Our GRS Theater Production of “Clue” is opening next week and we need help finishing the set! Stop by anytime this Saturday from 11am - 6pm to support the Theater department and our students. We'll be painting, sewing, drilling and cutting, so come in clothes you can get messy.
Message Nick Lane at nlane@greatriverschool.org if you can make it.
The UA student wellness group has a request! We are seeking glass water bottles and glass mason jars for a wellness event on December 7th. Doesn't matter the size or color, anything goes! Preferably washed out and labels removed, but no biggie if that isn't the case. Our goal is 150 glass bottles/jars before December 1st, 2022. Drop them off at the front desk with Holly, or send them with your students to the UA commons. Thank you for helping support the student's wellness!
BIPOC caregiver meeting TONIGHT, Thursday Oct 6th at 7:45pm via zoom. Any caregiver/s who have students who identify as BIPOC, please come to the meeting. Jordan Samejima, Equity and Inclusion Facilitator, will be leading the group tonight. Email adean@greativerschool.org if you need the link to the meeting.
Agenda Items:
Elementary/Adolescent BIPOC Events
Equity Action Plan Committee
Family Community Opportunity
Marianna “MJ” Joers ‘26, is conducting a survey for her Civics class to find out if people would be interested in having a Physical Education course, or other exercise option, here at Great River, something not currently offered through the regular curriculum. Upon completion of the survey, MJ will take the information gathered to support a conversation with administration.
To help MJ with her class assignment, please fill out the survey by November 18th, 2022.
Physical Education (Phy Ed) Class Survey
Thank you.
You need volunteer hours…the GRS Foundation needs volunteers! Learn more about volunteering for the GRS Foundation at a short info session Tonight, Wednesday, November 9, at 7:00 pm: https://tinyurl.com/yc5skjfv
There are so many ways to get involved: from short one-time jobs to long-term standing committees, there’s a place for everyone!
The GRS Foundation is a volunteer group of parents and community members who spearhead fundraising efforts for our tuition-free public school. Because charter schools, like GRS, receive less money than district public schools, we need our community to help make up the gap so we can keep offering all the unique experiences our school provides.
You need volunteer hours…the GRS Foundation needs volunteers! Learn more about volunteering for the GRS Foundation at a short info session on Wednesday, November 9, at 7:00 pm: https://tinyurl.com/yc5skjfv
There are so many ways to get involved: from short one-time jobs to long-term standing committees, there’s a place for everyone!
The GRS Foundation is a volunteer group of parents and community members who spearhead fundraising efforts for our tuition-free public school. Because charter schools, like GRS, receive less money than district public schools, we need our community to help make up the gap so we can keep offering all the unique experiences our school provides.
Homework Help is Back! Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30pm-5:00pm in Room 255.
Free, drop-in homework help space, open to grades 7-12. Snacks, laptops, adult assistance provided.
Questions? Please email Alaina Szostkowski, aszostkowski@greatriverschool.org
Montessori materials in our elementary classrooms are one of the things that set GRS apart from other schools. The moveable alphabet, maps, equation cards, bead bars, work rugs, plants, and classroom pets all provide a beautifully prepared environment for students.
Donations from families help provide enriching Montessori materials for the classrooms. If you are able, now is a great time to give. Click to donate.
No amount is too big or too small!
As many of you who have pre-purchased one know, the 2020-21 and 2021-22 yearbooks have not been printed yet. The pandemic really put a damper on our ability to produce yearbooks and both require quite a bit of work before they are ready to print. I want the students to be able to focus on working on the current year's book, so I am requesting some parent volunteers to help finish our old books. Once we are caught up, I hope to get on our pre-pandemic yearbook schedule.
We use a cloud-based program, so after a little orientation, folks can work independently on it. Please reach out to me at skreger@greatriverschool.org if you are interested.
Grades 6-8 basketball open gym
Any interested 6,7 and 8th graders are invited to an open gym to meet coach Brent Cummins and see if basketball is for you! Open gyms will be held at GRS after school on Thursday 11/10 and Tuesday 11/15. Drop in and give it a go!
Cost is $150 (T-shirt, league and coach fee)
Sign up here to indicate your interest, and you'll be contacted about officially registering when we have the final team details.
LIST basketball will run from December-February this winter. We anticipate offering at least one team, or two if there is enough interest.
Practices will be at Great River School Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-5 pm, with games on Fridays. We'll start with some open gym practices November 10 and 15, and first practice will be November 16.
Key Experiences are a hallmark of the Great River education—and they are provided free of charge for all students. An important student bonding and learning experience during the school year, students embark on trips where they learn to work together as a community, develop trust in each other, try new experiences, and gain independence.
Donations from families help provide the unique learning opportunities and life-changing experiences that define the Great River education. No amount is too big or too small—give at a level that is comfortable for your family. greatriverschool.org/give
Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board
game, Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion,
where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth – the butler, Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. Clue is the comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out…WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT!
Tickets on sale now on the GRS website and at the following link: https://www.greatriverschool.org/clue.
Synopsis from the Broadway Licensing.com
Greetings!
With the change of weather from cold to warm, and further still beautiful weather, coupled with the everyday comings and goings, we seem to have accumulated a lot of student items in the Lost and Found. Students often lose articles of clothing as the weather changes, backpacks, lunch bags, hats and gloves, etc.
