Come Relax, Play and get Creative at GRS Summer Camp
We know you’re excited to be wrapping up school and you’re ready to take a break. We get it! We hope you have just enough excitement and enough down time to make it an incredible few months! Speaking of which, what could be better than relaxing and making awesome art with old & new friends? Get your teen off the screen and join us for Open Art camp (July 28-31), where you get to do some in-depth projects of your choice. You’ll have as much or little guidance as you’d like- we’ll provide the supplies and the inspiration, you provide the creativity! Or maybe you’re looking for some freedom that’s a little more active… Join us for Como Park Adventures (July 14-17 or July 21-24), where we’ll do different things every day from swimming to fishing to hanging out in the shade playing some relaxing games. Can’t wait to see you there!
For schedules and registration, go to https://great-river-school.jumbula.com/7th-10th-half-day- or email Brent Cummins at bcummins@greatriverschool.org with any questions. Also, 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.
Last Chance for Lost and Found! Items donated after 5pm June 6th!
Any unclaimed items in lockers, cubbies and lost and found locations that are not picked up by 5pm on Friday, June 6th will be donated to charity. Please encourage your children to claim their items.
Caregivers are welcome to look in the Lost and Found before and after school, and after the End of Year Ceremony at noon on June 6th!
Reminder: Support our Garden This Summer! Volunteers needed!
Check out the link below to sign up for this summer volunteer opportunity
Click HERE to learn more about how to care for our Garden with weeding, watering and general care and sign up for 1 week this summer.
We are happy to announce that our new school garden is up and growing! Adolescents and Elementary Outdoor Ed students have been hard at work getting the raised beds ready for the growing season. Work began in the fall with the clearing of the garden space and building of the raised beds. The spring found students hauling dirt and mulch and weeding the garden space. Beds have recently been planted and the garden is taking shape.
We are excited to invite families to join us in maintaining and nurturing our newly established school garden! This is a wonderful opportunity for parents, caregivers, and students to come together, enjoy the outdoors, and contribute to creating a vibrant and sustainable green space for our school community. Whether it's weeding, watering, or general upkeep, every helping hand makes a difference. Volunteering not only helps beautify our school but also provides a chance to teach our children about the importance of nature, responsibility, and teamwork. We look forward to having you be part of this wonderful space and working together to make our garden thrive!
Internship Contacts for 2025-2026 School year
Hello GRS Parents.
Summer is almost here and for CAS Internships it means planning time for next school year. If you know an organization/department/company that would be interested in hosting a GRS 11th or 12th grader for a Wednesday afternoon internship next school year, please email me or fill out this very short form. I will follow up over the summer months. Regards, Lara Christley, lchristley@greatriverschool.org.
Cheer on the Ultimate team at Sea Foam Stadium, July 12th
Great River Ultimate Community,
Everyone is welcome to come together and enjoy a fun night cheering on our alumni, staff, and coaches (Leo and Noah) and the whole Minnesota Wind Chill professional ultimate frisbee team. Wear your jerseys or GRS spirit gear! This is a generous fundraiser for our Ultimate Program!
Saturday, July 12th @ 6:00PM vs. Madison Radicals"
Sea Foam Stadium - 281 Hamline Ave N, St Paul, MN 55104
When you buy tickets with the following code, our GRS ultimate program gets a generous portion of the ticket sales. Our fundraising promo code is:
GREATRIVER0712
Use this promo code at checkout with each ticket order so the order gets assigned to our fundraiser. It will say there is a $0.01 discount.
If you use the following link, it should automatically apply the code at checkout, but make sure to double-check:
Join Girl's Soccer Practice over the summer!
Interested in Girl's soccer?! Join us for summer practices Tuesdays and Thursdays starting June 17th at Twin Cities Academy from 5pm to 6:30pm. Free and available for all upcoming 7th through 12th grade students interested in joining the Tiger Girl's soccer team in the fall!
Questions? Contact Coach Wevers at awevers@twincitiesacademy.org
Love to bike? Join the St. Paul Youth Cycling Team!
Hey Great River! Are you a bike nut? Do you love being outdoors? Are the key experiences your jam? Are you in 6-12th grade next year? Then check out the St. Paul Youth Cycling team (SPY)! "SPY" is offering a special try-it-out ride for GRS Students on Sunday, June 8th at Sunfish Lake MTB Trail in Lake Elmo at 10am. Read more about it below!
The Saint Paul Youth Mountain Bike Team (SPY-MTB), is an official state-sanctioned Middle and High School athletic sport through the Minnesota Cycling Association (MCA). SPY-MTB is a composite team of roughly 100 riders from 23 different middle and high schools in the greater St. Paul area including both public and private schools. Several students from your school are active riders on the team.
SPY-MTB is technically a Fall sport, but the recruiting phase begins in the Spring and practice starts in July.
For more information, feel free to reach out to Daniel Marcelle, SPY-MTB Board, daniel.j.marcelle@gmail.com
Last Chance for Lost and Found! Items donated after 5pm June 6th!
Any unclaimed items in lockers, cubbies and lost and found locations that are not picked up by 5pm on Friday, June 6th will be donated to charity. Please encourage your children to claim their items.
Caregivers are welcome to look in the Lost and Found before and after school, and after the End of Year Ceremony at noon on June 6th!
