Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently has been observed in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Significance: to remember important people and events in the history of the African diaspora

Date: Thu, Feb 1, 2024 – Fri, Mar 1, 2024

Ways you can and your children can together learn more about the important history of the Black experience in the United States throughout history:

• Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture
• Smithsonian Museum: Black History Month
• Los Angeles County Library
• PBS Kids: Celebrating Black Leaders
• Center for Racial Justice in Education: Black History Month Resource Guide for Educators & Families
• Common Sense Education: Black History Month
• Family Education: Black History Month
• Raising a Legacy

Please review these important dates:

JANUARY

• Monday, January 29th: 5th-Grade Classes only: Black History Month Assembly at JAMS: Jazz Reach. This is a walking field trip.

FEBRUARY

• Friday, February 2nd: End of Winter Grading Period. Report cards sent home.

• Friday, February 2nd: Talent Show Rehearsal: Group A from 3:00 - 6:00 PM

• Wednesday, February 7th: PTA Executive Board Meeting @ 6:00 PM in the Library

• Friday, February 9th: Talent Show Rehearsal: Group B from 3:00 - 6:00 PM

• Wednesday, February 14th: Coffee with Principal Fuhrer @ 8:45 AM in the Auditorium

• Thursday, February 15th: School Tour for Prospective Families @ 9:00 AM

• Monday, February 19th: NO SCHOOL - PRESIDENTS' DAY

• Wednesday, February 21st: PTA General Meeting @ 6:30 PM in the Library

• Friday, February 23rd: Talent Show Tech Rehearsal from 3:00 - 6:00 PM

• Thursday, February 29th: Talent Show Dress Rehearsal from 3:00 - 6:00 PM

• Friday, March 1st: Talent Show Night #1 @ 4:00 PM

• Saturday, March 2nd: Talent Show Night #2 @ 4:00 PM

• Thursday, March 13th: Grant Career Day

Please do not forget to send with your child every day:

• School materials including books, homework, projects, etc.
• Water bottle
• Snack and/or lunch (lunch available to all students free of charge for the 2023-24 school year.)
• Sunscreen (put on prior to arriving at school)
• Hat
• Layers of clothing (sweatshirt, windbreaker, etc.) Keep an eye on the weather.
• A growth mindset for a successful day!

Dear Grant Parents and Caregivers,

I hope you all are enjoying the weekend!

This Thursday, February 1st is the start of Black History Month which runs until February 29th. Grant School will be honoring the rich history of the African diaspora by including our students in meaningful, engaging, and varied lessons and activities across all grades and throughout this celebratory and reflective commemoration month. On Monday, January 29th, our 5th-grade students will attend a special musical presentation entitled JazzReach: Yes, Indeed! A Celebration of the American Blues Experience at John Adams Middle School. This show is an engaging, interactive program designed to foster a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of the great American BLUES tradition. With its roots in the work songs, spirituals, hymns, field hollers and chants of 19th century American South, our students are sure to find this experience memorable! We will announce additional assemblies and activities for all of our students throughout the month. I have included a number of educational resources that focus on Black History Month in this week's Gazette for you to share with your children.

This Friday, February 2nd marks the end of the first semester! It's hard to fathom how quickly this school year has gone! As we reflect on the first 5 months of school, we feel confident that our students have worked diligently to achieve their academic goals and are extremely proud of their efforts! I also want to thank our teachers and staff for their continued professionalism and care in supporting each of our students. Report cards will be sent home on Friday, February 2nd. As always, if you have any questions about the report card, please reach out to your child's teacher.

Finally, the Ed Foundation’s last big fundraising push of the school year, the January Campaign, has kicked off. I encourage you to make a donation to the Ed Foundation - of any amount. Donations up to $25,000 are being matched from the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows now through Jan 31st! Your support helps fund many of the amazing programs and staff here at Grant. Please help Grant soar to the finish line! smedfoundation.org/donate See the flyer in this week's Gazette for more information.

Have a great week, Geckos! I look forward to seeing you all soon!

GO GECKOS!

