From the Office of the Principal...

Dear Grainwood Families,

I hope winter break was peaceful and relaxing for you and your family!  As we begin 2011, I want to share with you two Grainwood initiatives you will be hearing about this winter. 

1) To begin with, in early December we launched Power Half Hour (PHH) in grades K-3.  PHH is a 25-30 minute block of time carved out of the school day for reading intervention or enrichment.  As part of the district's adoption of the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework, PHH provides "more" reading instruction for those students who need it, while also providing enrichment reading opportunities for students already at or above grade level standards.  The concept of "more" for each of these groups is a best teaching practice, which we are committed to implementing here at Grainwood!  For more informantion about Response to Intervention, click here for the RtI Guide or check out information about RtI on the district webpage HERE!  Also, please do not hesitate to ask your child's classroom teacher specifically about Power Half Hour at his/her grade level.     

2) Very soon your family will be introduced to Grainwood's "Healthy Snack Cart."  This snack opportunity will be available to your child(ren) beginning late February/early March for a reasonable cost.  The cart will be filled with a variety of healthy snacks (9 choices) from which your child can choose one a day to consume during his/her classroom snack time.  This opportunity is a result of a Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) Grant awarded to Grainwood at the end of last school year.  Through a school health assessment, provided by Wilder Research (a grant partner), an action plan was developed according to their findings and our needs.  More specific information about this option will be available later this month.  We will also be showcasing the snack items at Family Fun Night on the evening of Thursday, February 3rd.  As was quoted in the Star Tribune on December 19 by Ann Hoxie (St. Paul Public Schools) on their healthy food initiatives, "What we model in school is also teaching.  We're trying to set up the best enviroment for kids."  Grainwood is too! Stay Tuned...