Blue Heron Bash Tips:
Bring cash if you wish to play the wine pull (as a game of chance by law must be paid for using cash).
If you can’t attend you can still participate in the online auction by registering free on the ticket page bit.ly/GRSBHBTICKETS23
Childcare is free! Limited availability for ages 5-12. Sign up here Childcare RSVP BHB 2023
See you there! Buy tickets at bit.ly/GRSBHBTICKETS23
This Saturday, March 18, 6–10 pm at GRS
Dear Great River Montessori Adolescent Families,
You are invited to join me on an upcoming educational travel experience to London in Summer 2024!
When students travel, they expand their knowledge of the world around them, discover more about themselves, and grow more confident. These skills are critical for creating the global citizens of tomorrow, and I would love to have you join me on this adventure.
Come hear all the details, including the itinerary, activities, academic opportunities, and the cost of our trip at our informational meeting on Monday, March 27th @ 6:00pm. The meeting will take place in Room 251.
Please click here to register for the meeting ASAP to save your seat: https://bit.ly/3ItDFGs If you cannot attend, you can also express your interest and receive information directly from me.
Note that this is not a Great River School sponsored trip; students are asked to provide all of the funding for their own travel. EF does have a competitive scholarship It is a well-supported and safe trip! It is an official EF Tour (similar to the trip to Ecuador last summer and the trip to Barcelona & Madrid this summer).
There are limited spots on this trip, so we would love to have you attend this meeting to learn more about this exciting opportunity!
London and a STEM theme of cryptography!
There will be a Maple Sugaring field trip for BIPoC students grades 7-12. Great River School would like to offer this opportunity first to our BIPoC students. We will be taking 15 students out to the woods surrounding Lake Independence to take part in a maple sugaring camp. This is a “sugarbush” camp that began in 1976 and is still active today.
Needs:
Outdoor winter clothes and boots for snow.
Pack a lunch and a snack
Water Bottle
Positive Attitude
When: Wednesday March 29th Depart GRS at 9:00am and return at 3:00pm
Who: 15 BIPoC identifying students, LA Guides Scott and Lisa plus additional guide supports.
Where: Porky’s Sugarbush-Porky's Sugarbush, 2864 Independence Rd, Maple Plain, MN 55359
Why: A great way to connect with the outdoors and learn about an age-old tradition of collecting maple sap from maple trees and evaporating off the excess water to make maple syrup and maple candies.
What: Learn about the process of tapping maple trees and collecting sap, hands on work help out setting up tree taps and collecting sap, boiling it down and enjoying the time by a campfire and being in the woods while building community.
Background info:
Porky’s Sugarbush
Sugar bush refers to a forest stand of maple trees which is utilized for maple syrup. This was originally an Indigenous camp set up for several weeks each spring, beginning when the ice began to melt and ending when the tree buds begin to open.
Walter “Porky” White began this sugar camp back in 1976 out near Maple Plain, MN. He is remembered by carrying on this tradition by making maple syrup and maple candy. Porky taught language, culture, instituted his sugar bush, as well as rice, fish, and berry camps to teach the traditional life of the Anishinabe people.
If you would like to join our HS Baseball team at the St. Paul Saints game on April 8, follow the link below! https://sp6.glitnirticketing.com/spticket/web/logingroup1.php?&refresh=1675284807
Use the password tca2023 (it is case sensitive) to access the tickets.
Please do this by the end of the day, Friday, March 17, if you're interested. And yes, you can bring your family members/friends.
The following is a list of those who will represent GRS on our HS baseball co-op with TCA and Nova Classical:
Jonas Harper (GRS)
August Godfrey (GRS)
Rowan Flood (GRS)
Maximo Hegstrom (GRS)
Mikko Newman (GRS)
Liam Duffy (GRS)
James Williams (GRS)
Leif Newman (GRS)
Devin Joseph (GRS)
Happy Spring Sports season!!
A set of car keys were found in the Elementary by a student on Friday, March 10th. If you lost your car keys in the Elementary recently, please check in with Lindsey Hartjes or Brad Wildman in SpEd or Derek Damron in the elementary to claim them.
Found on Monday, March 13th outside, a top clear invisalign type tray, Serial # 329818 and a number 13 or 18 noted beside the black star on the tray in the picture. If this is your tray, please stop by the front desk to claim your retainer from Holly.
The Blue Heron Bash Silent Auction is OPEN!!
Get a peek at all the offerings and start bidding now: ourschoolsupport/GRSBHB23
The Early Bird Discount is ending on March 20! Don’t miss your chance on big savings for GRS summer camp ($50 for full day camp and $25 for half day camps). As a reminder, we offer camps from preschool all the way through high school seniors. Our themes range from art, ultimate, sailing, biking, sports, games, pottery, cooking, and more! To see what camps we have to offer, visit: GRS Camp Home Page. To fill out the Pay What You Can form click Here. Questions? Email Brent at bcummins@greatriverschool.org
Our biggest event of the year is coming up fast! Volunteers make it happen—sign up today: https://bit.ly/BHBvolunteer23
Many different options available: pre-event, post-event, and day-of.
Now accepting donations to the Wine Pull— drop off in the office by Friday March 17.
New to the BHB? Read more about it here: http://bit.ly/BHB101
Senior Leif Kutzer is going to STATE with his hockey team. Leif is the goalie!!
Leif's Junior Gold High School hockey team made it through playoffs, are in the top 8 in the state, and their State Tournament is next weekend, in Blaine. This is a huge achievement for Leif and his teammates (Minnetonka JG Black).
Congratulations, Leif!
The Blue Heron Bash is now collecting wine pull donations at the front desk until Friday, March 17. Help us get to our goal of 100 bottles!
