Harvest Fest is an annual tradition celebrating the work of our Lower Adolescents and the joy of the harvest. Come share soup, cider and singing with other GRS families. Buy works created by Great River students on their Key Experiences and in CAS (Creative, Active, Service) workshops. There will be games and music for all ages.
Want to help? Sign up to volunteer for this and many of GRS’s events at:
"Life shall be lived well. The end of the summer is not the end of the world. Here's to October…" — A.A. Milne, "A Word for Autumn"
Get ready for October smiles, sweater weather, harvest festing, and candy consumption! Don’t forget to add these dates to your calendar for October!
Hello GRS friends, We are currently without our all important GRS CAS Internship Consultant! It is only a few hours per week :) I have linked the job description here. If you know of anyone willing to do a few hours a week to help keep our GRS internship program afloat, please let me know. Thank you, all!
Lindsey Weaver, GRS IB Coordinator
The first meeting of the SEAC (Special Education Advisory Council) committee will occur on Monday, September 30th at 6pm. Any caregivers or students associated with an IEP or 504 (established or pending) are encouraged to attend..
The first meeting is a meet and greet and to establish topics for the upcoming academic year.
The meeting will be in the media lab at Great River School. If you are unable to attend in person, you can join via the following Zoom 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)
Some background information about Jeremy Sartain:
One reason I am part of SEAC is to assure special education (staff, caregivers and students) have representation. My wife, Jennie and I are organizing SEAC meetings this year (with help from Brad and Lindsey).
All Lost and Found Items from 7-12 Key Experiences are currently in the lobby by the main office and will be available for pick up until 4:30pm on Friday, September 27th.
Apply to join the FTC Robotics team! Looking for 8th grade and older students curious about problem solving with robots. We will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30-6:30 until January. The team will participate in two all day competitions (or more if we make State!) Suggested fee is $200 but sliding scale is available if needed. Eager adults may also fill out the application to be a mentor, no experience required.
Check out this year's theme and find out more details about First Robotics at: https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc/game-and-season
There will be an info night Monday September 23rd at 4:30pm in room 163. Applications are due by Wednesday the 25th. Practices start on Monday the 30th.
BIPOC monthly events are spaces where BIPOC students from all levels, can connect, learn from each other, enliven their spirits, and cultivate a sense of community energy that can radiate throughout the whole school, so that every place feels like home to the 191 students who identify as BIPOC at GRS.
For September and October BIPOC Events, GRS has the honor of welcoming Mizz Mercedes, as she and her friends spread Spread love, peace, and unity to the GRS community, through her sharing of the Rondo Double Dutch and Broken Robots project.
This summit is open to all people who are actively working to ground Ethnic Studies education in MN. The Summit will gather over 250 students, educators, and community members to spend a day together to 1. connect, learn and grow together. 2. Examine how different identities experience Ethnic Studies across Minnesota 3. Explore ways to prepare and normalize Ethnic Studies instruction in K-12 classrooms.
The Summit is free for all youth. Registration fee for adults are $ 125. If you are an adult who is interested in attending, please email mknguyen@greatriverschool.org
BIPOC monthly events are spaces where BIPOC students from all levels, can connect, learn from each other, enliven their spirits, and cultivate a sense of community energy that can radiate throughout the whole school, so that every place feels like home to the 191 students who identify as BIPOC at GRS.
For September and October BIPOC Events, GRS has the honor of welcoming Mizz Mercedes, as she and her friends spread Spread love, peace, and unity to the GRS community, through her sharing of the Rondo Double Dutch and Broken Robots project.
This summit is open to all people who are actively working to ground Ethnic Studies education in MN. The Summit will gather over 250 students, educators, and community members to spend a day together to 1. connect, learn and grow together. 2. Examine how different identities experience Ethnic Studies across Minnesota 3. Explore ways to prepare and normalize Ethnic Studies instruction in K-12 classrooms.
The Summit is free for all youth. Registration fee for adults are $ 125. If you are an adult who is interested in attending, please email mknguyen@greatriverschool.org
Check out the new PEG newsletter by clicking on the image above or the following link: https://secure.smore.com/n/f2mqa
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
For ongoing PEG news and more details on opportunities to volunteer and connect with other families, check out their monthly newsletter. Happy Reading! https://secure.smore.com/n/f2mqa
Join PEG for the Back to School Picnic on Friday, September 13th, 6 - 8pm at Great River School!
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, September 25 - December 18 (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.
Only a week (and a few days) until our Adolescent students leave on their first Key Experiences. Food Donations & Volunteer support are needed for packing and vehicle pick up. There are many items of food that we use that are difficult to order from our vendors, so we need help procuring those. We also need help from families in packing for the trip and picking up our uhaul, cargo, and minivans. You can sign up using the “Sign up Genius” links below:
11 Northstar Quest Sign-Up Genius
Thank you for your support!
