I hope everyone had a restful, happy holiday break.  My family and I certainly enjoyed the beautiful weather and time with one another as well as with extended family. 

We’re at the midpoint of the school year.  It’s a time to review systems and procedures for school success–Are you reading every night?  Is homework done in a quiet, focused environment?  Does the backpack need to be cleaned out?  Are all sweatshirt tags labeled?  All these little check-ins help smooth the path for a successful second half of the school year.

6th Grade Walker Creek Fundraiser

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, our sixth graders are selling See’s Candy.  You can find a 6th grader to buy from or come on campus after school.  They’ve got a table set up in the amphitheater.  Help our 6th graders fund their Walker Creek Outdoor Ed trip in March and give a gift for Valentine’s Day!

The 100th Day of School!

Mrs. Garvey’s 1st grade celebrated the 100th day of school on Monday, January 30th with 100 item collages.  The students did a parade with their 1st grade peers in other classes to share these amazing collages. 

Likewise in Ms. Megna & Mrs. Franklin’s 1st grade, unique 100th day sticker charts were created.  Ten rows of 10 stickers equals 100!  Ms. Megna was also helping her students write a class story about toys in the past, present and future.  They brainstormed ideas about toys in the past, wrote about the toys they have now and made predictions about possible toys for the future.  Mrs. Haugen is looking forward to reading the finished story.

Junior Achievement Day at Grant School

I am so excited to host this exciting day of learning for our entire campus.  On Friday, February 24th a trained JA volunteer will deliver five grade-appropriate lessons to each of our classrooms.  You might consider volunteering for this special day.  Our Junior Achievement representative will train you and provide all the materials necessary for a successful experience.  If you are interested or have questions about the program you can contact Mrs. Haugen or Scott Loveless, a Grant School parent and member of Junior Achievement .

Some information from their website: Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. JA’s unique approach allows volunteers from the community to deliver our curriculum while sharing their experiences with students.  JA’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.  To read more, go to www.ja.org

The Spelling Bee

Our 4th, 5th and 6th grade class representatives participated in the school spelling bee on Thursday, January 26th in the multi-use room.  Twelve students took turns spelling and our resulting winners are Whittaker and Lulabel, both in 6th grade.  Our alternate is Camille.  Our two winners will head to the South County Regional Spelling Bee held at Corona Creek Elementary School on Wednesday, February 22nd at 4:30.  Thank you to Mrs. Groh & Mrs. Ihrig who served as judges, and Ms. Reynolds who organizes and MC’s the Bee.

Thomas Jefferson Biography, A Book Review by Joey

I think lots of kids should read this book. It is about Thomas Jefferson as a kid and him growing up. This would be a great book for 3^rd-6^th grade. There may be some hard words so I would not recommend this for 2^nd and lower. This would be a great book to take home.  With 5 stars possible I would rate this book **** 4 stars.  It’s in our school library.

Kindergarten Enrollment

Kindergarten enrollment for the 2012-2013 school year began on Monday, January 23rd.  If you know anyone with a soon-to-be kindergartener in the Grant School neighborhood, please direct them to our office to pick up registration materials and speak with our staff about next steps.  Enrollment in kindergarten is open to children who turn five by November 1, 2012.

New for next school year, Petaluma City Schools is offering Kinder-Prep to give our youngest five-year olds a bridge between preschool and kindergarten.   Registration for Kinder-Prep is open to children who turn five by December 31, 2012.  Children whose fifth birthday fall between September 2 and November 1, 2012 have top priority for Kinder-Prep.  It will be housed at McKinley Elementary School with child care services available at the site.

Any questions about kindergarten enrollment or Kinder-Prep can be directed to our office, 778-4742.  Mrs. Woelfel or Mrs. Willits would be happy to answer any questions you have.

Haiku Poems from the Young American Poetry Digest Contest

A tornado is

a very powerful storm

that can destroy things.

**********************

Trees and plants growing

I watch them take shape and form

Slowly the plants grow

********************

The storm brings strong rain

The rivers and lakes are full

The sun will shine soon

Thank you Mrs. Ihrig’s class.

Coffee & Conversation with the Principal

You are invited to come and chat with Mrs. Haugen.  Bring your morning coffee or tea and any questions, ideas, concerns or appreciations to share.  It’s an opportunity to get to know our new principal and other parents, add your voice to our community and share in the growth and development of our school. 

Friday, February 3, 2012 from 7:55 to 8:30am in the Grant School Library

4th Graders are Learning to Play Recorders

The 4^th graders have started recorders. All of them are extremely excited. They are having an amazing time playing around their houses, waking everyone up. They have only learned one song but they still are very into it. No 4^th graders are experts at playing, but they all can keep a rhythm. Every 4^th grader has a recorder although not all of them like it right now, but by the end of the year they will all like it.

4th Graders Visited the Exploratorium by Brandon

It was really a blast .  We got to see a lot of cool stuff.  The stuff that we got to see was a lot of hi-tech stuff.  Every single bit of it we thought was cool.  The teachers were Denise Reyes and Kathryn O’Neil.  All we had to do was walk around look at stuff and answer questions.  Many students liked the magnetic shavings table and others really liked the cow eye dissection.

GLT’s Winter Food Drive by Nicolette & Payton

The GLT is hosting a canned food drive.  All the food that is collected will be donated to the Petaluma Kitchen.  When you donate food to the Petaluma Kitchen you are providing a family in need with food. If you are interested all you have to do is give the non-perishable food to your teacher and she/he will put it outside of your classroom. That day a GLT member will pick it up. On January 30th the barrel already full and ready for pick up.  How many times can we fill the barrel by Valentine’s Day?

Chinese New Year  Feast by Will & Nathan

We celebrated Chinese New Year with a feast.  There was a lot of good food for children to eat.  There was Rice, Chicken, Fortune cookies, sauce and Pot stickers.  I think everyone had a good time.  It was in the multi purpose room.  First we got food then we ate.  Later we drew then it was time to go.  It was on Monday for four buddy classes: Mrs. RC, Mrs. Cohen, Mrs. Casey and Mrs. Ihrig.

Recess Update by Mac

From my personal perspective I think that the most popular game going around is soccer. Kids started playing about a couple of weeks ago, ever since then the game has been flourishing. It’s the 6^th graders that play it the most. Then there is Cops and Robbers. Most of the 4^th grade boys have been playing. I haven’t interviewed any of the players, but I think the both games have been very fair, safe, and responsable.

