Monday Messages December 4, 2023 for GUSD Families!

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Monday Message December 4, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION   Mark Your Calendars Monday, December 11 to Thursday, December 21 - HMS - Holiday Food Drive Tuesday, December 12, 5-7pm - GUSD - Board Meeting  Friday, December 15, 5:30pm - GPA - Skate Night-Holiday Theme Friday, December 15, 6pm - HMS - Dance Monday, December 18, 5pm - Grav - Grade 4 & 5 Winter Concert at Hillcrest Tuesday, December 19, 6pm - GPA - Meeting Wednesday, December 20, 5pm - HMS - Winter Band Concert Monday, December 25 to Friday, January 5, 2024 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL  Winter Break Tuesday, January 9, 5-7pm - GUSD - Board Meeting Monday, January 15 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL -  MLK Jr. Day Tuesday, January 16 - GPA - Meeting Monday, January 29, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Tuesday, January 30 - GUSD - 100th Day of School!! Monday, February 19 to Friday, February 23 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL February Break Monday, February 26, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Friday, March 1 - HMS - Deadline to submit 8th Grade Baby Photo for Yearbook Reminder - No School Winter Break School will be closed  Monday, December 25 through Friday, January 5, 2024 - Winter Break   Lunch Menu To view the entire December menu click here for English  or  Spanish .  Fruits &/or Veggies are offered with all meals.  Meals are not offered a la carte  Menu items are subject to change.  All student meals are free of charge.  Vegetarian and vegan option are available upon request - Please send in a letter to the office if there are any dietary restrictions. S = Morning Snack and L = Lunch Mon 4 Tue 5 Wed 6 Thu 7 Fri 8 S: Cereal &  String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies S: Bagel &  Cream Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies S: Muffin &  String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies S: Yogurt & Granola Fruit and/or Veggies S: Concha Bread Fruit and/or Veggies L: Pizza Fruit and/or Veggies L: Corn Dog Fruit and/or Veggies L: Grilled Cheese Sandwich Fruit and/or Veggies L: Bean & Cheese Burrito Fruit and/or Veggies L: BBQ Chicken & Rice Fruit and/or Veggies Mon 11 Tue 12 Wed 13 Thu 14 Fri 15 S: Cereal &  String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies S: Baked Fruit Crumble Fruit and/or Veggies S: French Toast Sticks Fruit and/or Veggies S: Breakfast Bites Fruit and/or Veggies S: Breakfast Sandwich Fruit and/or Veggies L: Breaded Chicken Leg & Potatoes Fruit and/or Veggies L: Potato & Cheese Quesadilla Fruit and/or Veggies L: Pull Apart Fruit and/or Veggies L: Pizza Fruit and/or Veggies L: Egg Rolls &  Brown Rice Fruits and/or Veggies   GUSD Open Board Seat The GUSD Board seeks a replacement to appoint to our current vacant seat. The application process is currently open and candidates may be interviewed during the November or December Board Meetings.  Interested candidates should be available on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00pm for the regularly scheduled meetings, and some additional special board meetings each year too. Qualifications to Run for School Board (per Ed Code): A school board candidate must be a registered voter. A school board candidate must be a resident of the Gravenstein Union School District. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. If you are interested in being a candidate for the appointment, please contact Melacha Quirke in the Gravenstein District Office to receive an application. mquirke@gusdschools.org (707) 823-7008 Or you can go to the District Website at   www.gusdschools.org   and click on the link there to apply. Applications are due to the District Office no later than 4:00pm on Monday, November 6, 2023. If necessary, the final interviews for qualified applicants will take place at the November 14, 2023 meeting, beginning at 5:00pm, on the Hillcrest Middle School campus.  The successful candidate will join the GUSD Board on December 12, 2023 and serve until December 2026. If you have any questions, you can also contact Superintendent Dave Rose at  drose@gusdschools.org     GRAVENSTEIN PARENT ASSOCIATION   Last Chance!  Sale ends December 4, 2023.    Get your orders in before midnight on Monday, December 4!!  It's that time of year again where you can support your child's school at teh same time you do your holiday shopping!  GPA invites all Gravenstein Elementary and Hillcrest families to support the Enrich program by purchasing from Charleston Wrap this holiday season.  REGISTER. SHARE. SHOP. SUPPORT OUR FUNDRAISER Check-off your holiday gift list today and help our important cause. From holiday to hostess to corporate gifts and more, our online store has somthing for every occasion - even if it's just for you! #1 REGISTER Register participant at  www.registercw.com  to access our handy invitation tools in the Participant Portal.  Very important! #2 SHARE Invite friends and family to support!  SHARE a link to the sale using the TEXT & EMAIL invitation tools.  Don't forget to share on SOCIAL MEDIA, too! #3 SHOP Go online to SHOP and help us reach our GOAL today!  With over 2,500 gift ideas there is something for everyone, including you!   Jog-A-Thon Results Contratulations to Drake Stutes for raising $2,525.00 you earned your class an ice cream party. Thank you to our Gravenstein community!!  Together we raised over $50,000, another successful Jog-A-Thon.   Upcoming Board Meeting: Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 6:00pm Hillcrest Middle School in Room 5 Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting   Follow Us On Social Media Stay up to date in the quickest way by following us on Facebook and Instagram .   Tag your photos with #wearegpa to show your school pride!   WHAT'S NEW at GRAVENSTEIN ELEMENTARY?   Join Us in Celebrating Kindness! Starting on Thursday, December 7, Gravenstein students will be encouraged to participate in our December Kindness Challenge!  More information will come home about specific activities, but we wanted to give a heads-up to families to help them prepare for some of the connected spirit wear days. Wednesday, 12/11/23  -  Silly Sock Day Monday, 12/18/23  -  Dress as your Favorite Book Character Tuesday, 12/19/23  -  Dress as a Twin (or group!) Wednesday, 12/20/23  -  Wacky Wednesday Thursday, 12/21/23 -  Holiday Attire Friday, 12/22/23  - Pajama Day      School Sock Drive The Gravenstein Student Council has partnered with Girl Scout Troop 10297 to host a sock drive to support Sonoma County Foster Youth.  From December 11-15, we will have donation boxes out at both student drop-off locations (lower lot and upper circle).  We are hoping to work together to gather as many new/unopened and unwrapped socks for all sizes (infant through adult) to help the Sonoma County Foster Youth.    Grade 4 & 5 Winter Concert It’s the holiday season…and that means it is time for a Winter Concert!  Our grades 4 and 5 students, led by Mr. Pulley (Band) and Mr. Burrows (Chorus), invite families to join us on the HMS campus for the annual Winter Concert.  The performance will be on  Monday, December 18  at 5:00pm.  All are welcome to come and enjoy performances from the grade 4 band and chorus and the grade 5 band and chorus.  As the evening celebrates just these two grades, our hope is that our audience will be able to stay and enjoy the performances from both grades.  They are impressive and you don’t want to miss out!   Campus Tours for Prospective Families It’s already that time - the  time  when families start looking at schools for the upcoming year.  Mrs. Pugno offers campus tours on a variety of dates for prospective families.  If you know of anyone interested in having their child(ren) attend Gravenstein next year, please share with them the link to sign up for a campus tour:   Gravenstein Elementary School Campus Tour   Don’t Forget!  Gravenstein Elementary School is Now on Facebook and Twitter!  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinElementary/ Twitter @GravElementary   WHAT'S NEW at HILLCREST MIDDLE SCHOOL?   Friendship at Hillcrest in the Morning   Marin Headlands Overnight Trip Information -  All 6th GRADE Parents Please Read The 6th grade overnight trip is next week, Wednesday, December 6th - Friday, December 8th.  A packing list has been given to your 6th grader.  You can also find it here:  English  and  Spanish Students need to arrive at school on Wednesday, by 8:30am.  We will leave campus by 9:15am.  Students will need to bring lunch on Wednesday, 12/06.  Buses are due back at Hillcrest on Friday at approximately 2:00 pm.  We will be sending arrival updates to families via ParentSquare. Donations are due: if you indicated on the form that you can donate for this trip, please submit your donation to the Hillcrest Office this week or pay online using this  link . Independent Study is available for students who choose not to attend the Marin Headlands trip.  Students who do not attend the trip and do not complete the Independent Study, will receive Unexcused Absences .    Trimester 1 Awards Assembly The Trimester 1 Awards Ceremonies will take place in Hillcrest Hall on Friday December 22nd.  Students will be recognized for their Grade Point Average (if they earned a GPA of 3.0 or above on their Trimester 1 report card they will earn an award). We will also be recognizing students for excelling in the different subject areas and for exemplifying lifeskills.  We will be holding individual ceremonies for 6 th , 7 th  and 8 th  grades.  Parents are welcome to attend.  The schedule is as follows: 6 th  grade - 8:30 7 th  grade - 9:20 8 th  grade - 10:25   Fall Sports Rally The Hillcrest 7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball, 8th Grade Boys Flag Football and 6th Grade Girls Volleyball teams all won their league this year!  We will be holding a rally to celebrate our Champs on Friday December 22nd at 1:30pm in Hillcrest Hall! Families of our Champions are welcome to attend the rally!   4th Annual Turkey (Holiday) Bowl Friday, December 22, 2023 Staff vs 8th Grade Student Flag Football Game 8th Graders interested in playing, sign-up sheet will be on the student body page. Kick-Off:  2:25pm Venue:  William Deeths Memorial Stadium aka Hillcrest Field If you are a student who would like to sing the National Anthem before the game, please contact Mr. Sotiras ( gsotiras@gusdschools.org )   Report Card Envelopes Please return signed Report Card evelopes to one of your students' teacher or in the main office.   12 Days of Blue Feathers The annual December tradition – the 12 Days of Blue Feathers will be here before you know it!  Starting on December 7th, we'll be drawing Blue Feathers each school day until December 22nd, the day before winter break!  On December 7th we will draw 12 Blue Feathers and those 12 students will win a prize.  On December 8th we will draw 11 Blue Feathers and those 11 students each win and so on until December 22nd where one student will win $50 in CASH! Remember students can earn Blue Feathers for being caught doing something right or helping out around the Hillcrest campus!  The 12 Days of Blue Feather box will be outside of Mr. Deeths office starting on Monday! Here is a link to the prizes -  Prize List   Spring Musical Hillcrest Middle School's Spring Musical will be Rehearsals are Mondays and Thursdays after school.  They began Monday, October 23 and will run through Tuesday, March 5, from 3:30-5:30 pm.  Students should bring a pencil and highlighter.  The rehearsal schedule can be found at the link below Beauty and the Beast Rehearsal Schedule   Hillcrest Weekly Reminders Yearbook Purchase your Yearbook on  TreeRing.com 8th Grade Baby Photos  DUE BY MARCH 1st NO LATER and BELOW IS THE LINK TO SUBMIT THE PHOTOS Submit 8th Grade Student Baby Photos Here Help Keep Our Students Safe with the Stop It  App Hillcrest Middle School is pleased to announce another tool to help keep our students safe and engaged in school.   Stop It is an anonymous anti-bullying app that allows students and parents to report harmful, inappropriate or unsafe behavior that may be happening on campus.  Here are the steps:   Go to the App Store and download the Stop It app to any compatible device Search for Hillcrest Middle School - Gravenstein That’s it!  You are now ready to report any incident that may occur - your identity will never be known. Student Safety First In the mornings Unless your student is part of a zero period class or in the Beyond the Bell program, they are not to be dropped off BEFORE 8:00 am. In the afternoons This is an important reminder that students are NOT to be picked up on Bloomfield Road. Students may NOT walk up the stairs from Hillcrest to Bloomfield unless they are walking to their own home. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience, we are only looking out for the safety of our students. School Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are only to be used after school in the Duck Pond to contact parents or guardians. Cell phones should be off and put away from the moment you arrive on campus. Any violation of the cell phone policy can lead to disciplinary action.   Keep up with Hillcrest Middle School on Instagram & Facebook Want to keep up with what is going on at Hillcrest?  Want to see photos and learn about what is going on in the classrooms of HMS?  Want to make sure you are updated on all the latest information and events on the campus?  If you said yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow Hillcrest’s Social Media Pages: Instagram - SoarHawksSoar Facebook - Hillcrest Middle School - Sebastopol     COUNSELORS' CORNER     Festive Mindfulness Activities The Holidays are an amazing opportunity to cultivate mindfulness in your kids.  Practicing mindfulness with your kids this holiday season doesn’t have to be stressful and it is so incredibly important that we keep our mindfulness with us during Christmas time.   Especially when our kids are having sugar meltdowns and a bad case of “Can you get me this for the holidays?” or “can I have more cookies?”  Here are a few festive ideas to help with bringing the stress down and integrating mindfulness. Peppermint Hot Cocoa Meditation  Prepare a peppermint hot cocoa for you and your children. Sit on the floor with your cocoa in hand and set a timer for five minutes. Focus your attention on your cocoa, you can do this with eyes open or closed.  I would recommend eyes closed but this could be a spilling hazard for some kids. Use these prompts. What does your cup feel like?  Is it warm?  How does it fit in your hand? What does your cocoa smell like?  Notice every small scent. Taking small, slow sips, what does your cocoa taste like?  Notice all the flavors in the peppermint, the chocolate, the milk, the whipped cream. How does it make you feel?  Happy, warm, excited, joyful etc. Continue noticing these things as you sip your cocoa until the timer goes off.  Then talk about what you noticed, how it made you feel, and how you feel different than before. Gratitude Christmas Ornaments  Paint your ornaments and have your kids write one thing they are grateful for on each one.  Ask each other why you are grateful for those things. Who is one person you are grateful for? Name one food you are grateful for? Is there something that you couldn’t live without that you are grateful for? What is one freedom you are grateful for? How about something in everyday life that you are grateful for? What is one thing from nature that you are grateful for?   Snowflake Glitter Jar Get a mason jar, some water, dish soap and snowflake glitter.  Instructions: Fill your mason jar almost entirely with water then add your snowflake glitter and a few drops of dish soap. Close the jar and shake it up. If it is needed, add more drops of dish soap until glitter floats and mixture reaches desired consistency. When your child is feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or needs a break from the day, shake the jar up.  Breathe deeply and let your thoughts settle as the glitter settles. Merry and Bright Meditation METTA meditations are a great way for kids to practice kindness during the holidays. How To Do A Metta Meditation Set a timer for 10 minutes and close your eyes. Bring your attention to yourself, and think “may I be merry and bright.”  Then, think about one person you love, and think “may they be merry and bright.”  Next, send your love to someone you dislike, and think “may they be merry and bright.”  This can be hard but it’s important to at least try.  Finally, think of the entire world and think “may the whole world be merry and bright.” GUSD would like to wish all of you and your families a wonderful and safe winter break.  If you or a family member is experiencing a mental health concern during the holidays, please reach out and get support. T he National Alliance on Mental Illness ( NAMI ):  1-800-950-6264 ,  info@nami.org . Crisis Services | Behavioral Health | Health Services | County of Sonoma (ca.gov)   Hillcrest Counseling Facebook Page Click on the link below to to view all the resources available to you and your family on the Hillcrest Counseling Facebook page. Hillcrest Middle School Counseling Page     COMMUNITY CORNER   Below is a list of flyers/website links for non-profit organizations that have been shared with our District Office.  If you have a flyer for a non-profit event or organization that you would like to share with the community.  Please submit it (in English and Spanish if you can) to the District Office ( mquirke@gusdschools.org ) for approval.  If approved it will be included here in Monday Messages. Gold Ridge Fire Department's Toy Drive - Please bring donations to the Hillcrest Main Office (see flyer for donation ideas. Teen Gift Drive Flyer in English or Spanish West County Softball - Spring 2024 Softball Season - Registration is open through January 7, 2024 West County Softball Flyer in   English or Spanish Sebastopol Little League - Registration closes January 7, 2024 Sebastopol Little League Website Our very own Ms. Cat is once again collecting donations for "Compassion without Borders".  They are asking for New Dog Toys, Bully Sticks, and used towels/blankets.  A box for collections will be outside the Gravenstein Elementary Office. Compassion without Borders Website CPI (Child Parent Institute) Classes CPI - Martes | 5 a 12 de deciembre | 2 sesiones | 12 - 2pm - Clase online GRATIS Reduciendo el estres CPI - Martes | 5 a 19 de deciembre | 3 sesiones | 6:00 - 7:30 pm - Clase online GRATIS Atencion Plena para la familia CPI - Tuesdays & Thursdays | December 5-14 | 4 sessions 5 - 6:30pm Transition to Co-Parenting CPI - Tuesdays | December 5-19 | 3 sessions | 6-7:30pm Parenting and Coping with Stress CPI - miércoles | 6 de deciembre | 6-8pm | 1 sesion - Clase online GRATIS Criando Hijas CPI - Fridays | December 8-22 | 3 sessions 12-1:30pm - FREE online Class Raising Sons CPI - Mondays | December 11 - 18 | 2 sessions | 5-6:30pm - FREE online Class Positive Parenting All Ages CPI - Wednesdays | December 13-20 | 2 sessions | 11am - 1pm - Free online Class Developing Resilient Families CPI - Tuesday & Thursday | December 19 & 21 | 5-6:30 pm - FREE online Class Parenting Your Teen CPI - Saturday | December 23 | 1 session | 12 -1pm Talking to Children About Troubling Times   GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig, Trustee -  pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee -   jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE           ABOUT US           MENUS             SCHEDULES   Elementary School  Website Middle School  Website   Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Sunday, Dec 03 2023

Monday Messages November 27, 2023 for GUSD Families!

