Dear Robert H. Down School Community,
Welcome to another exciting week at Robert Down Elementary!
Thank You, Volunteers!
We want to extend a huge thank you to all the parents who have chaperoned our recent field trips. Your support makes these valuable learning experiences possible, and we couldn't do it without you.
A Month of Celebrations
Did you know that September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month? Thanks to the hard work of parent Jackie Seitz and our Spanish teacher, Liliana Núñez, our school now has a beautiful bulletin board and display celebrating the rich contributions of Hispanic individuals and cultures from around the world.
We also had a special visitor for Constitution Day on September 17. The Honorable Judge Ian Rivamonte spoke with our fifth-grade students about the history and importance of the Constitution. Our librarian, Anne Scanlon, also created an engaging bulletin board for all students to enjoy.
Recently, we have been able to use some of the produce grown in our school garden in the food served in our Cafeteria! Examples include tomatoes and cucumbers in the salad and flatbread, as well as green beans in the mixed veggies with rice. Many thanks to Miss Heidi and Farmer Keith, our Garden Coordinators, for engaging our students in maintaining our school garden!
Upcoming Events and Important Information
Picture Day is Wednesday, September 24! If you need to order photos, flyers with information were sent home a few weeks ago, and a QR code with details is posted on the front office door.
Save the Date for the Butterfly Parade and Butterfly Bazaar on Saturday, October 4. More information will be coming soon from your child's teacher.
Safety and Attendance Updates
Modified Lockdown Drill: Our school will conduct a modified lockdown drill on Tuesday, September 23, at 9:15 AM. We are practicing these drills to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Here is an overview of the procedure along with the script I plan to use during the drill.
Attendance Campaign: We're launching an attendance campaign to encourage students to arrive at school on time every day. Each month, students can earn a special "star" for perfect attendance. Please note that 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.
Join Our "Culture of We"
We are committed to nurturing a sense of belonging at Robert Down and encourage every family to get involved.
Mix and Mingle: If you signed up to donate an item or items to Mix and Mingle, please note they are due Friday, September 19. If the items are non-alcoholic, they may be dropped off at the school. Anyone with alcoholic item donations should email president@robertdownpta.org for the drop off location.
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.
Garden Needs: Our Garden is in need of 6 cell packs and 4 inch pots. If you have some laying around in your yard, please consider donating them to the RHD Garden Program. Feel free to drop them off at the front office and we will make sure they get to our Garden.
Technology Committee is a subcommittee of our School Site Council. Click here to indicate your interest in joining to provide input on a school-based technology plan to guide how we want technology to be used by students at Robert Down.
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! 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 once per school year. (Fingerprints only need to be cleared once while your child is enrolled in PGUSD.)
Upcoming Dates to Remember
September 19: PTA Dine Out Pizza My Way (Mention Robert Down)
September 24: Picture Day
September 26: PTA presents: Taco Bingo Night 5-7PM
October 4: Butterfly Parade/Butterfly Bazaar
October 13-17: Fall Break- NO SCHOOL
With gratitude,
Emily Tsai Brownfield, Principal
