Upper Adolescent

GRS Summer Camp–Early Bird Discount ends soon!

Be sure to sign up for summer camp soon to grab a spot and maximize your savings as the early bird discount ends February 14.  Our 1st-3rd grade camps are filling up extremely fast but we still have spaces in our PreK/K, 4th-7th, 7th-10th and 9th-12th camps.  We have a lot of GRS staff leading camps, so come spend some non-school time with them!  Scott Alsleben is leading lots of Ultimate Camps, Ethan Hulett is leading fun half day camps at Como Park, Derek Damron is leading our first ever Bikepacking Camp, Chad Hofland is leading a band/music camp, Alexis Jackson is once again leading most of our Camp of All Camps, and many more!  It’s going to be an amazing summer, so don’t wait too long to sign up.  

For schedules and registration, go to https://great-river-school.jumbula.com/home or email Brent Cummins at bcummins@greatriverschool.org with any questions.

As always, we are dedicated to making summer camp possible and affordable for ALL through our early-bird pricing, sibling discount, multi-program discount and our Pay What You Can program.

Ultimate Frisbee Fundraiser!

The Great River Ultimate high school teams are raising funds to support their winter dome practice and their upcoming Spring season. Pickup dinner on Tuesday, Feb 27 4-8pm at Davanni's on Cleveland and Grand Ave in St Paul. Mention the GRS fundraiser in your take-out, dine-in, or curbside order to support the team.

PEG Monthly Newsletter, February 2024

Check out the new PEG newsletter by clicking on the image below or the following link: https://www.smore.com/w69z7

Did you know PEG has a parent volunteer-composed Monthly newsletter to keep you updated on all the events, volunteer opportunities and other ways to get involved in the GRS Community? Take a look! Thanks to the amazing work of parent volunteer, Ashley Beermann, a vibrant PEG Newsletter will be updated every month! Happy reading!

New updates, information, and PEG newsletters will also be available on the PEG website: https://www.greatriverschool.org/peg

J Term performances: Wizard of Oz and Baskervilles, Feb. 14 - 16, 2024

Every year, the 7th and 8th grade students take time off from their normal studies and immerse themselves in the Theater Arts. This year they are putting on two shows: The Hound of the Baskervilles and the Wizard of Oz. The Theater Intensive Performances return to the Wellstone Center for the first time in 7 years. All are invited to attend the shows; each show is performed 4 times, allowing each cast of students to perform twice. Performances are February 14-16th and take place at the Wellstone Center. Links to buy tickets are below. We hope to see you all there!

Wellstone Center
(Neighborhood House)
179 Robie Street East
St. Paul, MN 55107

To see more about the shows, tickets, and the performance times, visit the link below:

https://www.greatriverschool.org/j-term-theatre-intensives

IB Exam Proctors needed!

Many of Great River School's Grade 12 students are registered for IB Exams in May. Please consider volunteering an assistant proctor! No experience or special skills required. Willing volunteers will be asked to be assistant supervisors in IB Exam rooms. Questions? Contact Lindsey Weaver, IB Coordinator: lweaver@greatriverschool.org.

Sign-up here: https://forms.gle/AVZPMCbRQaTq9djV6

Please join us for UA Culture Day! February 16th

UA Culture Day is a student-led event and will be an opportunity for ALL UA students and staff to build community with one another over food dishes in a potluck style lunch representative of the cultures present at Great River. 

Friday, February 16th the UA BIPOC Student Group is sponsoring a UA Culture Day and we need your help!

Who: ALL UA Students (Grades 9-12)

What: BIPOC Staff Q&A 11:50-12:20 and Potluck style lunch 12:25-12:55

When: Friday February 16th

Where: GRS Gym

What are we asking of students, parents, and caregivers?

  • Those that are willing and able, we are asking for your assistance in preparing a dish or drink for everyone to share that may be representative of your culture. 

  • We are also asking for parent volunteers that would be willing to help with the setup/cleanup of this event on Friday, February 16th at GRS.  