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Monday Message November 27, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION   Mark Your Calendars Monday, November 27, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Tuesday, November 28 - HMS - Last day to turn in Marching Band Pledge Money Tuesday, November 28, 6-7pm - GPA - Board Meeting (all welcome) Thursday, November 30, 6pm - DEIB - Community Night Monday, December 11 to Thursday, December 21 - HMS - Holiday Food Drive Monday, December 18, 5pm - Grav - Grade 4 & 5 Winter Concert Monday, December 25 to Friday, January 5, 2024 - GUSD - Winter Break NO SCHOOL Tuesday, January 9, 5-7pm - GUSD - Board Meeting Monday, January 29, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Monday, February 26, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Friday, March 1, 2024 - HMS - Deadline to submit 8th Grade Baby Photo for Yearbook Reminder - No School Winter Break School will be closed  Monday, December 25 through Friday, January 5, 2024 - Winter Break   Lunch Menu To view the entire November menu click here for English  or  Spanish .  Fruits &/or Veggies are offered with all meals.  Meals are not offered a la carte  Menu items are subject to change.  All student meals are free of charge.  Vegetarian and vegan option are available upon request - Please send in a letter to the office if there are any dietary restrictions. S = Morning Snack and L = Lunch Mon 27 Tue 28 Wed 29 Thu 30 Fri 1 S: Cereal & String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies S: Waffle & String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies S: Oatmeal & Raisins Fruit and/or Veggies S: Yogurt & a Grain Fruit and/or Veggies S: Cereal and  String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies L: French Toast Sticks & an Egg Fruit and/or Veggies L: Chicken & Potato Taco Fruit and/or Veggies L: Chile Con Carne & Chips Fruit and/or Veggies Cook's Choice Fruit and/or Veggies L: Tuscan Soup Fruit and/or Veggies   GUSD Open Board Seat The GUSD Board seeks a replacement to appoint to our current vacant seat. The application process is currently open and candidates may be interviewed during the November or December Board Meetings.  Interested candidates should be available on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00pm for the regularly scheduled meetings, and some additional special board meetings each year too. Qualifications to Run for School Board (per Ed Code): A school board candidate must be a registered voter. A school board candidate must be a resident of the Gravenstein Union School District. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. If you are interested in being a candidate for the appointment, please contact Melacha Quirke in the Gravenstein District Office to receive an application. mquirke@gusdschools.org (707) 823-7008 Or you can go to the District Website at   www.gusdschools.org   and click on the link there to apply. Applications are due to the District Office no later than 4:00pm on Monday, November 6, 2023. If necessary, the final interviews for qualified applicants will take place at the November 14, 2023 meeting, beginning at 5:00pm, on the Hillcrest Middle School campus.  The successful candidate will join the GUSD Board on December 12, 2023 and serve until December 2026. If you have any questions, you can also contact Superintendent Dave Rose at  drose@gusdschools.org     GRAVENSTEIN PARENT ASSOCIATION   It's that time of year again where you can support your child's school at teh same time you do your holiday shopping!  GPA invites all Gravenstein Elementary and Hillcrest families to support the Enrich program by purchasing from Charleston Wrap this holiday season.  Ordering will be open Monday, November 20th through Monday, December 4th. REGISTER. SHARE. SHOP. SUPPORT OUR FUNDRAISER Check-off your holiday gift list today and help our important cause. From holiday to hostess to corporate gifts and more, our online store has somthing for every occasion - even if it's just for you! #1 REGISTER Register participant at www.registercw.com to access our handy invitation tools in the Participant Portal.  Very important! #2 SHARE Invite friends and family to support!  SHARE a link to the sale using the TEXT & EMAIL invitation tools.  Don't forget to share on SOCIAL MEDIA, too! #3 SHOP Go online to SHOP and help us reach our GOAL today!  With over 2,500 gift ideas there is something for everyone, including you!   Upcoming Board Meeting: Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 6:00pm (Due to our regularly scheduled meeting falling during Thanksgiving break, we are moving to 11/28 for this month only). Hillcrest Middle School in Room 5 Join our Zoom Video Meeting   Follow Us On Social Media Stay up to date in the quickest way by following us on Facebook and Instagram .   Tag your photos with #wearegpa to show your school pride!   WHAT'S NEW at GRAVENSTEIN ELEMENTARY?   Grade 4 & 5 Winter Concert It’s the holiday season…and that means it is time for a Winter Concert!  Our grades 4 and 5 students, led by Mr. Pulley (Band) and Mr. Burrows (Chorus), invite families to join us on the HMS campus for the annual Winter Concert.  The performance will be on Monday, December 18 at 5:00 pm.  All are welcome to come and enjoy performances from the grade 4 band and chorus and the grade 5 band and chorus.  As the evening celebrates just these two grades, our hope is that our audience will be able to stay and enjoy the performances from both grades.  They are impressive and you don’t want to miss out!   The Fish are Back! Last year, Mrs. Ricciardi worked with all students on recreating the painted fish project she had introduced to our campus.  Over the Thanksgiving Break, a concrete stream was poured and the painted rocks were added.  The project is not yet complete, but we will keep everyone posted as it develops.    Campus Tours for Prospective Familes It’s already that time - the time when families start looking at schools for the upcoming year.  Mrs. Pugno offers campus tours on a variety of dates for prospective families.  If you know of anyone interested in having their child(ren) attend Gravenstein next year, please share with them the link to sign up for a campus tour:   Gravenstein Elementary School Campus Tour   Don’t Forget!  Gravenstein Elementary School is Now on Facebook and Twitter!  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinElementary/ Twitter @GravElementary   WHAT'S NEW at HILLCREST MIDDLE SCHOOL?   Yearbook Purchase your Yearbook on  TreeRing.com 8th Grade Baby Photos DUE BY  MARCH 1st NO LATER and BELOW IS THE LINK TO SUBMIT THE PHOTOS Submit Baby Photos Here   Hillcrest Marching Band Play-A-Thon As you may have heard, the HMS Marching Band is performing in Disneyland this year and they couldn’t be more excited to finally be marching through the park.  Our first fundraiser of the year is going to be a “Play-a-Thon”.  It’s like a Jog-a-Thon, but for band! The way it works:  Students will find friends and family members to pledge an amount for every minute they practice over a 1 week period.  They are asked to practice 60 minutes a week for homework so a recommended pledge amount is $.50/minute.  After a week of practicing and documenting their time, they will share a video or recording of what they practiced over the week with the people that pledged money so that they can see the progress made, and then collect pledge money.  There will be in-class prizes for the students who raise the 5 highest amounts! Pledge forms will go out the week of October 30th, with the Play-A-Thon starting the week after.  All pledges are due Tuesday, November 28th.  If you know a Hillcrest band member, they would appreciate your support! Want to make a donation online?  Follow this  Link   to support your band member.   Remember to put the student's name that you are supporting, in the notes.   Spring Musical - Rehearsals Have Started Hilllcrest Middle School's Spring Musical will be Rehearsals are Mondays and Tuesdays after school.  They begin  Monday, October 23 from 3:30 to 5:30pm.  Students should bring a pencil and a highlighter.  The rehearsal schedule can be found at the link below. Beauty and the Beast Rehearsal Schedule   Trimester 1 Report Cards Report Cards will be coming home on Thursday, November 30th.  Please review your student's report card and have them return the signed manila envelope to a teacher or the main office.  Reminder - you can always check SchoolWise Parent Portal at any time during the school year to keep updated on your students grades! Trimester 2 Enrichment Sign Ups During their Social Studies classes on Monday, November 27, 2023, HMS students will be signing up for their Trimester 2 Wednesday Enrichment classes!  Trimester 2 Wednesday Enrichments will begin on November 29th.  We will do our best to give students their top choices but there are no guarantees of placement in any Enrichment.  Please click on the link for course descriptions to help you make your choice - Course Descriptions Trimester 1 Awards Assembly The Trimester 1 Awards Ceremonies will take place in Hillcrest Hall on Friday December 22nd.  Students will be recognized for their Grade Point Average (if they earned a GPA of 3.0 or above on their Trimester 1 report card they will earn an award). We will also be recognizing students for excelling in the different subject areas and for exemplifying lifeskills.  We will be holding individual ceremonies for 6th, 7th and 8th grades.  Parents are welcome to attend.  The schedule is as follows: 6th grade- 8:30 7th grade- 9:20 8th grade- 10:25   12 Days of Blue Feather is Right Around the Corner! The annual December tradition – the 12 Days of Blue Feathers will be here before you know it!  Starting on December 7th, we'll be drawing Blue Feathers each school day until December 22nd, the day before winter break!  On December 7th we will draw 12 Blue Feathers and those 12 students will win a prize.  On December 8th we will draw 11 Blue Feathers and those 11 students each win and so on until December 22nd where one student will win $50 in CASH! Remember students can earn Blue Feathers for being caught doing something right or helping out around the Hillcrest campus!  Check future Monday Messages for more information!   Hillcrest Athletics Information Hillcrest Athletics Schedule for Week of 11/27 Monday, November 27 8th Grade Boys Basketball 3:30 - 5:00 pm Tuesday, November 28 7th Grade Girls Volleyball 8th Grade Girls Volleyball 3:40 - 5:15 pm 5:15 - 6:30 pm Wednesday, November 29 8th Grade Boys Basketball 7th Grade Boys Basketball 3:30 - 5:00 pm 5:00 - 6:30 pm Thursday, November 30 7th Grade Girls Volleyball 8th Grade Girls Volleyball 3:40 - 5:15 pm 5:15 - 6:30 pm Friday, December 1 7th Grade Girls Volleyball 8th Grade Girls Volleyball 3:40 - 5:15 pm 5:15 - 6:30 pm Hillcrest Sports Seasons Dates Sport/Season 2023/2024 Games Start Games End Tournament Weeks Where? 7th/8th Boys VB 12/18/2023 02/02/2023 02/5 - 02/9  8th Grade Only Tournament Location: 7th/8th Boys BB 01/29/2024 03/08/2024 *5 weeks due to when Spring Break Starts??? 03/11 - 03/15 8th Grade Only *Some days overlapping Volleyball  Tournament Location: 6th Girls BB 03/11/2024 04/19/2024 No Tournament *Spring Break in March or April (why this season is 6 weeks) 6th Boys BB 03/11/2024 04/19/2024 No Tournament *Spring Break in March or April (why this season is 6 weeks) Boys VB (6th/7th/8th) 04/15/2024 05/17/2024 n/a Girls Flag Football (6th/7th/8th) 04/15/2024 05/17/2024 n/a Jamboree - Hillcrest Hillcrest Athletics Clearance Update THIS HAS CHANGED SINCE FALL SPORT The document linked below is a two part document that is required for participaion in sports. The  FIRST requirement is the parent permission to participate, this requires a parent signature.  Once this area of the document is signed, you can scan or drop off this document to the fornt office.  (This is the most commonly missed area, please sign this as permission for your student athlete to participate.) The  SECOND requirement is a medical physical from the student's doctor.  This physical will allow participation in middle school athletics for two school years.  The health physical document can come from your doctor or by using the form linked below. HMS Physcial Form   Hillcrest Weekly Reminders Help Keep Our Students Safe with the Stop It  App Hillcrest Middle School is pleased to announce another tool to help keep our students safe and engaged in school.   Stop It is an anonymous anti-bullying app that allows students and parents to report harmful, inappropriate or unsafe behavior that may be happening on campus.  Here are the steps:   Go to the App Store and download the Stop It app to any compatible device Search for Hillcrest Middle School - Gravenstein That’s it!  You are now ready to report any incident that may occur - your identity will never be known. Student and Staff Safety Unless your student is part of a zero period class or in the Beyond the Bell program, they are not to be dropped off BEFORE 8:00 am.  Students in Beyond the Bell or a zero period class should not be dropped off BEFORE 7:15am. This is an important reminder that students are NOT to be picked up on Bloomfield Road above Hillcrest. Students may NOT walk up the stairs from Hillcrest to Bloomfield unless they are walking to their own home.   Students are required to have a Walking or Biking from School form on file in order to leave campus at the end of th eday via Bloomfield Road. When pulling into the parking lot: Please use both lanes and then merge when you make the turn by the chain link fence. We have had reports of cars driving unsafely in the parking lot - please remember that students and staff may be crossing the parking lot.   Please watch your speed!! Please pull as far down the curb, in front of Hillcrest Hall, as possible to stop and pick up your student. If possible, arrive 10 minutes after the dismissal time.  We have found that by this time both Bloomfield Road and our parking lot are much easier for our families to access. School Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are only to be used after school in the Duck Pond to contact parents or guardians. Cell phones should be off and put away from the moment you arrive on campus. Any violation of the cell phone policy can lead to disciplinary action.   Keep up with Hillcrest Middle School on Instagram & Facebook Want to keep up with what is going on at Hillcrest?  Want to see photos and learn about what is going on in the classrooms of HMS?  Want to make sure you are updated on all the latest information and events on the campus?  If you said yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow Hillcrest’s Social Media Pages: Instagram - SoarHawksSoar Facebook - Hillcrest Middle School - Sebastopol     COUNSELORS' CORNER     Last week Gravenstein Elementary celebrated Kindness Week by participating in random acts of kindness, making and sending cards with kind words to students, and discussing what it means to be kind towards others.  As the holiday season begins and life seems to feel a little bit more hectic I encourage all of you to show and discuss the importance of what it means to be kind towards others, not just at school, but in our community, globally, and most importantly to ourselves.   Teaching about kindness goes beyond a discussion or lecture, and is often done through examples and shared activities, like the ones listed below: Model  - Although this may sound redundant, modeling kindness is the best way to help a child understand kindness.  When they see you being kind, they tend to follow suit!  Kindness can be contagious and soon after they see you engage in an act of kindness, they may emulate.  Things like holding the door open for someone, helping someone cross the street, saying please and thank you, and finally making sure our tone and how we sound when we speak to others is empathic, are all ways to demonstrate kindness to your child. Read books, books and more books -  Reading stories is often a great way to teach younger children.  Books are a great way to talk about kindness as children tend to identify with the characters on the pages.  Additionally, stories with powerful messages tend to stay with the child, especially since many children relish in reading the same book repeatedly.  As you read, you can ask open-ended questions like, “How do you think he is feeling sitting by himself?” or “Wow, I see someone helping his friend out.  What do you see on this page?” Volunteer for good -  Whether you take small or big actions, help other people or help animals, there is always a way to lend a helping hand.  Involving kids in volunteer work teaches them that it feels good to be helpful.  You might collect garbage from the park, visit a local retirement home, or clean out your closets to make a donation to those in need. Perhaps your kids will be inspired to fund-raise for a good cause.  There is no limit to what your kindness can do. Smile more often -  In a study conducted in Sweden, when people looked at others who were smiling, their muscles twitched into smiles involuntarily.  Play a smiling game with your kids to show them how smiling truly is contagious.  The simple act of smiling can spread the warmth of kindness far and wide, as others smile in return and continue to pass the smile on. Practice perspective-talking  - To be considerate of others, children must understand how they think and feel.  Perspective-taking skills help kids make others feel comfortable and interpret their needs.  Get your child into the practice of asking, “What would that feel like?” or “How would I feel if that happened to me?” In tricky situations, have them stop and think of how they would like to be treated.   When your child witnesses another person struggling, reflect on moments they may have felt the same way.  Talk about these past experiences, and what they would have wanted to happen.  Then decide if there’s a way to help. There are so many more ways to teach kindness and the benefits of teaching kindness to children are well-established. Kindness reduces stress, which is important because stress can lead to serious health problems including high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Kindness boosts happiness.  Kind kids are happy kids. Kind people live longer. Acts of kindness help children to form strong relationships with others.  Kind kids are more accepted by their peers. This also boosts happiness and mental well-being   When the whole class is kind, the classroom culture becomes more inclusive -- which leads to good classroom mental health. Kindness increases serotonin, the “feel good” brain chemical.  This helps ward off mental health problems like depression and anxiety.  Serotonin also has other benefits, including better sleep and digestion. Kindness (through serotonin increase) helps students have better focus and learn more easily at school.   Schools can use kindness as a way to change bullying behaviors. The strong emotional bonds that come from kindness can be a protective factor against the effects of traumatic stress.   Hillcrest Counseling Facebook Page Click on the link below to to view all the resources available to you and your family on the Hillcrest Counseling Facebook page. Hillcrest Middle School Counseling Page     COMMUNITY CORNER   Below is a list of flyers for non-profit organizations that have been shared with our District Office.  If you have a flyer for a non-profit event or organization that you would like to share with the community.  Please submit it to the District Office ( mquirke@gusdschools.org ) for approval.  If approved it will be included here in Monday Messages. West County Softball - Spring 2024 Softball Season West County Softball English or Spanish DEIB Committee Invites you to Community Night - Thursday, November 30th Community Night English or Spanish CPI - Thursday, November 30, 1 Session, 9-10:30am - In Person Autism Support Group CPI - Thursday, November 30, 1 Session, 6-8pm - FREE online class *New Class* -  Children Meeting New Partners CPI - Martes | 4 a 18 de deciembre | 3 sesiones | 6-7:30pm - Clase online GRATIS Atencion Plena para la familia CPI - Martes | 5 a 12 de deciembre | 2 sesiones | 12 - 2pm - Clase online GRATIS Reduciendo el estres CPI - Tuesdays & Thursdays | December 5-14 | 4 sessions 5 - 6:30pm Transition to Co-Parenting CPI - Tuesdays | December 5-19 | 3 sessions | 6-7:30pm Parenting and Coping with Stress CPI - miércoles | 6 de deciembre | 6-8pm | 1 sesion - Clase online GRATIS Criando Hijas CPI - Fridays | December 8-22 | 3 sessions 12-1:30pm - FREE online Class Raising Sons CPI - Mondays | December 11 - 18 | 2 sessions | 5-6:30pm - FREE online Class Positive Parenting All Ages CPI - Wednesdays | December 13-20 | 2 sessions | 11am - 1pm - Free online Class Developing Resilient Families CPI - Tuesday & Thursday | December 19 & 21 | 5-6:30 pm - FREE online Class Parenting Your Teen CPI - Saturday | December 23 | 1 session | 12 -1pm Talking to Children About Troubling Times Be a Student Ambassador to Japan! Sebastopol World Friends is seeking student ambassadors for the Japanese Sister City Student Exchange Program. 7 th and 8 th grade students currently attending a middle school in Sebastopol or living in Sebastopol are eligible to apply for the 2024-2025 cycle.  Selected Sebastopol students will host Japanese students in the spring of 2024 and will travel to Japan in the spring of 2025.  Financial assistance and a full scholarship are available. Application deadline has been extended to December 8.  If you are interested, please contact  takeo@sebastopolwf.org  ASAP to receive the application packet.  There will be an online information meeting on Friday, December 1 at 6pm.  The application process and the hosting and travel overview will be presented.  To receive the Zoom link, please register from  here . If you would like to learn more about the sister city exchange program and the recent student trip to Japan, visit  www.sebastopolwf.or g   Sebastopol World Friends.   GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig, Trustee -  pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee -   jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE           ABOUT US           MENUS             SCHEDULES   Elementary School  Website Middle School  Website   Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Sunday, Nov 26 2023