Movie Night by Elizabeth & Shayla

Have you ever seen Kung Fu Panda 2? Well, PTA is hosting a movie night on Friday, February 3^rd. The movie is Kung Fu Panda 2. It’s mostly for family and friends. It’s in the multi purpose room. Bring your sleeping bag, pillows and stuffed animals!!! It’s a great time to bring family together! It’s just like being at the movie theatre, but it’s free!!! There are goodies to the right of the stage. There is popcorn outside of the multi purpose room. The goodies are for purchase. The doors open at 6:00, but this awesome movie starts at 6:30. The admission is free! Bring family and family to this movie of a lot of action and kung fu.  And all kids need to have an adult with them for the movie.

Elks Essay Contest by Emma & Jillian

In November Ms. Reynolds’s  and Ms. Bender’s sixth grade classes entered an essay contest on Why I am Proud to Pledge Allegiance to the Flag. After months of anticipation, we finally found out who the winners were. Out of 150 sixth graders from local schools who entered, and the six prizes that were distributed, Grant Elementary got third place boy and girl prizes. Congratulations Melissa and Aidan!!!!

Upcoming Dates:

• Coffee & Conversation with the Principal, Friday, February 2nd at 7:55am in the library
• Movie Night: Friday, February 2nd at 6pm
• School Site Council: Tuesday, February 7th at 3:00 in C1
• Adopt-a-Book  is happening now through February 13th

We interviewed some students to find out what everyone is doing over the break.  Lots of kids will be visiting relatives like Dillon and Lulabel.  Others will be staying home, like Isabell and Jason.   Mrs. Haugen plans to read a lot of books over break.  And Mrs. Crysdale is looking forward to relaxing with family and friends.  What are you doing over the break? 

A Safety Update & A Thank You from Mrs. Haugen

Thank you for driving safely and helping our students cross at the crosswalk before and after school.  Our morning crossing guard patrol has noticed a safer, less hectic environment at the front of school.  Our #1 priority is student safety.  The yellow curb is for drop off and pick up–no parking.  And, of course, red curbs and driveways are never areas for parking.  We try to be good neighbors here on slender Grant Avenue.

After-school Enrichment Starts in January

Parents, don’t forget to sign up for After School Enrichment classes!  After School Enrichment Winter Session 3 starts the week of January 9th and will run for 6 weeks!  On the agenda, are the following classes:

MONDAY, Jan. 9th:   Cartoon Class – Library, Musical Magic – Multi; TUESDAY, Jan. 10th:  French – Library, Move Over Mozart – Multi; WEDNESDAY, Jan. 11th:  Spanish – Library; THURSDAY, Jan. 12th: Chess – Library, Kids Cooking – Multi

If you haven’t signed up yet, you may do so on the first day of class, or contact the program instructors: Cartoon Class – Pete Mcdonnel, petemcd@sbcglobal.net, Musical Magic – Susanna Praetzel, spraetzel@sonic.net, French – Julia Fornage, julia_orenstein@yahoo.com, Spanish – Alejandra Wilkerson, alegrias4kids@yahoo.com, Chess – Jolie Cook, jolie.chessforkids@gmail.com, Kids Cooking – Cyrelle McDonald, wholesomecreations@yahoo.com

Jog-a-thon 2011 by Katie & Lulabel

The Jog-A-Thon took place on December 9^th 2011. It was a great success and raised a lot of money for Grant School. The Jog-A- Thon is an annual event where students collect pledges and run laps to raise money. The students get 20 minutes to run as many laps as they can. We are still collecting pledges to turn them into the teachers. Janice won the raffle for the Jog-A-Thon. Mrs. Reynolds’ class won the upper grade prize for the most average laps, and Mrs. Cohen/Mrs. Bauman’s class won the lower grade prize for the most average laps. Both of the classes get a trophy to keep in their room for the rest of the year. Overall, the Jog-A-Thon was a great success! 

The Winter Music Share by Melissa & Lulabel

On December 20^th 2011 the fifth and sixth graders had a winter music concert. The band played many Christmas songs as did the chorus. A lot of people came to the performance and the performers had lots of fun! The chorus put on a great singing and dancing routine. The whole show was about an hour long. The beginning and intermediate band played many songs including; Jingle Bells, Santa’s Sleigh ride and Rolling Along. The advanced band played Ode to Joy, Jingle Bell Rock, Siberian Sleigh ride, Kum Bah Yah, Sakura Sakura and a few more. The chorus sang Old Man Winter, Jammin’ in our Jammies, Po La Ie (The Hawaiian version of Silent Night.), the Frosty Hand Jive, and many more great songs. The concert was a great success, and a lot of fun!

The Book Fair by Alyssa & Karina

Everbody is reading new and fun books, thanks  to the book fair.  Thanks Mrs.Cyrsdale!  You have done a wonderful job! We hope you can do it every year.  There was great posters,supplies,and great books.  Also teacher’s classrooms got new books too.  It was a great fundraiser too!  Hope it happens again!

Ms. Reynolds’ Play by Juliana & Melissa

Ms. Reynold’s 6^th grade recently put on a wonderful play on December 21. They performed the play twice for each half of the school and are performing again at 7:00 pm on Wednesday evening. The show is about a couple of Moose buddies who are learning about the Winter Holidays with some help from their forest friends. The show was a hit with all the classes and the cast had a great time doing it too. The whole performance is about 30-45 minutes long. Thank you to Ms. Reynolds, her class, and everyone that helped for putting such a wonderful production together!

5th Grade Visit to Shulz Museum and Ice Rink by Garrett & Ian

This week, the fifth graders took a field trip to theCharles Schultz Museum. We had lots of fun and we learned all about Charles Schultz’s life and how he drew the Peanuts characters. We drew our own Peanuts characters and went inside his museum. In the museum, there was a wall of 3800 comic strips of the Peanuts. Outside, there was a hologram of Charlie Brown and Snoopy playing Ice Hockey and there was a big Charlie Brown sweatshirt. After we had lots of fun at the museum, we went ice skating. Even though we fell a lot, we still had fun!  

What You Need to Know About Head Lice

Head lice are insects that live in people’s hair.  Lice glue their eggs (nits) to hair.  Lice dies quickly (2 days) without a human host.  Nits take 6-9 days to hatch plus 7 or more for new lice to begin laying eggs.  Are you scratching your head yet?

The good news is that we have had very few cases of live head lice this fall (3 to be exact).  Our families are very diligent to check regularly, treat immediately and follow up with thorough combing using a nit comb (metal, not plastic, with very long teeth). 

A trained group of staff here in the office checked every student this week.  As follow-up, please continue to check your children regularly.  And know that it can take days of combing to be completely nit free.  If you are not sure what to look for or have any questions, Michelle & Shantina in the office can help.

