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Baywood elementary.

600 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo, CA 94402

Laurel Elementary

316 36th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94403

San Mateo Park Elementary

161 Clark Dr, San Mateo, CA 94402

Sunnybrae Elementary

1031 S Delaware St, San Mateo, CA 94402

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In-Person Tutoring

Tutoring is an important element of school life. The benefits of tutoring are numerous. Students who seek tutoring improve academic performance, increase positive study habits and access an individualized learning experience.  All of these benefits lead to an increase in a student’s self-esteem. Students build confidence in their ability to learn.

Learn more about Tutoring Opportunities  

Public Libraries in the California State Library system provide free online tutoring for California K-12 students.. Through Brainfuse's HelpNow , live real-time homework assistance is available 24 hours a day by laptop, tablet, or phone from qualified tutors using state curriculum and standards.

24/7 assistance is available in English and Spanish for Language Arts and Mathematics.  

Every day between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., assistance is available in core K-12 subjects in the following languages:

Get started with an online tutor .

Tutors can provide a virtual whiteboard, conduct live audio interactions with students, and work with learners on a wide range of concepts. Students are expected to work through the content and learn from the feedback. Tutors do not provide answers — they provide guidance and help. Tutoring sessions may be monitored for completeness and pedagogical effectiveness. All tutors have passed background checks and possess, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree. 

Anyone using a computer inside of California can benefit from the live “HelpNow” program. Simply click on this link to get started with a live tutoring session now. The average wait time is 23 seconds. 

Additionally, users who have a valid library card can log into the service and receive additional benefits. Learners can request to continue working with their preferred tutors or access a “writing lab” to drop off written work and receive feedback. Students can pose a question and get a written answer returned to them, review past sessions, and send and receive messages to tutors and organize tasks. 

The HelpNow app is available on iOs and Andriod platforms via their app stores. The app designed to function on smartphones as well as tablets. 

The HelpNow platform is ADA compliant and offers a toll-free help number and an audio tutoring option. The service conforms to section 508 Standards developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative.

HelpNow's features include:

Homework Help Interact with live tutors in math, science, reading/writing, social studies, PSAT/SAT, ACT, AP and state standardized tests.

Skills-Building Choose your topic to receive real-time help.

Personalized eLearning Tools My File Sharing, My Session Replay, My Tutoring Archive, My Tests Archive, and more!

24-Hour Writing Lab Submit essays and other forms of writing for constructive feedback.

Homework Send Question Submit homework questions for expert guidance.

Adult Learning Center Access a library of rich adult learning content (GED) and live, professional assistance in resume/cover letter writing, U.S. citizenship prep, MS Office Essential Skills Series, and more!

Foreign Language Lab /Spanish-Speaking Support

Additional Resources

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Online Resources

• For Teens: Homework, Education, & Testing

Homework, Education, & Testing

Academic search complete magazines newspapers readers' advisory reference.

Search thousands of academic journals at once on a broad range of disciplines.

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Biography Reference Bank Reference

This biographical database offers in-depth profiles from Current Biography and World Authors, the periodical coverage of Biography Index and the specialist content of Junior Authors & Illustrators.

Biography Reference Bank Help , opens a new window

Biography Reference Source Reference

Provides thousands of reliable full-text biographies, including the complete full text of Biography Today and Biography, plus narrative biographies not available in other databases

Biography Reference Center Help , opens a new window

Britannica High School Encyclopedias Reference

This online database is the go-to site for high school research. Fifty-three thousand schools throughout the country use Britannica School to build essential information literacy skills, differentiate instruction, and support STEM education.

Britannica School Encyclopedias Reference

This online database is the go-to site for K-12 research. Fifty-three thousand schools throughout the country use Britannica School to build essential information literacy skills, differentiate instruction, and support STEM education.

California Driver Permit Practice Tests Tests

CA Driver Permit Practice Tests are free to access and require no registration. They include the following:

• 10 car practice tests
• 6 motorcycle practice tests
• 3 CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) practice tests
• 3 online driver’s manuals (car, motorcycle, CDL)
• An FAQ section with detailed answers to 100+ DMV-related questions

Need a Driver License Handbook? You can get them in different languages from CA.gov , opens a new window .