For more information about the Blue Heron Bash & SIlent Auction, visit our website: www.greatriverschool.org/blueheronbash
We thank you in advance for your donation!
The opening of the Senior IB Art show will be in the performance space next Wednesday, March 22 at 4:30-5:30pm and is open to all. 15 seniors have curated an exhibition with work they have made over the past year and a half. Students have worked across a variety of media, showcasing their skills in ceramics, painting, digital drawing, and more. Each artist has created a body of work expressing what they feel passionate about.
Come support these fantastic artists. Can't make it to the opening on Wednesday?
The exhibits will be on display during conferences March 23-24.
Impress your opponents and increase your IQ while having fun playing chess. 1-12, all chess levels are welcome.
Wednesdays @ 3:30-4:30 pm
April 12 - May 31
8 classes, $100
Challenge yourself! Play Chess!
Exercise Your Brain
Questions? Email bigcanoe@greatriverschool.org, tcchessclub@gmail.com or call 952.457.4800
Tomorrow is the Boys Basketball Basketball Quarterfinal game at 7:00pm at St. Croix Lutheran Academy in West Saint Paul. Information regarding the game and the Tickets can be found below:
Date: Thursday, March 9, 2023
Time: 7:00pm
Location: St. Croix Lutheran 1200 Oakdale Ave, West St Paul, MN 55118
Ticket prices will be $10 for adults and $5 for students as this is a Section Game.
Tickets will be ONLINE only. HERE is the link. Please share this with your team and families.
The game will NOT be livestreamed.
Bus times: there will be a GRS activity bus after school to TCA, no GRS pick up.
Thank you,
Victor Vondracek
The Blue Heron Bash is now collecting wine pull donations at the front desk until Friday, March 17. Help us get to our goal of 100 bottles!
For more information about the Blue Heron Bash & SIlent Auction, visit our website: www.greatriverschool.org/blueheronbash
We thank you in advance for your donation!
The Blue Heron Bash needs volunteers to make it a success. We need adult & adolescent volunteers as well as donated items. Check out the sign up genius to see how you can get involved. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d49a4a62babf94-under
Having a task at the event is a great way to participate & meet new people. We need greeters, bartenders, child caregivers, decorators, organizers & more!
Looking to connect with other GRS Families? Have you heard about the Blue Heron Bash?
It’s Great River’s annual adult only “Friend”raiser
Tickets are on sale now for the event on March 18. http://www.
This year’s event will feature:
Food made by the Adolescent Culinart Arts CAS
Drinks generously donated by Pryes Brewing Company, Indeed Brewing Company, Saint Croix Vinyeards and Koru Kombucha
Live music by GRS Family musicians Rapid City Rhonda and The Bolos
Spring is right around the corner and it is time to register for Middle School (5th-8th) and High School (9th-12th). Don't miss your chance to be a part of this great sport and GRS tradition. Please check out our GRS Ultimate Website to view the schedule and learn how to register. We always need more girls and non-binary players in middle school! Also, if we get enough high school boys to sign up, we can have a JV team as well!
--Registration Deadline for Middle School (5th-8th) is March 17.
--Registration Deadline for High School (9th-12th) is March 17.
(Late registrations are allowed, but make it more difficult to make teams)
Here is the link to the slideshow from our family night: Ultimate Slideshow--Middle school is first, so keep scrolling for high school info.
If you have any questions, email Brent Cummins (bcummins@greatriverschool.org)
Do you own or work at a business you would like to promote to the GRS Community?
Are you an artist or maker and have goods or services to share?
We would love to feature you at the Blue Heron Bash Auction online March 13 & in person at the event on Saturday, March 18 from 6-10pm at GRS. http://www.bit.ly/GRSBHBTICKETS23
Wine Pull: Drop off a bottle of wine (or more!) at the front desk for the Wine Pull. Bottles will be for sale at the event for $20. If we get just 50 bottles that’s $1000 raised!
Donate items to the Online Auction:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGqKuOBffUJVwalrCVK_R3CHGyXKKGbmMJhn1YY1P_n-RATw/viewform
Donate handmade items to our Makers Market:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdvU6gvBlAjD1x9XPxGXwGN6vNOyGa1CpwE5DN20rU8roEF7Q/viewform
Host a Great Gathering:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfyDdJeviD5dU5gIG0yXSvDj8RDC64JTgivVpvwb0uvB0JHdA/viewform
These are just a few of the Great River Community businesses & makers at this year’s Bash so far!
Sally Palmer - Rocksteady Life http://www.arocksteadylife.com
Melissa Hickman - Shadeflower Divines http://www.shopshadeflower.com
Mike Carina- http://www.mikecarina.com/
Pam Husak, Adolescent Science Guide is looking for some stethoscopes and Blood Pressure cuffs to use in a lab next week (Tuesday, March 7).
The approximate number she is hoping to acquire is 10 or more, but 5 of each will suffice.
Please reach out to Pam Husak at phusak@greatriverschool.org if you have more questions.
You still have THREE MORE DAYS to submit your Great Gathering event! It's the #1 way to connect with other GRS families and these events are one of the most popular ways to support our Blue Heron Bash fundraiser each year!
Please consider hosting an event as a fun way to connect with other GRS families!
Examples of Great Gatherings from the past included family events like pancakes in the park, brewery tours, backyard movies, or puzzle and game nights; parent-only events like wine and cheese, themed dinners, a moms weekend at a cabin; and workshops -how to make kimchi, woodworking, yoga. Host by yourself, or co-host with a friend or two!
Really, any opportunity to get together can be a Great Gathering- think of some ways you like to spend your time and invite others to join you!
Questions? Ideas? Feedback? Email :greatgatherings@greatriverschool.org
Sign-up form here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jAlwTjMmfu3eNDR9izoGKEkvXqlpJd4wRujZ945gXR4/edit