Monday Messages November 20, 2023 for GUSD Families!

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Monday Message November 20, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION   Mark Your Calendars Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Holiday Monday, November 27, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Tuesday, November 28 - HMS - Last day to turn in Marching Band Pledge Money Tuesday, November 28, 6-7pm - GPA - Board Meeting (all welcome) Thursday, November 30, 6pm - DEIB - Community Night Monday, December 11 to Thursday, December 21 - HMS - Holiday Food Drive Monday, December 18, 5pm - Grav - Grade 4 & 5 Winter Concert Monday, December 25 to Friday, January 5, 2024 - GUSD - Winter Break NO SCHOOL Tuesday, January 9, 5-7pm - GUSD - Board Meeting Monday, January 29, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Monday, February 26, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Friday, March 1, 2024 - HMS - Deadline to submit 8th Grade Baby Photo for Yearbook Reminder - No School School will be closed Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Holiday Winter Break School will be closed  Monday, December 25 through Friday, January 5, 2024 - Winter Break   Lunch Menu To view the entire November menu click here for English  or  Spanish .  Fruits &/or Veggies are offered with all meals.  Meals are not offered a la carte  Menu items are subject to change.  All student meals are free of charge.  Vegetarian and vegan option are available upon request - Please send in a letter to the office if there are any dietary restrictions. S = Morning Snack and L = Lunch Mon 20 Tue 21 Wed 22 Thu 23 Fri 24 NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL Mon 27 Tue 28 Wed 29 Thu 30 Fri 1 S: Cereal & String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies S: Waffle & String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies S: Oatmeal & Raisins Fruit and/or Veggies S: Yogurt & a Grain Fruit and/or Veggies S: Cereal and  String Cheese Fruit and/or Veggies L: French Toast Sticks & an Egg Fruit and/or Veggies L: Chicken & Potato Taco Fruit and/or Veggies L: Chile Con Carne & Chips Fruit and/or Veggies Cook's Choice Fruit and/or Veggies L: Tuscan Soup Fruit and/or Veggies   GUSD Open Board Seat The GUSD Board seeks a replacement to appoint to our current vacant seat. The application process is currently open and candidates may be interviewed during the November or December Board Meetings.  Interested candidates should be available on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00pm for the regularly scheduled meetings, and some additional special board meetings each year too. Qualifications to Run for School Board (per Ed Code): A school board candidate must be a registered voter. A school board candidate must be a resident of the Gravenstein Union School District. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. If you are interested in being a candidate for the appointment, please contact Melacha Quirke in the Gravenstein District Office to receive an application. mquirke@gusdschools.org (707) 823-7008 Or you can go to the District Website at   www.gusdschools.org   and click on the link there to apply. Applications are due to the District Office no later than 4:00pm on Monday, November 6, 2023. If necessary, the final interviews for qualified applicants will take place at the November 14, 2023 meeting, beginning at 5:00pm, on the Hillcrest Middle School campus.  The successful candidate will join the GUSD Board on December 12, 2023 and serve until December 2026. If you have any questions, you can also contact Superintendent Dave Rose at  drose@gusdschools.org     Family Literacy Night Follow-up If you did not receive any of the materials, accidentally left them behind, or would like a little coaching on any of the information you heard on Literacy Night, schedule a follow up session!   GRAVENSTEIN PARENT ASSOCIATION   It's that time of year again where you can support your child's school at teh same time you do your holiday shopping!  GPA invites all Gravenstein Elementary and Hillcrest families to support the Enrich program by purchasing from Charleston Wrap this holiday season.  Ordering will be open Monday, November 20th through Monday, December 4th. REGISTER. SHARE. SHOP. SUPPORT OUR FUNDRAISER Check-off your holiday gift list today and help our important cause. From holiday to hostess to corporate gifts and more, our online store has somthing for every occasion - even if it's just for you! #1 REGISTER Register participant at www.registercw.com to access our handy invitation tools in the Participant Portal.  Very important! #2 SHARE Invite friends and family to support!  SHARE a link to the sale using the TEXT & EMAIL invitation tools.  Don't forget to share on SOCIAL MEDIA, too! #3 SHOP Go online to SHOP and help us reach our GOAL today!  With over 2,500 gift ideas there is something for everyone, including you!   Upcoming Board Meeting: Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 6:00pm (Due to our regularly scheduled meeting falling during Thanksgiving break, we are moving to 11/28 for this month only). Hillcrest Middle School in Room 5 Join our Zoom Video Meeting   Follow Us On Social Media Stay up to date in the quickest way by following us on Facebook and Instagram .   Tag your photos with #wearegpa to show your school pride!   WHAT'S NEW at GRAVENSTEIN ELEMENTARY?   Happy Thanksgiving! Our campus saw a wide variety of Thankful Celebrations last week.  We had a TK Thankful performance, Friendsgiving parties, Dance Parties, and even a third grade Balloon Parade (in honor of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade).    Grade 4 & 5 Winter Concert It’s the holiday season…and that means it is time for a Winter Concert!  Our grades 4 and 5 students, led by Mr. Pulley (Band) and Mr. Burrows (Chorus), invite families to join us on the HMS campus for the annual Winter Concert.  The performance will be on Monday, December 18 at 5:00.  All are welcome to come and enjoy performances from the grade 4 band and chorus and the grade 5 band and chorus.  As the evening celebrates just these two grades, our hope is that our audience will be able to stay and enjoy the performances from both grades.  They are impressive and you don’t want to miss out!   Campus Tours for Prospective Familes It’s already that time - the time when families start looking at schools for the upcoming year.  Mrs. Pugno offers campus tours on a variety of dates for prospective families.  If you know of anyone interested in having their child(ren) attend Gravenstein next year, please share with them the link to sign up for a campus tour:   Gravenstein Elementary School Campus Tour   Don’t Forget!  Gravenstein Elementary School is Now on Facebook and Twitter!  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinElementary/ Twitter @GravElementary   WHAT'S NEW at HILLCREST MIDDLE SCHOOL?   Leadership students made over 100 Thanksgiving Day cards  for senior citizens living at the Fountain Grove Lodge in Santa Rosa.   All three Spanish classes celebrated reaching their goal of 100 piñata points at Hillcrest!  Students broke the piñatas, sang the piñata song and enjoyed the rewards of all their hard work and effort.   Yearbook Purchase your Yearbook on  TreeRing.com 8th Grade Baby Photos DUE BY  MARCH 1st NO LATER and BELOW IS THE LINK TO SUBMIT THE PHOTOS Submit Baby Photos Here   Hillcrest Marching Band Play-A-Thon As you may have heard, the HMS Marching Band is performing in Disneyland this year and they couldn’t be more excited to finally be marching through the park. Our first fundraiser of the year is going to be a “Play-a-Thon”.  It’s like a Jog-a-Thon, but for band! The way it works is:  Students will find friends and family members to pledge an amount for every minute they practice over a 1 week period.  They are asked to practice 60 minutes a week for homework so a recommended pledge amount is $.50/minute.  After a week of practicing and documenting their time, they will share a video or recording of what they practiced over the week with the people that pledged money so that they can see the progress made, and then collect pledge money.  There will be in-class prizes for the students who raise the 5 highest amounts! Pledge forms will go out the week of October 30th, with the Play-A-Thon starting the week after.  All pledges are due Tuesday, November 28th.  If you know a Hillcrest band member, they would appreciate your support!   Spring Musical - Rehearsals Have Started Hilllcrest Middle School's Spring Musical will be Rehearsals are Mondays and Tuesdays after school.  They begin  Monday, October 23 from 3:30 to 5:30pm.  Students should bring a pencil and a highlighter.  The rehearsal schedule can be found at the link below. Please note, there will be rehearsal on Monday, November 20th, 10am - 12pm. Beauty and the Beast Rehearsal Schedule   Trimester 1 Report Cards Report Cards will be coming home on Thursday, November 30th.  Please review your student's report card and have them return the signed manila envelope to a teacher or the main office.  Reminder - you can always check SchoolWise Parent Portal at any time during the school year to keep updated on your students grades! Trimester 2 Enrichment Sign Ups During their Social Studies classes on Monday, November 27, 2023, HMS students will be signing up for their Trimester 2 Wednesday Enrichment classes!  Trimester 2 Wednesday Enrichments will begin on November 29th.  We will do our best to give students their top choices but there are no guarantees of placement in any Enrichment.  Please click on the link for course descriptions to help you make your choice - Course Descriptions Trimester 1 Awards Assembly The Trimester 1 Awards Ceremonies will take place in Hillcrest Hall on Friday December 22nd.  Students will be recognized for their Grade Point Average (if they earned a GPA of 3.0 or above on their Trimester 1 report card they will earn an award). We will also be recognizing students for excelling in the different subject areas and for exemplifying lifeskills.  We will be holding individual ceremonies for 6th, 7th and 8th grades.  Parents are welcome to attend.  The schedule is as follows: 6th grade- 8:30 7th grade- 9:20 8th grade- 10:25   12 Days of Blue Feather is Right Around the Corner! The annual December tradition – the 12 Days of Blue Feathers will be here before you know it!  Starting on December 7th, we'll be drawing Blue Feathers each school day until December 22nd, the day before winter break!  On December 7th we will draw 12 Blue Feathers and those 12 students will win a prize.  On December 8th we will draw 11 Blue Feathers and those 11 students each win and so on until December 22nd where one student will win $50 in CASH! Remember students can earn Blue Feathers for being caught doing something right or helping out around the Hillcrest campus!  Check future Monday Messages for more information!   Hillcrest Athletics Information Hillcrest Athletics Schedule for Week of 11/27 Monday, November 27 8th Grade Boys Basketball 3:30 - 5:00 pm Tuesday, November 28 7th Grade Girls Volleyball 8th Grade Girls Volleyball 3:40 - 5:15 pm 5:15 - 6:30 pm Wednesday, November 29 8th Grade Boys Basketball 7th Grade Boys Basketball 3:30 - 5:00 pm 5:00 - 6:30 pm Thursday, November 30 7th Grade Girls Volleyball 8th Grade Girls Volleyball 3:40 - 5:15 pm 5:15 - 6:30 pm Friday, December 1 7th Grade Girls Volleyball 8th Grade Girls Volleyball 3:40 - 5:15 pm 5:15 - 6:30 pm Hillcrest Sports Seasons Dates Sport/Season 2023/2024 Games Start Games End Tournament Weeks Where? 7th/8th Boys VB 12/18/2023 02/02/2023 02/5 - 02/9  8th Grade Only Tournament Location: 7th/8th Boys BB 01/29/2024 03/08/2024 *5 weeks due to when Spring Break Starts??? 03/11 - 03/15 8th Grade Only *Some days overlapping Volleyball  Tournament Location: 6th Girls BB 03/11/2024 04/19/2024 No Tournament *Spring Break in March or April (why this season is 6 weeks) 6th Boys BB 03/11/2024 04/19/2024 No Tournament *Spring Break in March or April (why this season is 6 weeks) Boys VB (6th/7th/8th) 04/15/2024 05/17/2024 n/a Girls Flag Football (6th/7th/8th) 04/15/2024 05/17/2024 n/a Jamboree - Hillcrest Hillcrest Athletics Clearance Update THIS HAS CHANGED SINCE FALL SPORT The document linked below is a two part document that is required for participaion in sports. The  FIRST requirement is the parent permission to participate, this requires a parent signature.  Once this area of the document is signed, you can scan or drop off this document to the fornt office.  (This is the most commonly missed area, please sign this as permission for your student athlete to participate.) The  SECOND requirement is a medical physical from the student's doctor.  This physical will allow participation in middle school athletics for two school years.  The health physical document can come from your doctor or by using the form linked below. HMS Physcial Form   Hillcrest Weekly Reminders Help Keep Our Students Safe with the Stop It  App Hillcrest Middle School is pleased to announce another tool to help keep our students safe and engaged in school.   Stop It is an anonymous anti-bullying app that allows students and parents to report harmful, inappropriate or unsafe behavior that may be happening on campus.  Here are the steps:   Go to the App Store and download the Stop It app to any compatible device Search for Hillcrest Middle School - Gravenstein That’s it!  You are now ready to report any incident that may occur - your identity will never be known. Student and Staff Safety Unless your student is part of a zero period class or in the Beyond the Bell program, they are not to be dropped off BEFORE 8:00 am.  Students in Beyond the Bell or a zero period class should not be dropped off BEFORE 7:15am. This is an important reminder that students are NOT to be picked up on Bloomfield Road above Hillcrest. Students may NOT walk up the stairs from Hillcrest to Bloomfield unless they are walking to their own home.   Students are required to have a Walking or Biking from School form on file in order to leave campus at the end of th eday via Bloomfield Road. When pulling into the parking lot: Please use both lanes and then merge when you make the turn by the chain link fence. We have had reports of cars driving unsafely in the parking lot - please remember that students and staff may be crossing the parking lot.   Please watch your speed!! Please pull as far down the curb, in front of Hillcrest Hall, as possible to stop and pick up your student. If possible, arrive 10 minutes after the dismissal time.  We have found that by this time both Bloomfield Road and our parking lot are much easier for our families to access. School Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are only to be used after school in the Duck Pond to contact parents or guardians. Cell phones should be off and put away from the moment you arrive on campus. Any violation of the cell phone policy can lead to disciplinary action.   Keep up with Hillcrest Middle School on Instagram & Facebook Want to keep up with what is going on at Hillcrest?  Want to see photos and learn about what is going on in the classrooms of HMS?  Want to make sure you are updated on all the latest information and events on the campus?  If you said yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow Hillcrest’s Social Media Pages: Instagram - SoarHawksSoar Facebook - Hillcrest Middle School - Sebastopol     COUNSELORS' CORNER     Last week Gravenstein Elementary celebrated Kindness Week by participating in random acts of kindness, making and sending cards with kind words to students, and discussing what it means to be kind towards others.  As the holiday season begins and life seems to feel a little bit more hectic I encourage all of you to show and discuss the importance of what it means to be kind towards others, not just at school, but in our community, globally, and most importantly to ourselves.   Teaching about kindness goes beyond a discussion or lecture, and is often done through examples and shared activities, like the ones listed below: Model  - Although this may sound redundant, modeling kindness is the best way to help a child understand kindness.  When they see you being kind, they tend to follow suit!  Kindness can be contagious and soon after they see you engage in an act of kindness, they may emulate.  Things like holding the door open for someone, helping someone cross the street, saying please and thank you, and finally making sure our tone and how we sound when we speak to others is empathic, are all ways to demonstrate kindness to your child. Read books, books and more books -  Reading stories is often a great way to teach younger children.  Books are a great way to talk about kindness as children tend to identify with the characters on the pages.  Additionally, stories with powerful messages tend to stay with the child, especially since many children relish in reading the same book repeatedly.  As you read, you can ask open-ended questions like, “How do you think he is feeling sitting by himself?” or “Wow, I see someone helping his friend out.  What do you see on this page?” Volunteer for good -  Whether you take small or big actions, help other people or help animals, there is always a way to lend a helping hand.  Involving kids in volunteer work teaches them that it feels good to be helpful.  You might collect garbage from the park, visit a local retirement home, or clean out your closets to make a donation to those in need. Perhaps your kids will be inspired to fund-raise for a good cause.  There is no limit to what your kindness can do. Smile more often -  In a study conducted in Sweden, when people looked at others who were smiling, their muscles twitched into smiles involuntarily.  Play a smiling game with your kids to show them how smiling truly is contagious.  The simple act of smiling can spread the warmth of kindness far and wide, as others smile in return and continue to pass the smile on. Practice perspective-talking  - To be considerate of others, children must understand how they think and feel.  Perspective-taking skills help kids make others feel comfortable and interpret their needs.  Get your child into the practice of asking, “What would that feel like?” or “How would I feel if that happened to me?” In tricky situations, have them stop and think of how they would like to be treated.   When your child witnesses another person struggling, reflect on moments they may have felt the same way.  Talk about these past experiences, and what they would have wanted to happen.  Then decide if there’s a way to help. There are so many more ways to teach kindness and the benefits of teaching kindness to children are well-established. Kindness reduces stress, which is important because stress can lead to serious health problems including high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Kindness boosts happiness.  Kind kids are happy kids. Kind people live longer. Acts of kindness help children to form strong relationships with others.  Kind kids are more accepted by their peers. This also boosts happiness and mental well-being   When the whole class is kind, the classroom culture becomes more inclusive -- which leads to good classroom mental health. Kindness increases serotonin, the “feel good” brain chemical.  This helps ward off mental health problems like depression and anxiety.  Serotonin also has other benefits, including better sleep and digestion. Kindness (through serotonin increase) helps students have better focus and learn more easily at school.   Schools can use kindness as a way to change bullying behaviors. The strong emotional bonds that come from kindness can be a protective factor against the effects of traumatic stress.   Hillcrest Counseling Facebook Page Click on the link below to to view all the resources available to you and your family on the Hillcrest Counseling Facebook page. Hillcrest Middle School Counseling Page     COMMUNITY CORNER   Below is a list of flyers for non-profit organizations that have been shared with our District Office.  If you have a flyer for a non-profit event or organization that you would like to share with the community.  Please submit it to the District Office ( mquirke@gusdschools.org ) for approval.  If approved it will be included here in Monday Messages. West County Softball - Spring 2024 Softball Season West County Softball English or Spanish CPI - Tuesdays, November 14 - 28, 3 Sessions, 6:30-8pm - FREE online class Parenting Traps to Avoid CPI - Tuesdays, November 14 - 28, 3 Sessions, 6-7:30pm - FREE online class Single and Parenting CPI - Monday, November 20, 1 Session, 6-8pm - FREE Online Class Two Homes for the Holidays DEIB Committee Invites you to Community Night - Thursday, November 30th Community Night English or Spanish CPI - Thursday, November 30, 1 Session, 9-10:30am - In Person Autism Support Group CPI - Thursday, November 30, 1 Session, 6-8pm - FREE online class *New Class* -  Children Meeting New Partners   GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig, Trustee -  pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee -   jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE           ABOUT US           MENUS             SCHEDULES   Elementary School  Website Middle School  Website   Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Sunday, Nov 19 2023