California Social Studies Fact Cards Reference

Need to find out about California Mission or California Indians? How about California Governors or Explorers? California Social Studies Fact Cards will help you out with facts at your fingertips for California Indians, Explorers, Missions and Mission life, Ranchos, Datelines and more.

Cliffs Notes Reference Study Guides

Summaries and commentary for hundreds of literary classics.

data axle – reference solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA) Business Directories Reference

Offers up-to-date business and residential data in the United States. With data axle – reference solutions, you can find jobs, business opportunities, company research, market trends, addresses and phone numbers, and much more.

data axle – reference solutions Help , opens a new window

EBSCOhost Encyclopedias Magazines Newspapers Reference

Use EBSCOhost to select and search reference databases of your choice. This interface is recommended for advanced searchers. For students and general searchers, try one of the Explora databases below:

• General Research
• Elementary School Research
• Middle School Research
• High School Research

EBSCOhost Help , opens a new window

ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) Reference

An authoritative database of indexed and full-text education literature and resources.

ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) Help , opens a new window

Explore Census Data Reference

Your source for population, housing, economic, and geographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Explore Census Data Help , opens a new window

General Research Encyclopedias Magazines Newspapers Reference

Search multiple databases at once covering general interest topics, business resources, literary reference, news articles and more.

Databases searched:

• MasterFILE Premier (with Consumer Reports)
• Business Source Complete
• Newspaper Source Plus
• Biography Reference Center
• Topic Overviews Public Libraries
• Associated Press Videos

General Research Help , opens a new window

Get A Diploma Online Courses & Tutorials Reference

San Mateo County Libraries now offers a fully accredited online high school diploma and career certification program through Career Online High School (COHS). COHS is available via the internet, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. A limited number of scholarships are available to card holders who are California residents and 19 years of age or older.

HelpNow Courses & Tutorials eVideos Games Study Guides Tests

Live real-time homework assistance is available for California K-12 students 24 hours a day by laptop, tablet or phone from qualified tutors using state curriculum and standards. 24/7 assistance is available in English and Spanish for Language Arts and Mathematics.

Every day between 10:00 AM and 10:00 PM, assistance is available in core K-12 subjects in the following languages:

Tutors can provide a virtual whiteboard, conduct live audio interactions with students and work with learners on a wide range of concepts. Students are expected to work through the content and learn from the feedback. Tutors do not provide answers — they provide guidance and help. All tutors have passed background checks and possess, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree.

High School Research Encyclopedias Magazines Newspapers Reference

Students can search multiple databases at once for full-text articles, images, videos, and more for high school research (grades 9-12).

• MAS Complete
• History Reference Center
• Literary Reference Center Plus
• Science Reference Center
• TOPICsearch
• Topic Overviews 6-12

High School Research Help , opens a new window

Historical Abstracts With Full Text Reference

The definitive full-text database covering world history (excluding the United States and Canada) from the 15th century to the present.

Historical Abstracts With Full Text Help , opens a new window

History Reference Source Reference

Contains thousands of reliable resources including primary source documents, biographies, photos, maps, and more.

History Reference Center Help , opens a new window

Learning Express Library Courses & Tutorials Tests

Your one-stop shop for professional exam preparation like plumbing, air traffic control, law enforcement, the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET), and the California Real Estate Salesperson exam. Job seekers can find help with resume-building and interviewing skills. There are tools for earning a high school equivalency diploma and video courses on building computer literacy skills.

This resource is available thanks to funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

LinkedIn Learning Courses & Tutorials eVideos

Lynda.com is now LinkedIn Learning! Read more about this upgrade on our blog .

