Adolescent Drop-Off Norms

(click here for an instructional video on arrival & departure norms)

Greetings! 

First of all, thank you all for making the start of our 2018-19 school year a success by driving safely and courteously! After a full month of observing the arrival process each morning, there are some guidelines that will benefit the entire school when dropping off! There are few refinements to the process that we must implement due to the increased number of vehicles we have this year.

  • Please pull all the way down the sidewalk as far as you can go before releasing your student. Using the entirety of our sidewalk is the only way to get everyone to class on time.

    • Doing so ensures that the maximum number of students get released at once.

    • Yes, this means your student may have to walk BACK towards their entrance on some days, but other days they won't depending on your place in line.

    • If large gaps in the line form, I will be out there directing vehicles to fill the gap.

  • Please ensure that your student is ready to get out of the vehicle in a timely fashion. If you must stop temporarily, please put on your flashing hazard lights.

  • PLEASE do not make U-turns or pull through neighboring business lots when exiting. Continue down Energy Lane heading west and exit onto Energy Park Drive.

  •  Dropping off students may only happen on the school side of Energy Lane, nor should they be released in the middle of the road while stopping temporarily.

As always, thank you for your cooperation and patience! This entire process works because YOU make it so!

May all your lights be green and your roads be open!
Derek (The Traffic Guy)

Harvest Fest!!!

One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals.” – Jean Vanier

Harvest Festival is this Saturday! We are so excited for this opportunity to celebrate the bounty of the season and our growing community together. Please join us for an afternoon of stone soup, crafts, music and community. 

When: Saturday October 13th 2:00-5:00pm

Where: Great River School (outdoors)

What: Celebration of the harvest season with “stone soup” in the cauldron, live music, farm fresh food and crafts from the adolescent key experiences to purchase, lots of activity stations and crafts, bouncy houses and our GRS community to keep you company. 

Also, be sure to sign up to be a part of the fun of making it all happen. Volunteers and supplies still needed:

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/30e0d49a4a62babf94-20172

Urban Farming Pumpkin Sale

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Great River School Urban Farming will be selling pumpkins and spinning gourds (picked by adolescent students at Buttermilk Farms 👩🏼‍🌾) daily after school until our supply is gone. Pumpkins range from $1-5, depending on size, and spinning gourds are $0.25 or five for a dollar. Exact change is appreciated - thank you!

Harvest Fest Reminder!

“There is no secret, but this is certain, that it is only by sharing may we make a feast”

~author unknown

Harvest Festival is right around the corner! We are still in need of donations and day of volunteers. Please check out the Sign-Up and register to make this annual family event a huge success!

This is one of our most accessible volunteer activities. Commitment times start at 1 hour and families can volunteer together (including little ones.) Adolescent students are encouraged to volunteer and 9th/10th grader receive volunteer hours.

View the Sign up Here. 

Head Lice Notification!

Dear parents,

GRS has received reports of head lice at home among students in the Lower Adolescent classrooms. We are notifying all 7th and 8th grade families as a precaution.

Following CDC guidelines, we do not require students to stay home from school until head lice infections have cleared. We ask that families check at home and take action to treat any cases as soon as possible. We are notifying the community of these recent cases so that families can check their students for lice and respond appropriately. Treating hair and washing/drying clothing and bedsheets on high heat will limit the duration and spread of head lice.

Recommendations on treatments are below - one from the Minnesota Department of Health and an alternative from a GRS parent Kara Parker, MD.  

MN Department of Health: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/headlice/

(includes recommendations and action steps)

Recommendation from Kara Parker, MD & GRS parent: An alternative to chemical insecticides include naturally occurring insect-killing treatments: "Coconut oil and essential oils work great- the coconut oil suffocates them and the essential oils chemically harm (tea tree (mellaluca) and oregano, eucalyptus are strong options). Can also add diatomaceous earth (DE) to cut through the exoskeleton and eggs into the paste and spread through the hair, wear at night, wash in the am."

If you need any help in checking your child for lice or nits, please direct your child to our student health coordinator, Natalie Yaeger, in the health office.

Thank you for your assistance,

Natalie Yaeger
GRS Student Health Coordinator
nyaeger@greatriverschool.org


Sign up Now to Volunteer at Harvest Fest! 

