GECKO GAZETTE
GRANT SCHOOL - SANTA MONICA
WEEK OF JANUARY 23 - 29, 2023
~HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR TO ALL OF OUR GECKOS WHO CELEBRATE!~
The holiday, which is also known as Chinese New Year and Spring Festival, is officially upon us, kicking off officially on Sunday, January 22.
Originating in multiple countries in east Asia, the holiday is filled with rich culture and tradition that centers around the hope for good fortune and prosperity.
Though the date differs each year based on the cycle of the moon, it always falls between Jan. 20 and Feb. 21 on the Gregorian calendar.
Each year also has a corresponding animal from the Chinese zodiac, based on ancient Chinese mythology; last year was the Year of the Tiger, and 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit.
~ IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER ~
Please review these important dates:
GRANT SPIRIT WEEK IS ALL WEEK THIS WEEK! SEE INFORMATION BELOW!
- Monday, January 23rd: Santa Monica Education Foundation January Campaign Kicks Off! See information below.
- Monday, January 23rd: Grant School Site Council Meeting @ 3:15 PM on Zoom. Click this link to join meeting. Meeting ID: 875 0764 7151; Passcode: 609286
- Tuesday, January 24th: Parent Education Night: Helping Parents Raise Safe, Conscious, & Healthy Kids in the Digital Age with Digital Media Wellness Educator Julia Storm: 6:30 PM in the Grant Auditorium
- Thursday, January 26th: TK and Kindergarten Roundup: 9:00 AM in the Grant Auditorium. Click the following link to register to attend: TK/KINDER ROUNDUP RSVP
- Thursday, January 26th: Field Trip: 3rd-Grade to Eco Tour of Tree People - All Day
- Friday, January 27th: Grant Student Council Bake Sale After School.
- Friday, January 27th: Talent Show Group A Rehearsal: 3:00 - 6:00 PM in the Auditorium
- Tuesday, January 31st: Assembly: Children's Book Author Kristi Bradbury: All Grades
- Wednesday, February 1st: ELAC Meeting @ 8:45 AM in the Sky Room
- Wednesday, February 1st: Black History Month Assembly for 4th and 5th Grade Students from 11:00 - 12:00 in the Auditorium.
- Wednesday, February 1st: PTA Executive Board Meeting @ 6:30 PM in the Library
- Friday, February 3rd: Talent Show Group B Rehearsal: 3:00 - 6:00 PM in the Auditorium
- Thursday, February 7th: Grant Construction: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Community Meeting @ 5:30 PM in the Auditorium.
- Wednesday, February 8th: Fire Drill #6 @ 8:45 AM
- Thursday, February 9th: Black History Month Assembly: TK-2 @ 9:00 AM; Grades 3-5 @ 10:45 AM. Both are in the Auditorium.
- Friday, February 10th: Talent Show Group A Rehearsal: 3:00 - 6:00 PM in the Auditorium
- Wednesday, February 15th: PTA General Meeting in the Library @ 6:30 PM
- Thursday, February 16th: Student Assembly: Author/Animator Benson Shum - All Grades
- Thursday, February 16th: Grant Black History Month Presentation to the Board of Education: Time TBD (probably around 5:30 PM)
- Monday, February 20th: NO SCHOOL IN OBSERVANCE OF PRESIDENTS' DAY
- Wednesday, February 22nd: Grant School Tour for Prospective Families @ 9:00 AM. Please share with your friends that do not currently attend Grant!
- Friday, February 24th: Talent Show Group B Rehearsal: 3:00 - 6:00 PM in the Auditorium
- Friday, March 3rd: Talent Show Tech Rehearsal: 3:00 - 6:00 PM in the Auditorium
- Tuesday, March 7th: JOGATHON! More info is coming soon!
- Thursday, March 9th: Talent Show Dress Rehearsal: 3:00 - 6:00 PM in the Auditorium
- Friday, March 10th: GRANT TALENT SHOW NIGHT #1: 4:00 - 6:00 PM in the Auditorium
- Saturday, March 11th: GRANT TALENT SHOW NIGHT #2: 4:00 - 6:00 PM in the Auditorium
- Wednesday, March 15th: Grant Career Day
- Thursday, March 16th: Fire Drill #7 @ 9:00 AM
- Monday, March 20th: TK-5 SPRING STAR ELA & MATH ASSESSMENT WINDOW OPENS
- Monday, March 20th: Grant School Site Council Meeting @ 3:15 PM
- Thursday, March 23rd: FIELD TRIP: 5th Grade to tour JAMS
- Thursday, March 23rd: FIELD TRIP: 4th Grade to Natural History Museum
- Saturday, March 25th: GRANT STEAM EXPO! More info is coming soon!
