Addams Family Musical opens on Friday, February 17!! Tickets on sale now!

Tickets are now available for our winter musical, The Addams Family! Buy your tickets now on the GRS website.

In the kooky, spooky world of the Addams Family, to be sad is to be happy, to feel pain is to feel joy, and death and suffering are the stuff of their dreams. Nonetheless, this quirky family still has to deal with many of the same challenges faced by any other family, and the spookiest nightmare faced by every family: the Addams kids are growing up. The Addamses have lived by their unique values for hundreds of years and Gomez and Morticia would be only too happy to continue living that way. Their dark, macabre, beloved daughter Wednesday on the other hand, has different plans. She has fallen in love with Lucas Beineke, a sweet, smart boy from a normal, respectable Ohio family — the most un-Addams sounding person imaginable! And to make matters worse, she has invited the Beinekes to their home for dinner. Can this family be normal for just one night? Come find out in Great River School’s production of The Addams Family, opening on February 17th, 2023!

Synopsis adapted from stageagent.com

Recommended for ages 10 and up due to some suggestive material including brief sexual references. Please note that this is just a recommendation and not a strict age limit. Feel free to do whatever feels right for your family.

While masks are not required, we strongly recommend you wear one for the safety and health of our cast and crew. There will be masks at the door if you need one.

Have a question or an accessibility need? Email us at grstheater@greatriverschool.com!

Broomball Club for all genders, Grades 5 - 8

We hope to again offer a broomball club sport this January-February for grades 5-8. 

Great River will organize teams for broomball practices and scrimmages within our own community. What is broomball? Click here to find out!

Coach: Parent volunteer wanted, supported by Big Canoe staff

Practices and games: Mondays and Thursdays (tentative) 3:30-4:45

Location: Como broomball rinks at McMurray fields

Cost: $100.

Requirements: a bike or ski helmet, any skill level

Sign up here if you are interested in participating or to receive more information! 

Save the date! Blue Heron Bash Fundraiser - Saturday, March 18, 2023

This year’s annual Blue Heron Bash Fundraiser is Saturday, March 18.  

Check out the BHB 101 2023 for all the information about the event, how to donate, volunteer & more.  You can also email blueheronbash@greatriverschool.org anytime.

Our first planning meeting of the year is tonight, Monday, January 9, 2023 at 7pm via zoom. Please join in if you are able. We hope to see you there!  

Reminder: BIPOC Caregiver Meeting, TONIGHT, Thursday, January 5th; 7:45pm

REMINDER: BIPOC caregiver meeting will be held Tonight, Thursday January 5th at 7:45pm via zoom. The zoom link can be accessed HERE. 

The BIPOC Caregiver Committee is a group of caregivers who meet the first Thursday of each month to talk about ways that the school can be more inclusive for BIPOC students while also focusing on encouraging everyone in the school to explore their identity. All caregivers of BIPOC students are welcome.

Please email Jordan Samejima (jsamejima@greatriverschool.org) or Anu Dean (adean@greatriverschool.org) if you have any questions.

Reminder: BIPOC Caregiver Meeting, Thursday, January 5; 7:45pm

REMINDER: BIPOC caregiver meeting will be held Thursday January 5th at 7:45pm via zoom. The zoom link can be accessed HERE. 

The BIPOC Caregiver Committee is a group of caregivers who meet the first Thursday of each month to talk about ways that the school can be more inclusive for BIPOC students while also focusing on encouraging everyone in the school to explore their identity. All caregivers of BIPOC students are welcome.

Please email Jordan Samejima (jsamejima@greatriverschool.org) or Anu Dean (adean@greatriverschool.org) if you have any questions.

Brrrrr! A Wintery Return to Great River School!

Written by Aja Parham, Communications Coordinator

While other schools did not return to their building today because of the Winter Storm warning, the students of Great River School embraced the cold 26 degree weather, the blustery snow, and use nature’s resources creatively on this beautiful winter day in Minnesota.

