Gold Rush Elementary
Principal's Message - October 13, 2023
“Foster Growth by Challenging Critical Thinkers to Take Risks,
Honor Differences & Care for Others”
HAPPY FALL BREAK
We hope your family has a wonderful fall break!
School will resume on Monday, October 23.
A GREAT WESTERN NIGHT
We thank our PTO, parents and high school volunteers for an amazing Western Night! Families enjoyed the face painting, pumpkins, food trucks and yard games. The raffle baskets were also a tremendous success. It was a great evening because of our amazing volunteers. We thank each of them for
making this school tradition possible!
CELEBRATING A GROWTH MINDSET
Students celebrated the power of a growth mindset. A growth mindset assumes that all students can learn new skills, strategies and concepts. A growth mindset differs from a fixed mindset that assumes that only some individuals can acquire certain levels of proficiency.
Students reflected on a favored growth mindset quote, “I can’t do it yet” and reflected on what these words meant to them. See students' comments below.
“If you never try to do something new, or if you never make a mistake, your brain will never grow.”
“If you come to something hard you can’t give up because you’ll never grow.”
Students provided examples of when they demonstrated a growth mindset. They shared that they kept trying difficult math problems, got up when they fell down and celebrated what they learned from a mistake. We are proud of students’ resilience and positive mindset.
CELEBRATING HALLOWEEN
Students are already wondering how we will celebrate Halloween at Gold Rush! On Tuesday, October 31, students are welcome to start their day in their costumes. They will enjoy a class party with the teacher and parent volunteers. Please see classroom communication for party donations and an opportunity to volunteer as a party coordinator.
All families are welcome to attend our outdoor parade (weather permitting). Please see grade level parade times below. Parents are welcome to watch anywhere along the route.
8:45-9:00 Grades K & 1
9:15-9:30 Grades 2 & 4
9:45-10:00 Grades 3 & 5
We encourage students to be creative with their costumes, but safety remains our number one priority. Please make sure that students have a costume that fits over their clothing. Students will be asked to change out of their costumes independently at 10:30 AM when our regular school day will resume. Please note that face paint, masks and weapons are not permitted.
We are looking forward to the festivities!
LEGEND HIGH SCHOOL TRUNK OR TREAT SPOOKTACULAR
Legend High School is once again sponsoring a Trunk or Treat Spooktacular complete with trick or treating trunks in the lower Legend parking lot, pumpkin palooza pumpkin painting, and a haunted house in a classroom. We hope you are able to join this feeder event!
OCTOBER 2023
- On August 8, the Douglas County School District Board of Education unanimously voted 7-0 to place a $66 million Mill Levy Override (MLO) and $484 million Bond on the November 2023 ballot.
If passed by voters, these new funds would be used at our school to:
Increase teacher and staff pay
Enhance safety and security
Addition of Campus Security Specialist
Refresh student and staff technology
Make much needed repairs and upgrades to our building
Recaulk concrete joints
Reseal exterior walls
Repair flashing
Upgrade fire alarm system
Upgrade control system
Install new intercom system
Teachers in the Douglas County School District earn, on average, $19,000 less compared to a neighboring school district. Additional MLO funding, if passed by voters, would enable DCSD to pay teachers and staff more competitively and to increase security staffing support for our schools.
DCSD teachers, on average, would receive a 9% pay increase, as reflected in these salary schedules
Support staff, such as bus drivers, educational assistants, custodians, etc., would receive a 9% pay increase
Other staff would receive a 7% pay increase
A $484 million Bond, if passed by voters, would be used to expand trade, career and technical education opportunities; perform safety and security upgrades; and ensure safe and adequate learning environments for students and staff. The Bond would provide for three new elementary schools in growing areas of our county, as well as the expansion of two middle schools.
If the MLO and Bond are approved by voters, Douglas County homeowners can expect to pay approximately $200 per year for a home valued at $1,000,000.
You can read more about DCSD’s funding challenges and arguments for and against the ballot initiatives on our website. Thank you for being an engaged and informed member of our school community!