Dear Robert H. Down School Community,
First of all, my sincere apologies to our families who celebrate Rosh Hashanah for omitting mention of this important celebration in last week’s newsletter. Wishing you and yours Shana Tova!
I also want to let our school community know that I will be out of the country for a few days for a family wedding in Sweden. It is likely my mother-in-law’s last trip to her home country as well as likely the last time she will be able to see her older sister in person. I consider it a privilege that my family and I will be able to spend some time with extended family, if even for just a little over two days.
I am so grateful that in my absence, a very experienced retired PGUSD administrator, Mary Riedel, will be serving as my substitute administrator from Thursday afternoon until Tuesday, September 30. I will return to Robert Down on Wednesday, October 1.
An Official Welcome to the Newest Members of Our Staff!
I am so excited to announce that we are now fully staffed at Robert Down! Please join me in warmly welcoming the following new members of our staff:
Paraprofessional Mr. Rufino Martinez joins us after having served for several years as an instructional aide, paraprofessional, and behavior technician in two neighboring districts.
Instructional Assistant Mrs. Jennifer Avedissian came highly recommended having served for over a decade as a Pre-K teacher at two local private schools before spending some time as a dedicated mom to her children.
Instrumental Music Teacher Mr. Felix Diaz Contreras is a product of PGUSD schools and has a deep passion for teaching children music as well as being a local musician well-versed in multiple genres performing in a wide range of venues.
Upcoming Events and Important Information
Butterfly Parade and Butterfly Bazaar is on Saturday, October 4! Please plan to have your children arrive before 10AM as the Butterfly Parade starts promptly at 10:30AM. Your child’s teacher will be providing specific instructions. For the line up, please reference this document. There will be numbers in chalk to indicate where each class will gather to line up for the parade. Be sure to sign up to volunteer for a shift and purchase a wristband ahead of time using QR codes from this flyer. ADA accessible parking will be available on the NE corner of Grand and Pine.
Reminder: Please coordinate with the teacher before you come in to volunteer. This helps ensure a smooth classroom routine and minimizes interruptions during instruction.
Safety and Attendance Updates
Safety Drills: Our staff and students did an outstanding job with the Modified Lockdown Drill on Tuesday, September 23. Our next Safety Drill will be Friday, October 10. We will be practicing the Drop, Cover, and Hold On Drill in the event of an earthquake.
Electronic Devices: Just a gentle reminder that students are not allowed to use cell phones or smart watches to text, play games, or use the internet while on campus. This is a PGUSD policy. Please remind your children that if they have a smart watch, it must be kept on school mode and silent at all times. If it is used during school hours, the smart watch will be required to stay in the student’s backpack at all times while on campus.
Attendance Campaign: We will be honoring all students with Perfect Attendance for the month of September very soon. This attendance campaign encourages students to arrive at school on time every day. Each month, students can earn a special "star" for perfect attendance. Remember, this allows for one tardy of less than 30 minutes and up to two excused doctor's appointments per month. However, if your child is ill, please keep them home in accordance with our District Illness Policy.
Absence Requests: All justifiable absence requests are now processed as Requests for Independent Study. Please submit the form to the office at least two weeks in advance. Absences without this form may be marked as unexcused.
Parking Reminder: Please be sure to only use the ADA accessible parking if you have a placard. We have several families that depend on those spaces when dropping off and picking up due to their needs.
Join Our "Culture of We"
We are committed to nurturing a sense of belonging at Robert Down and encourage every family to get involved.
Would you like to share about your culture? If so, we would love to have you share with our students through a display, presentation, or activity. Please complete this form, if interested. If your family honors Yom Kippur or Diwali, we would love to have you share in the near future!
More Parent Volunteers needed to support our efforts to do a drop off Concierge service between 8:30AM and 8:45AM. To learn more and sign up, please use this link.
Butterfly Bazaar is a long standing tradition in Pacific Grove. It is a fun-filled event that takes place on the Robert Down field immediately following the Butterfly Parade on October 4. We need volunteers to make this event possible! We especially need support with Clean Up! Please sign up for a 30 minute shift of your choice using this link.
Off-Campus Activity Parent/Volunteer Driver Form In order to volunteer as a driver for field trips this year, you must be cleared to drive with our District in addition to being fingerprint cleared. The driver form must be completed each time your registration or driver's license has expired. (Fingerprints only need to be cleared once while your child is enrolled in PGUSD.) When driving, please be sure all passengers follow all safety guidelines and rules, including seat belts fastened at all times and keeping bodies, including arms and legs, in the vehicle at all times.
Upcoming Dates to Remember
September 26: PTA presents: Taco Bingo Night 5-7PM
October 1-2: Yom Kippur
October 4: Butterfly Parade/Butterfly Bazaar
October 13-17: Fall Break- NO SCHOOL
October 20: Diwali
With gratitude,
Emily Tsai Brownfield, Principal