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On Saturday, October 13th 2-5pm we will have our all-school fall festival, Harvest Fest! The festival features farm fresh food and crafts from the adolescent key experiences, a cauldron of soup made by your contributions, face painting, bouncy houses caramel apples and LIVE music! We are looking for volunteers to donate supplies, help set up/clean up, paint faces and stir the soup! Thank you in advance for your time and energy in making Harvest Fest an event to remember! 

View the Sign up Here. 

Great River Annual Fund Announcement

Great River School is kicking off the annual fund campaign this year - read below (or text “goats” to 71777 to find out how you can support the school).  

Your student Odyssey-ed to the West and has now completed an entire week of school! Thank you to the many parent volunteers who came to unpack bins, inventory tents, and welcome these intrepid students back to school. We hope you’ve had the chance to check in with your student about their experience - how will the skills they developed aid them in their educational journey this year? Here’s what one Lower Adolescent parent said about their student:

"It was a beautiful sight and a true testament to the value of these key experiences to watch... such teamwork, efficiency and pride in their work. It is a small glimpse into the true essence of what our kids gain from this week out in the world, away from their routines, comforts, devices ... and families. They return to us more independent, more confident and better citizens of their community ... and family. Thank you, Great River School guides and staff for giving our children this kind of experience. Thank you for giving us parents the opportunity to truly learn how to let our little birds fly on their own. And finally, THANK YOU for being such trustworthy guides in our important/necessary absence for this age-appropriate journey."


Great River is able to offer pioneering public Montessori programming, such as experiential key experience trips, through the donations of community members. As we unveil our annual fund thermometer for the year, we’re asking every GRS family to make a contribution to ensure our programming can continue for years to come.

Students & families are able to create their own fundraisers, shareable with your networks, to support & help fund GRS’s dynamic programming.

Thank you! We are so grateful to be in community with you.



Debate Club Information (for grades 9-12)

Are you interested in current politics? Sick of hearing the news? Do you want to be the change in the world?! Well, come join us at our "What is Debate?" meeting tomorrow, September 25th from 3:30-4:15 in the Forum (Rm 166).

You will learn about Debate and all that it entails (conferences, costs, etc). If you come with questions, those might get answered, too! All in all, we are here to learn about discussing current news and politics in a way that is persuasive, passionate, and fact checked. Come check it out!

9/17 Morning Information

The second week of school is a busy time at GRS with 4 grade-specific trips leaving to 4 different destinations!.

Expect to see a busier than usual Energy Lane on Monday morning - buses, cargo vans, and trailers will be parked in an attempt to get trips off as smoothly as possible.

We ask that you enter the drop-off line with as much patience and grace as possible!

For 9-12th grade parents, see below for a timetable of when your student needs to be at school on Monday morning.

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Drop-off Reminder

Great River Parents!

We have had a fantastic first week getting to know your families and working with your talented children. As a reminder, please make sure to only drop/pick up your students on Energy Lane.

Help us be good neighbors by not pulling in, parking, or dropping your students in our neighbors parking lots!

All students can be dropped off anywhere along our Energy Lane sidewalk.

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Montessori Model United Nations

Dear Families of 7th and 8th Grade students,

Last February a group of 5th and 6th year students attended a Montessori Model United Nations conference in New York City representing Australia and Cameroon.  It was an incredible experience for everyone involved.  We are pleased to announce that we are again offering this extracurricular program to Great River 7th and 8th grade students!  We plan to take a group to the Montessori Model United Nations conference in New York City on March 20-23, 2019.

Registration for the conference in New York City opened today, and it often closes quickly.  To ensure that Great River can register as soon as possible, we need to know how many students will be attending the conference by Friday, September 14, 2018.

You can learn a lot by checking out the following videos about the Montessori Model U.N. experience on Youtube:

        • Montessori Model U.N., New York City 2016: https://youtu.be/lvbgjY0UEaw

As you consider, please understand that participating in this amazing opportunity will require an investment of time and effort on the part of both students and their families.  To participate in Montessori Model UN we ask the following of students and families:

*a commitment to investing time to do the required research 

There is a great deal of research and writing that goes into preparing for the Conference.  Please plan on a twice-per-week before school commitment beginning in October as well as supporting your child at home with research and writing.

*a commitment to participate in fundraising activities throughout the year.

