Gold Rush Elementary
Principal's Message - February 7, 2025
“Foster Growth by Challenging Critical Thinkers to Take Risks,
Honor Differences & Care for Others”
CELEBRATING THE 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL
Our primary students recently celebrated a major milestone – the 100th day of school! What a fun and exciting way to mark this point in the year. Here’s a glimpse at the creativity, joy, and learning that took place across our Kindergarten and First Grade classrooms.
First Grade Fun: Our first graders had a blast imagining what they might be doing when they are 100 years old. Some students had delightful responses, like spending their days napping, taking care of their cats, and, of course, reading books. It was a heartwarming and humorous activity that sparked wonderful conversations about aging and what the future might hold.
Kindergarten Celebrations: Kindergarten students also enjoyed a day filled with 100th day-themed activities. They represented the number 100 in a variety of ways, bringing in collections of 100 items such as crayons, stickers, and playing cards. They also had a hands-on math experience, creating colorful 100th day necklaces with ten groups of ten items. It was a fantastic way to reinforce counting, grouping, and the concept of tens.
100th Day Parade: To wrap up the celebrations, our youngest students dressed up as 100-year-olds, complete with gray hair, glasses, and walking canes! The students then paraded through the school, proudly showing off their costumes and spreading smiles all around. The 100th Day Parade was a wonderful way to end a special day of learning and fun.
READING, WRITING, SPEAKING & LISTENING IN SPANISH
Being able to offer weekly Spanish classes for all students is an incredible opportunity for our students to develop their language skills. We are grateful to our community for making it possible through the passing of 5A.
It’s been wonderful to see students engage with the language in so many ways—reading, writing, speaking, and listening. As you may know, 90% of the class is taught in Spanish, which encourages students to actively listen, infer meaning, and immerse themselves in the language. It’s truly a dynamic and hands-on learning experience for them.
In the second semester, we’re excited to share that Mrs. Sutherland has been incorporating more Spanish literature into her lessons. This addition allows students to explore the language through stories, improving both their comprehension and their appreciation for the richness of Spanish culture.
To support you and your family as you navigate this exciting journey, Mrs. Sutherland has created a webpage filled with resources that can be used at home to continue fostering your child’s language development. You can find her page by clicking here.
A big thank you to Mrs. Sutherland for her dedication to making Spanish a meaningful and engaging experience for all our students. Her passion for language and teaching is truly inspiring!
GO FOR THE G.O.L.D. DIGGER STYLE
Did you know that Gold Rush Elementary is home to the very first Young Rotarians Club in the world? This incredible milestone showcases the dedication and enthusiasm of our students to make a positive impact on our school, our community, and the world.
The Young Rotarians Club has been hard at work on several exciting service projects this year, and one initiative stands out in particular. This year, the club decided to support a very special member of our Gold Rush family: Digger the Gold Retriever. Digger has quickly become a beloved part of our school, and the Young Rotarians wanted to make sure everyone knew how to interact safely with our furry friend.
The club created an educational video titled "Go for the G.O.L.D. Digger Style" that demonstrates how students should and should not behave when interacting with dogs. The video features students modeling safe and respectful ways to approach and engage with animals. It’s both informative and fun, and we encourage all families to watch it together.
The Young Rotarians felt strongly that teaching dog safety is an essential part of keeping our students and animals safe—both at school and in the wider community. This initiative is just one example of how these young leaders are contributing to a culture of kindness and responsibility at Gold Rush.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to our Young Rotarians for their hard work and thoughtful approach to this important issue. Their efforts remind us all of the power of collaboration and service, and we are so proud of the positive impact they’re having!
PTO STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK
Join the GRE family in showing our GRE team some love Feb. 10-13 th by participating in our dress up spirit days and challenging yourself to complete Acts of Appreciation each day next week as we lead up to Valentine's day. PTO will also be sponsoring teacher gifts and treats each day this week to shower our GRE team with our appreciation. Thank you for your generous donations and participation at PTO events that make these gifts possible!