To usher in our 3rd annual logo contest, we have brought back the popular rainbow goat logo from our first contest. For a limited time in our spiritwear store on the GRS website, you can order your goat themed merchandise while supporting the school.
And all students are invited to enter the GRS logo contest! See the flyer for details.
Great River Summer Camp Registration is set to open on January 15. We'll have Half Day and Full Day camps for PreK/K, 1st-3rd, 4th-7th, 7th-10th, and 9th-12th. Our variety of camps will include ultimate frisbee, Lego robotics, art, crafts, sailing, sports, music, theater and more!
Keep your eyes on our camp web page (https://www.greatriverschool.org/summercamp) and take advantage of our Early Bird Discounts. Reach out to Brent Cummins (bcummins@greatriverschool.org) with any questions.
Join us for our monthly meeting on Monday, December 16 at 6pm in person at GRS in the UA Commons (use south garden door G) or via zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3976588186
Meeting ID: 861 0098 9386
Passcode: 782021
This is a great way to connect with other caregivers & learn about the school.
Any and all items that remain in the Lost and Found after 4pm on Friday, December 20th, will be donated to charity! Please stop by either Lost and Found locations within the building to claim your student's possible lost items.
Lost and Found locations are as follows:
Inside the foyer by the Cafe and inside the Elementary wing by the copy machine.
Winter session GRS is partnering with the Twin Cities Chess Club once again for a guided chess club. The Twin Cities Chess Club will provide coaching for any students interested in developing their game. Any skill level is welcome! Open to grades 1-12.
Meetings: Wednesdays, 4-5 pm, January 8 - March 12 (10 sessions, only meets on school days) Cost: $150 Space is limited. Scholarships in case of need and discounts for current Big Canoe participants are available; contact bigcanoe@greatriverschool.org
Registration: Sign up by filling out this form. Please pay the fee at this link to complete registration.
The Lower Adolescent Program is proud to continue its Theater Intensive Experience for 7th and 8th graders! This program fosters confidence, creativity, and community as students tackle challenges like public speaking and stage performance.
This year, students will perform:
Show Details:
Location: Wellstone Center, 179 Robie St. E, St. Paul, MN 55107
Dates: December 16–20, 2024
Times: 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM showings
Reserve tickets and learn more about the performances here.
The Great River Folk School is a new community education initiative open to all: parents, families, friends and connections of Great River School.
We are looking for instructors for our folk school! We’d like to sign up instructors excited to teach traditional crafts, arts, food, movement, knowledge, music, or other interests to groups of adults or families. Instructors will be paid 50% of class revenue, with the remainder going to support the work of Great River School. Classes will take place at GRS evenings or weekends this school year.
If you are interested in learning more about the GRS folk school, please reach out to Karen Anway at kanway@greatriverschool.org.
Kleenex Needed! Hello! The season of sniffles in upon us. Donations of boxes of Kleenex are needed at all levels and may be brought to the Front Office. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Kleenex Needed! Hello! The season of sniffles in upon us. Donations of boxes of Kleenex are needed at all levels and may be brought to the Front Office. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
There will be a SEAC (Special Education Advisory Council) meeting on Monday, November 25th at 6pm. All parents / guardians of students currently receiving special education services are invited to attend.
This Meeting will feature information regarding college (post-secondary) access for students with disabilities Guest speakers will provide current information regarding admissions standards and accommodations in the college environment.
The meeting will be in the media lab at Great River School. If you are unable to attend in person, you can attend via Zoom at the following link: https://minnstate.zoom.us/j/98921953430
If you arrive late and can't get into the building on the day of the meeting, call or text Jeremy Sartain at 612-414-5224.
There will be a SEAC (Special Education Advisory Council) meeting on Monday, November 25th at 6pm. All parents / guardians of students currently receiving special education services are invited to attend.
This Meeting will feature information regarding college (post-secondary) access for students with disabilities Guest speakers will provide current information regarding admissions standards and accommodations in the college environment.
The meeting will be in the media lab at Great River School. If you are unable to attend in person, you can attend via Zoom at the following link: https://minnstate.zoom.us/j/98921953430
If you arrive late and can't get into the building on the day of the meeting, call or text Jeremy Sartain at 612-414-5224.
A SEAC (pronounced “seek”) is an acronym for Special Education Advisory Council, which is a group that provides input on special education issues to its local school district. Its purpose is to advise and advocate, not to decide policy. Minnesota law requires each school district in the state to have a SEAC although it does not specify how the groups should be organized or what duties they should perform. As a result, each SEAC may have a unique mission and structure.
(Source www.pacer.org)
Parents give many reasons for joining a SEAC, including these:
I may be able to help other families and children with disabilities in my school district.
I can share what I’ve learned since my child began his education.
I can support the school professionals in my district.
I will be a good role model for my child.
I feel good when I make a contribution to this community.
I will learn information and skills that may help me work more effectively with my school district.
I will meet others with similar goals, both parents and school professionals.
I may build positive relationships with others in my district.
I will become more knowledgeable about special education.
By sharing my unique perspective and insights as a parent, I may help the school district work more effectively with families and improve outcomes for children.
