Welcome to my Social Studies virtual classroom!

Mr. Gurney's Announcements

News and Notes

Please make sure you constantly check Google Classroom, my class website and Parent Square for information, messaging, assignments and any updates regarding the class and Holmdel High School.

However, Google Classroom will be the main source of information pertaining to the class.

If you have any questions/concerns don't hesitate to reach out and let me know.

Important Class Information

Please make sure you have the following materials ready for class every day:

Chrome Book/Laptop
3-Ring Binder (2-inch binding preferable)
Lined Paper for Binder (or Notebook) that can be removed
Writing Implements (including highlighter)
Recommended: Planner or Agenda

Notable Days For the 2025-26 School Year

Wed., Sept. 3 - First Day of School - 4-Hour Session for Students
Thu., Sept. 4 - 4-Hour Session for Students
Wed., Sept. 10 - Back to School Night
Tue., Sept. 23 - No School - Rosh Hashanah
Thu., Oct. 2 - No School - Yom Kippur
Wed., Oct. 8 - PSAT
Thu., Oct. 9 - Activity Club Fair
Mon., Oct. 13 - No School - Columbus Day
Mon., Oct. 20 - No School, Staff PD - Diwali
Fri., Oct. 24 - HHS Homecoming
Thu., Nov. 6 - Fri., Nov. 7 - No School - NJEA Convention
Wed., Nov. 12 - End of Marking Period 1
Tue., Nov. 18 - Powder Puff Football Game
Mon., Nov. 24 - Evening Parent-Teacher Conferences
Tue., Nov. 25 - 4-Hour Session for Students - Parent-Teacher Conferences
Wed., Nov. 26 - 4-Hour Session for Students and Staff - Thanksgiving Break
Thu., Nov. 27 - Fri., Nov. 28 - No School - Thanksgiving Break
Tue., Dec. 2 - Evening Parent-Teacher Conferences
Wed., Dec. 3 - 4-Hour Session for Students - Parent-Teacher Conferences
Tue., Dec. 23 - 4-Hour Session for Students and Staff - Winter Break
Wed., Dec. 24 - Mon., Jan. 5 - No School - Winter Break
Fri., Jan. 17 - NHS Induction
Mon., Jan. 19 - No School - MLK Jr. Day
Thu., Jan. 29 - End of Marking Period 2
Thu., Jan. 29 - NHS Induction Ceremony
Sun., Feb. 1 - Mr. Gurney's Birthday
Fri., Feb. 13 - 4-Hour Session for Students, Staff PD
Mon., Feb. 16 - No School - President's Day
Tue., Feb. 17 - No School Students, Staff PD - Lunar New Year
Fri., Mar. 20 - No School - Eid al-Fitr
Wed., Apr. 1 - 4-Hour Session for Students and Staff - Spring Break
Thu., Apr. 2 - Tue. Apr. 7 - No School - Spring Break
Mon., Apr. 13 - End of Marking Period 3
Thu., May 7 - AP Exam Day - World History: Modern!
Fri., May 15 - Relay for Life
Fri., May 22 - 4-Hour Session for Students and Staff - Memorial Day
Mon., May 25 - No School - Memorial Day
Fri., May 29 - Junior Prom
Fri., June 5 - Senior Prom
Fri., June 12 - Final Exams Periods 4 & 8
Mon., June 15 - Final Exams Periods 3 & 7
Tue., June 16 - Final Exams Periods 2 & 6
Wed., June 17 - Final Exams Periods 1 & 5
Thu., June 18 - 4-Hour Session for Students - End of Marking Period 4 - Last Day of School!

QR Code of the Week

Mr. Gurney's 2025-26 Schedule

(All classes are in room 409)

Mr. Gurney's Schedule - 2025-26

"Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, compared with the men of this, we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good. Let us therefore study the incidents in this as philosophy to learn wisdom from and none of them as wrongs to be avenged." ~Abraham Lincoln

"No matter how carefully records are kept and filed and computerized, they grow fuzzy with time. Stories grow by accretion. Tales accumulate--like dust. The longer the time lapse, the dustier the history--until it degenerates into fables." ~ Isaac Asimov

“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.” ~Aldous Huxley

"A generation which ignores history has no past...and no future." ~ Robert A. Heinlein

"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again." ~Maya Angelou

"A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history." ~Mahatma Gandhi

This web site is devoted to the five sections of history I teach at Holmdel High School (two sections of AP World History and three sections of U.S. History II), as well as teams and clubs that I coach/advise. The site will be routinely updated and will have information regarding our day-to-day schedule, along with homework assignments, project guidelines and rubrics, and anything else that will help with the student's preparation and performance inside and out of the classroom. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me through one of the methods listed towards the bottom of the page.

Important Links for the Year

The U.S. History II online textbook can be found by accessing the Pearson EasyBridge App on your Holmdel/Google account login and Clever.

AP Classroom

AP World History Classroom Link

Period 2 - 263GMD
Period 6 - Y9XZ7R
Period 8 - 4NP3QJ

Google Classroom Information

Google Meet Office Hours Room - "gurneyofficehours" - meet.google.com

AP World History

Period 1 - mpqudmus
Period 6 - 5yvma5np
Period 8 - yrvy5im4

Honors Advanced U.S. History I

Period 4 - ftqinkkb

U.S. History II

Period 1 - smvy5u46

In-Class Quiz Information - Socrative

Socrative Website Link

Room Name - MRGURNEYHISTORY

Kahoot Website Link

My office hours are: A Days (during lunch, from 11:00-11:30) and B Days (after school, from 2:40-3:10). This is subject to change depending on the week and by appointment.

The Google Meet code for my Extra Help is "gurneyofficehours."

My prep periods are: 2, 4 and 5 in room 409.

You may contact me via email at: dgurney@holmdelschools.org

Holmdel High School Web Site: http://www.holmdelschools.org/schools/hs/hs.shtm

Holmdel High School Phone Number: (732) 946-1832

Holmdel District Calendar - https://www.holmdelschools.org/calendar

Information About Potential School Closings - Asbury Park Press or News12