The Holiday Gift Shoppe by Isabell & Jason

Mrs. Shoemaker and her mom

The Holiday Gift Shoppe was a success!  Mrs. Shoemaker was in charge.  She filled the library with lots of toys and gifts.  Students brought money and a list for family and friends.The gifts cost 1 to 3 dollars.  The library looked very cheerful and happy.  There were candy canes hanging from the ceiling. We hope they are going to do it again next year!!  

Art Docent Lesson in Mrs. Groh’s 5th Grade by Kendra

The fifth grade in Mrs. Groh’s room did an art lesson on December 21, 2011. We made Picasso-inspired self-portraits. We used pastels and large black paper. Our art docent was Mrs. Sunshine.  It was really fun.  It took about an hour to do the project. She taught a lot about  Picasso.

GLT’s December Service Project by Mrs. Haugen & Ms. Bender

We are so proud of our campus-wide dual service project this month–toiletries and cards to our military and jackets, gloves, scarves and toiletries for COTS.  We’ve filled two boxes at least 3 times each with goodies for both groups.  Thank you to the parents who helped out with collecting and delivering.  It feels so good to share with others during the holiday season.

Teachers in the Shamrock News

Ms. Baumann & Mrs. Reed are enjoying the holiday anticipation with a variety of crafts in their kindergarten.  Rudolphs and santas made from our youngest students hands and feet will be treasured pieces for years to come.  In science, students are learning about the lifecycle of a tree through our FOSS curriculum.  There’s never a dull moment in A2 with Ms. Baumann & Mrs. Reed!

At the other end of the campus is Ms. Bender’s sixth grade.  Poinsetta art welcomes you at the door.  And artifact investigation is underway in social studies.  Our student-archaeologists are using evidence to determine whether artifacts prove that Sumer was a civilization or just a small, developing village.  Ms. Bender skillfully guides them through the list of characteristics of a civilization and students apply each characteristic to a found object, or artifact, from history.  Well done sixth grade!

Before School Guidelines

If you arrive at school before 7:55, please wait by the office.  From 7:55 to 8:05am there is a teacher on duty on the blacktop only.  Students should not be on the par course, play structure or field before school.  It is too large an area for one person to supervise, and student safety is our #1 priority.

Secret Santa Amongst the Staff at Grant School by Katie & Juliana

The teachers and staff are doing a secret Santa . . . SHHHHHHH! We interviewed Mrs.  ???? and she told us some very interesting notes. “Secret Santa is when the staff and teachers get together and exchange gifts secretly. So the person that we have for Secret Santa won’t see us, we have other staff members deliver our presents.”  Mrs.?? ?  Said that the way you can get into this super Secret Santa group is you go to the office and fill out a sheet of what you like, favorite colors, and other things you may like. Then after everyone who wants to do the Secret Santa signs up, you pick a name out of a basket. The name of the person that you got is the person you give a few gifts to. Although this is a very fun activity you never are forced to do it. The dates that this happening is from December 12 to December 22, 2011. They will tell who there secret Santa is very soon!

Upcoming Dates to Know:

• No School: December 23 to January 8–see you back at school on January 9, 2012
• School Site Council Meeting: Tuesday, January 10, 3pm in Room C1
• PTA Association Meeting: Thursday, January 12, 6:30pm in the library
• Performing Arts Rehearsals begin Friday, January 20, 2:45pm in the multi
• Adopt-a-Book begins on Monday, January 23rd.
• Kindergarten Registration begins on Monday, January 23rd

We have a new group of Grant Leadership Team members for November & December.  This is their first Shamrock News edition.  Since we meet on Wednesdays about every other week, not every GLT member was able to write an article for this edition.  We’ll get those students that missed the first deadline in on the December issue for sure.  We are planning a project to support COTS for the month of December.  Be on the look-out for posters and an announcement at an up-coming BEST Assembly.  Thank you GLT!

Many Thanks!

So many thank you’s it’s difficult to include them all.  Thank you to Mrs. Crysdale for coordinating Race to Nowhere with McNear’s library coordinator.  It was a well-attended, thought-provoking evening here at Grant.  Thank you to Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Iribarne for chairing our cookie dough and gift-wrap sales.  They were a huge success!  Our Thanksgiving Break is a perfect time to thank your friends, co-workers, family and loved-ones for all their help, support, guidance and kindess.

Needed: Brown paper bags with handles

If you have any spare shopping bags (with handles), they are needed for our upcoming Christmas Gift Shoppe chaired by Mrs. Shoemaker.  You can bring gently used brown paper bags with handles to the office.  Thank you.

Favorite Thanksgiving Foods by Lulabel & Katie

We took a survey of everybody’s favorite Thanksgiving food.  Here are the statistics we collected:

1^st—Turkey 26%

2^nd – Sweet Potatoes 19%

3^rd – Pie 17%

4^th – Mashed Potatoes 16%

5^th – Stuffing 7%

6^th – Cranberries 5%

7^th – Apple Cider 4%

8^th – Yams/None 2% each

9^th –Turkey Skin 1% 

A Message from our PTA Board

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, the PTA Board wanted to express its heartfelt thanks and appreciation for everyone’s generous support. Grant’s PTA raises almost $100,000.00 each year, and we use that money for things like classroom supplies, office supplies, field trips and technology. You can see your generous support each and every day at Grant.

We also want to share our philosophy about fundraising. In order to reach our ambitious goal, we need to work towards that goal all year long. It can seem a bit overwhelming, and for that we apologize, but it is necessary. We understand that many of our fundraisers will not appeal to everyone. Consequently, we try to provide as many choices as we can for families. This way they can participate in those that work best for them and pass on the others.

Please know, we have no expectations that families participate in every fundraiser, or even the majority of them. We just want you to have choices.

We are very lucky at Grant to have such an active, responsive, supportive and generous community.

With an abundance of gratitude, we wish you the best for this holiday season.

Grant’s PTA Board

Mrs. Cohen’s Class went to the Petaluma Museum by Jason & Isabell

Mrs.Cohen’s class went to the Pirate Museum.We made our own pirate flags and went on a treasure hunt in the museum and got a gold debloom. We saw what the pirates used to sink other ships in the ocean.  We saw a dragon pistol.  We got to learn how they dock the pirate ships.Everything was old and rusty. We got to hear a book and it was about  one boy who escaped from home and went on a ship. We think other classes should go to the pirate exhibit.