The DEIB Committee Invites You to Community Night

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT   Special Message November 13, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION     The DEIB Committee would like to invite you to Community Night!  This is a free event that will happen at Hillcrest Middle School on Thursday, November 30th at 6pm.  There will be a presentation on defining equity. Help built community! Share in food provided! Free Childcare available! Please let us know if you can make it!!  RSVP to  deib-rsvp@gusdschools.org   GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Patrick Lei, Clerk - plei@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig - pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee - jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE   ABOUT US   MENUS   SCHEDULES Elementary School Website Middle School  Website   Mr. Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Mr. Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Mrs. Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Monday, Nov 13 2023

Monday Messages November 13, 2023 for GUSD Families!

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Monday Message November 13, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION   Mark Your Calendars Tuesday, November 14, 5-7pm - GUSD - Board Meeting -  Zoom Link Wednesday, November 15 - GPA - Last day to turn in all Jog-A-Thon Donations Friday, November 17, 2:25pm - HMS - 4th Annual Turkey BowlMonday, Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Holiday Tuesday, November 28, 6-7pm - GPA - Board Meeting (all welcome) Monday, November 27, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Tuesday, November 28 - HMS - Last day to turn in Marching Band Pledge Money Monday, December 11 to Thursday, December 21 - HMS - Holiday Food Drive Monday, January 29, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Monday, February 26, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Friday, March 1, 2024 - HMS - Deadline to submit 8th Grade Baby Photo for Yearbook Reminder - No School School will be closed Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Holiday   Lunch Menu To view the entire November menu click here for English  or  Spanish .  Fruits &/or Veggies are offered with all meals.  Meals are not offered a la carte  Menu items are subject to change.  All student meals are free of charge.  Vegetarian and vegan option are available upon request - Please send in a letter to the office if there are any dietary restrictions. S = Morning Snack and L = Lunch Mon 13 Tue 14 Wed 15 Thu 16 Fri 17 S: Cereal &  String Cheese Fruit &/or Veggies S: Muffin & Sun Seeds Fruit &/or Veggies S: Pancakes Fruit &/or Veggies S: Cook's Choice Fruit &/or Veggies S: Breakfast Burrito Fruit &/or Veggies L: Pizza Sticks Fruit &/or Veggies L: Chicken Quesadilla Fruit &/or Veggies L: Pasta & Meat Marinara Sauce Fruit &/or Veggies L: Egroll & Brown Rice Fruit &/or Veggies L: Hamburger on a Bun Fruit &/or Veggies Mon 20 Tue 21 Wed 22 Thu 23 Fri 24 NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL   Now that Halloween is Over, What Do You Do with Those Costumes? Halloween is over and you have costumes.  Do you save them for next year or get rid of them?  If you decide to get rid of them, how about donating them to the DEIB committee's annual costume drive!  Costumes will be saved until next year and offered free to students for Halloween 2024. Please bring costumes in reusable shape to the front office fo both schools.  There will be labeled collection boxes available until Thanksgiving break.  So don't throw those costumes awa, donate them to a good cause!   GUSD Open Board Seat The GUSD Board seeks a replacement to appoint to our current vacant seat. The application process is currently open and candidates may be interviewed during the November or December Board Meetings.  Interested candidates should be available on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00pm for the regularly scheduled meetings, and some additional special board meetings each year too. Qualifications to Run for School Board (per Ed Code): A school board candidate must be a registered voter. A school board candidate must be a resident of the Gravenstein Union School District. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. If you are interested in being a candidate for the appointment, please contact Melacha Quirke in the Gravenstein District Office to receive an application. mquirke@gusdschools.org (707) 823-7008 Or you can go to the District Website at   www.gusdschools.org   and click on the link there to apply. Applications are due to the District Office no later than 4:00pm on Monday, November 6, 2023. If necessary, the final interviews for qualified applicants will take place at the November 14, 2023 meeting, beginning at 5:00pm, on the Hillcrest Middle School campus.  The successful candidate will join the GUSD Board on December 12, 2023 and serve until December 2026. If you have any questions, you can also contact Superintendent Dave Rose at  drose@gusdschools.org     GRAVENSTEIN PARENT ASSOCIATION   Jog-A-Thon Donations Need to be Turned In Thank you for all the time and effort you put into the Jog-A-Thon.  We haven't yet collected all the donations, but we are hoping it was a huge success.   We are extending the deadline for Jog-A-Thon donations to be turned in, to Wednesday, November 15th.  We need all the donations so we can do our final count and announce how much we raised.  If you haven't already, please turn in your donations tomorrow.     Unlock the Power of Your Giving with Corporate Matching! Did you know that your donation to GPA can go even further?  Many companies offer Corporate Matching Programs that can double, or even triple, your contribution.  It's like giving with superpowers!!  How does it work?  Why Should You Seek Corporate Matching?  How to Get Started: Donate:   Contribute to GPA to support the Enrich Program! Check Eligibility:   Find out if your employer offers a Corporate Matching Program.  Most do!! Submit a Request:   Follow your company's process to request a match. Impact Multiplied:   Watch your initial donation grow with a matching gift from your employer. Maximize your Impact:  Your donation can have a more significant impact without any additional cost to you. Tax Benefits:   In some cases, you may receive tax advantages for your charitable contributions. Ask your HR department or check your company's website to see if they offer a matching program. Confirm the eligibility criteria, guidelines, and deadlines. Make a donation to GPA Follow your company's process to submit a matching gift request. Together, we can make Enrich for all possible!  And ensure our school has the funds to support our students in the best way possible. Start now and double the difference you make!   #CorporateMatching #DoubleTheImpact #GivingBack   Upcoming Board Meeting: Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 6:00pm (Due to our regularly scheduled meeting falling during Thanksgiving break, we are moving to 11/28 for this month only). Hillcrest Middle School in Room 5 Join our Zoom Video Meeting   Follow Us On Social Media Stay up to date in the quickest way by following us on Facebook and Instagram .   Tag your photos with #wearegpa to show your school pride!   WHAT'S NEW at GRAVENSTEIN ELEMENTARY?   Parent Parking at School Events We are so thankful to have a school community with so many involved and supportive parents.  Unfortunately, we never seem to have enough parking spaces for all of our parent volunteers.  We try to open up as many spaces as possible (drop-off circle, staff/bus zones, and basketball courts) when we anticipate crowds, but we know that many parents rely on Twig Avenue to find a space.  While street parking is fine, please remember that it is illegal to park blocking someone’s driveway or on someone’s private property.  Part of what makes Gravenstein so special is our location and maintaining a positive relationship with our neighbors is important.  Thank you for any efforts you can do to carpool to events.     Don’t Forget!  Gravenstein Elementary School is Now on Facebook and Twitter!  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinElementary/ Twitter @GravElementary   WHAT'S NEW at HILLCREST MIDDLE SCHOOL?   Elective Wheel Rotations On Tuesday, November 14th , students taking the Elective Wheel will rotate to their next elective. As a reminder here is where Wheel 1 is rotating to: Wheel 1: Rotations (starting TUESDAY, November 14) Coding rm. 11 Creative Writing  rm. 2 Creative Writing rm. 2 Art Appreciation rm. 8 Art Appreciation rm. 8 Coding rm. 11 As a reminder here is where Wheel 2 is rotating to: Wheel 2: Rotations (starting TUESDAY, November 14)   Maker Lab rm. 5/6 Journalism rm. 12 Journalism rm. 12 Video Production rm. 18 Video Production rm. 18 Maker Lab rm. 5/6 By grade level, here is what the kids should be in for Tri 2: Wheel 1 6th Grade: Coding 7th Grade: Art Appreciation 8th Grade: Creative Writing Wheel 2 6th Grade: Maker Lab 7th Grade: Video Production 8th Grade: Journalism   Upcoming Spirit Days Friday, Novemer 17th - Sports Day   Lost & Found is Already Overflowing The Hillcrest Lost & Found is OVERFLOWING with forgotten items!!  Please check the Loast and Found - located outside the backdorr of the HMS Main Office - for any misplaced items.   Hillcrest Marching Band Play-A-Thon As you may have heard, the HMS Marching Band is performing in Disneyland this year and they couldn’t be more excited to finally be marching through the park. Our first fundraiser of the year is going to be a “Play-a-Thon”.  It’s like a Jog-a-Thon, but for band! The way it works is:  Students will find friends and family members to pledge an amount for every minute they practice over a 1 week period.  They are asked to practice 60 minutes a week for homework so a recommended pledge amount is $.50/minute.  After a week of practicing and documenting their time, they will share a video or recording of what they practiced over the week with the people that pledged money so that they can see the progress made, and then collect pledge money.  There will be in-class prizes for the students who raise the 5 highest amounts! Pledge forms will go out the week of October 30th, with the Play-A-Thon starting the week after.  If you know a Hillcrest band member, they would appreciate your support!   Spring Musical - Rehearsals Have Started Hilllcrest Middle School's Spring Musical will be Rehearsals are Mondays and Tuesdays after school.  They begin  Monday, October 23 from 3:30 to 5:30pm.  Students should bring a pencil and a highlighter.  The rehearsal schedule can be found at the link below. Beauty and the Beast Rehearsal Schedule   Hillcrest Sports Jerseys Please turn in CLEAN sports team jerseys to the office after the season is over! Congratulations to our Cross Country team for another great season!!   The 4th Annual Turkey Bowl is Almost Here Friday, November 17th Staff vs 8th Grade Student Flag Football Game 8th Graders interested in playing, sign-up sheet will be on the Student Body Page. Kick-Off:  2:25pm Venue:  William Deeths Memorial Stadium aka Hillcrest Field If you are a student who would like to sing the National Anthem before the game, please contact Mr. Sotiras ( gsotiras@gusdschools.org )   Hillcrest Weekly Reminders Yearbook Information Purchase your Yearbook on  TreeRing.com 8th Grade Baby Photos DUE BY  MARCH 1st NO LATER and BELOW IS THE LINK TO SUBMIT THE PHOTOS https://forms.gle/RQ8soP2WNiuuGcma7 Help Keep Our Students Safe with the Stop It  App Hillcrest Middle School is pleased to announce another tool to help keep our students safe and engaged in school.   Stop It is an anonymous anti-bullying app that allows students and parents to report harmful, inappropriate or unsafe behavior that may be happening on campus.  Here are the steps:   Go to the App Store and download the Stop It app to any compatible device Search for Hillcrest Middle School - Gravenstein That’s it!  You are now ready to report any incident that may occur - your identity will never be known. Student Safety First In the mornings Unless your student is part of a zero period class or in the Beyond the Bell program, they are not to be dropped off BEFORE 8:00 am. In the afternoons This is an important reminder that students are NOT to be picked up on Bloomfield Road. Students may NOT walk up the stairs from Hillcrest to Bloomfield unless they are walking to their own home. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience, we are only looking out for the safety of our students. School Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are only to be used after school in the Duck Pond to contact parents or guardians. Cell phones should be off and put away from the moment you arrive on campus. Any violation of the cell phone policy can lead to disciplinary action.   Keep up with Hillcrest Middle School on Instagram & Facebook Want to keep up with what is going on at Hillcrest?  Want to see photos and learn about what is going on in the classrooms of HMS?  Want to make sure you are updated on all the latest information and events on the campus?  If you said yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow Hillcrest’s Social Media Pages: Instagram - SoarHawksSoar Facebook - Hillcrest Middle School - Sebastopol     COUNSELORS' CORNER     While holidays fill the air with happiness and cheer, they can also carry stress and sadness for many people, especially those who deal with an underlying mental health condition.  According to a survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 64% of people diagnosed with mental illness reported that holidays make their conditions worse and approximately 66% reported feeling lonely (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2014).  The holiday blues can stem from a variety of factors such as preexisting mental health issues, seasonal affective disorder, a recent loss, the anniversary of the loss of a loved one, jam-packed social commitments, emotional and financial pressures from family and friends, and family strife. Social media can also be a major contributor to holiday-related stress.  For those already feeling more isolated,  lonely , or sad during the holiday season, social media interactions may intensify these negative feelings.  Time spent scrolling through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok viewing posts, pictures, and videos of virtual friends or social influencers showcasing their holiday festivities can stir up feelings of envy,  shame , loss, and upward comparisons.  Upward comparisons are made when we compare ourselves to people we believe are better or superior to us.  Not surprisingly, upward comparisons tend to erode  self-esteem  and emotional well-being (this often happens with our middle schoolers). To finish the article click here for  English  and here for  Spanish .   Hillcrest Counseling Facebook Page Click on the link below to to view all the resources available to you and your family on the Hillcrest Counseling Facebook page. Hillcrest Middle School Counseling Page     COMMUNITY CORNER   Below is a list of flyers for non-profit organizations that have been shared with our District Office.  If you have a flyer for a non-profit event or organization that you would like to share with the community.  Please submit it to the District Office ( mquirke@gusdschools.org ) for approval.  If approved it will be included here in Monday Messages. West County Softball - Spring 2024 Softball Season West County Softball English or Spanish CPI - Mondays, November 13 - 20, 2 Sessions, 5-6:30pm - FREE Online Class Positive Parenting all Ages CPI - November 13 & 20 2 Sessions, 6:30-8pm - FREE Online Class Parenting in the Age of Screens and Scoial Media CPI - Tuesday & Thursday, November 14 & 16 2 Sessions,  5-6:30pm - FREE online class Parenting Your Teen CPI - Tuesdays, November 14 - 28, 3 Sessions, 6:30-8pm - FREE online class Parenting Traps to Avoid Analy High Dance Performance - November 15, 16, 17, 2023 Coming next week is the Analy High Dance Programs annual winter show "The Power of Connections".  Exploring ways people gather, connect, and even the lack of connection.  Come witness a beautiful night of movement while supporting the dance program at Analy High School. The Power of Connections Girl Scout Troup 10297 Craft Fair - Sunday, November 19, 2023 Sebastopol Grange Hall Craft Fair CPI - Monday, November 20, 1 Session, 6-8pm - FREE Online Class Two Homes for the Holidays CPI - Thursday, November 30, 1 Session, 9-10:30am - In Person Autism Support Group CPI - Thursday, November 30, 1 Session, 6-8pm - FREE online class *New Class* -  Children Meeting New Partners   GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig, Trustee -  pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee -   jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE           ABOUT US           MENUS             SCHEDULES   Elementary School  Website Middle School  Website   Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Monday, Nov 13 2023

