Robert Down Principal's Update

Dear Robert H. Down School Community,

What a joy it was to see so many of you at our STEAM Night/Science Fair last Thursday! A special thanks to our 5th grade teacher, Stefanie Pechan, who worked closely with our STEM Club and parent volunteers to prepare so many engaging stations highlighting various aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics! In addition, huge kudos to PTA President Amie Miller for organizing the Science Fair, to Sandra Varajic for showcasing Robotics activities, to Sean True from the Monterey County Office of Education for bringing the Monterey County FabLab, and to our amazing students (and their parents) who displayed their Science Fair projects to share with our community! We also really appreciate Nicole Lucido for arranging for El Pastorcito on Wheels to be on site so we could purchase delicious tacos and horchata that evening.

We held the Finals of our Spelling Bee this week! Congratulations to Sarah Moss and Emmanuel Oladipo for securing 1st and 2nd place and will be advancing to the Monterey County Spelling Bee on Saturday, April 5! Additional recognition goes to Luka Rakic and Hunter Pritchard for their 3rd and 4th place finishes; they will be on standby as alternates to the Monterey County Spelling Bee. A round of applause goes to our 4th grade teacher/Spelling Bee Coordinator, Alex Jenner, for the many hours she spent organizing this special event ensuring it was fun, followed all the guidelines, and a memorable event for our students who participated.

Order your Robert Down 2024-2025 Yearbooks now! In addition, ads are also available for purchase. For details and the QR code to order, see below or click here.

TK/K Pre-Registration and Orientation Meeting: Do you or does someone you know have a child that is turning 4 by September 1, 2025? Or do you or does someone you know have a child that did not attend TK, but is ready for Kindergarten in the Fall? If so, it’s time to pre-register here. We will be hosting a Parent Information Meeting for incoming TK/K parents on Wednesday, March 26 at 6PM at Pacific Grove High School. See flyer for details.

Culture of “We”- Opportunities for Engagement

• Host Family Opportunity: Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) is looking for local families willing to host an international high school student or two from March 26-30. These students are attending a Critical Issues Forum organized by The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at MIIS. If you are able to host, please contact mtoki@middlebury.edu. See flyer for details.

• Career Day: Are you passionate about your profession? Would you like to share about your career with our 5th grade students on April 30? If so, please contact Sonda Frudden by March 21, 2025!

• SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, March 30 at 2PM and 5PM! RHD Drama Club will be performing Storytime Revue: Outlandish Stories Brought to Life on Stage!

• Facilities Master Plan Survey: Please take a moment to provide your voice through the Facilities Master Plan Survey. Take the Survey It should take less than 5 minutes to complete.

• LCAP Community Engagement Forum: Tuesday, March 25 at 6PM at PGHS or via Zoom. See flyer for details.

• Technology and Student Leadership: Are you interested in working with the school on improving our school goals around technology or student leadership? If so, please indicate your interest here.

Safety Updates

SmartSocial is hosting a series of parent workshops on online safety:

Thursday, March 20

Avoiding Strangers & Dangerous Situations: Help Your Child Stay Safe Online

Are you worried about your children talking to strangers online, being exposed to explicit and harmful content, or imitating risky online behaviors? Learn to spot red flags, protect against predators, and help your child navigate the digital world safely at this LIVE SmartSocial parent event.

When: Thurs. March 20, 2025 at 4 PM (PT) / 7 PM (ET)

Where: Online - Register now to reserve your $5 Starbucks gift card

Thursday, March 25

Shine Online: How Teens Can Build a Positive Digital Footprint

Your student's social media choices today can shape their opportunities tomorrow—affecting college admissions, job offers, and even their reputation for years to come. Attend SmartSocial’s LIVE parent event to learn how social media impacts your child’s future, suggested platforms to shine online, strategies to implement, and conversation starters that will empower your child to make positive choices.

When: Tuesday, March 25 at 4 PM (PT)/ 7 PM (ET)

Where: Online - Register Now!

Thursday, March 27

Understanding Social Media’s Impact on Teens

Concerned about your teen’s social media use? Attend this LIVE SmartSocial parent event to understand the emotional and behavioral impact of social media, recognize harmful patterns, and get practical steps to help your child use social media safely and responsibly

When: Thurs. March 27, 2025 at 4 PM (PT) / 7 PM (ET)

Where: Online - Register now!