Do you like working with a group? Solving problems? Building things? Making things happen? Traveling with a group? Then the robotics team might be for you! NoMythic is a collaboration between Avalon and Great River School. Imagine dying your hair late at night in Duluth before an exciting competition, sharing meals together, singing around a bonfire together. Imagine solving hard problems but celebrating solutions, working hard to see smiles on faces of those you work with.
NoMythic is more than a just a family, it is a network that is truly ready to accept all types of people with enthusiasm to be on our team. Experience the Team Nights- Experience the team nights are not a commitment to the team in any way, however anyone interested in the team must attend one of these sessions. They’re perfect if you don’t know if you’d like to join the team - we’ll give you a show of everything we do.
September 5th, 10th, or 12th (first two weeks of school). 4:30-8:30 pm at GRS Idea Lab - be sure to arrange your 8:30 pickup. Dinner is included! Anybody 9th -12th grade is welcome to apply! Talk to NoMythic students at school (look for our signature purple tie dye) or email 2491nomythic@gmail.com to let us know about any dietary needs or to ask questions!
Who: Students in 7-12
What: Auditions for Queens by Kristen Doherty: "King Henry VIII is trapped in purgatory, bound to his throne by a sinister Fool and the ghostly Women in White. Here in his gilded cage, he is forced to relive the sins he committed against his queens, mistresses and people of the court, over and over again, for an eternity." When: Tuesday, September 10th, 4pm-6pm, callbacks, Wednesday, September 11th, 4pm-6pm Where: GRS performance space
Additional info: Tech Leads applications due September 5-13 (Lighting, Sound, Stage Manager, Prop Master, Costume Lead) Tech Crew applications due October 7-15 (Costuming, Run Crew/Prop Creation)
Invited dress rehearsal: Thursday, November 21, 7pm, GRS performance space
Performances: Friday/Saturday, November 22/23 7pm, Sunday matinee, November 24 2pm, GRS performance space
Questions: Please contact Lindy Erdmann, lerdmann@greatriverschoo.org and/or Bianca White bwhite@greatriverschool.org
Check out the Performing Arts at GRS page for more information on upcoming shows: https://www.greatriverschool.org/shows
For adolescent students in grades 7 - 12 (or students who have an older sibling in those grades with whom they will ride Metro Transit) AND who live more than 2 miles from Great River School, the school funds Metro Transit cards to provide transportation to and from school. Any student who wishes to obtain a Go-To 10-Ride Card must fill out a new application EACH YEAR.
The application is LINKED HERE and paper copies can also be found by the front desk. Completed applications should be turned in to the front desk or emailed to office@greatriverschool.org.
A Go-To 10 Ride Card Card works like a Go-To Card. Touch the card to a reader on a bus or at a light-rail station and it automatically deducts one ride. Transfers are embedded on the card. Replacement 10-Ride Cards may be returned to the front office when they have zero or 1 remaining ride on the card to receive a replacement. Students will not receive a replacement of a 10-Ride Card without returning a used card. In the case of a lost 10-Ride Card, a student may purchase a new card for $15. Subsequent cards will continue to be at no cost as long as the student returns a used card. Unlimited Ride Cards will be considered for distribution in late October after established patterns of high frequency become established. Students who qualify will be notified by email.
Students who have completed their applications can pick up their cards at the front desk between 8:30-9:00am, during passing times or during lunch on school days.
This school year, our fundraising goal of $250,000 will help close the gap between our state funding and the cost of supporting the unique learning opportunities that define the Great River experience. As a charter school, Great River receives less than 87% percent of the funding allocated to traditional district schools, and the amount is designed to decrease over time. Financial support from families, grants, and corporations has always been critical to fully fund our school, and our strength in fundraising will need to grow alongside our charter.
Our goal this year is big. But we are a powerful community of almost 800 students and their families, and reaching our goal is achievable. There are several ways you can join in to support:
Sign up to become a monthly donor: $40 per month ($480 per year) per student achieves our goal
Check with your employer for matching gifts (matching for monetary gifts or your volunteer hours)
Share our mission and ways to give with others who value Montessori education
Did you know that you can buy GRS spirit wear from our online school store?
Check out the wide variety of options available here. And, we’ve arranged to have a special back to school discount for all families from August 30th - September 13th! Just enter the discount code of GRSBTS24 upon check-out for a 15% discount on anything you order.
Did you know that these two designs were made by GRS Students? Recent graduate, Elise Barros, designed the heron with the sunset background and current 5th grader, Axel Beermann, designed the constellation heron. These designs will only be available through this spring after we complete our design contest this year.