Traveling to New York is exciting, but expensive.  A preliminary estimate of the cost per student for airfare, conference, hotel, and food is about $1500.  We commit to supporting students in raising the money and expect that students and families participate in fundraising activities. Families will be responsible for costs not covered through fundraising.

If your family decides to take part, please do the following:

  • Thoroughly discuss all items on the Student-Parent Contract (attached) with your child.

  • Return the signed Student-Parent Contract as soon as possible along with a non-refundable $100 deposit. Make checks payable to “Great River Foundation, MMUN.” Please return these to the attention of Jean Peters (Elementary Director). *We understand that we are on the Odyssey! Please note that snail mail and drop-in work perfectly to ensure your student's spot!*


Thank You from the Parent Engagement Group!

Wow! What a great night we had! Thank you so much to the 75 people who came out for the first PEG meeting of the year. It was wonderful to see all the new faces and have such great energy in the room! We hope you got valuable information and enjoyed the evening!

Thank you so much to all the ambassadors who came early and helped with setup--Heather, Jessica, Andrea, Jennifer, Rhona, Autumn--thank you! Thank you also to Heather for bringing the name tags and biggest stash of donuts I've ever seen! Thank you to Dylan and Astrid for doing childcare tonight. Thank you to Sam for taking the time away from home & kids to give your time to our group. The tour was definitely a big draw and we so appreciated being able to give that experience to the volunteers. Thank you to Charlie, Sydney, Stacey, and Holly for supporting us in getting handouts made, doors opened, and space to meet. 

If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback for PEG, please email us! Our email is: peg@greatriverschool.org. Remember that your classroom and level ambassadors are here for you, to connect you with resources and support at the school. A complete list of ambassadors and a link to our current volunteer signups are available on the PEG page of the school website. 

For questions about school governance and policy, contact the school board: board@greatriverschool.org. If you are interested in helping with fundraising, please email the Great River Foundation: foundation@greatriverschool.org. 

Thank you so much and we'll see you soon! 

-Parent Engagement Group

Attendance Information

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Please contact the office about absent or late students before 9am and any pickup changes before 2pm.

If your student is late, but does not stop at the front office, they will be marked absent in our attendance system and you will receive a robocall.

Any elementary student at school before 8:15am must be enrolled in Big Canoe Club.

Happy first week of school, Great River families!

As a reminder, please email attendance@greatriverschool.org to inform the school about any attendance details (student absence, tardiness, or pickup changes)!

The front office is staffed from 8am-3:30pm and is primarily responsible for student attendance and health. Emailing your student's classroom guide or advisor is a kind gesture, but will not inform the school-wide attendance system. If you prefer voicemail, you can always leave a message on the attendance line (651-305-2780). If you have a general question, please email office@greatriverschool.org and we will assist as best we can! Our old email (info@) is being retired and your student's attendance details might be missed.

Teachers take attendance at 8:30am when school begins. If your student arrives at school after 8:30am but before 8:45am, they can go straight to their learning spaces, where they will be marked tardy by their teacher. If your student arrives after 8:45am, they need to stop at the front office for a late pass. If a student is marked absent and the school has not heard from their parents, all listed numbers in Powerschool will receive an automated attendance call, letting you know of your student's absence.

Please contact office@greatriverschool.org with any questions - we look forward to a successful year of growth!

Adolescent students who eat breakfast at school may enter the cafe space through the south main door (not the elementary door) at 7:30am. Their academic spaces will be unlocked at 8am.

Elementary students who purchase breakfast from school may be in the cafe space at 8:10am. The elementary doors will open at 8:15am.

best, the great river admin team

Parent Engagement Group Meeting

Greetings Great River community!

You are invited to join our Parent Engagement Group (PEG) for the September Meeting this Wednesday, September 12, 6:30-8 pm in the Performance Space.

  • Learn about PEG and upcoming volunteer opportunities

  • Meet other Great River parents and your PEG Classroom or Level Ambassador

  • Tour the new campus with Head of School Sam O'Brien

Childcare will be available in Clearwater classroom, located in the elementary wing. You are also welcome to bring children into the meeting space. You can view the parking map here and enter the building through either the north or south entrances.

PEG’s mission is to welcome new families, connect our community through social gatherings, and recruit volunteers for classroom needs and school events. PEG meetings are held every other month. All meeting dates and times can be found on the school calendar.

See you there!

-Parent Engagement Group