The Gator Gab 8th Edition🐊

Dear Gators,

Friendly reminder that Monday, October 13th is a non student day. Teachers and staff will be in training. See you on Tuesday!

Rain Next Week! It was just 100 degrees a week or so ago and now we have rain in the forecast. Make sure kids are dressed appropriately and traffic will more than likely increase so plan accordingly.

Starstruck - WOW! What a performance our students put on Thursday night. Thank you for coming and supporting your child and all the students of Gallardo. It was a great turnout with lots of enthusiasm and support.

Student Council - Student council speeches and election were Monday. More than 30 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders stood in front of their peers and delivered amazing, well thought out speeches. I told all of them they should be proud of themselves because just doing that alone is a huge accomplishment. Not everyone can win. The students voted and the 2025-26 Sandra J. Gallardo Student Council is:

President - Natalie

Vice President - Paige

Secretary - Ivy

Treasurer - James

Sergeant at Arms - Gwen

Historian - London

Congratulations to the winners. I am looking forward to work with each of them.

School Site Council - Another election this week was the school site council. Thank you to those who voted. I was hoping for more participation but next time I am sure the participation will increase. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to be on the ballot. It was very much appreciated. Here is the 2025-26 Gallardo school site council:

Family Member/Community Member

Trenda Webster - 2nd Year

Annmarie Senior - 1st Year

Colin Mackey - 1st Year

Steven Freitas - 1st Year

School Staff

Kelly Cooper - 1st Year

Megan Cantor - 2nd Year

Gallardo Through Your Eyes survey - When i started at Gallardo I sent a family and community survey to gather data on your perspective of our school. Unfortunately, there were only 23 responses. A summary of the responses are below.

Lockdown drill - We had a our first lockdown drill today. It went very well. Kids did great. Our next lockdown drill will be more of a surprise. Teachers and students will know the week of

Have wonderful week.

Doyal Martin, Principal

Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary School

Lots of opportunities to be involved in the education of your child and their friends.

Thank you to the 23 families who shared their voices in our “Through Your Eyes” parent survey. Your input helps us celebrate what’s working well at Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary and guides us as we grow together. Here’s what you told us:

Families shared how much they appreciate our amazing teachers and staff, the welcoming community, and the way our kids feel safe and cared for every day.

You told us that special events like Gators on the Green, Spirit Days, STEM Nights, Yearbook, and Trunk or Treat are the heart of our school traditions and bring us together as a community.

Parents highlighted our teachers’ patience, dedication, and connection with students as the biggest strength of Gallardo. Families also celebrated the positive school environment that supports learning and growth.

Some families mentioned campus safety and fencing as an important priority. Others noted a need for more academic supports, such as tutoring opportunities, especially in math.

You encouraged us to keep communication open, be visible and welcoming, and continue creating opportunities for families and staff to connect.

Many families offered warm welcomes along with advice: be approachable, visible, and relationship-focused. I am excited to take that to heart as I begin my first year here.

• Gallardo’s Neighbors: Please be mindful of our neighbor’s property. We are not allowed to block driveways or wait on their property during morning drop-off or afterschool pick-up.

• Stewart Street: Gallardo’s parents are asked to park in a designated space when dropping off or picking up a student. Stewart Street is an active lane of traffic and not an area to double park.

• Early Release on Thursdays: Students in grades K-5 are dismissed at 1:15 pm.

• Please check and update your access to ParentSquare. Make sure you are getting all the latest information. If you want to receive texts, mark that. We rarely use the “urgent” messages, so if that is all you receive you will not get weekly updates.

10/13 - No School (PD Day for teachers)

What an incredible night! Thank you to all the parents, families, and volunteers who helped make our Starstruck Dance Performance such a success. From chair set-up and decorations to ushering, backstage help, and clean-up — every single effort made a difference.

A special thank-you to our amazing teachers for your time, patience, and energy getting each class ready to perform. Your support and enthusiasm helped our students shine with confidence on stage!

We’re so grateful for the teamwork that brought this event together and helped create such a fun, memorable evening for our school community.

Attention Category 2 Volunteers- this program cannot “run” without your help! Please consider signing up for a few days on our Mileage Club Sign-Up Calendar! You can select whatever days work for you- no standing commitment required! The timeframe needed is 9:40-10:50am. All you need to do is bring a colorful marker or pen, sign-in to the office, stand under the shade structure at that time frame to mark lap cards and encourage the runners! Thank you for your help!

• Rock & Run (Must be Category 2 Cleared Volunteer)

• Trunk or Treat

• Paint Event Banners

• Mileage Club (Must be Category 2 Cleared Volunteer)

Dr. Blake Brandes, a TedX speaker and America’s Got Talent performer will share powerful strategies to help your child thrive in school and life! You don’t want to miss it! See below for details on how to join this virtual presentation!

• Presentation - October 23, 2025: K-6 Growth Mindset Virtual Parent Presentation from 6:00-7:00pm

• Zoom link - https://zoom.us/j/94439131958?pwd=dFxOuRJgXW8o0bOkH0g2MHMStfRq0w.1

• Meeting ID - 944 3913 1958

• Zoom Passcode - 727460

Boo! The Sandra J. Gallardo PTA is brewing up something special for our families this Halloween season — our annual Trunk or Treat is almost here!