- Monday, March 27th: NO SCHOOL - CESAR CHAVEZ HOLIDAY
~A MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL FUHRER~
Dear Grant Families,
I hope you all are enjoying this sunny and dry weekend! It's hard to believe that we are near the halfway point of the year! We still have so much to accomplish this year and we look forward to an educational, engaging, and fun second semester!
This Thursday, January 26th is our annual Transitional and Kindergarten Roundup! The event will begin at 9:00 AM in the Grant Auditorium. Click the following link to register to attend: TK/KINDER ROUNDUP RSVP. This is an opportunity for our current or new families to learn about our Early Learning programs and tour the campus. We hope to see you there. Please share this with any families that are not currently attending Grant School.
Tomorrow, Monday, January 23rd, the Santa Monica Education Foundation begins its January Campaign. Our goal is to increase participation in fundraising from all families at any amount. Currently, Grant School is at 33% participation and the goal is to beat last year! That means we need another 100 families to donate by January 31st. The campaign goes from 1/23-1/31, and there’s a big match and two Flash Matches during that time. We’re excited that MSD Partners and the Fairmont Hotel & Bungalows are offering a $25,000 match on all donations from January 23 through January 31! This is the time in the school year when the school district and the Grant team prioritize spending for next year and we do this based on the donations received to date. We need your help to continue providing our Geckos with a world-class education!
As an extra incentive, if we meet our goal, the students will have an opportunity to tape me to the flagpole in the front courtyard! We did this once before for Red Nose Day and the kids had a blast!
Please consider donating to the Santa Monica Education Foundation today! For those of you who have not yet made your donation to the Ed Foundation this school year, I encourage you to do so. Thank you to those Grant families who have already made a donation! Let’s beat our participation last year – we only need 4 families from each class to make a donation – of any amount! Help our students soar!
YOUR DONATIONS ARE CRITICAL TO ENSURING WE CAN FUND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS AND PROVIDE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.
This Tuesday evening we will be hosting a parent education night - Helping Parents Raise Safe, Conscious, & Healthy Kids in the Digital Age with Digital Media Wellness Educator Julia Storm. This event will be on Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30 PM and we have opened the event to ALL parents in the SMMUSD. Tell a friend! Also, we now have childcare for those who need it (no infants and toddlers, please). Childcare will be supervised by Grant staff.
Have a great week, Geckos!
Best regards,
Christian Fuhrer
Principal
Grant School
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
Fuhrer to the flagpole! The picture below is from 2019 during Red Nose Day.
~GRANT SPIRIT WEEK!~
On Friday, Student Council will hold a bake sale benefiting Farm Sanctuary. This Spirit Week is entirely students created and driven.
Check out this cool video they made:
~Interim Superintendent’s Message: Supporting Our Community~
Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, Students, and Community Members,
Our community is in shock and grief after a mass shooting Saturday night left 10 people dead and at least 10 more injured in Monterey Park.
The shooting took place near a Lunar New Year festival where many families gathered to enjoy the holiday festivities. This should have been a time of celebration but has become one of mourning. We know that many of our Santa Monica and Malibu families and staff have been celebrating this special event this weekend and that this tragedy in a nearby community is very upsetting.
Our hearts and thoughts are with the families and communities impacted by this horrific event, along with all of you who are affected by this incident. I know that we are all upset and unsettled by this senseless tragedy.
It is important to be aware that incidents of gun violence and loss can affect both children and adults. The Los Angeles County Office of Education has put together the following resources to provide educators and parents support in talking to students about gun violence, their safety and their feelings. There are also resources to support adults who are experiencing emotional distress.
Resources for Schools and Families
- Talking to Children about the Shooting (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
- Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (National Association of School Psychologists)
- Coping in the Aftermath of a Shooting (American Counseling Association)
- Trauma and Disaster Mental Health (American Counseling Association)
- Managing your distress in the aftermath of a shooting (American Psychological Association)
- Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (Resources in multiple languages)
- Helping Youth After Community Trauma: Tips for Educators
Please stay safe out there. Continue to take care of yourselves and each other.
Sincerely,
Mark O. Kelly, Ed. D.
Interim Superintendent
~TK & KINDERGARTEN ROUND UP THIS THURSDAY!~
~ PARENT EDUCATION NIGHT ~
~GRANT COMMUNITY FACILITIES MEETING~
~LEARNING GARDEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!~
~GRANT TALENT SHOW IS COMING!~
Grant Talent Show is coming! We had an amazing return to live performance last year and are excited to do it again! The shows will be on March 10th and 11th with rehearsals starting Friday, January 27. Everyone is encouraged to participate, no auditions are required. We can't wait to see your talent!
Please read the 2023 information sheet here. There's a lot of important information including all the rehearsal times and important guidance on the content of acts, so please read these thoroughly before signing up.