Upcoming Dates

• February 28-March 29: Ramadan (Holy month of fasting for Muslims)

• March: Women’s History Month

• March 20: Nowruz (Iranian New Year)

• March 25: LCAP Community Engagement Forum at PGHS 6PM

• March 26: TK/K Parent Information Meeting at PGHS 6PM

• March 30: 2PM and 5PM RHD Drama Club Performances in the Ottertorium

• April: Autism Awareness Month

Happy Nowruz to those who celebrate!

Wishing each of you a lovely weekend.

Sincerely,

Emily Tsai Brownfield, Principal

March 20 - PGUSD Board Meeting, 6:30 PM

March 25 - LCAP Community Input Meeting #2, PGHS Library, 6:00 PM

March 26 - PGUSD 2025-26 TK & Kindergarten Parent Meeting, PGHS Library, 6:00 PM

March 26 - PTA Dine Out, Mountain Mike's Pizza

March 30 - RHD Drama Club Production, 2:00 PM & 5:00 PM, Ottertorium

April 3 - PGUSD Board Meeting, 6:30 PM

April 4 - English Language Advisory Committee, Forest Grove, 5:30 PM

April 8 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 PM

April 10 - Month of the Military Child, Purple Up Day!

April 11 - Minimum Day, all students dismissed at 12:15 PM

April 14-18 - Spring Break, no school

April 23 - Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, 8:00 AM

April 24 - Open House, 6:00-7:15 PM

Please have your child to school on time. Gates open at 8:30 AM. Warning bell rings at 8:40 AM. Final bell rings and instruction begins at 8:45 AM. When a student is tardy it is disruptive to the office and classroom. In addition, students miss important information and announcements from their teacher first thing in the morning.

Did you know that you can report your child's absence with your ParentVUE app? Simply log into your ParentVUE account to send the office a message about why your child is absent.

* Ways to report a student absent *

a) ParentVUE app

b) 24 Hour Absence Line (831) 646-6663

c) Email Annie Deis at adeis@pgusd.org

If you plan on being a VOLUNTEER on campus or a CHAPERONE for a field trip, please be sure you are fingerprint cleared with our district. To make an appointment at the District Office please contact Bree Nehring by calling 607-8892 or emailing bnehring@pgusd.org

Before coming to campus to volunteer, please check with your child's teacher to schedule a time that works best for them.

This notice is to tell you about our voluntary program designed to build the RHD library and foster your child’s love of reading.

Here is how it works: To join the Robert H. Down Birthday Book Club fill out the information below (scroll way down to the bottom of this message to print the Birthday Book forms) and deposit it in the Drop Box at school along with a check for $20.00 (please make the check payable to the P.G.U.S.D. and write R.H.D. Birthday Book on the memo line).

When your child’s birthday month comes around Ms. Scanlon will present a new book in honor of your child’s birthday. Your child will be the first one to check out and read the book that has been donated to the library to celebrate their birthday. A bookplate with your child’s name will be affixed to the inside cover for all future readers to appreciate.

Dear PGUSD Community,

This is a friendly reminder to complete the Master Facility Plan Survey, as previously shared on March 11th in the message below.

We sincerely appreciate everyone who joined us for the Measure B Master Facility Planning Community Engagement Forums. Your participation is essential in shaping the future of our school sites and the development of our Master Facility Plan.

For those who were unable to attend or would like to review the discussion, a recording of one of the forums is available here:

Watch the Recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMuzVV7u81A

To ensure all voices are heard, we invite you to share your valuable input by completing the following survey, which takes approximately 10-15 minutes. The survey will remain open until March 26th:

Take the Survey

https://mgtamer.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6QlP2Vcte7dldwW

Your feedback is highly valued and will help guide our planning efforts. Thank you for your continued engagement in this important process.

Sincerely,

Dr. Linda Adamson
Superintendent of Schools
Pacific Grove Unified School District
Belonging Safety Prosperity
ladamson@pgusd.org

Website: https://robertdown.pgusd.org/
Location: 485 Pine Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
Phone: (831) 646-6540

Email: RHDOffice@pgusd.org