DARE Bike-a-thon - REMINDER

** Reminder **

The annual DARE Bike-a-thon will be held on Saturday, May 7 at Lakefront Park.

Registration:  8:15 am - 9:15 am
One Mile Fun Run:  9:00 am
21st Annual Bike-a-Thon:  9:30 am
Awards Presentation:  10:45 am

We hope you can make it to this fun family activity!

Grainwood Day At Edelweiss

Grainwood Elementary invites family members and friends to Edelweiss Bakery for "Grainwood Day at Edelweiss." 10% of all in-store sales of any menu items purchased on Saturday, May 7 will be donated to the Grainwood Elementary Activities Fund.

Come out before or after the DARE Bike-A-Thon and see classmates and Grainwood families while enjoying the delicious Edelweiss bakery goods. A big thank you to Mark and Julie Bowles, owners of Edelweiss, for their support!

May/June 2011 Nurse's Notes

Annual Health/Emergency Contact Letter for the 2011-2012 school year will be sent to your home over the summer. Please mail or return the form by the first day of school. Please make sure you send it to the health office of the school where your student will be attending in the fall. If mailing, please mark the envelope "Attention Health Office."

Emergency Action Plans
If your student has asthma, seizures, diabetes, severe food allergies, or severe bee sting reactions, we request completion of forms specific to these conditions yearly. They will be sent home with your student before the end of this school year. Please return them to school next August with medications, as needed.

End of Year Medication Pick-up
Medications/Inhalers/Epi-Pens/etc. cannot be sent home with elementary and middle school students. Medications/inhalers/epi-pens/etc. not picked up cannot be discarded due to the tighter pharmaceutical waste regulations. Please help the district curtail unnecessary costs by picking up your student's unused medication.

We recommend leaving rescue medication (Epi-Pens, etc.) at school until dismissal of the last day. Please pick up all medications no later than June 9, 2011 (by dismissal time).
Please call your school's Health Office if you wish to make other arrangements.

Asthma and Diabetes Camps
Medica Health Plan offers a real summer camp experience for children ages 7 to 16 years who have asthma. Children can swim, canoe and make new friends. At camp, kids also learn how to live an active life with asthma. Medical care is available at all times during camp. Medica is also providing children with diabetes a chance to go to summer camp! Children ages 5 to 16 years can learn how to manage their diabetes and enjoy traditional camp activities. Medical care is available at all times, with meals and snacks managed by a registered dietician.

If eligible, children may only attend one camp. To register, members should call Medica Social Services at 952-992-3535 or 1-800-373-8335 and press option 4, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information about asthma camp, please visit http://www.lungmn.org/ or for the diabetes camps, www.diabetes.org/adacampneedlepoint or www.diabetes.org/adacampsioux.

Enjoy summer break!
Health Services

All School Pan Photo - ** REMINDER **

** REMINDER **

Grainwood is doing an All School Super Pan photograph in the Grainwood gym on Friday, April 29th at 1:00PM. A Super Pan photograph is a great way to show the entire school or a class in one professionally captured image. This photo will help culminate Grainwood’s first year of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) implementation and stretching C.A.R.E.S. to every corner of the building. We would like ALL students to wear their Grainwood T-shirts in the picture. If your child does not yet have one, please fill out the order form sent home by his/her classroom teacher. Extra order forms can be found in the GW office. Our goal is for all students and staff to have a t-shirt by picture day!

Community Education May News

To access the Community Education May News brochure, please click on the brochure picture link to the right.

For information or to register please visit the Community Education or call 952-226-0800.

Mr. Z's Delivery

The Mr. Z's fundraiser delivery will be on Tuesday, April 26th from 4:00-5:30PM in the Grainwood gym. Please pick up your orders at that time.

Thank you for your support!

Donkey Basketball

Watch your local friends ride a donkey!

When: May 7, 2011
Where: Twin Oaks Middle School, 15860 Fish Point Road SE, Prior Lake
Time:  3:00-7:00PM - 3 on 3 tournament/All Star Competition
          5:30-7:00PM - Dinner/Concessions/Silent Auction
          7:00-8:30PM - Donkey Basketball - $10.00
                                  Preschool Free (5 and under)
          8:30-9:00PM - Silent Auction/Raffle Winners (No need to be present)

Visit Facebook: "Celebrating Lindie Vanek"

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE AT: VILLAGE MARKET IN PRIOR LAKE!  PLEASE PURCHASE TICKETS TODAY!  ADVANCE: $10/DOOR: $12.

