Elementary

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Chinook Book Fundraiser

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One year digital subscription is a suggested donation of $20 or pay what you can. You can always donate a subscription to a GRS staff member!

The Chinook Book app helps you discover more sustainable ways to live, work, and play through inspiring stories, savings, rewards, and prizes. With mobile offers that can be redeemed online or in-store, plus monthly giveaways of gifts, groceries, and more, you’ll always find a new way to save while helping your community thrive.

Use the QR Code to fill out the google form and pay via Paypal OR fill out the google form and drop your payment at the GRS front desk

A special link with access to your subscription will be emailed to the address you provide.

Funds raised go to support the many wonderful programs that make Great River School such a wonderful place!

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Last Week of Performances for 9 to 5 - Get Your Tickets Now

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9 to 5 The Musical, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick, is based on the seminal 1980 hit movie. Set in the late 1970s, this hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era is outrageous, thought-provoking, and even a little romantic.

Recommended for ages 13 and up. This performance contains adult themes.

As compliant with GRS guidelines, masks are required for both audience and performers. Audience members should be vaccinated or have a negative test result within 72 hours of the performance.

Our actors will be performing unmasked and will be tested daily for COVID-19. The show’s crew will remain masked and the audience will be more than 6 feet from the stage.

Click here to see more information and to purchase tickets!

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The Blue Heron Bash Needs Great Gatherings Hosts

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Great Gatherings are fixed-price social events that bring people together while raising money for our school. They have been on pause for the last two years, but we're ready to bring them back, and we need to add new hosts and experiences. 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, back-yard movies, or puzzle and game nights; adult only events like wine and cheese, a hosted weekend at a cabin; and workshops -how to make kimchi, woodworking, arts and crafts, yoga. Host by yourself, or co-host with a friend or two! Really, any opportunity to get together can be a Great Gathering!

Here's the Google form to register your gathering idea -we'll be offering the gatherings for folks to sign up to attend at the Blue Heron Bash next month but you can plan your event for any time in the next 12 months.

Email greatgatherings@greatriverschool.org if you have questions.

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GRS Summer Camp - Early Bird Discount Ending Friday

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Our Summer Camp Early Bird pricing ends this Friday, March 18 (just before spring arrives), so be sure to sign your camper up soon to get in on the savings.  We still have spots for our super fun Camp of All Camps (full day camp every week for 4th-7th graders).  Our ultimate frisbee camps are starting to fill up, so act fast. 

We are dedicated to making summer camp possible and affordable for all through our early-bird pricing, sibling discount, multi-program discount, and our scholarship program.

Check out all our camps at www.greatriverschool.org/summercamp.

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Spring Conference Sign Up

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Conferences this fall will be held on Thursday, March 24th and Friday, March 25th. There will be no school these days. This spring, we will offer a hybrid model of conferences for those families with an increased need for COVID-19 protection. If you are vaccinated, comfortable and able, we request your presence for an in-person conference (everyone must wear a mask and be COVID-symptom-free). Should you need a virtual conference over Zoom, you will have that option. We ask that all unvaccinated caregivers sign up for a virtual conference. 

  • Students in grades 4-12 are with the student, caregivers, & the student's advisor or classroom guide.

  • Students in grades 1-3 are with caregivers and the guide only.

  • If you require an interpreter for conferences, please email office@greatriverschool.org with the language required so we can set that up.

Sign up Here with your student's advisor (adolescent) or classroom guide (elementary). Unsure who their advisor is? Ask them! Or you can email office@greatriverschool.org and we can look it up for you. 

Multiple Households/Families - if your child splits time between two households and both caregivers want/need to attend the conference, please schedule it together. If this is not possible, exceptions can be made by emailing the Program Director of your level.

If you have specific concerns that you want to discuss with a guide who is not your student's advisor, please contact them directly to discuss via phone or email, or set up a meeting before or after conference days. All guides will be able to talk with you about students' overall academic standing. Guides will be booked all day on both days in conferences with their own advisees.