Please utilize the signup genius link HERE if you are able and willing to volunteer. 

Parent Engagement Group Meeting TONIGHT at 6:30pm! Special Guest, David Núñez

The Parent Engagement Group cordially invites you to an evening of updates and planning TONIGHT! At 6:30 p.m., Head of School David Núñez will give an update about the new strategic plan and the new expansion/replication committee.

From the January newsletter: “We are proud to announce the successful final draft of our new strategic plan, a collaborative effort that reflects our entire community’s commitment and passion. This comprehensive plan outlines our goals, objectives, and initiatives for the coming five years….The Great River School Board has started exploring opportunities for growth. The school board is now actively considering the expansion of Great River School to a second site. This exciting possibility aligns with our dedication to providing quality education to a broader community. However, we are only at the very beginning of the process of exploration and nothing has yet been decided.”

Come to hear more about this potentially big news. The monthly PEG planning meeting will follow David’s presentation. We will discuss spring conference food for staff, the Blue Heron Bash, Earth Day, and more! Come for as little or as much as you are able.

Join us in person in the Upper Adolescent Commons on the 2nd Floor, or on the Zoom linked below: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84299165563?pwd=UUhEL216dTRPc0laQld2cHprblJjUT09
Meeting ID: 842 9916 5563
Passcode: 932164
Questions? Email peg@greatriverschool.org
Hope to see you!

Happy Lunar New Year, February 10th, 2024! Year of the Dragon!

Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. It is the most important holiday in China, and it is also widely celebrated in South Korea, Vietnam, and countries with a significant overseas Chinese population.

Don’t forget to wish those who observe Happy New Year next week on February 10, 2024!

The Parent Engagement Group (PEG) Meeting; February 5th, 6:30pm

The Parent Engagement Group cordially invites you to an evening of updates and planning on Monday, February 5th. At 6:30 p.m., where Head of School David Núñez will give an update about the new strategic plan and the new expansion/replication committee.

From the January newsletter: “We are proud to announce the successful final draft of our new strategic plan, a collaborative effort that reflects our entire community’s commitment and passion. This comprehensive plan outlines our goals, objectives, and initiatives for the coming five years….The Great River School Board has started exploring opportunities for growth. The school board is now actively considering the expansion of Great River School to a second site. This exciting possibility aligns with our dedication to providing quality education to a broader community. However, we are only at the very beginning of the process of exploration and nothing has yet been decided.”

Come to hear more about this potentially big news. The monthly PEG planning meeting will follow David’s presentation. We will discuss spring conference food for staff, the Blue Heron Bash, Earth Day, and more! Come for as little or as much as you are able.

Join us in person in the Upper Adolescent Commons, or on Zoom: Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84299165563?pwd=UUhEL216dTRPc0laQld2cHprblJjUT09
Meeting ID: 842 9916 5563
Passcode: 932164 Questions?
Email: peg@greatriverschool.org
Hope to see you!

GRS Summer Camp Registration is open!

Our camps are a fun way for your camper to spend a week exploring, building, learning, moving, creating, and having a blast. At GRS, we treat each other and our environment with respect, and we are focused on being safe while having fun. Our programs are run by full-time GRS staff and we are open to all people from everywhere. 

GRS Camps run Monday-Thursday. Half-day camp hours are 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm. You can combine a morning session with an afternoon session and join us for lunch if you'd like! Full-day camps run from 9pm-4pm. You can come for a week of morning sessions or be with us all summer! 

Below are the dates for 2024.  Staffing and themes are still being organized and will be ready by mid January.  Pre-camp Care (8:00-9:00) and Friday Fun Day Add-ons are available this year. 

