Gregory Gardens Weekly Bulletin
Week of December 15, 2019
Greetings from Administration
Happy Sunday families. It is hard to believe we are 5 days away from our much deserved holiday break. Students will return to school on Tuesday January 7, 2020!
Friday night's Winter Concert was delightful! We had a very full house, thank you to all of our families who jumped in to help put up more chairs and tables to accommodate our audience. I apologize for not having more seats. I look forward to seeing our 4th and 5th grade instrumental students perform this Tuesday 12/17 at 7pm.
THANK YOU THANK YOU! See's Candy Fundraiser was a sweet success! We made $4,284!! That is $500 more than last year. THANK YOU All and enjoy the candy!!
Family Photo Project
Family and community is what makes GGES and RSP so special. We are working on a special project that features each and every family in our community. Please send a 4x6 family photo or drawing of your family to school in the next couple of weeks.
A note from our School Nurse Bea
Strep throat and other communicable illnesses are common in the school age population. Please monitor your child for the following symptoms
-Sore throat
-Headache with nausea
-Fever
-Pain with swallowing
-Fatigue
-Rash
-Decreased appetite
-Change in mood/behavior
If your child(ren) exhibits some or all of these symptoms, please contact your health care provider. The only way to prevent the spread of the illness in school is to keep sick children at home.
The Crayon Initiative
Gregory Gardens Elementary and Robert Shearer Preschool are participating in the Crayon Initiative collecting used and broken crayons. Boxes will be set up in each classroom for your student to bring in crayons to donate.
The Crayon Initiative collects donated crayons from restaurants, schools and homes across the country, then melts them down and re-manufactures them, reducing waste. Better yet, the recycled crayons are distributed to art programs at children’s hospitals across the U.S. Our schools are happy to help reduce the waste of these crayons and support this organization's reuse to children in hospitals!
Please join us by donating old and broken crayons. Check out their website here https://thecrayoninitiative.org/
Superintendent Friday Letter
https://www.mdusd.org/pf4/cms2/news_themed_display?id=1576236873803
School Website
Please refer to our school's website for calendar information and other happenings around our school! https://gges-mdusd-ca.schoolloop.com/
PTA Corner
PTA has announced their Auction/Dinner! It will be hosted on March 20, 2020! More details to follow.
Visit the GGES/RSP PTA Facebook page for more information.
For more information and ways you can help, please connect with your PTA room parent or check us out on Facebook.
What's Happening Around School
School Closed for Winter Break
Our schools will be closed starting Monday, December 23, 2019 through Monday, January 6, 2020
GGES/RSP Community
We are creating an inclusive and respectful climate on our campus. We support all types of learners from diverse backgrounds on our site. It is imperative that parents, students and staff conduct themselves in a tolerant and respectful manner at all times. Please be aware of your surroundings when talking to members of our GGES/RSP community and be mindful that all students regardless of race, religion, abilities (e.g. physical, social/emotional development, cognition), socio-economic status, language, gender identity, race or family structure are welcome and important members to our school family.
Student Drop Off
I will continue to be in the circle as many mornings as possible to help with traffic flow. It is important that all parents pull up as far as possible when dropping off students. We can fit 11 cars in the circle and get more students to class on time if we all work together. Please pull to the end of the yellow line. You may want to consider parking and walking to campus as an alternative. If you are interested in helping with parking patrol, please email Katie. Support is needed 7:30-7:55 each morning.
Student Pick Up
Please remember that we cannot have cars parked in the traffic circle at any time, this includes TK/Kinder pick up and drop off.
Please use the 15 min spots or another parking stall to pick up your students before 2:30. The circle is used for buses for students attending the Preschool. Parking is available in the school lot or if needed in the church parking lot next door.
Thank you for helping us get buses and students to and from school safely.
