11/14 - 6:00 - 7:30 PM Glow With Me Party
11/15 - 12:30 - 2:30 PM Gardner Gives Back Student Art Fundraiser for CSA at Los Altos Community Center
11/18 - 5:00 - 7:00 LASD Art Showcase at Covington
11/20 - Spirit Day - Sports Theme!
11/20 - Coffee with The Principal - Topic: Our School Approach to Discipline and Restorative Practices with Guests: LASD Director of Student Services Claire Crane, School Psychologist
Lila McGonagill and 5th Grade Teacher Sydney Straight
11/23 - 11/27 - Thanksgiving Break
12/4 - Coffee with The Principal - Topic: Community Input on PTA Garden + LASD Master Planning with Guest: LASD Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Erik Walukiewicz
12/5 - 9:00 - 12:00 PM Book Fair Opening & Holiday Crafts
12/14 - 1:00 PM 4th - 6th Winter Concert
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A big shout-out to all the families, students and staff who participated in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day today! Thank you for coming together to honor Ruby Bridges and celebrate the importance of kindness, courage, and inclusion! More info about this learning experience is below.
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Dear Families,
It was a wonderful week at Gardner Bullis, including our Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day and one of my favorite moments: watching a first grader standing by the olive tree near the front of our school, excitedly explaining to his three-year-old sister that their dog was named Olive, but so was “this tree!” He proudly pointed out the olive leaves and shared what he had learned with her.
This moment is an example of how the learning from our First Grade Museum of Flora extended beyond the classroom. First graders worked within a small group to research a particular tree or plant growing on the Gardner Bullis campus. From the Sweetgum tree on the TK/Kindergarten yard to the bright red Chinese Pistache trees near the playground and many others, students worked in groups to investigate a specific tree or plant, collect leaf samples, and discover interesting facts. They then proudly shared their discoveries with their sixth-grade buddies and families as part of their Museum of Flora! Learning experiences like these build curiosity, ownership, and pride in learning while helping students make meaningful connections to the world around them. Great job to our first graders!
With report cards out this week, I hope families will find time to sit down with their children to reflect on learning, celebrate accomplishments and growth, and set goals for the next trimester. I personally reviewed all 318 student report cards and appreciate the time and care our teachers put into providing thoughtful feedback and meaningful next steps. I look forward to continuing to work together with our students, families, and teachers to support our Grizzlies and celebrate all they accomplish in the months ahead!
In partnership,
Ellen
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In addition to today's Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, students explored themes of history, courage, and empathy through this month's Project Cornerstone lessons. Students learned about Ruby Bridges' remarkable story through one of two books written by the civil rights pioneer herself: Ruby Bridges Goes to School or Ruby Bridges: This Is Your Time.
Project Cornerstone has included a lesson about Ruby Bridges in its curriculum since 2008, helping students understand the importance of courage, kindness, and standing up for what is right. While conversations about race, stereotypes, discrimination, and bias can sometimes feel uncomfortable, research shows that engaging children in age-appropriate discussions about these topics helps foster empathy, resilience, and respect for others.
Through these lessons, your student is learning:
• Relationship & Cultural Competence: Recognizing and appreciating differences.
• Empathy & Perspective-Taking: Understanding the experiences and feelings of others.
• Critical Thinking: Naming and identifying unfairness and prejudice so we can collectively build better, safer communities.
• Being an UPstander: Developing the personal power and language to safely stand up for the rights of others.
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To continue the learning at home:
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Explore Fairness: Use your student's natural sense of fairness to frame big topics. Ask reflective questions like, "How would you feel if you were excluded from something just because of how you looked?"
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The "Notice the Missing" Challenge: Take a look at your household's current favorite media together (books, TV shows, or movies). Ask your student to look closely at who is represented. Are different cultures, backgrounds, or abilities shown? Who might be missing from the story? Use this to talk about how we can seek out diverse perspectives in our daily lives.
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The "Step Into My Shoes" Scenario Game: Over dinner, share a hypothetical scenario to practice empathy and perspective-taking. For example: "If a new student sat alone at lunch because they didn't speak the language well yet, how might they be feeling? What is one small thing we could do to make them feel safe and welcome?"
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Come see what ten Gardner Bullis students have spent months creating! Join us Sunday, November 15, 12:30 – 2:30 pm, in the Grand Oak Ballroom at the Los Altos Community Center for a Gardner Gives Back fundraiser benefiting Community Services Agency (CSA).
Meet the young artists, browse prints, stickers, and cards featuring their artwork, and enjoy free treats, drinks, music, and an arts-and-crafts table for little ones. All donations and sales proceeds go directly to CSA to support local people and families in need. Free admission. Drop in anytime and bring the whole family!
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Save the Date for LASD Illuminate! Feb 26, 4-7pm at Egan.
What happens when students lead their own learning and dive deeply into a question that matters to them, and share their voices in powerful ways? Illuminate LASD invites students to become experts, innovators, and change-makers. Whether it’s researching a topic they’re passionate about, solving a problem that inspires them, or creating something to make an impact, students will share the artifacts that highlight the learning process. From TK to 8th grade, Illuminate LASD invites students to share what they now know and can do by sharing the process and products of their learning.
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Get ready to see the multi transformed into a gallery! Join us on November 18 at Covington Elementary from 5:00-7:00 pm for the annual LASD Art Showcase. Let’s celebrate our students’ creativity together.
From colorful paintings and bold prints to textured collages and clay creations, there’s something from every grade, TK through 8th. It’s a great chance to wander and admire your student’s artwork alongside others.
And this year, there’s a little mystery in the mix! LAEF is bringing a fun scavenger hunt to the showcase, with a chance to win exciting prizes. From the Art Docents program in our elementary schools to art electives in junior high, our students learn about art appreciation as well as art elements, techniques, and so much more. And your donations to LAEF help fund it all. Thank you for supporting art education for all LASD students. See you at the showcase!
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If your family will be absent during school, please consider requesting an Independent Study Plan in advance.
- Assigned work will take 180 minutes (3 hours) each day.
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Complete the form for each student who will be utilizing an Independent Study Plan.
- Requests must be made more than 24 hours in advance of the last day the student will be in school, and 5-10 school days are preferred.
- The completed school work is due on the agreed due date. If the work is incomplete or not returned, your student will only receive credit for the quantity of work that is finished to grade level expectations. There are no exceptions, including illness or travel delays.
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