A Safety Reminder

One of our neighbors alerted me to some unsafe habits at the back of our campus (where E. Sunnyslope becomes Sunnyslope Court).  There are two blind turns and uncontrolled intersections (no stop signs or lights).  Students are crossing the street unsafely.  He’s witnessed a few near misses and decided to share his concern with me this week.  Please help our students be safe when crossing the street.  ALWAYS use the crosswalk when one is nearby.  We have an amazing group of crossing guard volunteers out every morning on Grant Avenue to help students stay safe and keep traffic moving.  Please use the crosswalk.  And if you’re dropping off at the back of school, drive and park within the law, help our students cross safely and drive slowly.  Thank you.  Our students’ safety is #1.

The Jog-a-thon by Dillon, Savannah & Katie

At the Jog-a-thon, we are trying to raise a lot of money.  We will get to run on the new track. Which ever class runs the most laps will get a trophy. The trophy looks like a green shoe. It  has a wooden plank behind it. Mrs.Crysdale will enter everybodys’ name in a prize drawing and if you win, your family will get to pick between an ipod touch or a bike. Every grade runs at a different time. At the end of the Jog-o thon there is water.The people who are watching you mark your arm to see how many laps you ran.You run for twenty minutes.We wish you luck!

The Kindergarten Trip to the Firehouse by Melissa & Juliana

On November 3^rd the kindergarteners went on an exciting fieldtrip to thePetaluma Fire Station. While there, they had the opportunity to see the firehouse kitchen, an ambulance, and fire trucks. The firemen talked to them about what to do in case of a fire such as stop, drop, and roll, and stay calm. They also got talked to about smoke alarms and their importance. We interviewed some of the kindergarteners and here are some things they said.  Gianna liked watching them slide down the pole.  Eva liked watching them put on their equipment.  Alexis and Amanda liked seeing Mr. Vollmer sliding down the pole.  Cole liked walking through the firetruck.  And they learned when there’s an emergency in your house to go out to a family meeting spot and call 911.  They also said that the walk there as very long, tiring and hot. 

Girls on the Run by Paris

The Girls on the Run 5k is on December 3rd and  lots of people (moms and dads and friends) are going to run with us.  On Tuesday, November 15^th we practiced for our 5k.  I did well.  Girls on the Run is very fun.  I would recommend it to other girls.  And you can make friends lot of friends.  My coach is Stacie (Sunshine’s mom).  Girls on the run is so much fun!

4th Grade Hiked at Helen Putnam Park by Alyssa & Karina

On Nov.16^th  both 4^th grade student classes  went to Helen Putnam Park. We went on a hike  with a docent  named Kalen and we saw a potato bug ,deer and a lizard . We were in 4 groups  each with a docent. Kalen  taught us about rattlesnake grass when snakes hear predators they take ratlesnake grass in there tails and  use it to keep predators away. Kalen told us about rocks and minerals and how their  formed. Did you know  minerals where used for cell phones?We hiked by forests and learned  the poison ivy rhyme leaves of three let them be. We also learned that there are also plants that look like poison ivy their called blackberry bushes and their leaves are furry the rhmye is if it is hairy it is only a fairy.  When we stopped to eat,. Kalen showed us a homemade volcano in  the dirt. The ingredients are baking soda and vinegar. Next we walked down a hill to a little pond and Kalen gave us workbook. And we worked for a few minutes then we finished the hike by passing by Mrs. Cohen’s bench and finished our hike. Thanks for reading!

A Book Review by Ian & Kendra

One book that Ian just read recently is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It was really good! I recommend this book a lot because it had so much action! I would give it five stars. It was a very long book (about 800 pages!). I bet anybody could read it, but it took me a long time to finally finish. Like I said, I highly recommend this book to all ages! Another good book is The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. I just recently read this book and it was funny and awesome! I also recommend this book to all ages and I also give it five stars! I think anybody would really like it!

A Message from the City of Petaluma

The public sever main on Mountain View from Petaluma Boulevard toPurrington Road will be replaced starting in December 2011 and finishing inMay 2012 (weather permitting).  Construction is scheduled from 8:30am to 5:30pm.  Traffic may be subject to delays and lane closures.

174 PTA Members at Grant School–Thank you for supporting our students, teachers and our entire learning community!  Membership forms are available in the office.

Upcoming Dates

• Book Fair–November 29th to December 6th (multi use room)
• Grandparent Night at the Book Fair–Wednesday, November 30th
• Book Fair & Pasta Feed–Friday, December 2nd Have you bought your tickets?
• School Site Council–Tuesday, December 6th 3:15pm in Room C1
• Performing Arts Auditions–Tuesday, December 13th after school (multi use room)–extra registration forms available in the office
• Jog-a-thon–Friday, December 9th
• Holiday Gift Shoppe–December 14th to 16th in the library
• Winter Break–December 23rd to January 6th

In October we participated in The Great California Shake Down.  We held an earthquake drill that teaches students to duck, cover and hold on.  All classes then evacuate the building to our assembly positions on the blacktop.  The drill went smoothly.  I am very proud of our students and staff.  When parents and other adults are on campus it is imperative that everyone participate in these drills.  In the event of an actual emergency, we would be accounting for everyone on campus–parent volunteers, mentors, guest speakers, etc.  We’re all a part of emergency preparedness!

An Author Visits  By Jack

Paul Zelinski and Emily Jenkins came on Monday October 24 and showed there book, Toys Come Home. Paul Zelinski drew for everybody and Emily Jenkins read some of the book.  Toys Come Home is the 3^rd book in this series.  It’s about a toy sting ray, a toy buffalo and a toy bouncey ball.  They go on lots of adventures together.  Mr. Zelinski, the illustrator, gave his signed drawings to our library.

Fourth Grade Social Studies by Ally

During fourth grade Social Studies we learn about different regions, urban rural and suburban areas, Indians, also absolute location, and the discovers ofCalifornia. Once we even made a dough map project. Here’s an interview I did with a student about how she feels about Social Studies.

Q: What do you like better Social Studies or Science?    A: Social Studies

Q: Did you have fun with the dough maps?   A: Yeah, lots of fun.

Q: What was your favorite Social Studies Project?   A: The dough maps.

I also got to do an interview with the Social Studies teacher and her perspective.

Q: Do you like how Social Studies are going?    A: I love it; it was one of my favorite subjects as a kid.

Q: Do you wish you taught science or do you like teaching Social Studies?

A: I taught Science before, it was ok but I just love Social Studies

Q: Are you having fun with Social Studies, or is it hard work?

A: It is hard work, but I love it too, its fun teaching kids aboutCaliforniaand the great things it has to offer.

So you can see that fourth grade Social Studies is a lot of fun.

Murals on the Ball Walls–Sign up now

Mrs. Haugen & Mr. Crysdale are collecting volunteers to help students paint murals on all four sides of the green ball walls.  Please email Mrs. Haugen if interested: chaugen@pet.k12.ca.us  It will be the perfect crowning project on our beautiful playground, field and track.