Monday Messages November 6, 2023 for GUSD Families!

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Monday Message November 6, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION   Mark Your Calendars Sunday, November 5 - Everyone - Daylight Savings Ends - Set back your clocks one hour Monday, November 6 - Monday, November 13 - HMS - Hillcrest Marching Band Play-a-Thon Tuesday, November 7, 6pm - ANALY - Analy High School Showcase Night Thursday, November 9, 5-7pm - GUSD - Happy Camper Family Literacy Night Friday, November 10  - GUSD - NO SCHOOL -  Veterans Day Tuesday, November 14, 5-7pm - GUSD - Board Meeting -  Zoom Link Friday, November 17, 2:25pm - HMS - 4th Annual Turkey BowlMonday, Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Holiday Tuesday, November 28, 6-7pm - GPA - Board Meeting (all welcome) Monday, November 27, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Tuesday, November 28 - HMS - Last day to turn in Marching Band Pledge Money Monday, January 29, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Friday, March 1, 2024 - HMS - Deadline to submit 8th Grade Baby Photo for Yearbook Reminder - No School School will be closed Friday, November 10 - Veteran's Day School will be closed Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Holiday 2023-2024 DELAC Meeting Dates DELAC Meeting dates for the 2023-2024 school year are listed below.  We will meet from 5:00 - 6:00 pm in the Gravenstein MPR (cafeteria). September 25, 2023 October 30, 2023 November 27, 2023 January 29, 2024 February 26, 2024 March 25, 2024 April 29, 2024   Lunch Menu To view the entire October menu click here for English  or  Spanish .  Fruits &/or Veggies are offered with all meals.  Meals are not offered a la carte  Menu items are subject to change.  All student meals are free of charge.  Vegetarian and vegan option are available upon request - Please send in a letter to the office if there are any dietary restrictions. S = Morning Snack and L = Lunch Mon 6 Tue 7 Wed 8 Thu 9 Fri 10 S: Concha Bread & String Cheese Fruit &/or Veggies S: Yogurt and a Grain Fruit &/or Veggies S: Bagel and Cream Cheese Fruit &/or Veggies S: Boiled Egg  and a Grain Fruit &/or Veggies NO SCHOOL L: Teriyaki Dunkers and Brown Rice Fruit &/or Veggies L: Taco Fruit &/or Veggies L: BBq Rib Sandwich Fruit &/or Veggies L: Pizza Fruit &/or Veggies Mon 13 Tue 14 Wed 15 Thu 16 Fri 17 S: Cereal &  String Cheese Fruit &/or Veggies S: Muffin and Sun Seeds Fruit &/or Veggies S: Pancakes Fruit &/or Veggies S: Cook's Choice Fruit &/or Veggies S: Breakfast Burrito Fruit &/or Veggies L: Pizza Sticks Fruit &/or Veggies L: Chicken Quesadilla Fruit &/or Veggies L: Past and Meat Marinara Sauce Fruit &/or Veggies L:  Eggroll and  Brown Rice Fruit &/or Veggies L: Hamburger  on a Bun Fruit &/or Veggies   Now that Halloween is Over, What Do You Do with Those Costumes? Halloween is over and you have costumes.  Do you save them for next year or get rid of them?  If you decide to get rid of them, how about donating them to the DEIB committee's annual costume drive!  Costumes will be saved until next year and offered free to students for Halloween 2024. Please bring costumes in reusable shape to the front office fo both schools.  There will be labeled collection boxes available until Thanksgiving break.  So don't throw those costumes awa, donate them to a good cause!   New GUSD Partner -  Child Parent Institute  (CPI) Over the past few weeks, GUSD administrators and counselors have been meeting with CPI to create a partnership that will provide another resource to our parents and guardians to support our students.  Included in the menu of services that CPI provides are free parenting classes in English and Spanish, a Parent Mentor Program, and a Parent Support Line.  Feel free to click on the link above to find out more about CPI.  We will be adding a section to the end of Monday Messages with a link to CPI and reminders about upcoming classes.  We are very excited about our new partnership, welcome CPI!!!       There is a New Section to Monday Messages In case you missed it last week, we have a new section in Monday Messages.  Scroll down to the bottom of Monday Messages to the Community Corner.  Here you will find flyers for Community Events happening in our area.  Want to advertise your not-for-profit community event coming up?  Submit your flyer to the District office and if approved, it will show up in Monday Messages.  You can bring the flyer into the District Office or email them to Melacha Quirke at mquirke@gusdschools.org .  We do ask that you submit the flyers in both English and Spanish.   Join Us For Happy Camper Family Literacy Night We will be having the Happy Camper Family Literacy Night on Thursday, November 9 from 5 - 7 pm at Gravenstein Lementary.  Learn about the Science of Reading to help your child in school.  We will have free food, free childcare and free books.   For more information or if you have questions, please contact Alicia Fernández at afernandez@gusdschools.org or (707) 823-7038. Watch this video from Hillcrest Video Production Class.   GUSD Open Board Seat The GUSD Board seeks a replacement to appoint to our current vacant seat. The application process is currently open and candidates may be interviewed during the November or December Board Meetings.  Interested candidates should be available on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00pm for the regularly scheduled meetings, and some additional special board meetings each year too. Qualifications to Run for School Board (per Ed Code): A school board candidate must be a registered voter. A school board candidate must be a resident of the Gravenstein Union School District. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. If you are interested in being a candidate for the appointment, please contact Melacha Quirke in the Gravenstein District Office to receive an application. mquirke@gusdschools.org (707) 823-7008 Or you can go to the District Website at   www.gusdschools.org   and click on the link there to apply. Applications are due to the District Office no later than 4:00pm on Monday, November 6, 2023. If necessary, the final interviews for qualified applicants will take place at the November 14, 2023 meeting, beginning at 5:00pm, on the Hillcrest Middle School campus.  The successful candidate will join the GUSD Board on December 12, 2023 and serve until December 2026. If you have any questions, you can also contact Superintendent Dave Rose at  drose@gusdschools.org     GRAVENSTEIN PARENT ASSOCIATION   Jog-A-Thon Winners Congratulations Mrs. Brown's class won an ice cream party with 730 laps wow. Runners up were Mrs. Sully with 638 laps, and Mrs. Grimm's with 609 (these did not include the teachers laps) Congratulations to Mrs. Mattish for having the most laps for our teachers/staff.  She earned her class an ice cream party along with goodies for herself! And, of course, we can't forget our top girl and top boy winners.  Together they ran over 12 miles, WOW!!  Congratulations to you both, enjoy your new scooters!   Upcoming Board Meeting: Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 6:00pm Hillcrest Middle School in Room 5 Join our Zoom Video Meeting     Follow Us On Social Media Stay up to date in the quickest way by following us on Facebook and Instagram .   Tag your photos with #wearegpa to show your school pride!   WHAT'S NEW at GRAVENSTEIN ELEMENTARY?   Halloween Fun Thank you to all Gravenstein Families who joined us in celebrating Halloween.  We had a wonderful turnout of parents at both parades and so many volunteers were on campus to help with class parties.   Parent Parking at School Events We are so thankful to have a school community with so many involved and supportive parents.  Unfortunately, we never seem to have enough parking spaces for all of our parent volunteers.  We try to open up as many spaces as possible (drop-off circle, staff/bus zones, and basketball courts) when we anticipate crowds, but we know that many parents rely on Twig Avenue to find a space.  While street parking is fine, please remember that it is illegal to park blocking someone’s driveway or on someone’s private property.  Part of what makes Gravenstein so special is our location and maintaining a positive relationship with our neighbors is important.  Thank you for any efforts you can do to carpool to events.     More Photos from the Fourth Grade Bike Ride Adventure There were so many great photos from the bike ride last week we couldn't get them all in.  So check out these additional photos from the annual 4th grade bike ride last week.   Don’t Forget!  Gravenstein Elementary School is Now on Facebook and Twitter!  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinElementary/ Twitter @GravElementary   WHAT'S NEW at HILLCREST MIDDLE SCHOOL?   Leadership attended an event at Great America on Friday!   The Hillcrest 8th Grade Flag Football team defeated Twin Hills to win the league Championship!   In Spanish class students have been learning about Day of the Dead and the cultural significance of this celebration.  Students helped create an “ofrenda” (an offering or altar) to honor our ancestors and loved ones who have passed.  Students also had the opportunity to try the traditional “pan de muerto” sweet bread from a local bakery.   Analy High School Showcase Night 8th grade families - Analy High School is excited to announce that they will be hosting a Showcase Night for their prospective families.  The event is on Tuesday, November 7th, starting at 6:00pm in their theater!  More information is available on the Analy High School website - click the link -   Analy High School Showcase Night   Elective Wheel Rotations On Tuesday, November 14th, students taking the Elective Wheel will rotate to their next elective. As a reminder here is where the wheels are rotating to: By grade level, here is what the kids should be in for Tri 2: Wheel 1 6th Grade: Coding 7th Grade: Art Appreciation 8th Grade: Creative Writing Wheel 2 6th Grade: Maker Lab 7th Grade: Video Production 8th Grade: Journalism   Upcoming Spirit Days Wednesday, November 8th - Anything But a Backpack Day (See  video ) Friday, November 17th - Sports Day   Hillcrest Marching Band Play-A-Thon As you may have heard, the HMS Marching Band is performing in Disneyland this year and they couldn’t be more excited to finally be marching through the park.  Our first fundraiser of the year is going to be a “Play-A-Thon”.  It’s like a Jog-A-Thon, but for band! The way it works is:  Students will find friends and family members to pledge an amount for every minute they practice over a 1 week period.  They are asked to practice 60 minutes a week for homework so a recommended pledge amount is $.50/minute.  After a week of practicing and documenting their time, they will share a video or recording of what they practiced over the week with the people that pledged money so that they can see the progress made, and then collect pledge money.  There will be in-class prizes for the students who raise the 5 highest amounts! Pledge forms will go out the week of October 30th, with the Play-A-Thon starting the week after.  If you know a Hillcrest band member, they would appreciate your support!   Spring Musical Hillcrest Middle School's Spring Musical will be Rehearsals are Mondays and Thursdays after school.  They begin Monday, Oct. 23 from 3:30-5:30.  Students should bring a pencil and a highlighter.  The rehearsal schedule can be found at the link below. Beauty and the Beast Rehearsal Schedule   Hillcrest Sports Jerseys Please turn in CLEAN sports team jerseys to the office after the season is over.   4th Annual Turkey Bowl is Just Around the Corner Friday, November 17th Staff vs 8th Grade Student Flag Football Game 8th Graders interested in playing, sign-up sheet will be on the student body page Kick-Off: 2:25pm Venue:  William Deeths Memorial Stadium aka Hillcrest Field If you are a student who would like to sing the National Anthem before the game please contact Mr. Sotiras ( gsotiras@gusdschools.org )    Yearbook Information You can still order a yearbook from TreeRing.com. 8th Grade Baby Photos are due by MARCH 1st NO LATER and below is the link to submit the photos. Submit Baby Photos Here   Hillcrest Weekly Reminders Help Keep Our Students Safe with the Stop It  App Hillcrest Middle School is pleased to announce another tool to help keep our students safe and engaged in school.   Stop It is an anonymous anti-bullying app that allows students and parents to report harmful, inappropriate or unsafe behavior that may be happening on campus.  Here are the steps:   Go to the App Store and download the Stop It app to any compatible device Search for Hillcrest Middle School - Gravenstein That’s it!  You are now ready to report any incident that may occur - your identity will never be known. Student Safety First In the mornings Unless your student is part of a zero period class or in the Beyond the Bell program, they are not to be dropped off BEFORE 8:00 am. In the afternoons This is an important reminder that students are NOT to be picked up on Bloomfield Road. Students may NOT walk up the stairs from Hillcrest to Bloomfield unless they are walking to their own home. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience, we are only looking out for the safety of our students. School Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are only to be used after school in the Duck Pond to contact parents or guardians. Cell phones should be off and put away from the moment you arrive on campus. Any violation of the cell phone policy can lead to disciplinary action.   Keep up with Hillcrest Middle School on Instagram & Facebook Want to keep up with what is going on at Hillcrest?  Want to see photos and learn about what is going on in the classrooms of HMS?  Want to make sure you are updated on all the latest information and events on the campus?  If you said yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow Hillcrest’s Social Media Pages: Instagram - SoarHawksSoar Facebook - Hillcrest Middle School - Sebastopol     COUNSELORS' CORNER     Hillcrest has partnered again this year with the Panaptic IMPACT Program as  a recipient of grant funding through the Sonoma County Department of Health Services .   Panaptic’s IMPACT is a digital marijuana prevention program that will be offered to our Hillcrest sixth-grade students as part of their Health and Wellness curriculum.  Panaptic's courses will support students to make healthy choices and empower parents and educators to feel more confident by providing them with tools and evidence-based strategies to promote student wellness and success. Hillcrest will be introducing the IMPACT Marijuana Prevention program to our students during the month of November.  Parents are also encouraged to join their own virtual classes.   https://wellness.panaptic.com/hillcrest-middle-school .  The registration code is:   hillcrestmiddleschoolfamilies GUSD is offering a recorded webinar for the IMPACT Program in Spanish.   Impact Program Spanish Video Link   Hillcrest Counseling Facebook Page Click on the link below to to view all the resources available to you and your family on the Hillcrest Counseling Facebook page. Hillcrest Middle School Counseling Page     COMMUNITY CORNER   Below is a list of flyers for non-profit organizations that have been shared with our District Office.  If you have a flyer for a non-profit event or organization that you would like to share with the community.  Please submit it to the District Office ( mquirke@gusdschools.org ) for approval.  If approved it will be included here in Monday Messages. West County Softball - Spring 2024 Softball Season West County Softball English or Spanish Quest Forward High School Shadow Day - November 8, 2023 Shadow Day - Inviting prospective students for 2024-2025 Academic Year CPI - miércoles, 8 a 15 de noviembre, 12-2pm Reduciendo el estres CPI - Mondays, November 13 - 20 2 Sessions, 5-6:30pm - FREE Online Class Positive Parenting all Ages CPI - November 13 & 20 2 Sessions, 6:30-8pm - FREE Online Class Parenting in the Age of Screens and Scoial Media CPI - Tuesday & Thursday, November 14 & 16 2 Sessions,  5-6:30pm - FREE online class Parenting Your Teen CPI - Tuesdays, November 14 - 28, 3 Sessions, 6:30-8pm - FREE online class Parenting Traps to Avoid CPI - Monday, November 20, 1 Session, 6-8pm - FREE Online Class Two Homes for the Holidays CPI - Thursday, November 30, 1 Session, 9-10:30am - In Person Autism Support Group CPI - Thursday, November 30, 1 Session, 6-8pm - FREE online class *New Class* - Children Meeting New Partners   GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig, Trustee -  pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee -   jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE           ABOUT US           MENUS             SCHEDULES   Elementary School  Website Middle School  Website   Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Sunday, Nov 05 2023

