Robert Down Principal's Update

Dear Robert H. Down School Community,

Thank you so much for supporting your students as they engaged in the Read-A-Thon these past two weeks! It has been a joy seeing our students excited about the books they have been reading! Collectively, our students who have signed up have read over 88,000 minutes!

I would like to extend a special thank you to Mrs. Yao Qian, a parent at our school, who provided a beautiful Lunar New Year display at our entrance and also shared about Lunar New Year in an assembly presentation on Wednesday, January 29.

Remember to send your children with a book (or three) for the Book Swap at lunch in the Ottertorium on Friday, January 31! Many thanks to Mrs. Heather Lazare for coordinating the Read-A-Thon, Book Swap, and Book Night for PTA this year! All children will have an opportunity to participate in the Book Swap whether or not they bring a book due to a generous donation of books.

We are excited to announce that we are considering starting a new program at the Monarch Club focused on homework help! This program would be an offshoot of our regular Monarch Club activities. Students would sign in to the Monarch Club after school and enjoy a snack. Monarch Club staff and volunteers would provide one-on-one and group homework help for one hour each day. After completing their homework, students would join the regular Monarch Club activities until parent pick-up. The cost for this program would be the regular Monarch Club rate of $6.00 per hour. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.

We believe this program would be a valuable resource for students, providing them with the support they need to succeed academically. Please use this survey to let us know of your interest in having your child participate in this program and let us know if you would be interested in volunteering to help.

Culture of “We”- Opportunities for Engagement

• Book Night will be held in our Cafeteria on Friday, January 31 from 6-7PM celebrating the culmination of our Read-A-Thon! Thank you to those of you who have signed up to volunteer! We still have a few spots for volunteers to bring goodies, support with RHD Spirit Wear sales, or clean up. Please sign up here. See flyer below for more details.

• Kindness Week: Kindness Week will be February 10-13. We are in need of volunteers during the lunch hour from 12:00-1:00 PM, Monday through Thursday. If you're able to volunteer any or all of those days, please email Sonda Frudden, sfrudden@pgusd.org with your availability. All volunteers need to be fingerprint cleared with the district.

• Book Fair: Our PTA will be hosting a Book Fair on site the week of February 24-28. We are in need of a few more volunteers! Please sign up here.

• Spelling Bee: Are you available to volunteer as a Spelling Bee corrector on Monday, March 3 or Tuesday, March 11 at 3:30PM? If interested, please sign up here. Thank you to those who have signed up already!

• Monarch Club Homework Volunteer: If you are interested in serving as a Monarch Club homework volunteer please complete this survey.

Safety Updates

Drive Carefully: Thank you for slowing down around the perimeter of the school! We have many students and families that walk, ride their bike, and scooter to school. Please pay particular attention around crosswalks, including at intersections where there may not be a stop sign.

Upcoming Dates

• January 31, 2025: Student Book Swap at Lunch

• January 31, 2025: Book Night in Cafeteria 6-7PM

• February 9, 2025: PTA Second Sunday Playdate 1-4PM

• February 10-13, 2025: Kindness Week

• February 11, 2025: Bullying Prevention Series at PGMS 6PM

• February 11, 2025: PTA Meeting 7PM

• February 14-21, 2025: Presidents’ Holiday- NO SCHOOL

I hope to see many of you at Book Night tomorrow evening! Wishing each of you a lovely weekend.

Sincerely,

Emily Tsai Brownfield, Principal

Due to an increase in illnesses at school, we are asking families to monitor their children for the following signs and symptoms of illness and then keep them home until symptom-free for 24 hours without the use of over the counter medications. Symptoms to watch for are:

• Persistent headache and fatigue
• Elevated temperature
• Body aches
• Sore throat
• Congestion
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Loss of taste or smell

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

January 20-31 - Read-A-Thon!

January 31- Book Swap during lunch

January 31 - PTA Book Night, Cafeteria, 6:00 PM

February 9 - PTA 2nd Sundays Playdate, 1:00-4:00

February 10-13 - Kindness Week

February 11 - Bullying Prevention Series, 6:00 PM, PGMS

February 11 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 PM

February 14-21 - Presidents' Holiday, No School

February 24-28 - PTA Book Week, Scholastic Book Fair

February 25 - English Learner Advisory Committee Meeting, 2:30 PM

February 25 - School Site Council Meeting, 3:30 PM

February 25 - PTA Dine Out, The Monarch Pub & Restaurant, 5:00-8:00 PM

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.

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

Email: RHDOffice@pgusd.org