Speaking of the Track…

Doesn’t the field look amazing?!?!  A huge thank you to our maintenance crew!  They’ve been working weekends to finish irrigation, seed, sod and artificial turf on our campus.  The play structure irrigation and sod was a nearly final step.  We await the track installers for the final step–resealing & striping the track.  It’s the home stretch.  We can’t wait!

Tolay Park by Channing

Tolay Parkis a field trip that the first and sencond graders went on.  They went to the Pumpkin Patch and had a lot of fun.  At Tolay Park there was a corn maze, a tractor that took kids out to the pumpkin patch, and activities.  You could make candles and corn husk dolls.  You could spin wool and visit the nocturnal animals in the barn.  We had a great time there!

Hoist the Sales by Lexi

On October 7,2011, our 5^th grade class went on the Alma. The Alma is  a wooden schooner boat that was built in 1891 to carry cargo. We sailed from the Sheraton to the edge of Schollenberger park. Captain Jason was our guide and taught us how to steer the boat, put up the sails and how to use a commpass. It was a super fun field trip.

Red Ribbon Week by Vivian & Charlotte

Red Ribbon Week is when we teach people about staying away from drugs.

A Buddy Red Ribbon Week Poster

This year we did activities for the week of October 24th to October 28th. On Monday the GLT announced Red Ribbon week. On Tuesday we did our recycling rooms and told the story of how red ribbon began. On Wednesday we asked for students to wear red. On Thursday classes made posters about how to prevent drugs.  There were two classes that hung a poster outside the classroom(Mrs.Rc’s class and Mrs. Cohen and Mrs.Baumann’s class). A lot of classes  put red ribbons on poles along the hallways.

Reading Intervention at Grant School

After much discussion and analysis, we have launched reading intervention this year beginning with our 1st to 4th grade students.  Tammy Jacobson, our reading specialist, and Shantina Willits, our instructional assistant, are meeting with small groups (4-5 students) focusing on early phonics, decoding and comprehension strategies.  We identify students through STAR Reading and Early STAR Literacy assessments (both through Renaissance Place) and teacher input.  For most students, a boost of intervention will put them back on the right path and for others, more extended intervention will be key.  Each group meets for 30 minutes per day with either Mrs. Jacobson or Mrs. Willits.  We are very proud of this brand new reading intervention and are monitoring student progress closely.  It is our goal to intervene early and return students to 100% classroom instruction as quickly and efficiently as possible.  And already, as of November 1, we have exited six students from intervention groups.  We look forward to continued success through the winter months and beyond.

Cool the Earth  By Nathan Turner

At our B.E.S.T. assembly this week Mrs. Frankin and Ms. Megna had their students present a skit for Cool the Earth.  Cool the Earth is a program that gets kids and families everywhere to take charrge of the planet.  For example, you could take shorter showers, or ride your bike or carpool.  You could also turn off the lights when you are not in your room and don’t forget you can recycle too!

There are many more ideas out there and there are Cool the Earth coupons to tell you more.  If your family agrees to participate in Cool the Earth, students can return the coupons to school to get a game card and possibly a prize.  Can you collect them all?

Grant Technology Committee aka Grant Geeks

Are you looking for a way to help out?  Want to get involved at Grant?  We have just the group for you!  Our Grant Geeks meet monthly to discuss the future of technology on our campus–maintenance, curriculum support, teacher training, lab replacement options, classroom technology needs, etc.  Next meeting: December 2, 2011 3:00pm, location TBD (check in at the office).

Conferences, Report Cards & the End of the Trimester

Starting November 7th parent/teacher conferences are held everyday after school.  We are so fortunate to have 30-minutes per student to discuss all the things that help make school successful–organization, social skills, academic growth, and areas of focus.  Report cards are sent home on November 18th.  Students are participating in a variety of benchmark assessment to help inform the report card, shape future instruction and celebrate growth for the 1st trimester.  Teachers make an effort to schedule sibling conferences back-to-back.  All conference days are early release for students (just like Wednesdays) from November 7th to November 18th.

6th Grade at the Ropes Course by Alyssa

6th Grade Teachers at Westminster Woods

Last week on Friday, October 21, 2011, the sixth grade went to Westminster Woods Challenge Course in Occidental. It was the first field trip for the entire sixth grade. The facilitators helped each group go across the challenge courses. They also had wierd animal names like sloth, goose, and fox. The drivers helped us get to Occidental in their own cars. Thanks parents and Ms. Reynolds and Ms. Bender!

Jog-a-thon is Coming

Stay tuned for information about the Jog-a-thon! Students will bring home details on November 10th. This year’s Jog-a-thon is December 9th.  It’s going to be great!

New Balance Girls on the Run 5k                            

Family-Fun Run/Walk

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 9:00 AM

Rohnert Park Community Center

5401 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park
Join us!  Lace up your shoes and join over 300 3^rd-8^th grade girls in this family-fun 5k open to the community.  Families, friends and strollers are welcome!  Run, walk, cheer!

To register, visit http://gotrsonomacounty.org/events.html

Upcoming Dates:

• Conferences: November 7 to November 18 (early release every day)
• Race to Nowhere (the movie & facilitated discussion): Thursday, November 3 Grant School Multi (see website for details)  Tickets are still available.
• Thanksgiving Break: November 21 to 25
• Book Fair: November 29 to December 6
• Jog-a-thon: Friday, December 9th

A huge thank you to all of the hard-working parents that helped with the ice cream social, Nancy Chadwick, Sarah Prokop, Annie Deveza, Karin and Dion Reif, Patty Stenberg, Leslie O’Neill and Jared Vollmer, plus our wonderful scoop-a-licious teachers that brought smiles to so many faces.  Also, a special thank you to Mrs. Haugen and Tracy Dugar who worked the front lines, the back lines and the side lines.  You guys rock!  Oh, and let’s not forget our three Petaluma companies that donated making this event such a huge success, while keeping our Grant school costs way down.  When you buy dairy, remember Clover Stornetta, when planning a party, remember Lace House Linen and when craving a sweet treat, remember Brain Freeze.  We live in an incredible community and the generosity of our parents, our teachers and these three businesses have blessed us all!

Thanks again from your ice cream social coordinator, Gina Tomrose

Label Everything–a tip from the Lost-and-Found Dept.

It is so important to label absolutely everything–lunch boxes, brown bag lunches, backpacks, sweatshirts… With 388 students on campus, the lost-and-found fills up quickly!  Grab a sharpie and start labeling!

Interviewing Mrs Garvey By Teddy

Q: Have you ever taught at another school if so where?  A: Yes, I taught at Miwok for 8 years.

