GECKO GAZETTE
GRANT SCHOOL - SANTA MONICA
WEEK OF JANUARY 3 - 8, 2023
~ IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER ~
Please review these important dates:
- Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023: Classes Resume
- Wednesday, January 4th: PTA Executive Board Meeting at 6:30 PM in the Library
- Monday, January 9 - Wednesday, January 11, 2023: 5th-grade trip to Pali Institute
- Monday, January 16th: NO SCHOOL - MLK, JR. HOLIDAY
- Wednesday, January 18th: PTA General Meeting @ 6:30 PM in the Library
- Monday, January 23rd: Grant School Site Council Meeting @ 3:15 PM in the Sky Room or on Zoom.
- Tuesday, January 24th: Parent Education Night: Helping Parents Raise Safe, Conscious, & Healthy Kids in the Digital Age with Digital Media Wellness Educator Julia Storm: Time TBD in the evening in the Grant Auditorium.
- Thursday, January 26th: TK and Kindergarten Roundup: 9:00 AM in the Grant Auditorium
- 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
- Thursday, February 7th: Grant Construction: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Community Meeting @ 5:30 PM in the Auditorium.
- Thursday, February 9th: Black History Month Assembly: TK-2 @ 9:00 AM; Grades 3-5 @ 10:45 AM. Both in the Auditorium.
~A MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL FUHRER~
~HAPPY NEW YEAR, GRANT SCHOOL FAMILIES!~
I hope you all enjoyed the Winter break and had a relaxing and fun holiday season with your families and friends. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." And it is my hope that we all will strive to live these words beginning today. I continue to believe that Grant School is a special place for kids because of the dedication to excellence the community shows every day. Great schools don't just happen; they are carefully cultivated by all of their members. In addition, effective and caring schools only remain so through collective vision, teamwork, and appreciation. As we near the midpoint of this school year I want to share our school team's appreciation for you and all the ways in which you contribute to this great school!
~ WEEKLY REMINDERS ~
~ANTIGEN TEST KIT INFORMATION~
PLEASE REMEMBER TO ADMINISTER A COVID ANTOGIN TEST TO YOUR CHILDREN ON JANUARY 2ND, 2023 PRIOR TO RETURNING TO SCHOOL.
TWO TESTS WERE SENT HOME WITH EVERY STUDENT PRIOR TO THE WINTER BREAK.
UPDATED LACDPH COVID PROTOCOLS: Updated T-1 and T-2 Exposure Management Protocols as of 8.10.22
~GECKO ACADEMY REGISTRATION IS LIVE NOW!~
The purpose of the Gecko Academy is to supplement classroom learning with an empowering curriculum for students to thrive in a rapidly changing globalized world. Classes are designed to foster Grant's sense of community, build student self-esteem, and bring fun to students every day.
Level up your child with two days a week of Spanish or one day a week of Korean or get their mind and body aligned with weekly Yoga! There are also art, embroidery, chorus, and math support classes among many other choices. Led by some of Grant's very own teachers, Grant's Winter after-school enrichment activities session is beginning on January 9th and will run through March 17th! Check out all our awesome offerings by clicking the link below.
Some classes are filling so do not wait!
Full scholarships are available. Please contact Florencia Rams, Grant's confidential community liaison by emailing her at frams@smmusd.org.
For questions, comments or concerns, please contact our PTA volunteer, Steve Atamian at execvp@grantpta.org.
~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:
~SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE~
~ PARENT EDUCATION NIGHT ~
~REFLECTIVE PARENTING VIRTUAL WORKSHOP~
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQRjVepG_vkKo9ta8nETX8R71lFmyu9SIilqMATj8y5C4NGA/viewform
~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!