A constantly growing library of more than 8,500 courses in streaming video format with 40-60 new courses added weekly. Subjects covered range from 3D + Animation, Audio, Business including Office and Google software, Design, Developer, Photography and Video, and Web and Social Media. Videos use screenshots, narration, live-action, smart boards, charts and graphics, audio, and include captioning. Courses are available for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced learning tracks. This year’s subscription to LinkedIn Learning is funded through the California State Library.

To use the mobile app:

• Download the LinkedIn Learning app for iOS , opens a new window or Android , opens a new window .
• Tap Sign in
• Tap Sign in with your Library Card under the Continue button.
• Enter smcl when prompted to Enter your Library ID and tap Continue .
• Sign in with your 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card and PIN.

LinkedIn Learning Help , opens a new window

Literary Reference Source Plus Encyclopedias Magazines Newspapers Readers' Advisory Reference

This full-text database that combines information from major respected reference works, books, literary journals as well as original content from EBSCO Publishing.

Literary Reference Center Plus Help , opens a new window

MasterFILE Premier (With Consumer Reports) Magazines Newspapers Reference

Search and browse full-text articles from magazines, reference books, and other primary source documents.

MasterFILE Premier Help , opens a new window

Newspaper Source Plus Magazines Newspapers Reference

Search full-text articles from over 1,200 newspapers, newswires, and news magazines.

Newspaper Source Plus Help , opens a new window

O’Reilly for Public Libraries eBooks/eAudiobooks eVideos

O’Reilly for Public Libraries is an online learning resource designed to help you understand the latest technologies and business strategies. You get unlimited access to over 50,000 technology eBooks as well as video courses, case studies from top companies, learning paths, expert playlists, and more—with nearly 1,000 topics to explore in technology and business.

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Points of View Reference Source Newspapers Reference

Contains resources that present diverse perspectives on important issues and events.

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Pronunciator Courses & Tutorials eVideos

Learn a new language with Pronunciator! Choose from any of the 163 languages in Pronunciator and dive in with self-directed lessons, live teachers, movies, music, and more. Learn at your own pace or join a live teaching session. Requires 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card.

A Pronunciator app , written in responsive HTML5, is available and can be used in any browser — including browsers on any mobile device. You must first register an account with Pronunciator to use the app.

Pronunciator Help , opens a new window

ProQuest Central Student (Grades 9-12) Reference

Designed to bring instant results to users across thousands of journals, magazines, newspapers, videos, reports, and other types of content. This multidisciplinary resource brings together some of ProQuest’s most used databases in education, humanities, psychology, science, social sciences, and news.

Central Student Help , opens a new window

ProQuest Culturegrams (Grades K-12) Reference

An online resource of reports on 209 countries, each U.S. state, and all 13 Canadian provinces and territories. Reports contain information on daily life and culture, including the history, customs, and lifestyles of the world's people, as well as audio, video, images, maps, infographics, and classroom exercises.

Culturegrams Help , opens a new window

ProQuest eBook Central eBooks/eAudiobooks

Provides authoritative, full-text eBooks in a wide range of subject areas along with powerful tools to find, use, and manage the information. Subjects covered: Business & Economics; Computers & IT; Education; Engineering & Technology; History & Political Science; Humanities; Interdisciplinary & Area Studies; Language, Literature & Linguistics; Law, International Relations & Public Policy; Life Sciences; Medical; Nursing & Allied Health; Physical Sciences; Psychology & Social Work; Religion, Philosophy & Classics; Sociology & Anthropology.

eBook Central Help , opens a new window

ProQuest eLibrary (Grades 6-12) Reference

A reference collection of periodical and digital media content designed to support middle and high school students, college-prep and college-level researchers, and professional educators.

eLibrary Help , opens a new window

ProQuest K-12 Online Resources Reference

ProQuest is used by researchers and librarians around the world. Through its partnerships, ProQuest has built a growing content collection that now encompasses 90,000 authoritative sources, six billion digital pages and spans six centuries.

ProQuest Research Companion (Grades 8-12) Courses & Tutorials Reference

Supports information literacy, writing, and research skills instruction occurring in libraries, classrooms, and online learning environments.

