Digger Dash Assembly

On Friday we kicked off the school’s largest fundraiser – the Digger Dash – with an all school assembly.  The Digger Dash is an all school fun run that raises money for needs that are identified by students and teachers.  Last year, students’ donations purchased $35,000 in books for classrooms!  This year we plan to spend donations on new laptops, laptop carts and ipads.  And the prize for the students that run the most laps per classroom…a chance to throw a pie at me!   Look for your child’s donation folder in his/her backpack this week.

New Security Measures

Several new security measures were put in place this summer to make Gold Rush an even safer learning environment for students.  One of those efforts was the School Marshall program.  A police officer is now present at Gold Rush daily as a result of the Marshal Program.  The police officer patrols the interior and exterior of our building.   We appreciate the additional community support and believe that together we are making Gold Rush even safer!

Our front doors will also remain locked this year.  The office opens at 8:30AM.  BASE students will enter in the back of the building through the cafeteria doors.

Parent Math Sessions – Mark Your Calendar!

We know that helping your child with math can be difficult, especially when he/she is learning strategies that you did not learn when you were in school.  We are hosting parent information sessions in September that will teach parents the strategies that your child will learn in class.   All math sessions will be held from 4:30-5:30pm.  Due to conflicts raised by parents we revised our meeting dates.  Sessions will be held on the following days:

September 11 = K & First Grade
September 12 = Third Grade

September 19 = Second Grade
September 24 = Fourth & Fifth Grade

Important Dates

·      September, 2 - No school – Labor Day

·      Sunday, September 8 – Wacky Bike Ride - Proceeds go to GRE’s PTO. Click here to volunteer.

·      September 10 – PTO Meeting at 6:30 @ Gold Mine Rm

·      September  13 - Picture Retakes- Picture packages will be distributed before retake day. 

Western Night

We thank our PTO for a wonderful Western Night last Friday.  We all enjoyed the food and festivities.   Check out pictures of Western Night below.

Safety Tip of the Week

“Please pull up to the very front of the car loop.”

Highlight of the Week

The students did an amazing job this week practicing classroom and school routines.  Establishing classroom expectations collaboratively allows students to work together successfully throughout the year.  Students have also been discussing practices for learning.  For example, the children have been building their stamina in reading by reading longer and longer each day and they have been discussing what it looks like to write during writers’ workshop.  I have been so impressed with how well the children are settling in!

Upcoming Events

Fall Assessments

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP grades 2-5) and Map For Primary Grades (MPG grades K-1) are two new assessments that will be administered to students in grades K through 5 starting next week.  The computerized assessment will give teachers specific information regarding your child’s strengths and needs in the areas of math and reading.  MAP and MPG also allow educators to measure students’ growth, or how much students have progressed at the end of the year compared to the beginning of the year.   

An additional assessment measure, called the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), will be given to all third grade students in mid September.  CogAT measures students’ cognitive development in comparison to peers of the same grade level and age.  If your child is not in third grade and you are interested in having him/her take the CogAT please contact our Professional Learning Specialist, Mrs. Barta.

Teachers will use students’ MAP/MPG and CogAT data, in addition to other formal and informal assessments, to plan for your child.  We look forward to sharing this data with you during fall parent teacher conferences.

Parent Math Sessions – Mark Your Calendar!

We are hosting grade level math sessions for parents in September.  We will provide parents with an overview of what your child will learn in math this year.  We will also teach you the strategies that your child will learn in class so that you can help your child with his/her homework.   All math sessions will be held from 4:30-5:30 in the Gold Mine Room on the following days:

Thursday, September 5 = K & First Grade

Tuesday, September 10 = Fourth Grade

Thursday, September 12 = Second Grade

Tuesday, September 17 = Third Grade

Tuesday, September 24 = Fifth Grade

Safety Tip of the Week

“Please stay in your car.  Adults will help your child in and out of your vehicle.  Thank you for keeping our school safe.”    - Collin, Safety Patrol

Highlights

First Week of School

We had a wonderful first week of school!  The teachers were excited to learn about your child and your family during our goal setting conferences.  We were all equally excited to start on Wednesday.  I was impressed with how quickly the children settled into classroom and school routines.  Below are pictures from our first days together.

Go For The G.O.L.D. Assembly

We ended our week with grade level assemblies, which focused on what it looks like to Go For The Gold throughout the school.  Our primary age students spied Digger modeling great behavior and listened to one of my favorite stories, The Recess Queen.  Our older students played a Gold For the Gold Game Show and listened to a story about how to stand up for others.  All of the students sang and danced.  It was a great way to end the week.

Smaller Class Sizes

We were excited to start this school year with smaller classes across all grade levels.  This year we welcomed several new teachers to Gold Rush so that the number of students per class remained in the low to mid twenties.  We know that smaller class will allow us to personalize learning even more this year!

Parent Math Sessions – Mark Your Calendar!

We are hosting grade level math sessions for parents in September.  We will provide parents with an overview of what your child will learn in math this year.  We will also teach you the strategies that your child will learn in class so that you can help your child with his/her homework.   All math sessions will be held from 4:30-5:30 in the Gold Mine Room on the following days:

Thursday, September 5 = K & First Grade

Tuesday, September 10 = Fourth Grade

Thursday, September 12 = Second Grade

Tuesday, September 17 = Third Grade

Tuesday, September 24 = Fifth Grade

Movement & Collaboration Special

We are offering a new special this school year.  In addition to physical education, art music, technology and library, students will participate in a movement and collaboration special once a week.  This special provides students with additional opportunities to be active during the school day.  Students are presented with team activities that allow them to collaborate, problem-solve and be creative.  We look forward to highlighting more of this special this year!

Arrival and Dismissal Reminders

We thank you for keeping arrival and dismissal safe for all students by remembering the following:

·      Remain in your car at all times

·      Pull all the way forward.

·      Only cross at a cross walk.

·      Remind your child to get in line before school as soon as he/she arrives.

PTO Pointers!

·      Western Night will be held Friday, August 23, in GRE’s outdoor field.

·      Sign up for your Target Red card this Friday. Proceeds go to Gold Rush!

·      Click here for more PTO information.

Student Activities

· Click here for information on Legend boys basketball tryouts.