There are an abundance of Lost and Found items in the entryway of the lower doors, nearest the cafe, so please stop by during conferences to search through the items to see if any of the items belong to your child.
Due to Teacher Professional Development and Fall Conferences, there will be no classes for students Wednesday, November 2nd through Friday, November 4th.
While Big Canoe childcare is being offered during conferences, unfortunately there are no more spots available.
Please feel free to contact bigcanoe@greatriverschool.org with questions.
It's time for Great River School conferences and our tradition of nutritional support!
We are doing things a little differently this round in order to better connect the staff to food, more effectively use the generous donations from families, AND build community making meals. Some meals will be a combination of ready-to-eat contributions, AND cooking food with other families at the November PEG (Parent Engagement Group) Meeting. Please note the expected drop off times for the food for different meals including the after school pick up line on Tuesday.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d49a4a62babf94-conferences7
Across the top of this sign-up are tabs for:
In Person Support - Help setting up meals, replenishing snacks & keeping things tidy throughout conferences, including the chance to prep food for meals at the PEG Meeting with other community members.
Donate Items - Staff really appreciate donated items like snacks, drinks & ingredients for meals.
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 time and 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. Please consider putting in some family volunteer time for this effort... it takes a village to feed everyone!
League of Independent Sports Teams (LIST) League basketball sign up for grades 6-8
LIST basketball will run from December-February this winter. We anticipate offering at least one team, or two if there is enough interest.
Practices will be at Great River School Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5 pm, with games on Fridays. We'll start with some open gym practices in November--sign up for more details!
Cost is $150 (T-shirt, league and coach fee)
Sign up here to indicate your interest, and you'll be contacted about officially registering when we have the final team details.
Our annual IB Theatre Collaborative Performance night is tomorrow! Mark your calendars for this free event (geared primarily toward adolescents and adults) on Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 1st from 7 - 8:30pm.
Students have been working in small groups to create new and entirely original short plays as part of an assessment, and now the time has come to perform them for a public audience. There will be four short plays this year, with a talkback session after each group so they can evaluate how well they've met their intentions for their chosen target audience. Below are descriptions of the play to help you decide if this evening of theatre is something you would enjoy:
Light and Shadow
When a girl gets transported into a shadow world. She will have to figure out who is friend and who is foe. A story of lights and shadow.
Launch Break
Launch Break is an adventurous space odyssey following three astronauts, Tim, Phil, and Paul, as they make their way to the planet Caffeterium, but everything may not be as it seems. This short comedy is a fun adventure through the stars.
BroadwayOfficialReviewsOfficially.com: 17/17 Stars
"This show is truly a marvel in theaterism, quantum space theory, and social commentary."
The Tragic Toussaint Tussle
The Toussaints are your typical elitist upper class family, with oodles of old money. After years of separation, the family is brought together once again to mourn their matriarch Eloise Toussaint's unexpected passing. As they celebrate her life and legacy , old grudges, vendettas and greed surface amongst the family. Above all else, the question of whether or not the Toussaints can survive depends on a single piece of paper: The Will.
Three Black Roses
This original production inspired by Carrie Underwood's “Two Black Cadillacs” follows the story of three women as they explore the explosive nature of love and learn that every rose really does have its thorns. Watch as they bowl, dine, dance, and drive the night away and break out their best lipsticks.
It's time for Great River School conferences and our tradition of nutritional support!
We are doing things a little differently this round in order to better connect the staff to food, more effectively use the generous donations from families, AND build community making meals. Some meals will be a combination of ready-to-eat contributions, AND cooking food with other families at the November PEG (Parent Engagement Group) Meeting. Please note the expected drop off times for the food for different meals including the after school pick up line on Tuesday.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d49a4a62babf94-conferences7
Across the top of this sign-up are tabs for:
In Person Support - Help setting up meals, replenishing snacks & keeping things tidy throughout conferences, including the chance to prep food for meals at the PEG Meeting with other community members.
Donate Items - Staff really appreciate donated items like snacks, drinks & ingredients for meals.
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 time and 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. Please consider putting in some family volunteer time for this effort... it takes a village to feed everyone!
Monday is Halloween, and while this is a holiday that many families celebrate and enjoy, we would like to remind everyone that we will not wear costumes to school and candy should stay home. We hope everyone that celebrates has a spooky time.
If you choose to wear costumes for your own personal celebrations outside of school, please mindful when choosing a costume and remember keep in mind cultures are not costumes.
Cultures, not costumes
5 Questions to Consider:
1. To What Ethnic/Racial/Cultural Group Does the Practice or Artifact Belong?
2. How Is the Group that the Practice or Artifact Belongs to Oppressed?
3. Do You Benefit from Doing This? How?
4. Why Might It Make Someone Uncomfortable?
5. What Makes It Possible for You to Engage with this Practice, Tradition, or Material?
(How did you come to acquire the artifact or elements of the practice?)
Some think dressing up in certain aspects of a race, culture or religion for one night is harmless, however, it commodifies those cultures, races, and religions, offending those whose lives are being commodified.
Remember to be mindful and remind your students that cultures are not costumes.
For more on the “My Culture Is Not a Costume” campaign, visit Ohio.edu | culture, not a costume