Penngrove Press
June 2, 2022
Dear Penngrove Families,
This past Tuesday, I attended my first preschool promotion as a parent. As if emotions weren't running wild as it is.... May, COVID, staffing shortages, the usual load of end of year transitions, holding space for student and family challenges, the list goes on. I'm not sure this mama heart had it in me to sit through a twenty minute ceremony filled with cute preschoolers, the incredibly gifted teachers who guide them, and a room full of parents wondering how we all got here.
Since my Penngrove arrival in 2012, I've attended nine kindergarten promotions and nine 6th grade promotions. I've thought to myself no fewer than 1,000 times, "They sure grow up quickly!" And then, there I was. Sitting in the second row, the mom with flowers and a stuffed animal gift (thanks to a friend who saved the day), beaming with pride that my little guy was the line leader, that he ecstatically waved to us from the stage, and most of all, that he was proud of himself.
Many of you have heard me share the story about the night Sam was born. I remember holding him when he was less than two minutes old, my husband sporting a Penngrove t-shirt, duh. And I remember thinking, "Oooooohhhhhhh! Now I get it. I would do ANYTHING for this little human."
These past 4 years of parenting and principaling have been a humbling experience. I have been reminded time and time again that kids thrive with routines, structure, clear expectations, positive reinforcement, boundaries, and excessive amounts of chicken nuggets and mac n' cheese. I mean really, are you doing it right if your kids like more than two foods?! Our laundry is never done, my van (OMG I drive a van) constantly needs a wash, and the to do list is beyond impossible.
Sitting at that preschool promotion I was reminded of the seat you've sat in or will sit in during your time as a Penngrove parent. The highs, the lows, the wondering if you're doing it right, the moments of disappointment, the moments of great elation. And all the moments in between. What will your children remember of these years? Will they remember how you showed up for them?
What memories will be etched in their minds forever? Will it be family dinners? Trips to the beach? You chaperoning their field trips? The way you sat with them and read nightly? The time you surprised them with camping in the living room? Maybe the way you gave your undivided attention for just 10 minutes a day? Or showed them how to solve a math problem in a new way?
In a few years, not too far away, you'll find yourself at a high school graduation and eventually a college graduation. And when you do, I hope you'll stop and remember the elementary school where your graduates got their foundation. A place where we take risks, we build trust, we persevere through hard things, and where kindness and love always win.
May you always find a home in Penngrove Elementary. And may your children always find their way to you.
With love,
Amy
Introducing Our 2022-23 Teaching Lineup!
TK: Ms. Salazar
Kindergarten: Mrs. Del Prete, Mrs. McClintock, Ms. Riley, Mrs. Sanders1st Grade: Ms. Alcocer, Mrs. Lattig, Mrs. Sartori
2nd Grade: Mrs. Benedetti, Mrs. Ciccotelli, Mrs. Tracy
3rd Grade: Mrs. Mainaris, Mrs. O'Connor
4th Grade: Mrs. Hlebakos, Mr. Zeidler
5th Grade: Mrs. O'Connor, Ms. Stuyt (not a typo! there are 2 Mrs. O'Connors!)
6th Grade: Ms. Januleski, Mrs. Newman
A Note From Mrs. Gottlieb & Ms. Clare
Hello Penn Families,
It's so hard to say goodbye. I love, love, love the entire Penn community, especially all of my amazing students. However, next year instead of working 50% time at two schools, each school will have a full-time reading specialist (hurray for our students!!!). I will be able to walk to my neighborhood school and I couldn't be happier with Penn's incoming reading specialist. The position will be taken over by the amazing Clare Sitzer, Penngrove's current Learning Center teacher. As I leave my Penngrove "babies", I know that they will be in wonderful hands. Ms. Clare and I have already been talking about our Penn family and how we plan to collaborate in the months and years to come. While I will dearly miss Penngrove, I'm so excited that more PCS kids will have the benefit of a full-time reading specialist.
~Dana Gottlieb
Hi Penngrove Community,
As Ms. Gottlieb mentioned, I am changing roles for next year to be the full-time Reading Specialist at Penngrove. Although I will miss my students, I will be right down the hallway! I have said this in the past and I will say it again…I am here for you. Please encourage your students to come say hi to me. As we enter this new school year, I am looking forward to helping build strong readers here at Penngrove. Finally, I hope this new role brings opportunities to collaborate with teachers, new and returning students, and parents across our school community.
~Clare Sitzer
Farewell Wishes - 6/9 @ 3:15pm
Farewell friends: Leslie Moreda, Heather Law, Heather Sposato, Fred Allen, Amy Fadeji, Lisa Schulz, Dana Gottlieb, Carolyn Corkrey, Maddy Haedt, Yesenia Espino, Luanne Rice, Sandra Kruse.
Woah!!!
We hit $6,000 yesterday! THANK YOU TO THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY OF MR. FRED FANS! We'll present Mr. Fred with his final GoFundMe gift next week at assembly. Special thanks to Mrs. Olufs for organizing on our behalf.
Congrats to our VIP Parking Pass Winners!
Angela Todd
Amy Cathcart
Janey Vaughn
Erika Jansson
Mrs. Fadeji will be in touch with more details soon! YAYYYYYYY! Thank you to all who supported our raffle!
GARDEN UPDATE WITH MS. ORTIZ
We wrapped up garden classes for the year with a garden party last week and had SO much fun! Your students enjoyed popcorn grown in the garden last year, and loved doing their own dishes! :) I will miss being with your wonderful students out in the garden.
Please join us over the summer for Garden Workdays on June 20, 25, and July 13 from 10-3. Come for all or part of the time, your children are very welcome to come and help, or play on the playground. If you would like to sponsor a garden bed as a way to contribute to the garden program it would be very much appreciated. Please look at the poster to see how becoming a garden bed sponsor will benefit you while you benefit the Garden Enrichment Education program.
Please sign up here (it should work now, sorry to folks last week who tried to access and couldn’t) to receive email updates over the summer and to stay in the loop for all things garden! You can also follow us on Instagram @pennpanthersgarden I will post pictures of our overhaul this summer!
I hope you all have a wonderful summer with your families playing outside and growing some food together!
Amy Ortiz
Penngrove Elementary School
Garden Coordinator
aortiz@petk12.org
Summer Crunch Cereal Drive
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Penngrove Elementary - Home of the #PennPanthers
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