Monday Messages October 30, 2023 for GUSD Families

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Monday Message October 30, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION   Mark Your Calendars Monday, October 30, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Tuesday, October 31, 9am - Grav - Grades TK - 2 Halloween Costume Parade Tuesday, October 31, 11am - Grav - Grades 3 - 5 Halloween Costume Parade Tuesday, October 31 - HMS - Halloween Dress Up Day Wednesday, November 1 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL  (built-in emergency day) Thursday, November 2 - Grav - Make-Up Picture Day Thursday, November 2, 5-10pm - GPA - GPA Night at The Rewind (21+ only after 8pm) Tuesday, November 7, 6pm - ANALY - Analy High School Showcase Night Thursday, November 9, 5-7pm - GUSD - Happy Camper Family Literacy Night Friday, November 10  - GUSD - NO SCHOOL -  Veterans Day Friday, November 17, 2:25pm - HMS - 4th Annual Turkey BowlMonday, November 20 to Friday, November 24 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Holiday Friday, March 1, 2024 - HMS - Deadline to submit 8th Grade Baby Photo for Yearbook Reminder - No School School will be closed Wednesday, November 1 - this is a built-in Emergency Day School will be closed Friday, November 10 - Veteran's Day School will be closed Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Holiday   DELAC Board Elections & French Macarons!! Join us for DELAC Board elections and French macarons at our next meeting! We will elect a DELAC board and decide on meeting topics for the school year.  If you are the parent of an English Learner student, a voting ballot is going home with your student next week.  Ballots are due to the office on October 30th or at the meeting that evening.  For more information about the DELAC Committee, click HERE . Monday, October 30 5:00-6:00pm Gravenstein Elementary Childcare will be provided Please contact Alicia Fernández afernandez@gusdschools.org or (707) 823-7038 if you have any questions.   Lunch Menu To view the entire October menu click here for English  or  Spanish .  Fruits &/or Veggies are offered with all meals.  Meals are not offered a la carte  Menu items are subject to change.  All student meals are free of charge.  Vegetarian and vegan option are available upon request - Please send in a letter to the office if there are any dietary restrictions. S = Morning Snack and L = Lunch Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 1 Thu 2 Fri 3 S: Cereal & String Cheese with Fruit S: Pancakes & String Cheese with Fruit NO SCHOOL S: Cereal & String Cheese with Fruit S: Pancake Sausage on a Stick with Fruit L: Bean & Cheese Burrito L: Chicken Nuggets L: Bean & Cheese Burrito L: Corn Dogs Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies   GUSD Open Board Seat The GUSD Board seeks a replacement to appoint to our current vacant seat. The application process is currently open and candidates may be interviewed during the November or December Board Meetings.  Interested candidates should be available on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00pm for the regularly scheduled meetings, and some additional special board meetings each year too. Qualifications to Run for School Board (per Ed Code): A school board candidate must be a registered voter. A school board candidate must be a resident of the Gravenstein Union School District. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. If you are interested in being a candidate for the appointment, please contact Melacha Quirke in the Gravenstein District Office to receive an application. mquirke@gusdschools.org (707) 823-7008 Or you can go to the District Website at   www.gusdschools.org   and click on the link there to apply. Applications are due to the District Office no later than 4:00pm on Monday, November 6, 2023. If necessary, the final interviews for qualified applicants will take place at the November 14, 2023 meeting, beginning at 5:00pm, on the Hillcrest Middle School campus.  The successful candidate will join the GUSD Board on December 12, 2023 and serve until December 2026. If you have any questions, you can also contact Superintendent Dave Rose at  drose@gusdschools.org     Join Us For Happy Camper Family Literacy Night We will be having the Happy Camper Family Literacy Night on Thursday, November 9 from 5 - 7 pm at Gravenstein Lementary.  Learn about the Science of Reading to help your child in school.  We will have free food, free childcare and free books.   For more information or if you have questions, please contact Alicia Fernández at afernandez@gusdschools.org or (707) 823-7038.     There is a New Section to Monday Messages Scroll down to the bottom of Monday Messages to see our newest addition.  Here you will find flyers for Community Events happening in our area.  Want to advertise your not-for-profit community event coming up?  Submit your flyer to the District office and if approved, it will show up in Monday Messages.  You can bring the flyer into the District Office or email them to Melacha Quirke at mquirke@gusdschools.org .  We do ask that you submit the flyers in both English and Spanish.     GRAVENSTEIN PARENT ASSOCIATION   Unlock the Power of Your Giving with Corporate Matching! Did you know that your donation to GPA can go even further?  Many companies offer Corporate Matching Programs that can double, or even triple, your contribution.  It's like giving with superpowers!!  How does it work? Donate:   Contribute to GPA to support the Enrich Program! Check Eligibility:   Find out if your employer offers a Corporate Matching Program.  Most do!! Submit a Request:   Follow your company's process to request a match. Impact Multiplied:   Watch your initial donation grow with a matching gift from your employer.  Why Should You Seek Corporate Matching? Maximize your Impact:  Your donation can have a more significant impact without any additional cost to you. Tax Benefits:   In some cases, you may receive tax advantages for your charitable contributions.  How to Get Started: Ask your HR department or check your company's website to see if they offer a matching program. Confirm the eligibility criteria, guidelines, and deadlines. Make a donation to GPA Follow your company's process to submit a matching gift request. Together, we can make Enrich for all possible!  And ensure our school has the funds to support our students in the best way possible. Start now and double the difference you make!   #CorporateMatching #DoubleTheImpact #GivingBack   Gravenstein's Jog-A-Thon a Great Success!! Students and staff had a great time participating in the GPA Annual Gravenstein Jog-A-Thon.  Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this happen and thank you to the students and staff for participating!!   Upcoming Board Meeting: Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at 6:00pm Hillcrest Middle School in Room 5 Join our Zoom Video Meeting   Follow Us On Social Media Stay up to date in the quickest way by following us on Facebook and Instagram .   Tag your photos with #wearegpa to show your school pride!   WHAT'S NEW at GRAVENSTEIN ELEMENTARY?   Happy Halloween! On Tuesday, 10/31, we will host TWO costume parades.  Posters, bubbles, decorations are welcome!  Parents are invited to attend that morning and take pictures.   Parents and guests should head directly to the track for the parade.   The parade path will go around the track and parents can spread out along the track to cheer on those in costume.   9:00 grades TK-2 11:00 grades 3-5 Costume Reminders! All students TK – 5th grade will be allowed to dress in costume for the Halloween Parade and parties.  We ask that parents use discretion when choosing the costumes worn at school.  All costumes must be appropriate for viewing by even our youngest students - most TK students are still four years old!  Students wearing costumes that are determined to be inappropriate, unsafe, offensive, or too frightening, will be asked to change and/or not be allowed to participate in the schoolwide parade.   Students are not allowed to bring in costume props/weapons of any type  (toy guns, toy knives, swords, scythes, etc.) as part of their costumes.  Examples of costumes that are not appropriate for the Gravenstein parade include characters from horror movies and costumes/make-up displaying bloody wounds.  If there are any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Pugno at  kpugno@gusdschools.org . Candy Reminder!! Many students want to fill their lunch boxes (and pockets) with candy after the Halloween holiday.  Please help limit the school lunch/snack treat to one piece of candy.  Saving trick-or-treat candy for after dinner desserts is a great idea and helps support a healthy school campus.     Fourth Grade Bike Ride Adventure Check out these photos of our amazing Gravenstein 4th graders on their first field trip adventure of the year!  This annual 4th grade bike ride is a favorite for all who participate.  Students and chaperones alike traverse seven miles along the West County Regional Trail, from Forestville to Graton and back.  Special thanks to the Graton Fire Department for volunteering their time to help with road crossings and Manzana Products Company for donating applesauce for the kids to enjoy at the aid station stop.  The kids all had a blast!  Go Grizzlies, go!   Lost & Found will be donated on November 1! Students and families have a few more days to try and spot missing items.  We will donate items to charity on November 1 (non-school day).  This means that October 31 is the last day for parents to look through our Lost & Found to try and spot any missing items.  The attached pictures are current - taken on Friday, 10/27/23.   Make-Up Pictures on Thursday, November 2, 2023 This Thursday will be make-up photos for school pictures.  If you previously ordered a portrait package, please bring all of the photos back in the original envelope and return them to the photographer.  If you did not order photos and would like to do so, please use the  QR code below  to submit your order.  Our office also has a few paper copies of order forms if you’d like to pick one up. Order Your Pictures from Lifetouch Online! You can still order on mylifetouch.com (or scan the QR Code below) with your Student ID or Picture Day ID:  EVTQNV2WV ¡Ordene sus fotografías de Lifetouch en línea! Aún puedes realizar pedidos en mylifetouch.com (o escanear el código QR a continuación) con tu identificación de estudiante o identificación del día de la fotografía: EVTQNV2WV   Don’t Forget!  Gravenstein Elementary School is Now on Facebook and Twitter!  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinElementary/ Twitter @GravElementary   WHAT'S NEW at HILLCREST MIDDLE SCHOOL?   Halloween Dress Up Day Tuesday October 31st is Halloween Dress Up Day.   Students may wear costumes to school that day. Reminder- school rules still apply- all costumes and outfits must be school appropriate and follow dress code. Also, no full face masks, blood nor any kinds of weapons are allowed with your costume.  If you have questions about your costume, please check in with Mr. Deeths.    7th / 8th Grade Girls Basketball Congratulations to our 7th / 8th Grade Girls Basketball team who on Thursday evening won the league championship!!  We will be holding a rally soon to honor these students athletes!  Congratulations to our Hawks!!   Hillcrest Marching Band Play-A-Thon As you may have heard, the HMS Marching Band is performing in Disneyland this year and they couldn’t be more excited to finally be marching through the park.  Our first fundraiser of the year is going to be a “Play-a-Thon”.  It’s like a Jog-a-Thon, but for band! The way it works is:  Students will find friends and family members to pledge an amount for every minute they practice over a 1 week period.  They are asked to practice 60 minutes a week for homework so a recommended pledge amount is $.50/minute.  After a week of practicing and documenting their time, they will share a video or recording of what they practiced over the week with the people that pledged money so that they can see the progress made, and then collect pledge money.  There will be in-class prizes for the students who raise the 5 highest amounts! Pledge forms will go out the week of October 30th, with the Play-A-Thon starting the week after.  If you know a Hillcrest band member, they would appreciate your support!   Hillcrest Spring Musical Hillcrest Middle School's Spring Musical will be Rehearsals are Mondays and Thursdays after school.  They begin Monday, Oct. 23 from 3:30-5:30.  Students should bring a pencil and a highlighter.  The rehearsal schedule can be found at the link below. Beauty and the Beast Rehearsal Schedule   Hillcrest Winter Sports Signups Go to the Hillcrest Student Body on Google Classroom to sign up for the following Winter Sports- 7th Grade Girls Volleyball 8th Grade Girls Volleyball 7th Grade Boys Basketball 8th Grade Boys Basketball Hillcrest Sports Jerseys Please turn in CLEAN sports team jerseys to the office after the season is over!   The 4th Annual Turkey Bowl is Almost Here Friday November 17, 2023 - Staff vs 8th Grade Student Flag Football Game 8th Graders interested in playing, sign-up sheet will be on the student body page. Kick-off:  2:25pm Venue:  William Deeths Memorial Stadium aka Hillcrest Field If you are a studen who would like to sing the National Anthem before the game, please contac Mr. Sotrias ( gsotiras@gusdschools.org )   Analy High School Showcase Night 8th grade families - Analy High School is excited to announce that they will be hosting a Showcase Night for their prospective families.  The event is on Tuesday, November 7th starting at 6:00pm in the theater!  More information is available on the Analy High School website - click the link -   https://www.wscuhsd.org/o/analy/article/1275758   Yearbook Information Purchase your Yearbook on  TreeRing.com 8th Grade Baby Photos DUE BY  MARCH 1st NO LATER and BELOW IS THE LINK TO SUBMIT THE PHOTOS Submit 8th Grade Baby Pictures Here   Hillcrest Weekly Reminders Help Keep Our Students Safe with the Stop It  App Hillcrest Middle School is pleased to announce another tool to help keep our students safe and engaged in school.   Stop It is an anonymous anti-bullying app that allows students and parents to report harmful, inappropriate or unsafe behavior that may be happening on campus.  Here are the steps:   Go to the App Store and download the Stop It app to any compatible device Search for Hillcrest Middle School - Gravenstein That’s it!  You are now ready to report any incident that may occur - your identity will never be known. Student Safety First In the mornings Unless your student is part of a zero period class or in the Beyond the Bell program, they are not to be dropped off BEFORE 8:00 am. In the afternoons This is an important reminder that students are NOT to be picked up on Bloomfield Road. Students may NOT walk up the stairs from Hillcrest to Bloomfield unless they are walking to their own home. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience, we are only looking out for the safety of our students. School Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are only to be used after school in the Duck Pond to contact parents or guardians. Cell phones should be off and put away from the moment you arrive on campus. Any violation of the cell phone policy can lead to disciplinary action.   Keep up with Hillcrest Middle School on Instagram & Facebook Want to keep up with what is going on at Hillcrest?  Want to see photos and learn about what is going on in the classrooms of HMS?  Want to make sure you are updated on all the latest information and events on the campus?  If you said yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow Hillcrest’s Social Media Pages: Instagram - SoarHawksSoar Facebook - Hillcrest Middle School - Sebastopol     COUNSELORS' CORNER     What does self-care mean for children?  It means taking the time to care for themselves emotionally, physically, and mentally.  Self-care for kids helps children reduce stress, improve relationships, and promote wellness in their bodies and minds.  Self-care can help children of all ages become more aware of their physical and emotional needs while also equipping them with healthy ways to deal with everyday stress.  Here are some simple ways you can support self-care for your children: Check Your Own Self-Care Routine The best thing you can do to help children develop a healthy sense of self-care is to show them a good example.  Creating a  self-care routine   helps you manage stress and improve your overall health.  For example: stick to a healthy diet, exercise regularly, get adequate sleep, and find stress-reducing activities that you can do each day. Celebrate Your Child’s Progress in Caring for Themselves Another way to support your child’s self-care routine is to celebrate with them when they achieve goals and milestones.  For example, if your child finishes their homework each day for a whole month, perhaps you could take them for ice cream.  By reinforcing kids’ commitment to healthy habits with things they enjoy, you make it more likely that they will continue. Embrace Outdoor Activities Both kids and adults spend a lot of time on electronic devices these days.   There are plenty of fun activities to engage in that will keep your child  active and entertained  outdoors.  Develop an outdoor play area, go bird watching, take a nature hike, have a picnic in the park, or even turn your backyard into a campsite! Self-Care Journal Journaling is proven to yield a slew of  cognitive and emotional benefits  for people of all ages. Depending on the age and stage of kiddos, providing a journal could be an excellent investment.  When children are unsure how to start writing in their journals, you can give them topics to write about.  Encourage them to  write about  everyday experiences and express their thoughts and emotions on things that are important to them. Spend One-On-One Time Invest in children by spending quality time with them.  For busy parents of large families, one-on-one time can be difficult.  While family time is critical, doing things just  the two of you   is an excellent way to show your child how much you value your relationship.  It also gives you a unique opportunity to connect on a deeper level.  Here are a few activities to consider doing with your child:  Go for a lunch or dinner date.  Make dinner together or bake cookies.  Go to the beach for a walk.  Kick a soccer ball around.  Play miniature golf.  Attend a sports event.  Take them to see their favorite musical artist.  Go to a movie or play.  Plan a fishing trip. Give your child some alone time A healthy life for a child includes being able to be alone and enjoy that moment.  This teaches your child about balance in life.  Set aside certain hours of the week for your child to be in a low-stress situation to balance out the over-stimulating screen environment.  This can be part of their weekly digital detox practice.  Here are detoxing activities for children: Practice yoga to help your child rejuvenate their mind.  Deep breathing exercises can help your child relax especially if they are feeling nervous. Encourage your child to pick a good book to read as part of their relaxation strategy.  Go for a long walk Listen to Music Play with Legos Put together a puzzle Finally, ensure that your child gets enough hours of sleep during the night.  Keep all mobile phones and switch off social media notifications during bedtime.  These types of activities give your child the chance to ‘reset’ their mind and articulate their feelings.   Hillcrest Counseling Facebook Page Click on the link below to to view all the resources available to you and your family on the Hillcrest Counseling Facebook page. Hillcrest Middle School Counseling Page     COMMUNITY CORNER   Below is a list of flyers for non-profit organizations that have been shared with our District Office.  If you have a flyer for a non-profit event or organization that you would like to share with the community.  Please submit it to the District Office ( mquirke@gusdschools.org ) for approval.  If approved it will be included here in Monday Messages. West County Softball - Spring 2024 Softball Season West County Softball English or Spanish Gravenstein Parent Association - Community Event GPA Night at the Rewind   GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig, Trustee -  pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee -   jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE           ABOUT US           MENUS             SCHEDULES   Elementary School  Website Middle School  Website   Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Sunday, Oct 29 2023

Monday Messages October 23, 2023 for GUSD Families!