Week 1 -June 11 -14 (Tues.-Fri.)-One Full Day Camp for 1st-3rd grade and One Full Day Camp for 4th-7th grade

Week 2 -June 17 -20-Full Week of Programs

Week 3 -June 24 -27-Full Week of Programs

Week 4 --July 8 -11-Full Week of Programs

Week 5 -July 15 -18-Full Week of Programs

Week 6 -July 22-25 -Full Week of Programs

Week 7 -July 29-August 1 -Full Week of Programs

Week 8 -August 5-8-One Full Day Camp for 1st-3rd grade and One Full Day Camp for 4th-7th grade

For more information, go to https://www.greatriverschool.org/summercamp or email Brent Cummins at bcummins@greatriverschool.org

We are dedicated to making summer camp possible and affordable for ALL through our early-bird pricing, sibling discount, multi-program discount and our Pay What You Can program.

PEG Monthly Newsletter, January 2024

Did you know PEG has a parent volunteer-composed Monthly newsletter to keep you updated on all the events, volunteer opportunities and other ways to get involved in the GRS Community? Take a look! Thanks to the amazing work of parent volunteer, Ashley Beermann, a vibrant PEG Newsletter will be updated if more events are added throughout the month and come out again in February! Happy reading!

New updates, information, and PEG newsletters will also be available on the PEG website: https://www.greatriverschool.org/peg

Boxes of Tissues Needed!

Great River School is in need of boxes of tissues! With the winter weather changes, and various illnesses that can occur, the need for tissues increases and we run out of tissues very quickly. If you would like to donate, families can bring the boxes of tissues to your student’s individual classrooms or to the front office.

Thank you for your help!

No School, Monday., January 15th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law, designating the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The legislation to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. On this holiday:

  • Engage with your community and create constructive action.

  • Act on Dr. King’s legacy of social justice and equity.

  • Recommit by volunteering to serve others. You can clean up a public space, mentor a young person, or help those who are food insecure.

If you are looking for more volunteer opportunities, explore the link below:

https://www.handsontwincities.org/mlk-in-person-volunteer-opportunities

If you are looking for ways to celebrate MLK Day with the children in your life, click the link below for suggestions from the Minnesota Children’s Museum:

https://mcm.org/celebrating-mlk-day-with-kids/

Calling all GRS small (or large) business owners!

We would love to give you an opportunity to advertise your business and support the Lower Adolescent J-Term experience by purchasing Ad space in the J-term playbills. $25 for a half page, $50 for full page. Send all inquiries or advertisements to Alexis/Civics & Economics guide: alexis@greatriverschool.org.

Lost and Found items: Claim by December 20th; unclaimed items to be donated

Lost and Found

Any unclaimed items will be donated to charity at 6pm on Wednesday, December 20th. The two lost and found locations are as follows:

1)The foyer inside the entrance to the Cafe

2) The hallway by the copy machine near the main elementary entrance.

REMINDER: GRS Ultimate! Sign-up today!

Are you already playing or interested in trying High School Ultimate? Curious to see if it’s for you?

Come to indoor dome practices once a week, January-March.  All are welcome! Practice will be located at the West St. Paul Dome, 1655 Livingston Ave, West St Paul, MN 55118. St. Paul Girls practice will take place Tuesdays 6:45am-8:15am and Boys/Open practice, Wednesdays 6am-8am. All must sign up HERE.  Responses to the sign-up will help us in creating carpools.

Embrace the early morning and come try GRS ultimate!

Email Brent Cummins with questions: bcummins@greatriverschool.org

* Dome practices are free and start on 1/23/24*

*Donations for Dome time are accepted here: PAYPAL - paypal.me/StarsUltimate (include student name in note)--Checks and cash are accepted at the front desk as well*

*Official season signups with registration fees coming later in February*

LAST DAY TO DONATE: 2nd Annual Staff Gifting opportunity!

Join our second annual staff gifting opportunity! As a community we were able to give $50 gift cards to all 135 faculty and staff last year. Help us match or exceed this year. You can donate cash or check (payable to Great River School Foundation), in a sealed envelope with GRGG written on it, at the front office.

Venmo to GRSPEG
https://account.venmo.com/u/GRSPEG

PayPal to GRSPEG https://www.paypal.me/GRSPEG?locale.x=en_US

A donation of $10 per student reaches our goal of $50 per staff.