Research Companion Help , opens a new window

ProQuest SIRS Discoverer (Grades 3-9) Reference

A general reference database providing safe, reliable, curriculum-aligned content and features for use by students and educators in Primary and early Secondary schools.

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ProQuest SIRS Issues Researcher (Grades 6-12) Reference

Delivers the pros and cons on social issues with relevant, credible information. Analyses and opinions hand selected from thousands of national and international sources such as newspaper and magazine articles, videos, charts, maps, statistics, primary sources and government documents.

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Redwood City Public Library Online Resources (Students Only) Business Directories Courses & Tutorials Dictionaries eBooks/eAudiobooks eMagazines eMusic Encyclopedias eVideos Games Magazines Manuals Newspapers Readers' Advisory Reference Study Guides Tests

Students can access all of Redwood City Public Library's eResources using their Empower Card . Requires 29731 or 29735 library card.

Referencia Latina Magazines Newspapers Reference

Este base de datos de texto completo en español cubre temas dentro y fuera de la academia y ofrece contenido de una variedad de fuentes, incluidos libros de referencia, revistas de interés general e informes de salud.

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Science Reference Source Encyclopedias Magazines Reference

Designed specifically for junior and senior high schools, Science Reference Center is an excellent source of reliable information on life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, technology and more.

Science Reference Center Help , opens a new window

TeachingBooks.net Readers' Advisory Reference

Provides multimedia content to complement children's and young adult books. Resources include audiobook readings, author videos, book discussion guides and lesson plans for over 40,000 books in English and Spanish.

TeachingBooks.net Help , opens a new window

TeachingBooks.net: Book Guides & Lesson Plans Readers' Advisory Reference

Find lesson plans, discussion questions, novel units, reader's theater scripts, and other instructional support for the books you're reading in any K–12 classroom.

• Ready-to-use and vetted for quality to save you time
• Stimulate discussions about the books you're teaching
• Use for book clubs and to prompt conversation about books at home
• Choose from thousands of guides for both fiction and nonfiction
• Great for new educators and teachers-in-training

TeachingBooks.net: Build Your Own Custom Reading Lists Readers' Advisory Reference

Compile, organize, analyze, and share instructional materials associated with the books in your curriculum.

• Create your own booklists
• Manage text sets
• Analyze text complexity differentiation
• Seamlessly edit, sequence, and annotate lists
• Immediately have instructional materials
• Distribute lists with QR codes, emails, or permanent links

TeachingBooks.net: Learn From Award-Winning Authors & Illustrators Readers' Advisory Reference

Have the author reveal, anytime, the author's purpose, writing, and research processes with these TeachingBooks.net exclusively created primary source materials.

TeachingBooks.net: Literature-Based Vocabulary Lists Readers' Advisory Reference

Have ready-to-use vocabulary lists — often organized by chapter — for the books that you're teaching. Vocabulary lists include:

• Definitions
• Example sentences pulled from each book
• Audio pronunciations

TeachingBooks.net: Resources for Award-Winning Books Readers' Advisory Reference

Get to know the latest award-winning books with exclusive primary source recordings that introduce students to authentic writing and research processes.

TeachingBooks.net: Teach Diverse Books Readers' Advisory Reference

Include diverse cultural experiences in your instruction as reflected in quality fiction and nonfiction books.

• Identify exceptional multicultural books for all content areas
• Bring culture and race to the forefront of literary conversations with authentic, primary source instructional materials

Udemy by Gale Courses & Tutorials eVideos

An online learning platform for San Mateo County Libraries cardholders who want to improve work-related skills or further develop a personal interest. Users can search through more than 4,000 continuously updated, on-demand video courses across 75 categories in business, technology, design, health, mindfulness, and more. Requires 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card.

To Use the App:

• Download the Udemy for Business app in the View available apps below .
• Open the app and enter gale .udemy.com as the organization account and click Next .
• Under Find Your Institution select Public Library and search for San Mateo County Library .
• Click San Mateo County Library and you’ll be taken to the screen where you can enter your library card number and click Sign In .
• You’ll be taken to the screen where you can sign in using a Google or Microsoft account.