When: Thursday, October 30
Time: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Where: Gallardo Blacktop

Dress up in your favorite costumes and bring your little monsters, witches, and superheroes for an evening of safe, family-friendly trick-or-treating — right from the trunks of festively decorated cars!

We’re Hungry for Candy (Donations)!
Help us fill our cauldrons! Candy donations are needed (and appreciated) to make this spooky celebration extra sweet for our students.

Calling All Goblins & Ghouls (Volunteers)!
Want to help make the magic happen? We’d love your help! We need Decorated trunks and help the night of the event. Sign up to volunteer here: tinyurl.com/3r92hipk

Let’s make this Halloween frightfully fun and full of treats for everyone — we can’t wait to see you there!

We are excited to celebrate Red Ribbon Week from October 27-31 with a fun and meaningful week of activities! This year’s theme, Life is a Puzzle - Solve it with Kindness, emphasizes the importance of kindness, teamwork, and individuality. Each day, students are encouraged to wear different colors or outfits to show their support for making positive choices and standing up against bullying.

Here’s the lineup for the week:

• Monday, October 27 - Wear Red

• Tuesday, October 28 - Wear Bright colors

• Wednesday, October 29 - Wear Pajamas

• Thursday, October 30 - Wear Gator Gear

• Friday, October 31 - Wear Your Costume (No Masks or Weapons)

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We encourage all students to participate and wear something fun each day! Let’s solve life’s puzzle together through kindness and respect.

Gallardo Students! Do you enjoy art, music and dance or have an interest in writing, producing films and taking photos? Then join us and have fun unleashing your inner artist with PTA Reflections! This year's theme is "I Belong!" Submission guidelines and entry forms are available on the PTA website. Contest deadline is October 24, 2025.

Our next PTA Meeting for all members is coming up on Wednesday, October 29 at 7pm in the Multi. Come at 6:30pm for “Conversations with Mr. Martin” an informal chat with our new Principal. This month’s PTA Meeting will feature a Costume Contest and yummy fall treats! We will also be talking about budget updates and programming for the rest of the year. If you’d like to add items to our meeting agenda, please email GallardoPTA@gmail.com by October 15.

In October, TACO Tuesday will be on a MONDAY! Support Gallardo and plan on dinner out when you visit:

📌Monday, October 20
🌯🌮Dos Coyotes (Folsom Blvd.) | 4:00–8:30 p.m.

It’s an easy way to help fundraise! Visit this restaurant at this day/time and they give a 💰portion to Gallardo.

Every participating product earns DOUBLE (10/13 - 10/19 only)

💕THIS is the week to join! Support Gallardo PTA when you join Box Tops by downloading the app and use Referral Code: F7XJOLEJ

The PTA is a true gift—connecting families, supporting classrooms, and creating memories with your kids.

Build Connections – Meet teachers, staff, and fellow parents.

Stay in the Know – Be updated on school and community news.

Enhance Learning – PTA funds provide classroom resources and technology.

Share Moments – Volunteer and join in your child’s school experience.

Membership is just $12 and includes access to Membership Toolkit, quarterly meetings, and a voice in shaping school programs.

Join today: gallardopta.membershiptoolkit.com

Sign up before Oct 17th to help your child’s class earn a popsicle party! All classes that reach 75% of their class total will get a popsicle party!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: Gallardo PTA

Believe us when we say your future self who might forget to do this in April will thank you! We use the company Treering to publish our school yearbook. Yearbook sales are completely online and if you order now, there is a 10% discount! Current cost is $24.61 each. After you order, you can even start working on your custom pages added to your book(s) only. This year’s deadline for custom pages is April 6, 2026. For more information on the yearbook, visit the Yearbook page on our PTA Website. Gallardo’s passcode is 1015682215844355.

Upload your photos to Treering for the First Day of School and Gators on the Green

Spanish Enrichment

There is still room in Mrs. Swaney’s Spanish enrichment! Click HERE to register.

• Spanish Enrichment (Grades 2,3, 4)

• Tuesdays, 2:50-3:40pm

• Meeting: 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4

Mandarin Enrichment

Learn Mandarin with Qi Family!!! Learn Mandarin and Chinese Culture Click HERE to register.

• Mandarin Enrichment (Grades 1,2,3)

• Mondays, 2:50-3:40pm

• Meeting: 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 12/1

National History Day Club

Get ready for National History Day Competition MARCH 7, 2026 with Ms. Reed and Folsom High School students Hannah and Fiona (Gallardo Alumni!) We are still looking for students to start the club! Click HERE to register.

https://www.nhdca.org/county-contests/sacramento/

• National History Day Club (Grades 4,5)

• Fridays: 3:45 - 4:30pm

• Meetings TBD: Trending: 10/17, 10/24, 11/7, 11/14, 12/12, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13;

• Competition MARCH 7, 2026 @ Sac State

• We need a minimum of 15 students to run this club!

Bring the whole family for an evening of movement, laughter, and relaxation! Yoga Instructor (and your PTA board member!) Sheree Corbett will lead us in a beginner-friendly yoga session in the Multipurpose Gym at 5:30 PM. Fun for all ages—no experience needed! This free event is the perfect way to connect, stretch, and enjoy quality time together. Please bring a yoga mat, towel or blanket to practice on, a water bottle, and wear loose fitting clothing. Special thanks to Broadstone Racquet Club, who will be there with snacks and prizes!