Glacier Ridge Gazette
August 18, 2023
September 15, 2023
PRINCIPAL MESSAGE
What Does a Principal Do? Dispelling the Myth
When you were growing up, you may have experienced the school principal in a variety of ways. If you remember the portrayal of the roll in movies and tv shows, you think of Mr. Belding (Saved by the Bell), Mr. Rooney (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), Principal Skinner (Simpsons), or even the current tv show, Ava Coleman (Abbott Elementary). When you think of the portrayal of that role, what do you notice? What was your own perspective of the school principal when you were in school? Because of that, I’ll often hear people say to their child, ‘This is the school principal, make sure you don’t end up seeing him often or end up in his office.’ I love that these principals are funny, although we are laughing at them, not with them. Granted, I do make students laugh, but it is hard to tell whether 5th graders are laughing at me or with me.
You may have guessed, the perception of the school principal is not always positive. My hope and effort is to dispel the myth of who principals are and what they do. I certainly don’t take it personally. However, I certainly didn’t get into my job because I like to have a negative impact on children or the school community. Unfortunately, discipline is part of my job, but only a small part. It’s actually part of the job for all educators.
So what do I do? In a nutshell, half of my job is to help make sure students are safe, emotionally and physically. The other half of my job is to provide a quality academic experience for students. I can’t do that alone and the GRE staff are the ones that implement those things for students, with the plans and organization from me. I’m fortunate to work with amazing staff who all help make GRE a great place to learn and be, which certainly makes my job easier. Ultimately, it is my job to supervise the 70 staff that work at GRE. In the business world, I’m not sure there are many jobs that directly supervise that many people, which include supporting them, providing feedback, evaluating them, and more. My job also includes tasks that range from small to large concepts. For example, one moment, the landscape department may ask me where I want the bush planted, while a moment later I’m developing a strategic organizational culture or staff professional development plan.
Ultimately, what is most important to me is that I am approachable and supportive. I want staff, families, and especially students to feel comfortable coming to me for support or just a positive interaction in general. I hope that even an elementary school principal can help leave a lasting impact on those I support, even if it isn’t by me directly. This is just another reason why I enjoy my job. Thank you to the students, families, and staff that make my job rewarding and allow me to do so.
Sincerely,
Pete Kurty, Ed. D
Principal
GLACIER RIDGE INFORMATION
Tiger Trot Fun...more to come next week!
Tiger Trot Online Fundraiser- You can still donate!
If you missed donating to the Tiger Trot for as the primary fundraiser for the PTO, as well as for tiger conservation, you can still do so at the link below.
Check it off your weekend to-do list and make a donation today at: https://pledgestar.com/grepto/.
Questions: Ashley Homan (ahoman07@yahoo.com)
R Factor - Press Pause
Students learn Pressing Pause this month in R Factor
This month students will begin to learn the six R-Factor disciplines, the first discipline is Press Pause. It is important for us all to remember that there are moments when we need to press pause before we respond. Sometimes that pause is short, sometimes that pause is long, but in order to make the best response, we must press pause, gain clarity about the situation we are faced with, and then make a disciplined response. By pressing pause, we decide what outcome we want, and then we make our response. We want students to respond, not just react to events.
You can see a previous principal blog about Pressing Pause HERE.
Learn the Facts at a Community Conversation!: Levy Information - Sept. 19 @ 6:15
Members of the Dublin City Schools district leadership team are hitting the road and joining the principal of every school for a co-hosted Community Conversation. These Community Conversation events will be levy-focused, providing an opportunity to learn facts and ask questions about the upcoming levy and bond issue. Our school’s Community Conversation event will be September 19th at 6:15pm in the Glacier Ridge Commons. We welcome everyone to come and be a part of this informative session. Together, let's make our community stronger through open dialogue and shared knowledge. See you there!
PTO General Meeting - Virtual on September 20 @ 10 am
The first general meeting of the PTO will be held on September 20 at 10 am. The link to join the meeting is below. All parents/guardians/caregivers are members of the PTO and are encouraged to join the meeting. We’ll be discussing the proposed budget, upcoming events, and voting in of new board members. We look forward to your participation and hope you will tune in!