Q:  How do you like Grant school so far?  A: I love Grant School.  I especialy like how nice theolder kids are toward the younger kids.

Q: Do you like working with younger kids?  A: I love coming to work everyday, and I love to taech kids how to read.

Q: How long have you been teaching for?  A: This is my nineth year.  Before teaching, I used to buy props and displays for Old Navy stores.

Q:  What are some of your hobbies?  A: Anything outdoors, like camping, hiking, and skiing.  I also keep up on current events.

Wanted: A dishwasher repair person 

Do you repair appliances?  Do you know someone who does?  Our staff kitchen here at Grant has a dishwasher that won’t stay shut during the wash cycle.  Current solution–a chair and the garbage can wedge it in place quite well.  Good grief!  If you know of help, please contact Mrs. Haugen in the office.

The Sixth Grade Area is Back! By Alyssa

The sixth graders have the sixth grade area again! The sixth graders love the sixth grade area. We earn the area by bringing our music things on Tuesdays. We also get it by having good behavior during music class. The sixth grade area is an area only for the sixth graders. Other little kids can walk through it, but they cannot sit in it. It is fun to eat at the tables and benches we can sit on instead of hard concrete ground. The sixth graders do not want to lose this privilege of eating in this area of ours. Please help us keep this area by keeping it clean and tidy.

The sixth graders also have to remember to keep it clean too. The sixth graders also have to bring our supplies for music class. Do not forget, sixth graders, that you have to have good behavior in music class if you want the sixth grade area. This privilege has been very fun. We would like to continue with it.

A Track & Field Update

As you’ve noticed, the fence has moved back to the field.  And even better, the blacktop is striped and open for business.  Yahoo!  For the next several weeks, district maintenance personal are reworking the sprinkler system, laying soil, installing sod, planting grass seed, and installing artificial turf (in the tricky spots).

Murals on the Ball Walls–Help Wanted!

Matt Crysdale, a parent on our campus, has generously offered to spearhead this amazing project.  He has designed four spectacular murals for the ball walls and is hoping to make it an all-school project.  Similar to the multi mural, Matt will trace the designs, and students will paint in a “paint-by numbers” approach.  Our goal is to have every student at Grant contribute to some part of the murals. 

How you can help–

We need parents to help sand, possibly repair and primer the walls.  Then we’ll need a group to help during the school day with the actual painting with students.  No experience or expertise needed.  Please email Mrs. Haugen if you are interested.  When enough folks are on board, we’ll hold a planning meeting and go from there.  And last, we’ll need clean plastic containers with secure lids for paint (think: peanut butter or  mayonaise–not too big).  You can bring those to the office.

Author Visit: Michael Grant By Zach

Student reading Michael Grant's book (photo by Abby)

September 16^th an author came to grant school. His name was Michael Grant and he is the author of The Magnificent 12 and many other books. He told us about his books and about himself. The Magnificent 12 is about a kid Mack and how he finds out he’s one of the Magnificent 12, he must find the 11 others to stop an evil force that’s on its way. In the Magnificent 12 there are things called Golems and they look exactly like you, but not as smart. They are used for filling in for you when you must go but don’t want family members to know, Mack uses one in the book. Michael Grant had one and it was really funny. Michael Grant is a great author and I’m very happy he came to our school.

Caring School Community at Grant School

Caring School Community is a research-based elementary program from the Developmental Studies Center aimed at community building through a variety of lessons and activities.  Students at Grant School participate in Class Meetings, Buddies, Homeside Activities and Daily Check-in Meetings. We have a team of teachers who meet regularly to support our school’s committment to CSC: Mary Reynolds, Patti Kowta, Jean Groh and Kellean Casey. 

Through Class Meetings we give students a voice and encourage discourse among students toward common goals of community and caring.  Buddy activities from CSC build on our historic buddy program by weaving in communication and cooperation skills.  Homeside Activities help build a community of caring individuals in our classrooms by sharing with one another our individual experiences.  Daily Check-in Meetings help bring about solutions to immediate concerns and needs.  Ask your student about his/her latest class meeting.

Mary Reynolds Goes Google!

September 23-24 I attended the Google Geo Teachers Institute in Washington

Ms. Reynolds' favorite quote from the trip

DC. I received seventeen hours professional development on how to use Google Earth, Maps, Moon, Mars, Sky, and SketchUp in the classroom. The Institute took place at the National Geographic Society, and it was wonderful to be able to work at their facility. I met teachers from across the nation- Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois, to name a few. I had time to learn all of the ins and outs of these free Google programs, as well as discuss practical classroom applications with Google Certified Teachers. I came back and told the 6th grade that we could spend the rest of our Thursdays in computer lab doing Google activities that relate directly to our curriculum. This was how much I learned! The possibilities with Google in any classroom are truly endless! This was a very inspiring trip! Our group was also given a behind the scenes tour of the Library of Congress- Maps and Geography Division, as well as a visit to the National Archives and the National Geographic Museum. It was a whirlwind trip- but so much was accomplished and learned. I am looking forward to showing teachers at Grant, as well as district wide, how to use Google in their classrooms.

Grant School Gardeners–Diggin in! by Julia Megna

Welcome to October!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by at the Ice Cream Social to join the ranks of volunteers who care about our school’s gardens and believe children benefit from outdoor science experiences. Garden club is happening, yet Setsuko Jolin and I are anticipating the help of new volunteers. Please let me know where you can lend support. The following is a list of ways you can help. Please contact me tolet me know what you’re up for

1)  Many teachers would love outside science support! Speak with your child’s teacher about supporting the garden near their room (if they have one), or bringing plant/earth science activities to the classrooms. I am happy to sit with you and look at my wonderful school garden binder which has activities for each grade, focussing on science standards.

2) Lunchtime Garden Club, grades K-6. Right now, we need Tuesday volunteers. (I spoke with a few of you about this and hope to hear from you.) Recently children weeded, cultivated, fertilized and planted a variety of vegetables and herbs in the raised beds near the multi; made and enjoyed mint teas from mint in the sensory garden.

3) If you are up for facilitating Garden Club on another day of the week, I am more than happy to lend suggestions for activities and help coordinate a group of volunteers. What day works for you?

4) Drop-in to Garden Club: 11:45-12:45 Tuesdays with Ms. Megna, 12:15-12:45 Wednesdays with Setsuko Jolin and (yet to have a leader) 11:45-12:45 Mon. Thurs. Fri.  The more adults, the more children can participate in lunchtime activities. We’ve had as many as 20 children at a time, excited to go on a bug hunt, shell beans, dig out bermuda grass.. you name it! A few activities can happen simultaneously.