Christian Fuhrer

Principal

Grant School

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

cfuhrer@smmusd.org

This week the Ed Foundation’s last fundraising push of the school year comes to an end on Wednesday, January 31. The funds raised by your donations are vital to our school. Programs like PS Arts, Recorders for 3rd graders, supplemental materials & supplies, as well as staff including instructional assistants and music lessons for qualifying students are only made possible by donations to the Ed Foundation.

Next month, the school district will decide on SMEF-funded programs for schools. Next year’s programs will be based on donations collected through 1/31. If goals are not met, it means funds may not be available and programs could be cut.

If you have already donated, thank you so much for supporting our enriching educational programs. If you have not yet made a donation, now is the time. I encourage you to make a donation to the Ed Foundation - of any amount - as even the smallest amount will make a difference and counts towards your family’s participation at any SMMUSD school where your children attend.

Currently participation in donations to the Ed Foundation from Grant families is at 41%. The school goal by Wednesday is 60%. If we reach our School Goal, all students will enjoy a Dance Party at Recess. As an added incentive, the Grant grade level with the highest participation will receive a Chobani Yogurt Party! (Big thank you to our Grant TK parent that secured the Chobani donation.)

Please join me to make a huge difference in your child’s education. Donations to the Ed Foundation can be made HERE - SMEF.link/Grant

We are so excited to see our Geckos perform their magnificence on stage!

Questions?: Email Reem & Vince: talentshow@grantpta.org

JAMS PTSA 3-Part Parent Ed Series As a parent of a middle schooler, have you asked yourself how you can support your student(s)?

On Thursday, February 8th, join us for Part 2 of our 3-Part social/emotional wellness series centered around fostering positive outcomes in middle schoolers designed especially for middle school and rising (5th grade) middle school parents, guardians and caregivers.

Registration: https://bit.ly/JAMSPTSAPENPart-2

PTSA de JAMS – Una serie de 3 partes de Educación para padres – Cómo padre de un estudiante en la escuela secundaria, ¿Usted se ha preguntado cómo podría apoyar a su(s)hijo(s)?

Participe con nosotros de la 2 era o Parte de nuestra serie de 3 sobre bienestar social y emocional centrada en fomentar resultados positivos en los estudiantes de secundaria, diseñada especialmente para padres de la escuela secundaria y padres, tutores y cuidadores de escuelas secundarias en ascenso (grado 5).

Registro: https://bit.ly/JAMSPTSAPENPart-2

This event is Free, open to the public, has parking and snacks! Sponsored by the Tri Cities SEPLA representing Beverly Hills, Santa Moncia and Culver City school districts.

There will be speakers, resources, and information for special education families of all ages. This was a great event last year with so many incredible vendors and programs to learn about.

Hope you can join us March 9th 10 am - 2:00 pm Culver City Middle School Culver City Middle School, 4601 Elenda St, Culver City, CA 90230

For additional questions, contact Deanna Sinfield: deannasinfield@ccusd.org

Spanish and American Sign Language available upon request. Contact Mayra Romero: mayraromero@ccusd.org / (310) 842-4220 x 4310

Do you have clothes/things in good condition???

Assistance League of Santa Monica (ALSM) is a non-profit whose volunteers are dedicated to transforming the lives of children and adults through community programs. These programs include providing camp scholarships, backpacks with school supplies, eye examinations and glasses, and over $100,000 in college scholarships annually.

Many students at Grant Elementary School have been recipients of these programs. This year, for example, ALSM is sponsoring science camp for a number of Grant's 5th graders.

https://www.assistanceleague.org/santa-monica/

ALSM funds its programs through its Thrift Shop, which has consistently been voted the best in Santa Monica by the SM Daily Press. Please check out the shop at 1453 15th Street, Santa Monica, from 11-3 Thursday and Friday, and 10-2 Saturday. Stop by to find great bargains and help support Grant's students.

Go and see some our Geckos in this cute show coming up at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre! Tickets are going quickly!

To review the Grant School policies and the SMMUSD Annual Notice Handbook please click the following links:

It is important that all students attend school every day. Exceptions may include if your child is ill. Please plan all family vacations during school vacation days. It is important to set your child up for success by ensuring they are in school. For a detailed look at the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District's attendance policies, please click this link > https://www.smmusd.org/Attendance

We realize some absences are for health or other reasons. But, when students are absent they can fall far behind in what they learn. Whether the absence is excused or unexcused It means your child is missing important classroom learning time.

