Panther families,

I want you all to know how much I enjoy my time in the parking lot welcoming and waving to students, families (and your dogs) in the morning and afternoon. It is quite literally my favorite part of my day. Seeing all the friendly faces and eager smiles fills my heart.

A BIG note this morning: if you haven't yet done so, please take a few minutes to fill out our family YouthTruth survey to help us continue to improve Penngrove!

Unfortunately, due to space concerns, we are putting Penngrove in Motion on hold. We are in the process of demolition of our current stage and it is just not working to have our leaders on the ground. (Penngrove likes a stage!) In the meantime, classes will be doing some movement/activity in their classrooms or as a grade level. Stay tuned for when we start the dancing back up!

Stay awkward, brave and kind!

Carley Harp

Over the past few weeks, our site has experienced an increase in staffing absences due to the rise in illnesses within our community. As you can imagine, when staff members are unexpectedly absent, we need to move members of our team around to ensure the most critical needs on campus are met. We are hoping to find some parents, family members, and community members to bridge the gap with our staffing shortages.

How can you help?

We are in need of classified substitutes particularly in the following positions:

• Crossing guard (M-F, 7:50-8:20 on Old Adobe Rd by the Redwood Grove)

• Instructional assistants (working with students in a classroom setting, with students 1:1, in TK classrooms, special education etc.)

• Office support (clerical, answering phones, attendance, secretarial duties)

• Yard supervisors (facilitating play with students during lunch and recess, ensuring student safety, providing a nurturing play environment)

If you are willing to substitute in any of the positions mentioned above, please email Ursula Perez Lopez at uperezlopez@petk12.org. Ursula and our Human Resources team will provide you with fingerprinting instructions and the district will even cover the cost of fingerprinting! After your fingerprints are clear, Ursula will work with you to complete your paperwork which takes about 20 minutes. Finally, you’ll become a fan favorite at school when you swoop in to save the day the next time someone calls in sick or needs to be absent.

Question of the week from Principal Harp

Each week, I will be sending out a question with which you will be given the opportunity to engage in a new conversation with your child. We all know how hard it is to draw out responses other than, "nothing" or "fine" when we ask "What did you do today?" or "How was school?" Be sure to use open ended follow-up questions and statements such as "Tell me more about that!" or "What did you think of that?" Please ask your student(s) the question below, share their response with us and make our day! You can submit more than one response! (No need to put names or identifying words.)

If I could change one thing about Penngrove, it would be

It's time to get silly!

Leave the backpack at home and come to school

with your most creative container to hold your books & lunch!

Hi there Penngrove families,

We are in the middle of our second month of the Read-a-Million challenge and those minutes are starting to add up! You should have your pink log for January from your classroom teacher to track any and all reading outside of school to help us SLIME a member of Team Penn. If you don't have a log, there are extras outside the front office. It's not too late to return your green December logs either.

If you have any questions, contact me at amiljkovic@petk12.org.

Happy Reading!!

Thank you :)

Mrs. M

Penngrove Librarian

Garden Update with Ms. Ortiz

Hello garden friends! We are enjoying our garden in the winter weather and learning about watersheds, worms and soil, singing songs and eating salads. Thanks for sending your kiddos in weather appropriate clothes and with shoes they can get dirty on garden days!

We are having our very first Garden Committee meeting! Please come and lend your ideas and support, we will discuss a Pollinator Habitat program I am bringing to campus, how to best implement our new grow towers as well as time for suggestions of things you would love to see happening in our garden program. This will be Monday February 6th at 3:15pm in the garden. Children are very welcome to come along and may participate or play in the garden while we meet.

I have an ongoing fundraiser here http://PenngroveGardenProgram.fpfundraising.com we will receive 50% of your purchase price if you are buying some spring bulbs for your garden. You can also check out my wish list here https://www.thingstogetme.com/376032a85350 Also please follow us on Instagram @pennpanthersgarden

Thank so much to our amazing and dedicated volunteers for your continued support of our garden program!

With Gratitude,

Ms. Ortiz

To help students and families be idle free in January, we are again sharing our coloring page for students, and our online pledge for parents and/or school staff.

Parents/families, teachers, and school administrators/staff who sign the pledge by Friday, February 3rd will be entered into a drawing for one of eight $50.00 gift cards to a local business of the winner's choice.

Congratulations to Fred Scarpete who won the challenge for November and got to select a $25 gift card to a local BIPOC business of his choice!

LumaCon is a FREE comic convention for youth that celebrates creativity and literacy for all.

​

The librarians of Casa Grande High School, Petaluma High School, and Petaluma Regional Library (Sonoma County Library) have been producing LumaCon since 2015 with the support of the Friends of the Petaluma Library, the Teen Advisory Council, and members of our community.

LumaCon es una convención de cómics GRATUITA para jóvenes que celebra la creatividad y la alfabetización para todos.

Los bibliotecarios de Casa Grande High School, Petaluma High School y Petaluma Regional Library (Biblioteca del condado de Sonoma) han estado produciendo LumaCon desde 2015 con el apoyo de Friends of the Petaluma Library, Teen Advisory Council y miembros de nuestra comunidad.

Petaluma Youth Lacrosse is the recreational lacrosse club of Petaluma. Anyone born from September 2008 to August 2017 can sign up to learn and play this athletic team sport during the spring of 2023.

CHESS FOR KIDS, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing chess to as many young people as possible in Sonoma and Napa Counties.

PCS Volunteer Application

Statement of Insurance Coverage

Email: penngrove@petk12.org
Website: penngroveelementary.org
Location: 365 Adobe Road, Penngrove, CA, USA
Phone: (707) 778-4755
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Penngrove-Elementary-School-323595021067904/
Twitter: @pennpanthers