More than one child at GRS? Sign up early to maximize your chances of getting back-to-back appointments!

Want to help support our faculty potluck? Our faculty work long days during conferences and families traditionally support them with meals. Click here to donate time or food for the potluck!

Remember, you can always find all volunteer opportunities linked on PEG’s website! Thank you for your help!

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Learn How To Play Ultimate Frisbee for 5-8th Graders

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Are you interested in Ultimate Frisbee but not sure how to play or if you'll like it? Then stay after school one or more of the next three Wednesdays to learn the basics. We'll go over some of the rules, how to play, and work on throwing skills in the gym. With the gender format of play, we are in real need of more girls for our teams. 5 players are on the field at a time (2 male, 2 female, and 1 any gender/non-gender)

-March 16--3:15-4:15--Open to 7th-8th grade girls and non-binary only

-March 23--3:15-4:15--Open to all 5th-8th grade beginning Ultimate players

-March 30--3:15-4:15--Open to all 5th-8th grade girls and non-binary

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Brent Cummins
Outdoor Education and Summer Camp Director
bcummins@greatriverschool.org

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Call for Wine Donations for the Blue Heron Bash

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Blue Heron Bash organizers are seeking donations of wine bottles for the wine pull! Please consider donating one or more bottles of wine in the $20 range for the fundraiser!

You may drop off the wine donations with Holly at the front desk, or when you drop off your student on Monday, March 21 as we’ll have volunteers collecting wine bottles. If you have a large donation, text or call Jennie Hardman (218-213-7476) and she can come pick up from you!

To see more information about the Blue Heron Bash, check out the website!

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Lunch Orders Open for March and April

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The kitchen has released a new menu for March & April! We’re excited to be highlighting another Heron To Go favorite - Coconut Cauliflower Sweet Potato Curry.

Please remember to pre-order lunches for your child for these months! Haven’t ordered using our lunch portal before? Find tutorials and helpful links on our Nutrition website.

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GRS Summer Camp - Outside Camps Available

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Do you have a 4th-7th grader that is looking for a camp that is 100% outside?  Well, we have loads of them!  They are: 

  •  June 20-23 from 9:00-12:00, Mtn. Biking Camp at Carver Lake and Lebanon Hills

  • June 20-23 from 1:00-4:00, Large Group Games at Como Park

  • June 27-30 from 9:00-12:00, Beginning Ultimate Frisbee at Como Park

  • June 27-30 from 1:00-4:00, Animal Survival at Como Park

  • July 11-14 from 9:00-12:00, Experienced Ultimate at Como Park

  • July 11-14 from 1:00-4:00, Camping 101 at Como Park

  • July 18-21 from 9:00-12:00, Sports of All Sorts at Como

  • July 18-21 from 1:00-4:00, Animal Adaptations at Como

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. We are open to all people from everywhere. No Montessori or Great River School experience necessary for a great summer here.

We are dedicated to making summer camp possible and affordable for all through our early-bird pricing, sibling discount, multi-program discount, and our scholarship program.

Check out all our camps at www.greatriverschool.org/summercamp.

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9 to 5 Performances Start This Week

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9 to 5 The Musical, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick, is based on the seminal 1980 hit movie. Set in the late 1970s, this hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era is outrageous, thought-provoking, and even a little romantic.

Recommended for ages 13 and up. This performance contains adult themes.

As compliant with GRS guidelines, masks are required for audience members. Audience members should be vaccinated or have a negative test result within 72 hours of the performance.

Our actors will be performing unmasked and will be tested daily for COVID-19. The show’s crew will remain masked and the audience will be more than 6 feet from the stage.

Click here to see more information and to purchase tickets!

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Upcoming Calendar Changes

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The following are changes to the public school calendar:

  • March 16th will be a full school day for all grades (previously a half-day for all grades).