Campus Updates
Click here to view the 2019-2020 MDUSD Academic Calendar
Student Attendance
It is important to be on time. Arriving late disrupts the classroom flow and effects the classroom climate. As a reminder here is the Gregory Gardens Bell Schedule:
7: 40 AM 4th and 5th graders bell
7:50 AM TK/K 3rd grade
Gregory Gardens Elementary
Early Release Conference Schedule
Monday, December 9th- Friday, December 20th
Grades 1-5 will be released M. T, Th, Fri 1:10 pm
Grades 1-5 will be released Wednesdays 12:30 pm
TK/Kinder Lunch Friends Schedule Update
Monday, December 16th thru Thursday, December 19
Lunch friends 9:16-1:30pm
December 20th is an ALL TOGETHER DAY both early and late friends 7:50-11:11 am
Rainy Day/Indoor Recess Procedures
Rainy days have finally reached us! While we love the rain and need it desperately, it does make recess and lunch periods a bit challenging. We have created a schedule to ensure all students are with a credentialed teacher or classified employee at all times. Morning recess is spent in the cafeteria playing board games, coloring, reading books or using the amazing recess games purchased by our PTA. During lunch, students eat in the cafeteria and then are escorted to a classroom where they are supervised by a noon supervisor. Our new system has been working well and we will make tweaks as necessary. If you are interested in helping on indoor days, please pop by the office.
Students need to be outside! Please dress children in layers with hoods if possible, we will keep kids outside as much as possible in the next week. Everyone is more successful when they play!
Parent Teacher Conferences
We are looking forward to seeing all of our parents at our upcoming parent teacher conferences. Please arrive on time and reschedule as soon as possible if you will not be able to attend. Bring your questions, ideas and plans to help support your student. We are excited to share all of your child's successes with you.
Volunteer Opportunities
*Check into the office to receive your visitors pass.
*Adults will be verified using our online database.
*Make yourself available to all students.
Thank you for helping support our positive and safe campus climate.
Volunteers are always encouraged, any day of the week - just come in when you can. However, for the safety of everyone, we can no longer allow non Gregory Gardens children on campus during volunteering, unless they can be carried in a baby carrier.
Below is a link to the MDUSD volunteer instruction page.
https://mdusd-ca.schoolloop.com/pf4/cms2/view_page?d=x&group_id=1394262952238&vdid=i4ea1lrm2y3nd
Attendance
If you think your student will be absent, please call the Attendance Hotline at (925) 682-8000 ext. 7042. Please include your student's name, teacher, and reason for absence. Please be sure to call before 9:30 am. Thank you.
To avoid a Truancy for your student, please call the office within 72 hours for any absence. Without a verification for a day(s) missed of school after that time it becomes a truancy.
See MDUSD website for more details on truancy and absenteeism:
https://mdusd-ca.schoolloop.com/pf4/cms2/view_page?d=x&group_id=1516177890380&vdid=i4a284jj12xmu
Follow Us
Check out how we spend our days! Follow us
Twitter @gregory_gators, @GGESgarden, @RSP_MDUSD, @MsKoontzMDUSD
Instagram @gregory_gatorsMDUSD
Robert Shearer Preschool
What's Happening around Preschool
Just one more week until winter break! Make sure to check in with teachers for classroom holiday activities happening this week.
Please note that drop off and pick up should happen in front of the Robert Shearer preschool building. If you need to come into the preschool for any reason, make sure you sign in at the office and have an adult escort you to class. Thank you so much for helping us keep everyone safe!
Looking Ahead
December
December 9-20- Parent Teacher Conferences
December 17- Instrumental Winter Concert - grades 4/5 6:30pm
December 23-January 6- WINTER BREAK
January
January 7- WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL
January 17- Family Movie Night- 6pm
January 20- Martin Luther King - No School
January 27-31- Multicultural Week
January 27-31- Book Fair #2
January 31- Multicultural Week Potluck
February
March
April
May
June
Conversations to Have at Home
Happenings around campus
**Please do not send umbrellas- when used inappropriately they are dangerous. Wet weather shoes, long pants and jackets with hoods are best!
Previous Newsletters
2019-2020
November
October
September
August
2018-2019
June
May
April
March
Gregory Gardens/Robert Shearer Community
Website: https://gges-mdusd-ca.schoolloop.com/
Location: 1 Corritone Court, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523, USA
Phone: (925) 827-3770
Twitter: @gregory_gators