At recess, students found ways to utilize their environment and really put their imagination to work. Exiting the building, a table of students greeted me with rectangular shaped blocks of snow of which I was told were actually that they were making.

On the jungle gym, two students hung upside down and chatted while the snow slowly came down. Students in the Sport Court played a chilly game of soccer as the wind hit their little faces. Over a course of a few hours a large group of students carved a tunnel and on the open play lot, students found a patch of ice, using the shovel to form an ice skating rink.

And we can’t forget about our resident goat friends, Midnight and Sodak, living at the rear of the school. They too dawned little jackets and played in the snow a bit. Initially hiding in their little house, they came out just long enough to pose for pictures, sip some water, slide down a hill and return to the comfort of their home.

Yes, it is days like these that I love working here at Great River School, getting to witness the students working together, creating, and shaping the world around them, and animals of Minnesota enjoying the weather too.

Have a beautiful day and safe on the roads.

GRS Community Member in need. Can you help?

When one of our community members is down we are down with them. And when we can, we help where needed. For those who do not know, Nat Lutterman's dog, Drops of Jupiter, aka Baby Jupi, has had ongoing digestive issues since June 2020. Initially, it was thought to be stress-related tied to major losses in Nat's family during that summer, but as his issues continued, it became apparent there was definitely more going on. We need to find out while he keeps puking, and just like human medical care, pet medical care is not cheap, even with insurance. Nat is embarrassed to ask for help, but we need to help with Baby Jupi's on-going veterinary diagnostic testing as Nat has definitely reached the end of her financial resources. And, I believe that people WANT to help animals who cannot speak for themselves. This photo of Jupi shows how he is feeling these days.

Nat has exhausted the entirety of the academic resources of the whole vet staff at her vet clinic, and was referred to the University of Minnesota for an Internal Medicine Specialist.

If you have the resources to give, please click on the Gofundme link below and read more about Nat and Baby Jupi.
Baby Jupi's Veterinary Expenses

Thank you in advance.

Summer Camps 2023

Winter solstice has come upon us, but Great River School is already planning for summer camp!  Our programs are divided by grades and not age:  Pre/K, 1st-3rd, 4th-7th, and 7th-10th.  This year we are offering more 1st-3rd grade camps every week!  Some of our elementary themes will be art, theater, outdoor survival skills, sports, biking, science, games, animals and the environment, robotics, ninja training and more!  The goal is for registration to be open by January 13, so keep your eyes out for future announcements and on our summer camp link (to be updated): https://www.greatriverschool.org/summercamp.  You can also contact Brent Cummins with any questions at bcummins@greatriverschool.org.  As always, we'll have scholarships available for all!

Where do I find Information for sports and other activities GRS?

Are you wondering how you can support our GRS students on sports teams, theatre, and other activities? Below are a number of ways to keep track of the games and locations via Google Calendar at the bottom of our GRS website homepage and the Twin Cities Academy website. Let’s go teams! Let’s support our Arts and Athletics!

Twin Cities Academy/Great River Tigers
https://twincitiesac.org/public/genie/404/school/1009/

Great River School Website
https://www.greatriverschool.org/calendar

Elementary Clothing for Accidents and Emergencies

Dear Elementary Families, If at some point this year your child has borrowed clothes from the school, please wash and return them so we can continue to supply students with clean clothes in case of accidents. Additionally, if you'd be willing to donate any child-size underwear or leggings so we can add to our stash, that would be immensely helpful! Accidents happen, and having a supply of emergency gear helps students get through the day! Thanks for your partnership!! The Elementary Team

Broomball Club for All Genders, Grades 5 - 8

We hope to again offer a broomball club sport this January-February for grades 5-8. 

Great River will organize teams for broomball practices and scrimmages within our own community. What is broomball? Click here to find out!