Udemy Help , opens a new window

World Book Online Dictionaries eBooks/eAudiobooks Encyclopedias eVideos Games Reference

An engaging, interactive, gamified and trustworthy online learning experience for grades pre-K through high school. A suite of online research tools that includes encyclopedia articles, primary source collections, educator tools, student activities, educational games, pictures, audio, maps and video, complemented by children’s ebooks, current periodicals and related Web sites.

Perfect for school reports and research papers. There are different portals for different age ranges and includes Spanish resources for elementary school users.

World Book Online Help , opens a new window

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Fusion Homework Café

Homework at Fusion Academy is completed on campus in our Homework Café spaces. Our social café also acts as the socialization hub of the campus.

Homework Help and So Much More

Fusion students have Homework Café time built into their schedule that is equal to the time that they spend in class. Any coursework they receive can be completed in this space, so homework doesn’t have to go home. Teachers are available to support with questions and our Director of Homework Café oversees the space. Each of our campuses has one quiet Homework Café and one social Homework Café so students can pick the space that is best for them to work.

Our Social Homework Café is also where clubs meet, student meetings are held, and where students can interact with their peers between classes. The Director of Homework Café plans programming to align with Social Emotional Learning competencies and personalizes events based on student interests.

Academic Support

Teachers provide meaningful coursework to reinforce ideas learned in our students’ one-to-one classes. Students have a customized schedule that includes time in the Homework Café. This time can be used to work independently to finish an assignment, or to get help from a Homework Café Teacher.

Social Homework Café

A social space where students can interact and socialize with peers while they work on homework.

Quiet Homework Café

A quiet space for students to work on their homework. This is a great spot for students who need a quiet area to focus or are working on homework that requires more attention like reading or math problems.

Social Opportunities

Socialization with peers happens outside the classroom at Fusion. Our campuses are alive with students playing games, participating in clubs, relaxing between classes, and eating lunch together.

Our Director of Homework Café oversees the Homework Café spaces and works with students and staff to facilitate activities that are enriching and interesting for students. Clubs, field trips, community service, events, and more are available for students to form meaningful peer relationships.

Positive Impact

We strive to make our Homework Cafés safe spaces for our students to learn, grow, and have fun. We survey parents and students multiple times per year and below are their thoughts about the impact Fusion Academy has had on them or their student.

of our parents report that their child has fun at school.

My child’s teachers are committed to my child’s success.

of students report that they are provided the academic support they need to be successful.

of our parents agree their child seems more confident since joining Fusion.

Ready to Say Goodbye to Nightly Homework Struggles?

Fill out the form below to connect with a member of our Admissions team.

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Education | No D’s and F’s? No extra credit? Will Bay Area…

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Education | No D’s and F’s? No extra credit? Will Bay Area schools’ switch to equity grading help or harm students?

Dublin unified school district says the public school grading system is unfair.

A correction to an earlier version of this article has been appended to the end of the article.

Hrihaan Bhutani is already thinking about college. The Dublin Unified freshman is taking four Advanced Placement classes next year and has crammed his schedule with extracurricular activities to better his chances of getting into an Ivy League school.

But a change at the district designed to get students less focused on grades has done the opposite. Suddenly, in some classes, A’s are almost unachievable, unless you score 100%. And F’s don’t exist. For high-achieving students like Bhutani, who attends Emerald High School, a new school on the Dublin High campus, the pressure to be perfect is even more of a burden.

“I feel more stressed … now with this new system,” said Bhutani, who is especially sweating his biology class, one of dozens trying a variety of new grading scales under a two-year experiment. “Even if you’re at a 99, you would get moved down to an 85,” he explained, which translates to a world-ending B.

Dublin Unified’s new grading policy will go into effect for all 6th through 12th grade classes next year and is part of a national shift toward “equity grading” – a controversial concept that moves away from traditional grading to better measure how well students understand what they are being taught.