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Monday Message October 23, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION   Mark Your Calendars Monday, October 23, 3:30-5:30pm - HMS - Sprint Musical Rehearsal's begin Tuesday, October 24 - GPA/Grav - 4th & 3rd Grades Jog-A-Thon Wednesday, October 25 - GPA/Grav - 2nd & 1st Grades Jog-A-Thon Thursday, October 26 - GPA/Grav - 5th & TK/K Grades Jog-A-Thon Monday, October 30, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Tuesday, October 31, 9am - Grav - Grades TK - 2 Halloween Costume Parade Tuesday, October 31, 11am - Grav - Grades 3 - 5 Halloween Costume Parade Tuesday, October 31 - HMS - Halloween Dress Up Day Wednesday, November 1 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL  (built-in emergency day) Thursday, November 2, 5-10pm - GPA - GPA Night at The Rewind (21+ only after 8pm) Tuesday, November 7, 6pm - ANALY - Analy High School Showcase Night Thursday, November 9, 5-7pm - GUSD - Happy Camper Family Literacy Night Friday, November 10  - GUSD - NO SCHOOL -  Veterans Day Friday, November 17, 2:25pm - HMS - 4th Annual Turkey Bowl Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Holiday Friday, March 1, 2024 - HMS - Deadline to submit 8th Grade Baby Photo for Yearbook Reminder - No School  School will be closed Wednesday, November 1 - this is a built-in Emergency Day School will be closed Friday, November 10 - Veteran's Day School will be closed Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Holiday   DELAC Board Elections & French Macarons!! Join us for DELAC Board elections and French macarons at our next meeting! We will elect a DELAC board and decide on meeting topics for the school year.  If you are the parent of an English Learner student, a voting ballot is going home with your student next week.  Ballots are due to the office on October 30th or at the meeting that evening.  For more information about the DELAC Committee, click HERE . Monday, October 30 5:00-6:00pm Gravenstein Elementary Childcare will be provided Please contact Alicia Fernández afernandez@gusdschools.org or (707) 823-7038 if you have any questions.   Lunch Menu To view the entire October menu click here for English  or  Spanish .  Fruits &/or Veggies are offered with all meals.  Meals are not offered a la carte  Menu items are subject to change.  All student meals are free of charge.  Vegetarian and vegan option are available upon request - Please send in a letter to the office if there are any dietary restrictions. S = Morning Snack and L = Lunch Mon 23 Tue 24 Wed 25 Thu 26 Fri 27 S: Cereal & String Cheese with Fruit S: Yogurt & a Grain with Fruit S: Bagel & Cream Cheese with Fruit S: Muffin & Sunseeds with Fruit S: Croissant & Jam with String Chees & Fruit L: Chicken Nuggets & CHex Mix L: Tamales & Chocolate Bear Grahams L: Glazed Chicken Leg & a Cracker L: Pasta Chicken Alfredo L: Chicken Burger Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Mon 30 Tue 31 Wed 1 Thu 2 Fri 3 S: Cereal & Sting Cheese with Fruit S: Pancakes & String Cheese with Fruit NO SCHOOL S: Cereal & String Cheese with Fruit S: Pancake Sausage on a Stick with Fruit L: Bean & Cheese Burrito L: Chicken Nuggets  L: Bean & Cheese Burrito L: Corn Dogs Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies   GUSD Open Board Seat The GUSD Board seeks a replacement to appoint to our current vacant seat. The application process is currently open and candidates may be interviewed during the November or December Board Meetings.  Interested candidates should be available on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00pm for the regularly scheduled meetings, and some additional special board meetings each year too. Qualifications to Run for School Board (per Ed Code): A school board candidate must be a registered voter. A school board candidate must be a resident of the Gravenstein Union School District. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. If you are interested in being a candidate for the appointment, please contact Melacha Quirke in the Gravenstein District Office to receive an application. mquirke@gusdschools.org (707) 823-7008 Or you can go to the District Website at   www.gusdschools.org   and click on the link there to apply. Applications are due to the District Office no later than 4:00pm on Monday, November 6, 2023. If necessary, the final interviews for qualified applicants will take place at the November 14, 2023 meeting, beginning at 5:00pm, on the Hillcrest Middle School campus.  The successful candidate will join the GUSD Board on December 12, 2023 and serve until December 2026. If you have any questions, you can also contact Superintendent Dave Rose at  drose@gusdschools.org     Join Us For Happy Camper Family Literacy Night We will be having the Happy Camper Family Literacy Night on Thursday, November 9 from 5 - 7 pm at Gravenstein Lementary.  Learn about the Science of Reading to help your child in school.  We will have free food, free childcare and free books.   For more information or if you have questions, please contact Alicia Fernández at afernandez@gusdschools.org or (707) 823-7038.   Need a COVID Test?  The Federal Government Has You Covered. The federal government is again providing four free COVID antigen tests.  Every U.S. household may place an order to receive four free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to your home.  Click this link to order your tests today.     GRAVENSTEIN PARENT ASSOCIATION   Congratulations!! Congratulations to our Jog-A-Thon logo design contest winner!  The gravenstein Grizzlies are going to look amazing racing around the track in these awesome shirts! Gravenstein's Annual Jog-A-Thon Is Here!! Our annual Jog-A-Thon is this week and we still need a few more wonderful volunteers!  Get out your calendars and sign up for what you can.  Please click the link to  Sign up Genius to sign up as a volunteer. Pledge forms and prize list were sent home last week.  We can't wait to cheer on our joggers at our rainbow themed Jog-A-Thon!!!   Building Community Supporting a local GUSD family business All while raising $ to support our schools = WINNING! Come out and support a Gravenstein owned family business while supporting our schools!  GPA Night at The Rewind Thursday, November 2nd at 5:00 pm!!  Kids time from 5pm to 8pm.  8pm to 10pm is 21+ ONLY.   .The Rewind is located in The Barlow at 6780 Depot St. #140. 10% of all beer sales will be donated to GPA to support Gravenstein Elementary and Hillcrest Middle School.   Upcoming Board Meeting: Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 6:00pm Hillcrest Middle School in Room 5 Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting   Follow Us On Social Media Stay up to date in the quickest way by following us on Facebook and Instagram .   Tag your photos with #wearegpa to show your school pride!   WHAT'S NEW at GRAVENSTEIN ELEMENTARY?   Grizzly Gus at our Assembly On Friday, students gathered in the courtyard for a school wide assembly.  Student Council members were introduced and all students helped recognize the amazing members of the Gravenstein Team…including the students themselves!  The highlight of our assembly was a surprise visit from our very own mascot, Grizzly Gus!  In anticipation of that Friday’s Skate Night, Gus came out and showed off some pretty impressive roller skating moves!   Jog-A-Thon is Here!! Fill the water bottles and make sure the kids are wearing good running shoes - it’s time for jog-a-thon!  We look forward to seeing all of our volunteers to help us count laps and cheer on our students.  (Please see the GPA section for sign-up link.) Tuesday, 10/24: 4th & 3rd grades Wednesday, 10/25: 2nd & 1st grades Thursday, 10/26: 5th & TK/K grades   Get Ready for the Halloween Costume Parade On Tuesday, 10/31, we will host TWO costume parades.  Posters, bubbles, decorations are welcome!  Parents are invited to attend that morning and take pictures.   Parents and guests should head directly to the track for our parade.   The parade path will go around the track and parents can spread out along the track to cheer on those in costume.  For more details and costume restrictions/reminders, please see the announcement in the 10/2/23 Monday Messages. 9:00am grades TK-2 11:00am grades 3-5   Lost & Found is Overflowing…Again! Please take a look at the pictures that were taken on Friday, 10/20/23   Don’t Forget!  Gravenstein Elementary School is Now on Facebook and Twitter!  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinElementary/ Twitter @GravElementary   WHAT'S NEW at HILLCREST MIDDLE SCHOOL?   Halloween Dress Up Day Tuesday October 31st is Halloween Dress Up Day.   Students may wear costumes to school that day.  Reminder - school rules still apply - all costumes and outfits must be school appropriate and follow dress code.  Also, no full face masks, blood nor any kinds of weapons are allowed with your costume.  If you have questions about your costume, please check in with Mr. Deeths.    Report Card Envelopes Calling all Progress Report Envelopes.   Please check backpacks, bags, car consoles ... for your student's 6 x 9 manila Progress Report envelope, sign the front, and have them return it to the front office.   Spring Musical Updates Hillcrest Middle School's Spring Musical will be Rehearsals are Mondays and Thursdays after school.  They begin Monday, Oct. 23 from 3:30-5:30.  Students should bring a pencil and a highlighter.  The rehearsal schedule can be found at the link below. Beauty and the Beast Rehearsal Schedule   Winter Sports Signups Start Now Go to the Hillcrest Student Body on Google Classroom to sign up for the following Winter Sports- 7th Grade Girls Volleyball 8th Grade Girls Volleyball 7th Grade Boys Basketball 8th Grade Boys Basketball Hillcrest Sports Jerseys Please turn in CLEAN sports team jerseys to the office after the season is over!   Upcoming House Games Monday 10/23 7th Grade Trivia (all houses) Wednesday 10/25 6th Grade Triva (all houses) House Standings as of 10/20/2023 Burbank Byrd 250 Points Rifo O'Farrell 205 Points Libby Masuoka 165 Points Rudee Ballotti 145 Points   4th Annual Turkey Bowl Friday November 17th Staff vs 8th Grade Students - Flag Football Game 8th graders interested in playing, sign-up sheet will be on the student body page. Kick-Off:  2:25pm Venue:  William Deeths Memorial Stadium aka Hillcrest Field If you are a student who would like to sing the National Anthem before the game, please contact Mr. Sotiras ( gsotiras@gusdschools.org )   Analy High School Showcase Night 8th grade families - Analy High School is excited to announce that we will be hosting a Showcase Night for their prospective families.  The event is on Tuesday November 7th starting at 6:00pm in the theater!  More information is available on the Analy High School website - click this  link   Keep Up with Hillcrest Middle School on Social Media Want to keep up with what is going on at Hillcrest?  Want to see photos and learn about what is going on in the classrooms of HMS?  Want to make sure you are updated to date on all the latest information and events on the campus?  If you said yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow Hillcrest’s Social Media Pages: Instagram - SoarHawksSoar Facebook - Hillcrest Middle School - Sebastopol    COUNSELORS' CORNER     Climate Change May Affect Mental Health Last week a new report came out from the American Psychological Association on how climate change may harm our youth's mental health.   The report documents how environmental events linked to climate change – including weather disasters, extreme heat, and poor air quality – can trigger or exacerbate mental health issues for kids and teens. The report says adolescents and young adults are particularly anxious about climate change. Compared with their older counterparts, young people are more likely to be alarmed or concerned about the perceived failure of governments or authority figures to act on climate change. The researchers also noted that not all young people experience the mental health impacts of climate change in the same way.  People from marginalized or low-income backgrounds – including indigenous communities, communities of color, women, and people with disabilities – are more likely to be exposed to extreme weather. To help ease anxiety from climate change it is suggested to practice; mindfulness, find like minded people or a therapist to discuss concerns, be proactive - volunteer with a local environmental agency, and spend more time out in nature to help improve mood. To learn more about how climate change may affect mental health with youth please read the article linked below.  Impacts of climate change threaten children's mental health starting before birth   Hillcrest Counseling Facebook Page Click on the link below to to view all the resources available to you and your family on the Hillcrest Counseling Facebook page. Hillcrest Middle School Counseling Page     GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Patrick Lei, Clerk - plei@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig, Trustee -  pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee -   jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE           ABOUT US           MENUS             SCHEDULES   Elementary School  Website Middle School  Website   Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Sunday, Oct 22 2023

UPDATE on GPA Halloween Skate Night

There was an error in Monday Messages which may have caused some confusion.  GPA is having their GUSD wide 2nd Skate Night at Cal Skate in Rohnert Park on Friday,  October 20th from 5:30 - 7:30pm.  There will only be the one skate night in October.  Come dressed in your costumen and skate to support GPA!!! Don't have a costume?  Don't worry, in partnership with the DEIB Committee we will be having a costume "Shop for Free" event set up.  You can donate your old costumes to either the Hillcrest or Gravenstein School Office (There are marked boxes at each office).  GPA and the DEIB Committee will then be distributing the costumes at Skate Night durint the "Shop for Free" event. REMINDER:  Skate Night will be Friday, October 20th from 5:30 - 7:30pm!!!

