Mr. Aaron Shemas: aaron.shemas@gilroyunified.org

Aaron Shemas joined the GUSD Band Team in fall of 2020 as Director of Bands at Brownell Middle School and Ascension Solorsano Middle School, as well as an Associate Director of Bands at Christopher High School.  

Mr. Shemas is a native of Ohio and graduate of Dublin-Coffman High School in the Columbus Metro. Prior to coming to Gilroy, Mr. Shemas taught in both New Mexico and Texas, producing highly successful ensembles. Bands under Mr. Shemas’ direction have shown exponential growth and  constantly earned superior ratings and "Sweepstakes" in the Texas UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, and NMMEA Music Performance Assessments.

An accomplished clarinetist, Mr. Shemas has also performed in orchestral, chamber, and wind ensembles, as well as a soloist, in various collegiate, community, and professional ensembles across the United States. His experiences include performances at the College Band Directors National Association Conferences, numerous music festivals, and the 2018 Midwest International Band & Orchestra Clinic in Chicago as part of The Woodlands Concert Band.

Mr. Shemas holds membership in the California Music Educators Association, the New Mexico Music Educators Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity.  His primary teacher was Mr. Richie Hawley, Principal Clarinetist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Professor of Clarinet at the Rice University Shepard School of Music. 

Mr. Shemas holds Bachelor of Music degrees in both Music Education and Clarinet Performance, as well as Master of Music Degree in Clarinet Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of 

Bruins Believe in Kindness Club with Mrs. Fortino 

Schedule is TBD. You can make a difference!

Mission Statement: The club's main goals are to raise kindness awareness beginning on campus, then stretching into our community. Students will come up with their own ideas as I guide and facilitate activities. 

Mrs. Laurie Avey has been involved in music since a very young age.  After singing solos in church at the age of 4, she started playing the piano at age 8 and has never stopped!  Mrs. Avey has taught piano since the age of 14 and still has a few students on the side.  She has been in and involved with Choirs of all ages, many different musical groups, and she currently plays in the Worship Band at South Valley Community Church.

Educationally speaking, she has a minor in music from Sonoma State University.  In 2000, she was hired by GUSD to teach Choir and Physical Education for Brownell Middle School.  This continued for 5 years, until Solorsano Middle School opened and a teacher was hired to teach Choir at all three middle schools.  Programs changed, things evolved, and Brownell is back to having its own Choir, beginning the school year of 2011-2012.

Mrs. Avey’s goals are to spread her passion for music to her students.  She hopes they find music to be an expression they can turn to when times that are tough, that music can give them opportunities to do things and meet people that they might not do or meet otherwise, that the confidence they gain from this experience, will spill into many other aspects of the students’ life.  She hopes that many will continue their music learning and involvement at the upper levels of education and beyond!

A Sampling of Choir Events

 Performances:  

• District Concerts, which included singing with and listening to elementary choirs, elementary honor choirs, other middle school choirs, and high school choirs
• Concerts with our own Brownell Bands
• Memory Lane Concert, with just our Choir, singing songs from the entire year.  This is also the Choir where alumni from past Brownell Choirs join us on one song, "From the Heart."
• Sing the National Anthem for Brownell's Promotion Ceremony.

Field Trips:  

• Vocal Arts Festival at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo (CalPoly) where we sing and listen to other middle school choirs in California
• Disneyland (if accepted), where we sing at the California Adventure Backlot Stage and attend a vocal workshop with their professional musicians
• Live Oak Adult Day Center in Gilroy, where we spread holiday cheer
• One of the High Schools to attend their Chamber Choir Class (advanced choir)
• Building the Bridge for Music - where we visit the elementary schools and share about Brownell's music program.

Other:

• Caroling through the classrooms
• 1-3 students are selected to sing in the CMEA (California Music Educators' Association) Conference in January
• 1 or 2 fundraisers, including the Spaghetti Feed held by the Choral Boosters at Gilroy High School
• We get our picture taken with a professional photographer.  Individual photos and Buddy photos are also available for purchase.

Email Mrs. Pali for further information; rachel.pali@gilroyunified.org
 

Founded in 1967, CJSF fosters high standards of scholarship, service and citizenship in the middle school grades. Like CSF, CJSF emphasizes service to the school and the community while fostering pride in scholastic achievement. 

CJSF Fabulous five OFFICERS - 2021-22
(elections to be held soon)