5) Water vegetable garden 1-2 days a week (we can get you a hose key) You pick the time. Before or after school is fine.  Also, weeding the A-wing Sensory Garden, Mural Garden… in your time. (Kristi we spoke about that and I have the shed keys in my room, A-3)

6) I don’t know if we’ll have a school plant sale in the spring. We need a chairperson. The sale brings in money for the program. It’s a rewarding event to volunteer for. Karen London and family were so helpful with growing plants from seeds I had donated from The Seed Bank for the sale last year. Be sure to see the great article on Karen in this week’s Argus Courier.

GLT at the Garden

Upcoming garden club activities: Gather seeds from dried plants that are in the shed by the multi, sow winter crop seeds in cups of soil/label, work the soil of the garden next to  A-4, coordinate the delivery of compost and spread it there; plant fava beans or ???, harvest and prepare food from raised beds, weed and take “starts” from A-wing sensory garden, and plan the Mural Garden project.  If you have ideas to share, please do so!

Looking forward to hearing from you and bringing the joy of outdoor science and nature exploration to so many who normally don’t have the opportunity.

Ms. Julia Megna
(rm A-3, teaching Mondays, Tuesdays, and every other Wednesdays)

Book Reveiws by Lance & Jack

Your child will not read? Don’t worry, we got some books your kid will like. But before we tell you what they are, we are going to tell you some other things. I (Lance Sunshine) am a reader . I remember saying when I was 4,”I love to read,” while reading a book about this thick: [ ]. But now I’m reading different books so we have to have age groups. Now here are the books.

Magic Tree House (Ages 5-8)   These books are magic-filled. Two characters named Jack and Amy find a tree house and zoom to factual times and places every book. So your child can learn and have fun reading at the same time!

The Zack Files (Ages 5-8) Lots of wacky things happen to 10 year old Zack! His parents are divorced, and the weird things always happen with his dad. A fun read for imaginative beginners!

Harry Potter (Ages 8-11) This is personally my (Lance’s) favorite series. The shortest book may be 309 pgs. but it’s worth it. Filled with suspense, adventure, and a lot of magic, if your imagination is big enough, it’s almost real!

Any Rick Riordan Series (Ages 8-11)  This is the author of 3 different children’s series. With mythology as his specialty (in Lance’s opinion) he turns kids into heroes in Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythologies, one religion for each series. In fact, one of his books is almost out!

 The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel (Ages 8-11) Have you ever heard of Nicolas Flamel, the famous “alchemist”? Well this series is about that guy. When twins Josh and Sophie find out they are “the twins of legend”, they find themselves in a world of Elders (gods from different religions) and magic. They must save the world from the Dark Elders, while not separating, which, unfortunately, has happened. Catch up on the books (The Alchemist is the fist book) so you can be ready when the final book comes out next summer!

Elizabeth Singer Hunt Visits Grant School  By Lauren

On September 22^nd book author Elizabeth Singer Hunt came to our school and talked about all of her books.  She said she was inspired to write her books because of the first Indiana Jones movie she saw when she was a kid.  She said it was her favorite movie.  She said she has been writing books for four years.

After she told us about her books and her childhood, I asked her what her favorite food was.  She said she really likes Thai food. 

I have read her first book, The Danger of the Deadly Dinosaurs.  She signed my book too. She said hope you like dinosaurs! I loved having her come to grant schoolI hope she can come again!

The Halloween Parade  By Charlotte  

This year we will be having a Halloween parade at school.  We will walk around the school and the neighborhood in our costumes.  Some classes might be having a Halloween celebration and have cookies too.  I love cookies!  Some costumes that my friends will be wearing are a guinnea pig, a witch, and a pirate.  I’m not sure what I am going to be.  I might be Red Riding Hood or a pirate.  This year’s halloween parade is going to be exciting and fun!

What Kids are Writing about at School by Aidan & Emri

We interviewed kids on what they wrote about for the district writing sample.  For instance, Lily P. wrote about Mt. Shasta, and Jarod W. wrote about his trip to Disneyland this summer.  As did many other kids, they wrote about places they saw during the summer.  Students had fun writing about things, places and fun things to do.

Girls on the Run is so much Fun! By Vivian & Channing

Girls on the run, an origination for girls is stating up again! The coaches are named Stacie and Michelle. We run, but we also do community service. Last week we handed out water at the Moo-Cow Race. You can either do a 5K or a half marathon. We handed out water at the half marathon; we saw our Couch Hilbert and Ms. Baumann! We also understand that everybody is unique in their own special way. Our last topic was on eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and getting enough exercise.  Girls on the run IS so much fun!

Upcoming Dates:

• School Site Council meeting, Tuesday, 10/11 at 3:00 in room C1
• School Board Meeting, Tuesday, 10/11 at District Office, 200 Douglas Street
• Halloween Parade, Monday, 10/31 at 12:45 around the neighborhood–please be our audience along the parade route

by Mrs. Haugen

GLT has met during two lunch times for brainstorming topics, partnering up and writing articles.  We’re excited to share our first product with you all.  GLT for September and October includes: Vivian, Charlotte, Jack, Channing, Ally, Abby, Lauren, Emri, Gracie, Nathan, Lance, Lexi, Alyssa, Zach, Ted & Aidan. 

New Family Potluck

Potluck... get it? Pots! And bowls.

 By Lauren Hazel

This years potluck welcomed all the new families to Grant School.  From the start of the potluck to the end, there was delicious and healthy food for everyone.  The 6^th graders also gave tours around the school.  Mrs. Haugen and teachers were there to greet the families.  Everyone was very welcoming.  My family is new to Grant this year.  We enjoyed the food, especially the pasta!

A Note from our Art Docent Coordinator

by Alyse Breece

I hope the dust is settling and that you are all off to a great school year!  The Art Docent Program is ready to go and teachers will be receiving their new list of lessons for 2011-12 soon.   At the end of the year, I surveyed them to see what topics and skills they wanted us to address so I hope our new lessons fulfill that.  So  now all we need is volunteers from your schools!  Call if you are interested: 779-4958

Up-coming Dates to Note  

by Mrs. Haugen

• School Site Council Meeting (library)-Tuesday, September 13, 3:00-4:30pm
• Ice Cream Social (amphitheater)- Thursday, September 15, 5:30-7:00pm
• Jog-a-thon-Friday, October 14, all day

SAY CHEESE

by Lexi Pittman

On August 25, 2011 it was Picture Day at Grant School. Kids came in there best of best clothes and others wore their favorite clothes. Look in your child’s folder soon to see the wonderful photos they took. Between the great hair, fabulous clothes, and big smiles Picture Day was a big success!!!!