All proceeds from the event will go directly to the Vanek Family.  Please call Lisa Rizzo/Houston at 612-282-1571 or email mhous89824@aol.com with any questions or comments.

NO SCHOOL - FRIDAY, APRIL 22

Just a reminder, there is NO SCHOOL on Friday, April 22nd.

Have a Happy Easter!

PTC and Financial Support for Grainwood

I want to take a moment to share with Grainwood families how PTC helps financially support opportunities for Grainwood students above and beyond the school district budget.  At the PTC meeting last week, I reported on the three different catagories that our PTC helps fund. 

At this time, $3000 has been dedicated to all-school or grade level EVENTS.  Events include reducing the cost per child for field trips, funding performances for Disability Awareness Week and paying the costs of local naturalists to join us on Evironmental Education Day (in May).  Approximately $2700 has been allocated to DISCRETIONARY dollars and are dedicated to initiatives above and beyond classroom instruction.  For example, resources have been purchased for our S.M.A.R.T. Classroom (blog post coming soon), an online curriculum subscription for Raz Kids, Blank Books, leadership training for our Junior Naturalists and others (the iPad is coming!).  Lastly, the GW PTC has also dedicated funds to SCHOLARSHIPS.  By the end of the school year, $2000 will have been provided for GW students for various activities or opportunities. 

Everyone at Grainwood is appreciative of our PTC and the additional funding they help support for innovation and equality for students.  PTC truly is Parents and Teachers for Children!  Please follow along with PTC news at their site: Grainwood PTC and join us for the May meeting on the 10th.

Prior Lake-Savage E-News Brochure

To view the Prior Lake-Savage School District's E-News brochure, please click HERE.

National TV Turn-off Week (April 18-24)

National TV Turnoff Week will be celebrated April 18 through April 22. During this week, kids and families pledge to turn off their TV for the week and find out the wide range of possibilities open to them when the TV is not a part of their lives.

TV Turn-off Week was started in 1994 after concerns about the health, social and emotional impact television viewing was having on our young people.

Explore the many alternatives to TV with your child and make TV Turn-off Week a week of fun quality family time together.

From the Office of the Principal

I want to begin by sending out a HUGE Thank You to Jen Laurenzio (Co-Carnival Coordinator and GW PTC President), Corrina Harris (Co-Carnival Coordinator and Past GW PTC President), and all the GW carnival volunteers for their remarkable commitment to making the all-district carnival a success this past weekend.  It being my second year as principal, I finally have an appreciation for the magnitude of this event and the needed volunteer hours to ensure its success.

I am also happy to report that 3 Grainwood students were the lucky winners of the carnival raffle drawings. Fifth Grader Abby won the Flip Video Camera, Fifth Grader Logan won the Amazon Kindle, and Fourth Grader Isabella won the iPod Touch. Congratulations GW students! (It certainly pays off to win those gold coins and enter those raffles drawings!)

With the warmer weather upon us, tis also "Testing Season" at GW.  I am happy to report that online science tests this week have gone remarkably smooth and I want to congratulate all fifth graders, and their families, for having PERFECT ATTENDANCE on testing days.  As a precurser to the test this week (and again for the other tests), students were given an opportunity to choose one item from the Healthy Snack Cart to make sure their tummies were full during the assessment.  Gum was also provided ("NO Bubble" rule in effect). 

Next week begins the reading tests for Grades 3-5.  Grade 5 will take their assessment Monday and Tuesday, with Grades 3 and 4 participating Wednesday and Thursday.  Please help make sure you have encouraged your child each morning.  Online MCA math tests will take place the weeks of April 25 and May 2.

Principal Glynn

Volunteer Tea Celebration

We are Blooming with Appreciation for YOU! Grainwood volunteers and your children, please join us for a breakfast treat recognizing you for all that you do at Grainwood!

When: Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Where: Grainwood Cafeteria
Time: 7:45-8:15AM

Please send in your RSVP as soon as possible.

Thank you again for all you do. Grainwood staff looks forward to celebrating with you!

Laker Variety Show / Laker Idol

Got Talent - We Want You! Two opportunities to SHOW OFF!

Laker Variety Show - Celebrating local performing artists and raising funds for Prior Lake-Savage Area School's Patrons of the Arts and Activities.

Laker Idol - In its 7th year, Laker Idol is in need of people of all ages interested in singing their way to the title of Laker Idol for their division. This contest is open to all solo vocalists (i.e., can live anywhere).