Signup is via Google form:
Dear staff, parents and families,
Recent weather conditions in our state have been extremely stressful on our communities. People are likely to be anxious and tense, especially those experiencing mental health problems and those with significant impairments.
The California Department of Health and Human Services (CalHHS) has created the CalHHS Emergency Resource Guide. The guide includes information to help prepare for emergencies, including winter storms. In this guide, you will find suggestions to prepare a personal emergency plan, how to prepare medical devices that require electricity, and information about available mental, social, and health care services.
_________________________
Estimados padres y familias,
Nuestras comunidades en California estan experimentando tensiones y estrés debido a las fuertes tormentas recientes.
Las recientes condiciones climaticas en California han sido extremadamente estresantes para nuestras comunidades. Es probable que las personas estén ansiosas y tensas especialmente las que experimentan problemas de salud mental y que tienen impedimentos más significativos.
El departamento de salud y servicios humanos de California (CalHHS por sus siglas en inglés)ha creado el Guía de recursos de emergencia del CalHHS. Este guía incluye información para ayudar a prepararse para emergencias causadas por las tormentas. En esta guía encontrará sugerencias para preparar un plan de emergencia personal, cómo preparar dispositivos médicos que requieren electricidad e información sobre los servicios de atención mental, social y de salud disponibles.
___________________________
The Ed Foundation’s January Campaign Has Begun at Grant!
Grant families, for those of you who have not yet made your donation to the Ed Foundation this school year, I encourage you to do so. Thank you to those Grant families who have already made a donation! Let’s beat our participation last year – we only need 4 families from each class to make a donation – of any amount!
Help our students soar!
smedfoundation.org/grant
PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION. YOUR DONATIONS ARE CRITICAL TO ENSURING WE CAN FUND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS AND PROVIDE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.
~COMMUNITY EVENT~
The show is part of the YES program (Youth Education/Entertainment Series) at the Morgan-Wixson Theater, which is on Pico right here in Sunset Park. The program is for youth actors and has a special emphasis on literature. The program offers school shows in order to bring some endearing story books to life on stage for young audiences.
~ALL NEW GECKO WEAR AVAILABLE NOW!~
Show your Grant school spirit every Friday with ALL NEW Gecko Wear. Check out the new designs and items including hats, shirts, sweatshirts, and canvas tote bags!
These products are available for purchase by pre-ordering online: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/grant-gecko-wear
To review the Grant School policies and the SMMUSD Annual Notice Handbook please click the following links:
Please click the image to see a full-size schedule
Click to enlarge image below.
~EASY WAYS TO HELP GRANT SCHOOL~
~DROP OFF AND PICK UP PROCEDURES~
Safe Campus drop-off and pick-up procedures are outlined below.
As a reminder, all students in Grades Kindergarten through 5th grade will be dropped off at the main gate at the front of the school in the morning or at the pedestrian gate in the rear of the school and will be picked up at either the main gate or the Kindergarten yard. Your teacher will let you know where their specific pickup location is. If you are unsure, please ask.
*Please do not drive into the staff parking lot at either the front or the rear of the school to either drop off or pick up your child.
DROP-OFF and PICK-UP PROCEDURES
Preschool and TK Drop-off: Due to State law, all Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten students must be dropped off to their teacher. Preschool parents will continue to enter the campus at the main gates after checking in with the Campus Monitor, proceed to Room 59, and sign their child in with Ms. Reed. TK parents will walk their children to the Transitional Kindergarten yard where Ms. Herman and Ms. Cedillo will greet them each day.
Preschool and TK Pick-up: All Preschool parents will meet Ms. Reed at the main gates for dismissal. Students whose parents have not picked up their child at dismissal will check into the main office and then proceed to Room 59 to check their child out from Ms. Reed. All TK parents will enter the Kindergarten playground from the Pearl Street entrance at dismissal time and students will be checked out by Ms. Herman and Ms. Cedillo.
Kindergarten Drop-off: Kindergarten students will be dropped off by their parent or guardian at the gate next to Room 2 beginning at 8:00 AM M-F. Students will walk to the Kindergarten playground where they will be met by a teacher or Campus Monitor. Students enrolled in SAP will be walked to their classrooms by SAP personnel.
Kindergarten Pick-up: Kindergarten students will be picked up by going through the Pearl Street Kinder gate at dismissal at 1:45 PM. Teachers will be at their classroom doors to greet parents and guardians. No Kinder student will be released to anyone other than a parent/guardian or emergency contact. Students enrolled in SAP will be picked up by SAP personnel in their classrooms.
Grades 1 – 5 Drop-off: All students in grades 1 – 5 will be dropped off by their parent or guardian at the main gate in front of the school or at the 24th Street gate each morning. Students will enter the school and walk to the playground where they will be supervised by a Grant School Teacher, Campus Monitor, or Administrator. Drop-off will begin at 8:00 AM every day.
