Friday Finale Newsletter

Dear GRDC Families,

October brings the beautiful autumn colors. It is that time of year to enjoy the cool weather and gather as a community to celebrate the good things that we enjoy.

OUR APEX FUNDRAISER STARTS ON 10/12/2026! APEX will bring daily classroom lessons focused on social-emotional learning (SEL) and building positive character, all leading up to our highly anticipated Fun Run on October 21st. This is a great opportunity to build school spirit, encourage teamwork, and raise funds to support our students and school programs. Thank you for your continued support, Miners!

*** "We have to collectively work together to improve the world." —Samuel Strauch

A huge shout-out to our incredible GRDC office staff! They work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our school running smoothly and support our students, families, and staff each day. From answering phone calls and welcoming visitors to managing attendance, budgeting, field trip and assembly paperwork, and so much more, they handle it all with care and dedication.

Thank you for everything you do to support our GRDC family. Your hard work makes a difference every day, and we truly couldn’t do it without you! We appreciate you!

Just a friendly reminder about respecting wildlife at the park! We have received reports of students chasing and throwing items at the geese, and we ask for your help in reminding our Miners to observe them from a safe distance. Chasing geese can frighten the animals and cause them to react defensively, potentially putting our students at risk of being chased or injured.

Please remind your children to enjoy watching the geese without chasing or disturbing them. Thank you for your support in helping our students make safe choices and show kindness and respect for the wildlife in our community!

As a reminder, make-up day photos are for the following: Students and staff that are new to your school since the original picture day Students and staff that were absent on the original picture day Students who are now purchasing photos Students and staff who would like to retake their photo. (Students should be returning their original package if they ordered)

Our annual 6th grade trip to Westminster Woods was a fantastic success! Students and adults alike enjoyed an unforgettable experience filled with learning, adventure, teamwork, and lasting memories. This trip helps our students build confidence, overcome challenges, strengthen friendships, and develop a deeper appreciation for nature.

A special shout-out to Cassandra Trevino for the many months of planning and organizing, and thank you to Stephanie Haas-Josue, Kristen DeJager, and all our parent chaperones for making this experience possible. We are also incredibly grateful to our PTO for their support. We couldn't do it without you! These experiences help our Miners grow both inside and outside the classroom!

We want to take a moment to remind everyone that student safety is our top priority during both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Please follow all traffic directions from staff, remain in your vehicle when using the drop-off and pick-up lines, park only in designated spaces, and drive slowly and attentively. Please do not use your phone while driving, block other vehicles, or attempt to pass or maneuver around the traffic lines.

Our staff members are outside each day working hard to ensure the safety of our students and families while keeping traffic moving smoothly. We ask that everyone remain patient, follow directions, and treat our staff and one another with courtesy and respect.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and orderly arrival and dismissal process for all of our GRDC families. Thank you for doing your part to keep our Miners safe!

GRDC FALL FESTIVAL IS COMING!

Get ready for an evening full of fall fun, games, and TRUNK-OR-TREATING! We can’t wait to celebrate with all of our GRDC families!

Friday, October 16th
5:00–7:00 PM
Gold River Discovery Center

Wristbands:
• $10 for 1 child
• $5 for each additional sibling

Purchase Fall Festival Wristbands Here⁠

Festival Fun Will Include:
Fall-themed festival games
Trunk-or-Treat
Pumpkin Patch
Petting Zoo
Photo Booth
AND MORE!

WANT TO HOST A TRUNK?
We’d love to have families decorate a trunk and help make our Trunk-or-Treat extra special!

Sign Up to Host a Trunk⁠

PTO Reminders and Upcoming Events :

PTO Membership Final

A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL GRDC FAMILIES!

We raised over $19,000 during our membership drive this year. We hit 95% of our goal this year! We are so grateful for everyone who joined, donated, shared, and helped make this possible.

CLASSROOM WINNERS!

The following classrooms earned a Pizza or Popsicle Party for having the highest membership participation:

TK-2: Elder and Lavery Tie w/15 memberships

3-5: Waldron 24 memberships

6-8: Marks 15 memberships

Honorable Mention:

Vidlund-21 Memberships

MEMBERSHIP PRIZE WINNERS

Adventurer Prize: Lauren Neff

Trailblazer Premium Prize: Gabriel Reina

Coordination for prizes and classroom parties will be delivered within the next two weeks.

Thank you all for your support and dedication to support our children and teachers. We cannot do without you!

10/16: Coffee Hour (7:15 AM – 8:00 AM)
Join us as we celebrate the start of the school year. Sponsored by 7th and 8th Grade!

10/16 Trunk or Treat (5:00-7:00 PM)

$10 dollar for a wristband

$5 dollar for sibling

Come out and enjoy the fun!

PTBoard.com

10/22 APEX Fun Run

Apex will be on campus beginning 10/12-10/22

Get ready to support your children as they raise money and run!

Thank you,

Gold River Discovery Center PTO

2200 Roaring Camp Road

Gold River, CA 95670

http://www.sanjuan.edu/GoldRiver

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