Tiger Trunk Starts Sept. 22
Tiger Trunk is our weekly school store at GRE that is organized by the PTO. STudents in grades 1 through 5 have the opportunity to purchase school items and trinkets during their lunch/recess period. The store is typically weekly on Fridays. The first Tiger Trunk is Friday, September 22. Items are typically $.50 - $2.00. Students do not need to bring large amounts of money to spend. It is up to the families to monitor the items and amount that students spend.
You can also purchase Tiger Bucks for your child’s class as a birthday gift. Since students can’t bring in food items to celebrate their birthday with the class, families can purchase gift certificates that each student in the class can spend. You can purchase those in the school office.
DCS University September 20
The next evening of DCS University is scheduled for Wednesday, September 20 at Emerald Campus from 6-8:30 p.m. Please encourage your families to attend this opportunity to engage with us as we offer:
A Community Conversation with Dr. Marschhausen and members of the Board of Education
9 session options led by district and community experts on a variety of topics related to academics and student experience
A resource fair with community partners providing helpful information for parents
Activities for school-age children are available for families who pre-register. Here is the link to more detailed information and the registration form.
SIGN UP & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Adult Library Volunteers
Volunteers are an essential part of the Glacier Ridge Library! Our volunteers help to create a fantastic experience for our students, both in the daily classes and special events throughout the year. If you would like to be a library volunteer, please email Carol Naples, Library Aide, at naples_carol@dublinschools.net.
Tiger Student Announcements
Would you like to start your day saying “Hello!” to everyone at Glacier Ridge in the morning? Are you in 2nd thru 5th grade? Then sign up to read the morning announcements! If you would like to find out more about this opportunity and sign up to be a Tiger Student Announcer then go to this link via SignUp Genius: GRES Tiger Student Announcements
Glacier Ridge Student Greeter Team
Parent/Guardian Volunteer Background Check
SECURE VOLUNTEER BADGE - Dublin City Schools takes the safety of our students and staff seriously and requires a background check for all volunteers interacting with students. In order to attend field trips or volunteer in the classroom, you much go through the background check process. The process is free and easy and takes only a few minutes to complete. This is required for any parents or caregivers wishing to volunteer with students.
GRE EVENTS
Upcoming GRE Events
Sept 19: Community Levy Information Meeting at GRE @ 6:15pm
Sept 20: PTO general meeting @ 10am
Sept 20: Fall picture day
Sept 29: PTO Fall Festival @ 6:00 - 8:00pm at Leed's Farm
Oct 2: Yearbook cover art contest begins
Oct 16: Yearbook cover art contest ends
Oct 18: Family conferences - night 1
Oct 20: No school
Oct 23: No school
Oct 25: 5th grade class picture day
Oct 26: Family conferences - night 2
DISTRICT UPDATES
Check out the Info Hub
The Info Hub page on our website includes information about a wide variety of activities from our community partners. Learn more about Little Irish Wrestling, a future Dublin hockey players program, drama classes, enrichment programs and many more. Check it out here.
Drive a Bus, Drive Your Career Hiring Event
Dublin City Schools is hosting its first ever Bus Driver Hiring Event, Saturday, September 30, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the transportation department, 6371 Shier Rings Road. Attendees will have the opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat, talk to current bus drivers, learn what a typical day is like and even apply and interview if interested.
DCSU Session 2 and Community Conversation
Don’t miss the second session of the DSCU Engagement Series. This session will feature topics such as Navigating Club vs School Sports, Talking with Youth about Substance Use, Literacy and Language at Home and many more. For more details and to register, please visit the DCSU page on our website.
From the City of Dublin
New on the Podcast: Esports in Dublin
What is esports? Learn all about the Dublin Community Recreation Center's newest programming with Director of Recreation Services Tracey Gee in the latest episode of the “Link Ahead” podcast! Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
What to Know during Suicide Prevention Month
Our community takes mental health and wellness seriously. The City of Dublin, alongside Dublin Police, is proud to link residents to local groups and resources via our digital Suicide Prevention Resource Guide. Find important information for young people, including the Locks Save Lives program and “How to talk to someone about suicide prevention” section. Review the guide.
GRE CONTACT INFORMATION
Attendance
If your child will be absent from school, please email our attendance line at gres_attendance@dublinschools.net.
Glacier Ridge Elementary
Email: glacierridge_info@dublinschools.net
Website: https://www.dublinschools.net/Domain/18
Location: 7175 Glacier Ridge Boulevard, Dublin, OH, USA
Phone: 614.733.0012
Twitter: @greDCSD