Elementary Music Workshop Guide, Private Music Lessons
Hello everyone!
As some of you may already know, I will not be returning to Great River in the fall. However I will continue to be involved in music for the rest of my life. One way in which I plan to do this is through teaching private music lessons. I am open to teaching learners of all ages 6 and up (including adults) starting June 11.
I will offer lessons on piano/keyboard, drum set/percussion, xylophone/mallet instruments, guitar/bass guitar, ukulele, voice, composition and music theory. You provide the instrument and I’ll come to your home to teach lessons. Feel free to contact me at (651) 335-4637 or martin.listtesdell@gmail.com with any questions.
I will miss this community greatly and this is one way in which I hope to stay connected with some of you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. May you all continue to have wonderful, music-filled lives!
Thank you,
Marty List-Tesdell
Elementary Music Workshop Guide
Big Canoe Registration now open for the 2025-26 school year
Big Canoe child care is available before and after school for elementary students at Great River School. We are open from 7:45-8:50 am and 3:50-5:45 pm every regular school day. For rates and information, see www.greatriverschool.org/big-canoe-club.
To register your child for Big Canoe next fall, fill out the registration form. You will be contacted to confirm your registration by paying the $30 registration fee.
REMINDER: Last Chance for Lost and Found!
Any unclaimed items in lockers, cubbies and lost and found locations that are not picked up by 5pm on Friday, June 6th will be donated to charity. Please encourage your children to claim their items.
Caregivers are welcome to look in the Lost and Found before and after school, and after the End of Year Ceremony at noon on June 6th!
Fall 2025 Soccer Co-op
If you will be a 7th-12th grader in the '25/'26 school year and interested in playing soccer with the GRS, Twin Cities Academy, and MN Math & Science Co-op in the fall of 2025, then you should fill out the following form.
2025 GRS/TCA High School Soccer Interest Form
It will put you on the communications list which will keep you informed about summer practices and getting registered for the fall. Even if you don't know for sure you want to play in the fall, you can still join us for practices this summer (twice a week, probably on Mondays and Wednesdays). The previous coach, Prince, has stepped down, so we'll have a new team of coaches this year. Brent Cummins will be one of them and you can email him/me with any questions: bcummins@greatriverschool.org
Middle school LIST League soccer coaches wanted for Fall 2025
We are looking for coaches for our co-ed LIST soccer teams, one for grades 5-6 and one for grades 7-8. The season starts right away in September and goes through early November (10 weeks). The team will practice after school one-two days per week (flexible depending on your schedule). Games are Wednesdays for the 5-6 team and Fridays for the 7-8 team. We are able to offer a stipend for coaching duties. Please reach out to bigcanoe@greatriverschool.org for more information about this opportunity.
Last Chance for Lost and Found! Items donated after 5pm June 6th!
Any unclaimed items in lockers, cubbies and lost and found locations that are not picked up by 5pm on Friday, June 6th will be donated to charity. Please encourage your children to claim their items.
Caregivers are welcome to look in the Lost and Found before and after school, and after the End of Year Ceremony at noon on June 6th!
Graduation is coming up soon! Friday, June 6th, 2025!
TONIGHT! End of the Year Picnic, Big Canoe, and Teacher Appreciation Gifts!
Join us at the End of Year Picnic, TONIGHT, Thursday, May 29th!
We need your help to make it happen. Volunteer Here!
You can also sign up for a Great Gathering to stamp your own shirt at the picnic with GRS Art Guide extraordinaire Randi bit.ly/GRSBHBTickets25
BIG CANOE BEFORE THE PICNIC
Do you want your elementary-aged child to stay after school until you can pick them up for the picnic?
Big Canoe is offering childcare from 3:50 - 5:00 pm on our picnic afternoon at a cost of $10 for one child, $14 for two children. (There is no extra charge for students who already attend Big Canoe on Tuesday Afternoons) Proceeds from childcare will be used to support programming at Great River School! Children will enjoy a supervised recess playtime with our staff until the picnic begins at 5 pm. To register, use one of the links below to pay the fee and reserve a spot.
Spots are limited. Scholarships are available in case of financial need; Email bigcanoe@greatriverschool.org to inquire.
TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFTS
We are still collecting funds for Teacher Appreciation through the End of Year Picnic on May 29. Last year we raised $7000 to give each staff member a $50 gift. Please donate your gift by dropping off cash or check (payable to Great River School Foundation), in a sealed envelope with PEG written on it, at the front office
OR Venmo to GRSPEG https://account.venmo.com/u/GRSPEG
OR PayPal to GRSPEG https://www.paypal.me/GRSPEG?locale.x=en_US
Rockin' on the River - June 23-26 or July 28-31 (Half Day Camp)
Do you love to make music and learn how it’s created? Interested in collaborating with other musicians and improving your sound? Join Chad Hofland for this popular music camp and learn what it takes to be in a band. Campers will work on tempo, form, improvisation, and harmonization while playing American roots music. Whether you are a singer, song writer, rhythm maker or player of instruments, you have a spot in our band!
For schedules and registration, go to https://great-river-school.jumbula.com/7th-10th-half-day- or email Brent Cummins at bcummins@greatriverschool.org with any questions. Also, 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.
