The Gator Gab Inaugural Edition🐊

I want to say thank you for the warm welcome. Every person I met today was so kind and welcoming. I am truly overwhelmed. The kids were just the best. They were respectful and funny. I loved that many students took the initiative, walked up to me, and asked if I was the new principal. I was able to make it to a few classes today. I plan to visit all classes by the end of the week.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to join this amazing community. I cannot wait to learn more about your child, you, and the community. I really look forward to supporting and working with the teachers and staff to ensure our students are receiving rigorous instruction that also meets their needs. I will more than likely always be out front of the school near the Multipurpose Room every day before and after school. At times, I will make my way over to Stewart Street and hangout over there. Wherever I am please come say hello and introduce yourself.

You will notice the baseball background. As you get to know me, you will learn I am a huge baseball fan. I tested a couple of classrooms today on which team is the best team in baseball. Unfortunately, the classes were not successful. This weekend is a HUGE weekend for the best team in baseball. After The PADRES beat the Dodgers, the world will know!

Have a wonderful weekend. Congrats on the first full week of school. See you Monday.

Go Padres!

Doyal Martin, Principal

Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary School

FCUSD

Starting Monday, August 18th, Gallardo Elementary along with all FCUSD schools are closed campuses. Per FCUSD Board Closed Campus Policy (5112.5), the campus is closed to non-employee adults. To have access to the campus please check in at the front office, check in, wear the provided badge. If you are able and willing the ideal method to drop off your child is to use the "Hug-N-Go" lane. Drive up to the front of the school in the right lane and give them a big hug. They can safely and independently walk to their classroom. Students are allowed to walk to their rooms at 8:12am.

Please send your child to school with shoes meant for playing. Shoes must have a back strap and stay comfortably on their feet. Crocs are not good shoes for PE.

• 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 TK-5 are dismissed at 1:15 pm.

• August 7-29 - Minimum Day Schedule - Grades K, 1st, 2nd: First three weeks of school grades K, 1, 2 will be on a minimum day schedule (teachers assess students):

• 8:15 am-1:21 pm (M, T, W, F)

• 8:15 am-1:15 pm (Thursday)

• 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.

An after school art class with Curious Brush is coming to Gallardo! The class will be on Tuesdays from 2:50-3:50pm in Room 24 and is open to 1st-5th graders. Classes start Aug 26th and will run 8 weeks. Cost is $200 and includes all art supplies. Visit this link to register.

Our first PTA Meeting of the year is coming up on Wednesday, August 27th at 7pm in the Multi. We will be discussing the Calendar of Events and Budget for 2025-26 as well as hearing from our Board and Chair members on upcoming programs and initiatives. There will even be an ice cream sundae bar! You don’t want to miss it!

Make sure you JOIN PTA before the meeting so you can vote on ALL of the things! Memberships are $12 for the year and can be completed on our PTA Website.

We are still in need of a Financial Secretary and Historian as well as many Chair Positions. Please visit https://gallardopta.membershiptoolkit.com/ptapositions to read more about our positions and to complete our interest survey!

Don’t be green with envy, be green and show your school spirit! On Fridays we wear Gator Gear! This year we’re continuing our partnership with American Logowear, a local Folsom business, to bring you better quality Gator Gear at an affordable price and NO SHIPPING costs. T-shirts are now just under $14! There is an assortment of other gear to select from, too! Get gear for the whole family! Use this link to order!

Our PTA pulls off amazing things—but only with your help! Between our Giving Gators campaign, business donor program, Box Tops for Education, monthly Restaurant Nights, and our Rock & Run event on October 24th; there are plenty of opportunities to raise funds for our students. And every dollar raised goes straight back to creating awesome experiences and opportunities for our students. Want to get involved? It’s easy! Just check out the “Support Our Students” tab on our PTA Membership Toolkit Site for all the details. Let’s show our Gator pride and make this year unforgettable!

During the school year, Gallardo’s PTA partners with a local eatery or shop to host a Spirit Night fundraiser benefiting our school. Most businesses give 20% (or more) from your purchase back to the school! On August 20th , skip cooking dinner or at least come by for dessert because Leatherby’s is hosting our first Restaurant Spirit Night! Keep an eye out for more reminders. We hope to see you and your family there!

SPIRIT NIGHT REMINDERS

August 20: Spirit Night @ Leatherby’s 3 pm-11 pm

September 5: Spirit Night @ Kona Ice when you come to Gators on the Green!

September 16: Spirit Night @ Beach Hut Deli 4 pm-8 pm

Help keep our kids fit and enthusiastic about running by helping with mileage club. We are in need of Category 2 Cleared volunteers to come during first recess for Grades 1-5. You would be needed 9:40-10:50am weekly, preferably on the same day of the week. Please email GallardoPTA@gmail.com if interested with your preferred day of the week.

Our health office is in need of the following supplies: healthy snacks, small paper cups, new socks and underwear in all sizes and gently used clothing. Please bring all items to the front office. We are also still collecting empty cereal boxes for the STEM Lab and boxes of Otter Pops for events through the year. Those donations can be left in the office as well. Thank you!

We're looking for volunteers to help make Gators on the Green a slam-dunk success!

Join us on Friday, September 5 from 5:30-7pm for this All-Star Sports themed back-to-school bash — a free, fun-filled evening for the whole family. From setup to clean up, your help makes it all happen!

Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AADAA23ABF8C52-57793310-gators#/

Thank you for helping us create a VIP experience for every student!

Questions? Contact Sheree Corbett at Sheree.Corbett@gmail.com or 530-306-6283

Aug 20 Leatherby’s Spirit Night 3-11pm

Aug 21 PTA Event Chair Training 6pm, Library

Aug 27 PTA General Meeting 7pm, Multi

Sept 5 Gators on the Green 5:30-7pm

Sept 11 Anxious Generation Parent Book Club-Session 1 (more details to come)

Sept 16 Beach Hut Deli Spirit Night 4-8pm

Sept 23 Blake Brandes Parent Night 6-7pm, Riverview Elementary School

Oct 2 Anxious Generation Parent Book Club- Session 2