  • April 22nd will stay a no school day for Elementary (grades 1-6), but Adolescent students in grades 7-12 will have school (previously no school for all grades 1-12).

These changes are to accommodate last month’s snow day. Our kitchen staff has added options to order lunch for those days.

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Faculty Fundraiser for Ukraine

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From Ivanna Pavliuk, EL Coordinator and UA Educational Assistant:

Today (3/4) is the 9th day of war in Ukraine. My family is safe! I'm trying to do anything I can to support my country. I'm an enthusiastic baker and will be selling blue and yellow macarons to raise money to support Ukraine.

I’m offering half a dozen macarons with lemon buttercream for $14, or 20 macarons for $40. All the proceeds will go to the support of the Ukrainian army and Humanitarian Assistance to Ukrainians affected by Russia's Aggression through the National Bank of Ukraine. To order, email ipavliuk@greatriverschool.org. I accept Cash, Venmo (@Ivanna-Pavliuk), or PayPal (ivanna7pav@gmail.com). If using Venmo or Paypal, add Ukrainian flag/colors in the notes for payment.

If you live in the Twin Cities Area, I can deliver those to you, or you can pick those up at school. Let me know if you want to learn more about how to support Ukraine. Stand with Ukraine.

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PEG Winter Social This Sunday March 6th

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Sunday, March 6th, 1-3 pm 

1151 Wynne Ave, St Paul, MN 55103 

RSVP to attend HERE - fire keepers and cocoa slinging volunteers welcome.

Bring your own sled, marshies, chocolate, & grahams, plus a roasting stick! Feel free to coordinate in your own small groups to share. 

Volunteers to bring solo stoves, firewood welcome.

We will supply the hot cocoa and fixings and the fun! Bring your own mug to help us reduce waste please.

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9 to 5 - Student Update

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What’s going on with 9-5?!?

The upcoming GRS musical is a powerful story of resilience and perseverance with quite a bit of rebelliousness. Within the GRS theater, we are bringing all of these aspects together in our production of 9-5, based on Dolly Parton’s hit. This is a musical that follows three women in the male-dominated offices of the 1970s. From costumes that create lovable (and hate-able) characters to the actors’ portrayals of these personalities and the work being done by lights, sounds, and props to bring this production to life, the performance will be one to remember.

9-5 will be on March 11th, 12th, 17th, 18th, and 19th. We are excited to share this with the community and look forward to seeing you there!

Recommended for ages 13 and up. This performance contains adult themes.

As compliant with GRS guidelines, masks are required for both audience and performers. Audience members should be vaccinated or have a negative test result within 72 hours of the performance.

Click here to see more information and to purchase tickets!

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Lunch Orders Open for March and April

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The kitchen has released a new menu for March & April! We’re excited to be highlighting another Heron To Go favorite - Coconut Cauliflower Sweet Potato Curry.

Please remember to pre-order lunches for your child for these months! Haven’t ordered using our lunch portal before? Find tutorials and helpful links on our Nutrition website.

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Change to School Board Meeting Start Time

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Going forward, GRS Board meetings will now begin at 7pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month - updated from 4:30pm.

All are welcome at Great River Board Meetings! The meeting link for remote attendance may be found on the meeting agenda document in this Google drive link.

To ask any questions, email executive@greatriverschool.org.

Girls on the Run Registration Open

Registration is OPEN for 3rd-5th graders who can run and have fun Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:15-4:45. Practices will begin April 11th (after spring break) and go through June 4th.

Registration is open through March 7th and will be a lottery for equity. The lottery will happen on March 8 and families are notified shortly after. Scholarships are available and require no additional documentation so don't let that stop you from registering! Please only register if you are able to commit to both days.

Currently, we have enough coaches for ONE team (20 participants) and if we have additional coaches sign up, there could be a second team. Here's the registration link for runners.

Questions - contact Nadine @ nwetzelcurtis@greatriverschool.org