Some Attendance Tips:

• Please notify the office within 72 hours to report your child's absence and the reason they were not in school.
• Illness, bereavement, and court hearings are the only reason for an "Excused" absence.
  
• Make sure your students keep a regular bedtime and establish a morning routine.
  
• Turn off all electronics including TVs, phones, and tablets at bedtime.
  
• Make sure clothes and pack backpacks are ready the night before.
  
• Check with our school nurse or office staff if you are not sure about when to keep your child at home due to illness.
  
• Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
  
• Talk to teachers and counselors for advice if your student feels anxious about going to school.
  
• Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your student to school.
  

Please let us know how we can best support you and your student so that they can show up for school on time every day.

Grant School is known for being a “neighborhood school” and for its close-knit community. Our goal now is to maintain these special characteristics of our wonderful school. It is important to understand that with these procedures, we are not trying to remove our parents' and guardians’ access; we are merely trying to control who is accessing our campus and when they are visiting.

With this in mind, we will begin the drop-off and pick-up procedures outlined below beginning Monday, August 28th.

During the first two days of school, all parents were permitted to walk their children to their classrooms. Beginning Monday, August 28th, all students will be dropped off at the Pearl Street Gate (Main Gate) and the 24th Street Gate (rear of school) with the exception of our Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten students. See below.

DROP-OFF and PICK-UP PROCEDURES

Preschool and TK Drop-off: Due to State law, all Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten students must be dropped off to their teacher. Preschool parents will continue to enter the campus at the main gates after checking in with the Campus Monitor, proceed to Room 59, and sign their child in with Ms. Reed. TK parents will walk their children to the Transitional Kindergarten yard where Ms. Herman and Ms. Cedillo will greet them each day.

Preschool and TK Pick-up: All Preschool parents will meet Ms. Reed at the main gates for dismissal. Students whose parents have not picked up their child at dismissal will check into the main office and then proceed to Room 59 to check their child out from Ms. Reed.

Ms. Herman's TK parents will enter the Kindergarten playground from the Pearl Street entrance at dismissal time and students will be returned to their parents by Ms. Herman. Ms. Cedillo's TK class will be released at the Pearl Street Gate (Main Gate) at dismissal time.

Kindergarten Drop-off: Kindergarten students will be dropped off by their parent or guardian at the gate next to Room 2 beginning at 8:00 AM Mon - Fri. Students will walk to the Kindergarten playground where they will be met by a teacher or Campus Monitor. Students enrolled in SAP will be walked to their classrooms by SAP personnel.

Kindergarten Pick-up: Kindergarten students will be picked up at the Pearl Street Kinder Gate at dismissal at 1:45 PM. Teachers will be there to greet parents and guardians. No Kinder student will be released to anyone other than a parent, guardian, caregiver, or emergency contact. Students enrolled in SAP will be picked up from SAP personnel in their classrooms.

Grades 1 – 5 Drop-off: All students in grades 1 – 5 will be dropped off by their parent or guardian at the Pearl Street Main Gate in front of the school or at the 24th Street Gate each morning. Students will enter the school and walk to the playground where they will be supervised by a Grant School Teacher, Campus Monitor, or Administrator. Drop-off will begin at 8:00 AM every day.

The start-of-school warning bell will sound at 8:25 AM. The final bell will sound at 8:30 AM. Students in grade 1 will walk to their lineup on the big map on the playground where their teacher will meet them and walk them to the classroom.

Students in Grade 2 will walk to their lineup behind their classroom where their teacher will meet them.

Students in grades 3 – 5 will line up in front of their classroom where their teacher will meet them.

Grades 1 – 3 Pick-up: Students in Grades 1 – 3 will be dismissed at the following times: Grade 1 at 2:40; Grade 2 at 2:45; and Grade 3 at 2:50. Teachers will walk students to the main gate at the front of the school where parents will meet their children at this time. Students in Grades 1 – 3 who are enrolled in an afterschool program, such as CREST or PTA enrichment classes, or Playground Club, will walk or be walked to the lunch tables where their program teacher will meet them. Parents are not to enter the campus until after 3:00 PM and only if they have a Main Gate key card.