The goal is to lower the impact of things that “fluff” grades – extra credit, class participation and homework – while also making it easier for lower-performing students to bounce back from failing.

Several school districts in the Bay Area have explored similar ideas, including Oakland Unified, Pleasanton Unified, Santa Clara Unified and most recently Palo Alto Unified. But how districts implement the change differs, with some choosing to eliminate D’s and F’s, while others move away from zero grades or eliminate late penalties.

Equitable grading was first coined by Joe Feldman in his 2018 book, “Grading for Equity,” which has become the instruction manual for more than 200 schools across the country. Feldman said he’s partnered with 25 districts and schools in California to guide them as they make the transition.

Liliana Castrellon, an assistant professor in the department of education at San Jose State University whose research focuses on equity in education, said equitable grading practices became more common in school districts after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If anything, what we learned during the pandemic is that our traditional education system is not working for everyone,” Castrellon said. “So there’s been a lot of conversations around … how do we reimagine and re-envision practices that are more equitable and that are going to benefit all students?”

A task force at Dublin Unified first discussed revising grading policies in 2021. The following year 28 teachers began testing new ways to measure students’ proficiency.

Dublin Unified’s superintendent Chris Funk explained at a board meeting last year that the district’s grading system wasn’t consistent across all schools, which caused issues in the classroom.

“There’s no question that the grading system that’s been around is an inequitable practice. Much of the grading that is involved does not grade anyone’s mastery of the subject content,” he said at the meeting. “Zeros in a grading system do not accurately reflect a student’s proficiency. Awarding zeros as discipline is not an appropriate consequence as they can be almost impossible to recover from.”

But the incremental changes led to widespread pushback among parents, students and teachers – inciting a Change.org petition to stop the practice and a WhatsApp group with more than 400 parents against the policy shift.

Some parents and teachers said they worry the changes will encourage students to slack off and leave them unprepared for college.

“I think the dumbing down of curriculum will lead to our kids failing in college because they’re not going to be prepared on the same level as kids from other districts and other states,” said Dublin parent Olena Stadnyuk.

Skeptics say school districts are implementing no-zero policies and removing failing letter grades to boost graduation rates as they struggle to recover from learning loss caused by the pandemic.

“This will up kids graduating, it will up their numbers,” said Laurie Sargent, an eighth grade English teacher at Cottonwood Creek, a TK-8th grade school in Dublin. “They’ll have fewer kids failing and then that looks good. It’s strategic.”

Some schools have shifted their grading policies in response to the University of California and California State University “A to G” requirements, which mandate students receive a C or better in 15 of their high school courses to qualify for admission.

“Almost all kids in California graduate high school but only about half who graduate are eligible to apply to UC or CSU schools,” said Alix Gallagher, director of strategic partnerships for Policy Analysis for California Education. “In California, grades are the sole determinant … Grades are a gatekeeper for kids.”

Dela Antoinette, a parent of a sophomore at Dublin High, said she worries that equity grading will harm the high-achieving students who are performing well under the current system.

“Instead of pushing this agenda, let’s focus on lifting this particular group up and get them up to the standard of other students that are excelling,” she said. “Not lower the standards, not change the entire system for everyone.”

Bhutani and his biology classmate Bhuvan Krishnamohan, who are just completing their first year of high school, are already thinking about transferring to a school that doesn’t use equitable grading.

“I think the system favors the people that are not doing so well and they want to do well, rather than the people that are doing really well and want to continue that,” Krishnamohan said.

Sargent, the English teacher, said Dublin Unified’s new grading system doesn’t set students up for success in the real world.

“We want to make our students college and career ready,” Sargent said. “Nowhere in college do you get 50% for doing nothing. Nowhere in the world of work do you get 50% for doing nothing…If I don’t show up to work, they don’t pay me 50% of my salary even if I made a reasonable attempt to get there.”

An earlier version on this story misidentified the school where two Dublin Unified students are enrolled. Hrihaan Bhutani and Bhuvan Krishnamohan attend Emerald High School, located on the Dublin High School campus.

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