The start-of-school warning bell will sound at 8:25 AM. The final bell will sound at 8:30 AM. Students in grade 1 will walk to their lineup on the big map on the playground where their teacher will meet them and walk them to the classroom. Students in Grade 2 will walk to their lineup behind their classroom where their teacher will meet them. Students in grades 3 – 5 will line up in front of their classroom where their teacher will meet them.
Grades 1 – 3 Pick-up: Students in Grades 1 – 3 will be dismissed each day according to the bell schedule above. Teachers will walk students to the main gate at the front of the school where parents will meet their children at this time. Students in Grades 1 – 3 who are enrolled in an afterschool program, such as CREST or PTA enrichment classes, or Playground Club, will walk or be walked to the lunch tables where their program teacher will meet them.
Grades 4 – 5 Pick-up: Students in Grades 4 and 5 will be dismissed each day at 2:55 PM. Students will exit the campus either from the main gates or the 24th Street gate at the rear of the school. Students who are enrolled in an afterschool program, such as CREST or PTA enrichment classes, or Playground Club, will walk to the lunch tables where their program teacher will meet them.
Early Dismissal Procedures: Wednesday drop-off and pick-up procedures are the same as those during regular school days but will follow the Wednesday bell schedule. Please see the new bell schedule ABOVE.
SAP Drop-off: All students enrolled in SAP before-school care will be dropped off in Room 4. Drop-off begins at 7:00 AM.
Breakfast Club: Students who participate in the Grant Breakfast Club will still arrive at school under the same procedures as all students. Parents will drop their children off at the main gates by 8:00 AM so that there is ample time to eat and walk to their classrooms by 8:30 AM. Preschool, TK, and Kinder students will continue to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to Breakfast Club if the parent so chooses.
New Security System
Grant is very fortunate to have had new security systems installed over the last couple of years. In addition to new security cameras around the entire perimeter and interior of the school, we now have a new secure fence in the front courtyard equipped with a camera and buzzer. All visitors during and after school hours must be buzzed into the school by pushing the button on the panel. Once permitted entrance, all visitors must go immediately to the main office to receive a visitors' badge.
Raptor Security System
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will use the Raptor visitor management system to strengthen our campus safety programs for students and staff. All schools currently have this system installed.
An important aspect of keeping students and staff safe is for site staff to know who is on our campuses at all times. The Raptor system achieves this interest as it allows office staff to screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers, in our schools and provides us with a safer environment for students, staff, and approved volunteers.
Upon entering campus, visitors will be asked to present identification such as a driver’s license, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian does not have a US government-issued identification, for any reason, the visitor may submit an alternative form of identification for school staff to enter into the Raptor system.
The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system. No other data from the identification is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency. The Raptor system will check to ensure that registered sexual offenders are not allowed on our campuses. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item at the front gate.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND COOPERATION IN KEEPING OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE!
~COMMUNITY RESOURCES for FAMILIES~
~WEEKEND FOOD BAGS~
Grant families wishing to enroll their students should contact our school’s Bilingual Community Liaison, Florencia Rams at frams@smmusd.org, 310 450-7651, and fill out a Program opt-in form.
Las familias que desean inscribir a sus estudiantes deben contactar a la comunitaria de la escuela, Florencia Rams frams@smmusd.org, 310 4507651 x63110 y llenar un formulario para apuntarse en el programa.
*Some events and resources not sponsored by or affiliated with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
+Algunos eventos no están patrocinados o afiliados al Distrito Escolar Unificado de Santa Monica-Malibu
GRANT SCHOOL ~ A CALIFORNIA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL
~GRANT SCHOOL NAMED A 2020 TOP LA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR LOW-INCOME AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS~
~GRANT RANKED AS A TOP TWO SANTA MONICA SCHOOL~
~ GRANT SCHOOL IS A CERTIFIED COMMON SENSE MEDIA SCHOOL ~
~TRANSLATION OPTION INTO 100 LANGUAGES!~
~ ¡NUEVA OPCIÓN DE TRADUCCIÓN A 100 IDIOMAS! ~
Para leer la Gaceta Gecko en otro idioma, mire a la derecha del boletín y haga clic en "TRADUCIR EL BOLETÍN". ¡Ahora puede elegir entre 100 idiomas!
~ በ 100 ቋንቋዎች ውስጥ አዲስ የትርጓሜ ምርጫ! ~
የጌኮ ጋዜጣ በሌላ ቋንቋ ለማንበብ እባክዎን በራሪ ወረቀቱ በስተቀኝ በኩል ይመልከቱ እና “የትርጉም ጽሑፍ” ን ጠቅ ያድርጉ ፡፡ አሁን ከ 100 ቋንቋዎች መምረጥ ይችላሉ!