Grades 4 – 5 Pick-up: Students in Grades 4 and 5 will be dismissed each day at 3:00 PM. Students will exit the campus either from the Pearl Street Main Gate or the 24th Street Gate at the rear of the school. Students who are enrolled in an afterschool program, such as CREST or PTA enrichment classes, or Playground Club, will walk to the lunch tables where their program teacher will meet them. Parents are not to enter the campus until after 3:00 PM and only if they have a Main Gate key card.

After-Care Program Pickup Procedures: Parents of students in after-school care programs will receive or have already received a key card that will give them access to the Pearl Street Main Gate only. Please see the office if you have questions about this procedure or if you are having difficulty with your key card.

Early Dismissal Procedures: Wednesday drop-off and pick-up procedures are the same as those during regular school days but will follow the Wednesday bell schedule. Please see the bell schedule ABOVE.

SAP Drop-off: All students enrolled in SAP before-school care will be dropped off in Room 4. Drop-off begins at 7:00 AM. Please use your Pearl Street Main Gate key card for entrance.

Breakfast Club: Students who participate in the Grant Breakfast Club will still arrive at school under the same procedures as all students. Parents will drop their children off at the main gates by 8:00 AM so that there is ample time to eat and walk to their classrooms by 8:30 AM. Preschool, TK, and Kinder students will continue to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to Breakfast Club if the parent so chooses.

Raptor Security System

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will use the Raptor visitor management system to strengthen our campus safety programs for students and staff. All schools currently have this system installed.

An important aspect of keeping students and staff safe is for site staff to know who is on our campuses at all times. The Raptor system achieves this interest as it allows office staff to screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers, in our schools and provides us with a safer environment for students, staff, and approved volunteers.

Upon entering campus, visitors will be asked to present identification such as a driver’s license, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian does not have a US government-issued identification, for any reason, the visitor may submit an alternative form of identification for school staff to enter into the Raptor system.

The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system. No other data from the identification is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency. The Raptor system will check to ensure that registered sexual offenders are not allowed on our campuses. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item at the front gate.

Show your Grant school spirit with Gecko Wear! Spirit Day is every Friday.

Purchase your spirit wear here and you will be notified when items are available for pickup in the front office.

GO GECKOS!

Your donation does so much for Grant!

Please consider donating to the two organizations that enhance education for all Grant students: the Santa Monica Education Foundation and Grant PTA. Your donations are so important. Check out the crucial staff, programs, technology, and materials funded by your donations in this chart!

Our goal is for 100% of Grant families to give to PTA and the Ed Foundation. ANY amount makes a difference to our kids. If you have already donated, thank you!

¡Su donación hace mucho por Grant!

Considere hacer una donación a las dos organizaciones que mejoran la educación de todos los estudiantes de Grant: la Fundación Educativa de Santa Mónica y la PTA de Grant. Sus donaciones siguen siendo muy importantes. ¡Consulte el personal, los programas, la tecnología y los materiales fundamentales financiados con sus donaciones en esta gráfica!

Nuestra meta es que el 100% de las familias de Grant den a la PTA y a la Fundación Ed. CUALQUIER cantidad hace la diferencia para nuestros hijos. Si ya ha donado, ¡gracias!

*Some events and resources not sponsored by or affiliated with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

~ ¡NUEVA OPCIÓN DE TRADUCCIÓN A 100 IDIOMAS! ~

Para leer la Gaceta Gecko en otro idioma, mire a la derecha del boletín y haga clic en "TRADUCIR EL BOLETÍN". ¡Ahora puede elegir entre 100 idiomas!

~ በ 100 ቋንቋዎች ውስጥ አዲስ የትርጓሜ ምርጫ! ~

የጌኮ ጋዜጣ በሌላ ቋንቋ ለማንበብ እባክዎን በራሪ ወረቀቱ በስተቀኝ በኩል ይመልከቱ እና “የትርጉም ጽሑፍ” ን ጠቅ ያድርጉ ፡፡ አሁን ከ 100 ቋንቋዎች መምረጥ ይችላሉ!