Classroom Emergency Kits

a message from PTA

This year we are not asking individual students to bring in an emergency kits for the classroom.  Rather, we are organizing generic emergency supplies (water, food, blankets) for each classroom.  If you are interested in helping with this emergency preparedness project, please contact

WANTED: A Pair of Chairs for the Grant School Auction

No, not to sit in!  We need a pair of motivated, organized parents to chair this amazing annual event.  It’s been a huge success for quite a few years now, so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.  You’ll have plenty of helpers and lots of guidance from last year’s chairs.  Contact Colleen Goldstein.

Back to School Night

By Emri & Aidan

On Back to School Night teachers spoke about the newest school trends. One mostly inportant thing is kids on their best behaivor. For instance kids who will be seated with who, which keeping kids out of trouble out on the black top, and which should be G.L.T!  They will also talk about important events.  And one thing they must talk about are toys at school.  No toys at school!  Well that’s a wrap for me.  Remeber all this for good grades and no trouble.  All parents were on their BEST behavior at Back to School Night!

PTA Membership Drive–Going on Now

The Blacktop is resurfaced!

By Zach and Abby

 The blacktop is almost finished!!! Everyone has been watching the blacktop getting closer and closer to being finished and now it almost is! The workers have been working on it for a couple weeks now and it’s looking really good!

Everyone is really excited for the blacktop to be finished so we can play on it again. The workers will be striping the blacktop like the four squares, kickball, basketball hoops, tetherball, and new lineup numbers. It’s going to be the same material as the track.

Mrs. O’Niell, an interview

by Alyssa & Ally 

Q: What’s your name?    A: Katherine

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do?   A: Outdoors, be with horses

Q: What’s your favorite food?   A: Mexican

Q: What did you do before you came to our school?   A:  I taught at a different school. 

Q: Do you have any kids or pets?   A:  4 kids, 3 dogs, 6 horses

Q:  When is your birthday?   A:  April 9th

Q: What is your favorite thing to do?   A:  Go to the ocean

The track is Finished

By Charlotte & Nathan

The Grant track is finally finished.  The fences were moved to go around the blacktop since they will be working on that next.  Now that the track is finished, some students have walking laps around it.  Mrs. Haugen reminded everyone at the last BEST assembly that it is not okay to try to bounce rocks off the track.  Also students are not allowed to throw sticks at the track.  Unfortunately, the track gets very dirty and muddy because people run on the grassy field and kick dirt onto the track.

Overall, I am glad that the track is finished.  I think it will be really fun to have the jog-a-thon on it this year.  Also, I think PE will be easier. 

Mrs. Cohen is Retiring

by Vivian and Gracie

Mrs. Cohen has been a teacher at Grant School for 23 years. She has taught for 36 years. A lot of people think she’s the best teacher in the school.  This week she cracked a raw egg on her head because we are reading Ramona Quimby, Age 8.  Ramona does that in the story, so Mrs. Cohen thought it would be funny. We are going to do fun things with her this year.                                               

Most people that go to Grant School are very sad about the retirement.  Mrs. Cohen is excited but also a little bit sad to stop teaching. She loves to help kids and friends. She team taught with lots of other nice teachers. She loves cycling and reading.  She teaches exercise at Redwood Club. She’s bright and colorful teacher. Her room B-4 is cheerful, quiet, and safe. She taught special Ed at McDowell for 13 years.

Both of her kids went to Grant and she hopes her grandson, Jayden, will too.  Her favorite color is blue because it comes in so many shades.  Mrs. Cohen has two cats. Their names are Honey and Charlie. Her favorite animal is also cats. She’s very fun, cheerful and friendly teacher. She loves to read.

Afterschool Enrichment

a Message from Sandy Molina

Afterschool Enrichment is set to start in a few weeks.  To save paper, I have organized all Enrichment offerings on a two page handout.  You can find this list outside your student’s classroom, on the Grant website or in your weekly email communication from your student’s teacher.  It’s also posted outside the office in the display case. 

You can contact Enrichment class teachers via phone to sign-up.  All names and contact numbers are on the 2-page flier.

Welcome to all our new families and returning families!  I hope this first New Shamrock News finds you rested, rejuvenated and ready for a new school year.  I know I’ve enjoyed my break immensely.  My family and I took a trip to Kauai and rounded out the break with two camping trips.  I can’t wait to hear about your summer adventures.

I’ve been here in the office readying things for our return on August 17th.  I’m learning my way around Dr. Martin’s old stomping grounds and feeling comfortable and supported by our staff, parents and my new principal colleagues.

You’ll notice I called this The New Shamrock News.  Mrs. Paisley (amazing, creative publisher of our Shamrock News in years’ past) has taken a break from this volunteer effort.  Thank you to Mrs. Paisley for keeping us published and looking good!  Since there’s a bit of change going on already here at Grant, I decided to mix up the Shamrock News a bit and put it in the hands of the GLT.  Our Grant Leadership Team will be working together to write and publish articles about the goings-on around campus.  I am so excited for this new format and can’t wait to send you all the first edition from our August/September GLT.  Stay tuned!  And if you’re a parent who’d like to help with this new project, just let me know.

Construction on the Track is Underway!

August 3, 2011 Pouring the Curb

On Saturday, July 23, 2011, construction began on our track!  The Track Committee, Steve Bolman (Petaluma’s Interim Superintendent), and I were all excited to get started.  Delays in the bidding process held us up in June, but we’ve been patient this long, so might as well stay persistent and see it through!  Due to our late start, construction will most likely go through the end of September although if you take a peek at the slideshow on our website, you’ll notice things are moving along a quite a clip.  We have a plan in place for a split recess (1st to 3rd, 4th to 6th) to accommodate a smaller play area and keep our students safe.  Likewise is the plan for lunch with a return to our normal all school recess when construction is complete. 

Upcoming Dates to Know

• PTA sponsored New Family Potluck: Monday, August 15th at 5:30, bring a side dish to share and come mingle, take an Ambassador Tour, and get to know us!
• Class Lists Posted: Tuesday, August 16th at 4pm outside the office
• 1st day of school: Wednesday, August 17th (it’s an early release Wednesday–11:25 for K, 12:45 for 1st to 6th)
• Picture Days: Thursday, August 25th and Friday, August 26th–check your student’s registration envelope for specifics
• Back to School Night: Wednesday, August 31st (6:15-7:15 K to 3rd, 7:15-7:30 Introduction of PTA and staff in Multi, 7:30-8:30 4th to 6th)

Mrs. Ihrig went to Washington, DC!

TAH Teaching American History

submitted by Leslie Ihrig 

A Reminder about Drop off and Pick up

Looking for Help