To view detailed information for the Laker Variety Show and Laker Idol, please click HERE.

Weather Awareness Week

On Thursday, April 14th, all Grainwood classes will participate in a tornado drill. Students and staff will leave their classrooms to take positions of cover in safe areas. By the end of the school year, students and staff will also have completed 5 fire drills and 5 lock down drills.

Early Release / No School

Please mark your calendars! Wednesday, April 13th is a 2 hour early release day. Students will be released from school at 1:00PM. Please remember to work this day into your family's schedule. Teachers will have important staff development sessions during the afternoon.

On Friday, April 15th there is NO SCHOOL (K-5) for an In-Service Day.

Recycle Book Drive

For Earth Month, Grainwood students may participate in a recycled book exchange. Bring in gently used or new books next week, April 11-15. Drop them off in the morning to the boxes by Ms. Kufrin or Ms. Swanson's room. Receive one ticket for every two books dropped off. Then on May 9-13, students may exchange their tickets and choose from others' recycled books.

Butter Braid Fundraiser Results

Thank you to everyone who participated and volunteered in our 3rd Annual Butter Braid Fundraiser. Grainwood PTC raised $3,592 that will directly benefit our school and classrooms.

Congratulations to the top sellers: Jake-3rd grade (46 items), Sadie-2nd grade (39 items) and Abigail-1st grade (33 items). The top selling class was Ms. Kufrin's class (100 items).

Great job, Grainwood!

Take Your Child to Work Day

Take Your Child to Work Day is nationally recognized on Thursday, April 28, 2011. Unfortunately, this year's date is in conflict with the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA's) test that will be administered to 3rd and 5th grade classes.

While Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools recognizes the educational value a workplace experience provides students, it is important that all elementary schools have full testing participation on the morning of April 28th. As a result, we encourage you to bring your child to work on another day, so that he or she may still benefit from the experience.

Thank you for your understanding.

Butter Braid Pick-up

** REMINDER ** Remember to pick up your Butter Braid orders in the Grainwood gym April 6th from 3:00-6:00PM. Due to the nature of the product being frozen, any orders not picked up will be donated to charity. Feel free to contact Heather Doll @ 952-440-5884 or Nancy Sost @ 952-447-5377 with any questions.

Spring Book Fair / Art Festival

The Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools' Elementary Art Festival will be held at Five Hawks on Monday, May 2, 2011 from 6:00-7:00PM. The theme for this years show is "People at Play." The Spring Book Fair will also be held on Monday, May 2, 2011 at Five Hawks Elementary from 5:00-8:00PM. All items will be 50% off. This is a great time to find some new books for summer.

We STILL Need Your Help!

Grainwood Families,

On Saturday, April 9, the annual all-district elementary school carnival will be hosted at the High School from 11 AM to 4 PM.  This years Grainwood PTC Leadership is coordinating the event, which also places a greater responsibility of our families to help volunteer at the many fun games and different stations throughout the day.  WE NEED YOUR HELP!  If you are available any time that day, we would greatly appreciate your time and talents asssiting at the carnival.  (Grandparents and high school age students are also welcome to volunteer.)  The event, which shifts in responsibility each year to a different school, provides the entire Prior Lake-Savage Community an equal opportunity to play a role in its success.  Come out and represent Grainwood at this years carnival on April 9.  Thanks!

Sign up in the upper right corner of the blog or here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/carnival112

Patrick Glynn
Principal

Disability Awareness Week

Grainwood Elementary is celebrating Disability Awareness with presentations to students on Thursday, April 7th and Friday, April 8th. Lynn Dennis and her volunteer puppeteers from PACER Center’s Puppet Program will be here to present to our students the COUNT ME IN puppet show which is designed to help children understand more about disabilities. The child size puppets have disabilities, and all share many of the same interests, likes, and dislikes of the students in the audience. The older students will have the opportunity to ask questions, talk to the puppets, and learn about some aids, books, and games used by some students with disabilities. Your students will meet some of the following puppets:

1. Jay who is deaf and hard-of-hearing.
2. Gina who is blind.
3. Carmen who has epilepsy.
4. Mitch who has a learning disability.
5. Max who has autism.

At the end of each show, the adults will be asked to complete an evaluation of the program and students will receive a letter of explanation to take home.

The special education staff would like to thank you for supporting Disability Awareness Week at Grainwood Elementary.