(Source www.pacer.org)
2 DAYS MORE! Only 2 days to sign-up for Les Miserables auditions for those in 3rd through 6th grades. Check out the details below for the show, and more information about the roles available to our elementary students. After you have signed up, you should receive an email from the production crew with audition materials so you can practice the music! Good Luck!
Rehearsal Times:
Click here to see the rehearsal schedule. Days highlighted for each role.
Shows:
March 7 & 8, 7pm (Call time 5:00); March 9, 2pm (Call time 12:00)
March 14 & 15, 7pm (Call time 5:00); March 16, 2pm (Call time 12:00)
If your student is ready and excited to audition, please complete this Google Form to provide caregiver permission as well as some information about your student. We will be in contact with you by mid-November to set up an audition time.
The Virtual Book Fair is now open! scan the QR Code if on a computer or click the link below:
Conferences reminder for all families
Just a friendly reminder, conferences will take place on Thur., November 7th and Fri. November 8th and there will be no school on Wed., November 6th. Don’t miss an opportunity to have this time to learn about your student and speak with their Guide or Advisor.
If you haven’t done so and wish to, please sign up by Wednesday, November 6th for conferences to ensure you have the opportunity to conference with your students' guide or Advisor . We would like to see all families in person for conferences this year. Please sign up here.
Multiple Households/Families - if your child splits time between two households and both caregivers want/need to attend the conference, please schedule it together. If this is not possible, exceptions can be made by emailing the Program Director of your level.
Staff Appreciation Conference Food Sign-up 2024
Want to show our teachers a little appreciation for all they’ve done? This year we are continuing our tradition of staff food support during conferences. These two days provide an important opportunity for families and guides to check in about our children's experiences at GRS so far this year. To accomplish this, the teachers will be putting in long days, engaging in focused conversations with all of us. The food that families contribute not only keeps everyone nourished, but serves as an important show of support for all that the guides and staff do for our kids! Sign-up below!
Fall Conference Staff Appreciation Sign-up
If you prefer to donate funds you can via Venmo @GRSPEG or Paypal at https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/K4WXAQPN3FHNU
““When the child goes out, it is the world itself that offers itself to him[them]. Let us take the child out to show him[them] real things instead of making objects which represent ideas and closing them in cupboards.””
Thurs., Nov. 14, 2024 at 6 pm to 7 pm
St. Croix classroom, Great River School (please enter doors on Energy Park Lane, Elementary entrance)
Lead by Eileen McElrath, GRS Elementary Program Director and and Tracey Fluegel, Minnesota River Guide
A Going Out is an important and exciting part of Montessori education. It is also a very fun part of being part of the GRS community !
This education will share
What is a Going out?
How does this benefit GRS students?
How can I get involved?
How do I get a Background check completed?
If you are interested in this Volunteer opportunity but can’t attend the training please contact your Classroom Parent Engagement Ambassador or Emily McMahon (volunteer parent) at emilynooney@yahoo.com
Childcare is not provided during this event.
Our goats will soon return full time to Great River in their newly secure enclosure! Our goats have spent the past year living their best lives on a beautiful organic farm, Dancing the Land Farm, where they've been able to enjoy large open spaces, fodder and forage and a few stolen CSA vegetables, and the company of an entire herd of Angora and milking goats.
Over that same year, our goat team has re-evaluated our entire upper garden and adjacent outdoor spaces in terms of goat safety and longer term goals for our animal program and program development; evaluated and come to an agreement to relocate the main goat pen to the front and center area of the school; worked with numerous stakeholders and our building company to verify that we can in fact make all of the necessary changes; worked the site to design, reshape and fence the existing infrastructure with the complex needs of a school and urban setting alongside the needs for additional security and everyday goat care necessities; and finally, this week our hand-built custom goat barn arrived for a community barn-raising and additional interior security fencing. We expect these final steps to be accomplished in the next week or two at most.
In school, 7/8 students will continue their work on improving the goat barn and goat pen infrastructure throughout the fall and beyond. As soon as our barn and inner security fence are fully operational, the goats will return full-time to the GRS campus and their beloved roles in our urban community.
For information about upcoming work days, email Lisa at lholt@greatriverschool.org
So long, Farewell, Auf wiedersehen, Katie!
Some of you may know that our awesome Health Coordinator, Katie Engelking will be leaving GRS to pursue a new career! Katie recently graduated from Stout with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies and will be working in her field. Stop by the health office anytime and pass along your well wishes to Katie or if you would like to write a note of gratitude, you can turn it in to Jennifer at the front desk! Katie's last day will be November 6th! Congrats Katie
If you or someone you know would be interested in joining the Health Office at GRS, check out the Student Health Coordinator position details on the GRS Employment page and apply today! https://www.greatriverschool.org/employment
The Student Health Coordinator is responsible for serving as a liaison between the Licensed School Nurse (LSN; School Nurse consultant), student health and wellness faculty/staff members, and parents/guardians relating to health care issues and maintaining related health records. Student Health Coordinator also assists students with routine health care protocols.
