Honor a Teacher or Staff Member in December

                     Gratitude Greeting!

If you have been wondering how to send thanks to your child's teacher or special staff member this Holiday Season, click HERE for an idea to consider.  You can express your appreciation to that special person along with contributing to the Laker Educational Foundation, which promotes innovative and creative educational initiatives that benefit citizens of all ages in our community.

Greetings and gift certificates will be hand delivered to the person of your choice on Thursday, December 19th and Friday, December 20th.

Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast

Grainwood's Kindergarten students participating in their annual "Thanksgiving Feast."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wolf Ridge ELC

For those of you who have 5th graders, it is no surprise that they are headed north for a terrific week long field trip from December 2nd - 6th.  All 5th graders, their teachers and parent chaperones will head north along the beautiful North Shore to Finland, MN to Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center for a week long experience.

Please take some time to review the following and contact your child's teacher as soon as possible with any questions.

• Wolf Ridge is December 2nd - 6th
• Please be at Grainwood between 6:15 - 6:30 AM on the 2nd.  The bus leaves at 6:45 AM sharp!  Bring a sack lunch and snacks for the trip!
• If your child is ill on the morning of departure, call the school between 6:00 AM - 6:30 AM at 952-226-0300.
• Please plan to pick up your child at Grainwood Elementary School parking lot at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, December 6th.  The phone tree for each homeroom will be started when the group's bus leaves the rest area near Forest Lake.  The bus would then arrive in Prior Lake approximately 45 minutes later.  If you are not part of the phone tree, plan to be at Grainwood at 5:00 PM.
• If your child is taking medication please be sure that your authorization form is on file with the school.  Put the medication in a plastic bag with instructions for its use.  The bag must be given to your child's teacher when you arrive on December 2nd.
• Please check your child for head lice before December 2nd.  The Wolf Ridge policy is any student with head lice must leave campus as quickly as possible.
• Last of all, in case of emergency, the phone number at the ELC is 1 (218)-353-7414.

Thank you for your support in this program!

If you wish to write to your child while they're away, the address is:

Your Child's name

c/o Teacher's name and Grainwood Elementary

Environmental Learning Center

6282 Cranberry Road

Finland, MN  55603

Parent's Night Out

The winter holidays are just around the corner and many of us have a lot to do!  Still looking to go out and buy a few presents? Or simply want a Friday night out? Prior Lake High School's National Honor Society will be hosting a Parent’s Night Out at Prior Lake High School on Friday, December 13th from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. Parent’s Night Out is open to children in kindergarten thru 6th grade. Pre-registered, your first child’s care will cost $15 and each additional child’s care will cost $10. Pre-registration is due to your

child’s school by Monday, December 9th. If you miss the pre-registration date, you can sign up at the door for $20 1st child, $15 second child. Have students bring permission slips and money into school.  There will be crafts, games, healthy snacks, and more.  Permission slips can be found on the Prior Lake website, through emails, and have also gone home with each child.  If you need additional permission slips, please contact our office or your child's teacher. Happy Holidays!

CARES Students of the Week

Grainwood CARES Students of the week!

New AM Drop-Off Procedure (NEW SIGNS!)

Dear Grainwood Families,

For those who transport their children to school each morning, or on occasion, please notice the new NO PARKING signs posted in the grass near the curb.  This should assist in creating a space (possibly 6-7 car lengths long) dedicated for student drop-off each morning.  Please utilize this area for drop-off by pulling over to the curb and letting your child off.  DO NOT pull into the yellow or handicap areas in front of the building for drop-off or stop your vehicle in the street.  Both of these choices creates unsafe traffic patterns, especially when vehicles attempt to drive around those stopped in the street.  Dropping off at the curb, between the signs, will create the safest drop-off scenario for all!  Thank you for helping establish a new drop-off routine in the morning.

Patrick Glynn
Principal

WCCO and National Weather Service Meteorologists visit Grainwood

Recently second graders had two opportunities to learn from two different meteorologists.  James Taggart, from the National Weather Service visited last week.  He showed students many different weather tools.

Then, second graders met WCCO channel 4 news weekend meteorologist, Lauren Casey.  Students learned about forecasting on television!

Thanks James and Lauren, for sharing your expertise with our students and answering their questions!