Coach: Parent volunteer wanted, supported by Big Canoe staff

Practices and games: Mondays and Thursdays (tentative) 3:30-4:45

Location: Como broomball rinks at McMurray fields

Cost: $100.

Requirements: a bike or ski helmet, any skill level

Sign up here if you are interested in participating or to receive more information! 

GRS Annual Meeting, Tuesday, December 13, 2022; 5:30 - 7:30pm

Zoom Webinar Link for the GRS Annual Meeting

Great River School is hiring: Lower Adolescent Social Studies Guide

Great River School is Hiring: HS IB Math Long-Term Sub

BIPOC Caregiver meeting, Thur., Dec. 8, 2022

REMINDER: BIPOC caregiver meeting will be held Thursday December 8th at 7:45pm via zoom. The zoom link can be accessed HERE.

The BIPOC Caregiver Committee is a group of caregivers who meet the first Thursday of each month to talk about ways that the school can be more inclusive for BIPOC students while also focusing on encouraging everyone in the school to explore their identity. All caregivers of BIPOC students are welcome.

Please email Jordan Samejima (jsamejima@greatriverschool.org) or Anu Dean (adean@greatriverschool.org) if you have any questions.

You are invited! - GRS Alumni Panel 1/6/2023

Support this by spreading the word! Please text fellow GRS friends and join the panel together!

Winter Gear Donation

Please consider the following donation requests, if you are able, to benefit Great River staff and families.  Gratitude!

Gear library donations for GRS staff:

As we enter into the cold weather of winter and simultaneously see a frequent need to shuffle staff around the building to cover absences, we are reaching out to families to request donations of high quality winter gear.  

This gear would be available for staff to check out as needed if they unexpectedly need to accompany students outdoors.

If your family has used gear in excellent condition that you no longer need, please consider donating the following to Great River:

-snowpants

-boots

-very warm jackets

-very warm mittens/gloves

We are seeking adult sizes XS-XXL.  At this time we do not need child sized gear, our social workers have coordinated the needs of students.

Please message the following three adults to coordinate donation drop off:

Jordan Samejima - jsamejima@greatriverschool.org

Saleha Erdmann - serdmann@greatriverschool.org

Lindsey Hartjes - lhartjes@greatriverschool.org

Gift cards for GRS families:

As families prepare for the holidays and encounter rising costs of basic needs, the social work team is seeking donations of gift cards that can be distributed to GRS families who need them.  

We are requesting gift cards for:

-gas

-grocery stores

-large retail chains like Target

Contact one of our social workers to coordinate drop off of gift cards.

Delia Koolick (Lower Elementary) dkoolick@greatriverschool.org

Angela Gaitas (Upper Elementary) agaitas@greatriverschool.org

Megan Miliaresis (Lower Adolescent) mmiliaresis@greatriverschool.org 

Seth Tupper (Upper Adolescent) stupper@greatriverschool.org

Saleha Erdmann (SEL Coordinator) serdmann@greatriverschool.org

GRS Ultimate Frisbee fundraiser

There is an ultimate frisbee fundraiser on December 6th at the Grand Ave Chipotle. From 4:00 to 8:00pm part of the proceeds from anyone who orders from the Grand Chipotle and says they are part of Great River will go to the Ultimate Program. Everyone should go! If you order online make sure you enter the code KWJYEWF.

GRS Spiritwear, Only two more days left to order for Free Delivery! Order by December 2nd.

Last week for free school delivery

Order your GRS school spiritwear by Friday December 2 to receive free school delivery before winter break.

We have fresh new tee and sweatshirt designs from our logo contest as well as old and new favorite hats, flannels, sweats and more. Each purchase helps support Great River's programming and operations.

Order online here.

Hairdryers needed for Art Department

Art teacher Laura Machacek is in need of 3-4 hairdryers. They can be used, but need to be in working condition. She would love to have a few in the art room to help dry projects. Thanks!