Tuesday, Oct 17 2023

Monday Messages October 16, 2023 for GUSD Families

GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Monday Message October 16, 2023   A MESSAGE FROM GUSD ADMINISTRATION   Gravenstein Union School District's Food Program in the News We are excited to announce that our school was highlighted in an article written for Made Local Magazine.   The article titled How Sonoma County schools are seeking to replace prepackaged vended food with farm-grown produce was written by Evan Wiig and appeared in the Sep/Oct 2023 issue.  Check it out!!   Mark Your Calendars Monday, October 9 to Friday, October 20 - HMS - Coin Wars Monday, October 16 - HMS - Technology High School Presentation Monday, October 16, 3:30 - 5:00pm - HMS - Beauty and the Beast Auditions Tuesday, October 17, 3:30 - 5:00pm - HMS - Beauty and the Beast Auditions Tuesday, October 17, 6pm - GPA - Board Meeting Friday, October 20 - HMS - Spirit Day - Wear PINK Friday, October 20 - HMS - Grade Level Coin Wars Ends Friday, October 20 - HMS - Make Up Picture Day Friday, October 20, 5:30 - 7:30 - GPA/DEIB - Skate Night and Costume Distribution Tuesday, October 24 - GPA/Grav - Grades 4 & 3 Jog-A-Thon Wednesday, October 25 - GPA/Grav - Grades 2 & 1 Jog-A-Thon Thursday, October 26 - GPA/Grav - Grades 5 & TK/K Jog-A-Thon Monday, October 30, 5-6pm - GUSD - DELAC Meeting Tuesday, October 31, 9am - Grav - Grades TK - 2 Halloween Costume Parade Tuesday, October 31, 11am - Grav - Grades 3 - 5 Halloween Costume Parade Wednesday, November 1 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL  (built-in emergency day) Friday, November 10  - GUSD - NO SCHOOL -  Veterans Day Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24 - GUSD - NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Holiday Friday, March 1, 2024 - HMS - Deadline to submit 8th Grade Baby Photo for Yearbook Reminder - No School  School will be closed Wednesday, November 1 - this is a built-in Emergency Day School will be closed Friday, November 10 - Veteran's Day School will be closed Monday, November 20 to Friday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Holiday   DELAC Board Elections & French Macarons!! Join us for DELAC Board elections and French macarons at our next meeting! We will elect a DELAC board and decide on meeting topics for the school year. Monday, October 30 5:00-6:00pm Gravenstein Elementary Childcare will be provided Please contact Alicia Fernández afernandez@gusdschools.org or (707) 823-7038 if you have any questions.   Lunch Menu To view the entire October menu click here for English  or  Spanish .  Fruits &/or Veggies are offered with all meals.  Meals are not offered a la carte  Menu items are subject to change.  All student meals are free of charge.  Vegetarian and vegan option are available upon request - Please send in a letter to the office if there are any dietary restrictions. S = Morning Snack and L = Lunch Mon 16 Tue 17 Wed 18 Thu 19 Fri 20 S: Cereal & String Cheese with Fruit S: Scrambled Eggs & Toast with Fruit S: French Toast with Fruit S: Concha Bread & Sting Cheese with Fruit S: Boiled Eggs & a Cracker with Fruit L: Chicken Strips L: Bean & Cheese Burrito L: Nacho Chips & Cheese L: Chicken & Brown Rice L:  BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Mon 23 Tue 24 Wed 25 Thu 26 Fri 27 S: Cereal & String Cheese with Fruit S: Yogurt & a Grain  with Fruit S: Bagel & Cream Cheese with Fruit S: Muffin & Sunseeds  with Fruit S: Croissant & Jam with String Cheese & Fruit L: Chicken Nuggets & Chex Mix L: Tamales & Chocolate Bear Grahams L: Glazed Chicken leg & a Cracker L: Pasta Chicken Alfredo L: Chicken Burger Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies Fruits &/or Veggies   GUSD Open Board Seat The GUSD Board seeks a replacement to appoint to our current vacant seat. The application process is currently open and candidates may be interviewed during the November or December Board Meetings.  Interested candidates should be available on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00pm for the regularly scheduled meetings, and some additional special board meetings each year too. Qualifications to Run for School Board: A school board candidate must be a registered voter. A school board candidate must be a resident of the Gravenstein Union School District. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. If you are interested in being a candidate for the appointment, please contact Melacha Quirke in the Gravenstein District Office to receive an application. mquirke@gusdschools.org (707) 823-7008 Or you can go to the District Website at   www.gusdschools.org   and click on the link there to apply. Applications are due to the District Office no later than 4:00pm on Monday, November 6, 2023. If necessary, the final interviews for qualified applicants will take place at the November 14, 2023 meeting, beginning at 5:00pm, on the Hillcrest Middle School campus.  The successful candidate will join the GUSD Board on December 12, 2023 and serve until December 2026. If you have any questions, you can also contact Superintendent Dave Rose at  drose@gusdschools.org     DELAC Board Elections & French Macarons!! Join us for DELAC Board elections and French macarons at our next meeting! We will elect a DELAC board and decide on meeting topics for the school year. Monday, October 30 5:00-6:00pm Gravenstein Elementary Childcare will be provided Please contact Alicia Fernández afernandez@gusdschools.org or (707) 823-7038 if you have any questions.   DEIB Committee Collecting Costumes!! The DEIB Committee will be collecting costumes at both Gravenstein Elementary and Hillcrest Middle schools.  There will be a box with a sign that says Halloween Costume Donations Box (see picture to the left) located in each front office. If you have a costume lying around that is in good shape and no longer needed, we would love the donation.  We have TK-8th graders, so we are looking for all sizes.  Anthing from full costumes to funny wigs, wings, capes and hats. DEIB in partnership with GPA will be distributing costumes to kids that need one at the Halloween Skate night on Friday, October 20th.  The giving out of costumes will be first come and will be from the donations we receive, so please donate.   GRAVENSTEIN PARENT ASSOCIATION   Halloween Skate Night Calling ghosts, goblins, witches, fairies, vampires and scary beasts!!!!  GPA is having their GUSD wide 2nd Skate night at Cal Skate in Rohnert Park on Friday, October 20th from 5:30-7:30pm.  Come dressed in your costume and skate to support GPA!   Don't have a costume?  Don't worry, in partnership with the DEIB Committee we will be having a costume "Shop for Free" event set up.  You can donate your old costumes to either the Hillcrest or Gravenstein School Office (There are marked boxes at each office).  We will then be distributing the costumes at Skate Night durint the "Shop for Free" event. If you got it, haunt it!!     Gravenstein's Annual Jog-A-Thon Is Almost Here!! Our annual Jog-A-Thon is right around the corner and we are in need of some wonderful volunteers!  Get out your calendars and sign up for what you can.  Please click the link to  Sign up Genius to sign up as a volunteer. Pledge forms and prize list are being sent home next week.  We can't wait to cheer on our joggers at our rainbow themed Jog-A-Thon!!! The grades and dates are as follows:  10/24: 4th & 3rd grades 10/25: 2nd & 1st grades 10/26: 5th & Tk/K grades   Upcoming Board Meeting: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 6:00pm Hillcrest Middle School in Room 5 Join our Zoom Video Meeting   Follow Us On Social Media Stay up to date in the quickest way by following us on Facebook and Instagram .   Tag your photos with #wearegpa to show your school pride!   WHAT'S NEW at GRAVENSTEIN ELEMENTARY?   Jog-A-Thon is Coming!! Reach out to family and friends and see who can help sponsor your child at our upcoming jog-a-thon events.  This fundraiser is our best way to raise money to support our amazing enrichment classes (PE, Music, Art, Spanish, and STEM).  All support is appreciated!  Please find more information on Jog-a-thon in the GPA section of Monday Messages.  If you are able to volunteer, please sign up:   Gravenstein Jog-a-thon Volunteer Sign-ups Tuesday, 10/24: 4th & 3rd grades Wednesday, 10/25: 2nd & 1st grades Thursday, 10/26: 5th & TK/K grades   Get Ready for the Halloween Costume Parade On Tuesday, 10/31, we will host TWO costume parades.  Posters, bubbles, decorations are welcome!  Parents are invited to attend that morning and take pictures.   Parents and guests should head directly to the track for our parade.   The parade path will go around the track and parents can spread out along the track to cheer on those in costume.  For more details and costume restrictions/reminders, please see the announcement in the 10/2/23 Monday Messages. 9:00 grades TK-2 11:00 grades 3-5 Costume Reminders All students TK – 5th grade will be allowed to dress in costume for the Halloween Parade and parties on October 31.  We ask that parents use discretion when choosing the costumes worn at school.  All costumes must be appropriate for viewing by even our youngest students - many TK students are still four years old!   Students wearing costumes that are determined to be inappropriate, unsafe, offensive, or too frightening, will be asked to change and/or not be allowed to participate in the schoolwide parade.    Students are not allowed to bring in costume props/weapons of any type  (toy guns, toy knives, swords, scythes, etc.) as part of their costumes.    Examples of costumes that are not appropriate for the Gravenstein parade include characters from horror movies and costumes/make-up displaying bloody wounds.  If there are any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Pugno at  kpugno@gusdschools.org .     Don’t Forget!  Gravenstein Elementary School is Now on Facebook and Twitter!  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinElementary/ Twitter @GravElementary   WHAT'S NEW at HILLCREST MIDDLE SCHOOL?   7th Grade Parents The 7th graders will begoing to the LBC to see Parsons Dance.  Known for its energized, athletic, and jous style, Parson Dance is international renowned for creating and performing contemporary American dance.  Their bold ensemble work and movement has solidified them as one of the world's leading dance companies.  Works like the iconic Caught exemplify the company's innovation and huge audience appeal.  Parson Dance is always a favorite that is sure to thrill audiences with their effortless movement and stunning dancers. Donations are not required, however, in order for Hillcrest Middle School to keep offering these amazing exeperiences to our students, we need our school communities' support!! Please follow this Link to be able to make a donation online.  Of course we also accept cash and checks in the school office.   Spring Musical Information Hillcrest Middle School's Spring Musical will be Auditions will be Monday, October 16 and Tuesday, October 17 from 3:30 - 5:00pm.  Click on the link for more information in English or Spanish .   Grade Level Coin Wars Starting on Monday, October 9, there will be a Grade Level Coin Battle.  Deposit coins (pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, silver dollars) to your grade level bottle and try to win.  Deposit cash money to other grade level bottles to make them lose.  Coin deposits are positive points for your grade level.  Cash deposits are subtracted from other grade levels.   The winning grade level will win a pancake breakfast.  The Grade Level Coin War will run for 2 weeks from Monday, October 9, to Friday, October 20.  Grade Level bottles will be out during lunch in the duckpond area.  Let the BATTLE begin!  Coin and cash donations benefit HMS Student Council and the many projects they do on campus for our students.    Spirit Day Friday, October 20th - Wear PINK for breast cancer awareness.   Technology High School Presentation Counselors from Technology High School in Rohnert Park will be making a presentation at lunch on October 16th, 2023.  This is a great opportunity to learn more about what Tech High has to offer.   Make Up Picture Day Did your student miss picture day?  Here is your second chance.  Make up picture day will be on Friday, October 20, 2023.  Be sure to send your student prepared to have their picture taken. You Can Still Purchase Your Yearbook Purchase your yearbook on TreeRing.com 8th Grade Baby Photos 8th Grade Baby Photos due by  MARCH 1st NO LATER  and BELOW IS THE LINK TO SUBMIT THE PHOTOS https://forms.gle/RQ8soP2WNiuuGcma7   House Games Trivia 7th Grade only!! Wednesday 10/18 Libby Masuoka vs Rifo O'farrell Friday 10/20 Rudee Ballotti vs Burbank Byrd   Keep up with Hillcrest Middle School on Social Media Want to keep up with what is going on at Hillcrest?  Want to see photos and learn about what is going on in the classrooms of HMS?  Want to make sure you are updated on all the latest information and events on the campus?  If you said yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow Hillcrest’s Social Media Pages: Instagram- SoarHawksSoar Facebook- Hillcrest Middle School - Sebastopol   Help Keep Our Students Safe with the Stop It  App Hillcrest Middle School is pleased to announce another tool to help keep our students safe and engaged in school.   Stop It is an anonymous anti-bullying app that allows students and parents to report harmful, inappropriate or unsafe behavior that may be happening on campus.  Here are the steps:   Go to the App Store and download the Stop It app to any compatible device Search for Hillcrest Middle School - Gravenstein That’s it!  You are now ready to report any incident that may occur - your identity will never be known.   Student Safety First In the mornings Unless your student is part of a zero period class or in the Beyond the Bell program, they are not to be dropped off BEFORE 8:00 am. In the afternoons This is an important reminder that students are NOT to be picked up on Bloomfield Road. Students may NOT walk up the stairs from Hillcrest to Bloomfield unless they are walking to their own home. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience, we are only looking out for the safety of our students.   School Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are only to be used after school in the Duck Pond to contact parents or guardians. Cell phones should be off and put away from the moment you arrive on campus. Any violation of the cell phone policy can lead to disciplinary action.   COUNSELORS' CORNER     Supporting Your Child When Having Friend Conflict Witnessing our child get emotionally hurt by a friend or peer is hard to see as a parent.  Maybe it’s because, on a certain level, we can feel the pull of that basic human need to be liked and accepted, and want nothing more for our child. While witnessing our child having friendship problems isn’t easy, it is a normal and healthy way for your child to learn life-long emotional coping, conflict resolution, and communication skills. Helping children learn to manage conflict effectively will also help them to experience more fulfilling friendships and enjoy better social experiences, both at school and outside of it. Many arguments happen because of misunderstandings.  Maybe your child said something that was misinterpreted by a friend.  Teasing is common among kids and can make everyone laugh, but sometimes the target of teasing doesn’t think the joke is very funny.  Some kids may share secrets, not realizing how embarrassing and hurtful that can be.  Disagreeing about the rules of a game can cause hard feelings, too, especially if kids don’t know how to resolve the dispute. Friendships also change as kids get older.  When a close friend starts spending more time with other kids, it’s understandable that the left-out friend may feel rejected.  Sometimes, fights simply happen because people are in a grouchy mood. One of the most important ways you can help children deal with friendship conflicts is to validate their feelings.  Keep it simple: “I’m really sorry to hear you’re having trouble with your friend. That’s really tough.  Would you like to talk about it?”  This is much better than telling them that it’s nothing to be upset over or that she’ll work it out—these statements minimize the importance of the friendship to your child and invalidate their feelings.  Sharing your own similar experiences lets your child know that you understand what it’s like to have problems with a close friend. Ask questions to get your child to talk more about the conflict.  Here are some examples to try: Why do you think this happened? How do you feel about that? Have you both talked about it? How do you think your friend is feeling? What do you think you can do to make it better and work it out?   If you feel tempted to give advice, ask your child first, “Would you like to hear some ideas on how to handle this?”  This approach makes it more likely that your child will be open to what you have to say.  Let your child know that it is ultimately their choice on how to handle the situation. If your child is open to advice, suggest that they try to figure out what caused the problem.  The best way to do this is by encouraging them to communicate with their friends.  If your child’s feelings were hurt, but it was just a one-time thing that was upsetting, they might decide to let it go.  But if it’s something that happens a lot, such as not being invited to parties or a friend never returning phone calls or texts, your child will need to talk about the problem with her friend. Holding on to bad feelings and not sharing them can hurt friendships and cause other problems. Your child might end up taking out their anger in other ways. Encourage your child to talk face-to-face.  Trying to deal with problems over the phone or by text often doesn’t go well.  It’s hard to figure out what other people are feeling when you can’t see them talking to you.  Remind your child not to send angry messages or texts, because once you send it, you can’t take it back.  Talking in private is important.  Remind your child to use I-messages and to be careful not to attack or blame the friend.  Here’s an example: “Jenny, can I talk to you about something important?  I felt really bad about how we argued the other day. How did you feel about it?” It’s also important for your child to be able to listen to her friend’s feelings.  Here’s an example: “I’m really sorry I didn’t include you in our softball game last week.  I didn’t realize you felt bad about it—thanks for telling me.”  Offer to role-play listening to a friend’s feelings if your child is uncertain about how to do this. If you think your child may not be telling the entire story, or that your child may have behaved in ways that contributed to the problem, consider talking with the friend’s parents, especially if you know them well.  You might be able to work together to solve the problem if both kids are willing. Don’t jump to this solution first—kids need a chance to work it out on their own.  If the problem involves school friends and persists, consider suggesting that your child talk to the school counselor about the problem.  Having a third party such as a teacher or a counselor can help your child learn new problem solving skills. Admitting you were wrong and taking accountability is hard, even for adults.  Still, it’s the fastest way to work out disagreements and get back to being friends.  One way to make it easier for your child to apologize and forgive is for you to model it in your daily life.  If your child sees you apologizing when you overreact or say hurtful things, it will be easier for them to do the same with friends (and with you and other family members).  Help your child understand that even if they didn’t mean to be hurtful, apologizing helps the other person feel better faster.  Keeping it simple works best: “I’m really sorry I hurt your feelings.  I can understand why you’re upset.  I should have handled that better.”   Forgiving is also important.  Holding a grudge only makes things worse between friends. A great mini-framework to offer your child covers basic communication and conflict resolution skills: It’s ok to take time to cool down.  It’s not always possible to work through everything in that very moment.  Taking a break for emotions to settle can be a wise choice. The power of ‘I statements’.  When things get heated with a friend let your child know it will be much more effective to express how he is feeling as opposed to accusatory statements that lead with ‘You’.  For example, “I feel left out when you don’t ask me to play tag”. We respect our friends by listening.  Ask your child how they feel when they are listened to versus when they are ignored, which will drive home the importance of offering that same respect to their friends. Team up to work it out.  Remind your child they and their friend are on the same team. When each is able to listen, empathize and express their emotions working out a compromise will usually follow. It is devastating to watch the escalating violence that is happening in Israel/Palestine.  I know for myself my heart is heavy as I have been watching this terrifying war unfold thousands of miles away.  I have grieved the terrible loss of life among the Israelis and Palestinians.  I know these words will land differently for each of you.  There is room for all of our different reactions to this extremely difficult situation.   Below are some resource links if you chose to talk with your children about Israel and Palestine. How to talk to your children about conflict and war | UNICEF Parenting How to talk to your kids about violence, crime and war - Common Sense Media   Hillcrest Counseling Facebook Page Click on the link below to to view all the resources available to you and your family on the Hillcrest Counseling Facebook page. Hillcrest Middle School Counseling Page       GRAVENSTEIN UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD   Gregory Appling, President - gappling@gusdschools.org Paula Braunschweig, Trustee -  pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org Jeri McNeill, Trustee -   jmcneill@gusdschools.org Laura de la Roz, Trustee -  ldelaroz@gusdschools.org   WEBSITE           ABOUT US           MENUS             SCHEDULES   Elementary School  Website Middle School  Website   Will Deeths wdeeths@gusdschools.org Dave Rose drose@gusdschools.org Keri Pugno kpugno@gusdschools.org  

Sunday, Oct 15 2023