Robert Down Principal's Update

Month of May - Mental Health Awareness & Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May 22–23 - 5th Grade Campout

May 25 - Memorial Day (No School)

May 29 - Last Day of School

• 5th Grade Promotion (11:30 AM)

• Family Picnic (11:50 AM)

• Dismissal @ 12:15 PM

August 5, 2026 - First Day of the 2026-2027 School Year!

⏰ Last Day of School Schedule (Friday, May 29)

Can you believe summer is almost here? We have an action-packed final day planned. Please note that school dismissal is at 12:15 PM, and the Monarch Club will close early at 3:00 PM.

9:20 AM – 10:00 AM

10:10 AM – 11:50 AM

11:30 AM – 11:45 AM

11:50 AM – 12:15 PM

🛡️ Safety & Campus Corners

• Helmet Safety: We have had recent student injuries involving bikes and e-bikes. Please ensure your child wears a helmet every single time they ride and remains fully aware of their surroundings.

• Accessible Parking: Please reserve campus accessible parking spaces strictly for families with valid placards.

• Toys at Home: Please keep personal toys and sentimental items at home to prevent loss or playground "heartbreak."

• Join the Team: We are currently hiring Crossing Guards to keep our students safe! View & Apply Here.

• Summer Moves: Moving away before the 2026–2027 school year? Please notify us as soon as possible at rhdoffice@pgusd.org.

Wishing each of you a wonderful, restful Memorial Day weekend!

WIth joy,

Emily Tsai Brownfield, Principal

We are now happy to accept Short-Term Independent Study Request Forms digitally (see link below). Please remember, the request needs to be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the first day of your child's absence.

Justifiable Absence for Short-Term Independent Study Request Form

Did you know that you can report your child's absence with your ParentVUE app? Simply log into your ParentVUE account to send the office a message about why your child is absent.

* Ways to report a student absent *

a) ParentVUE app (click the bell icon next to your child's name)

b) 24 Hour Absence Line (831) 646-6663

If you plan on being a VOLUNTEER on campus or a CHAPERONE for a field trip, please be sure you are fingerprint cleared with our district. To make an appointment at the District Office please contact Bree Nehring by calling 607-8892 or emailing bnehring@pgusd.org

Before coming to campus to volunteer, please check with your child's teacher to schedule a time that works best for them.

Pre-registration for the 2026-2027 school year is OPEN for new to the district TK and Kindergarten age children. If you have a child turning 4 or 5 years old by September 1, 2026, please submit a NEW STUDENT PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

Turn 4 years old on or before 9/1/26 = Transitional Kindergarten (TK)

Turn 5 years old on or before 9/1/26 = Kindergarten

If your child is a current student at Robert Down you do not need to submit a pre-registration form. This form is only for new to the district children.

This notice is to tell you about our voluntary program designed to build the RHD library and foster your child’s love of reading.

Here is how it works: To join the Robert H. Down Birthday Book Club fill out the information below (scroll way down to the bottom of this message to print the Birthday Book forms) and deposit it in the Drop Box at school along with a check for $20.00 (please make the check payable to the P.G.U.S.D. and write R.H.D. Birthday Book on the memo line).

When your child’s birthday month comes around Ms. Scanlon will present a new book in honor of your child’s birthday. Your child will be the first one to check out and read the book that has been donated to the library to celebrate their birthday. A bookplate with your child’s name will be affixed to the inside cover for all future readers to appreciate.

Our teachers worked directly with 1st Day School Supplies to build next year’s lists.

That means when you order, you are getting exactly what your child’s teacher requested.

No substitutions.

No second-guessing.

It is a simple, organized way to start the school year confident and prepared.

Order today!

Purchase of these items through 1st Day of School is optional and would be considered a donation to the school and is a fundraiser for PTA.

Robert Down is proud of our commitment to social and emotional learning (SEL). Both of the programs we use, Toolbox and Second Step, are aligned with the Center for Social and emotional learning (CASEL). You can learn about CASEL and our SEL programs below.

https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework/

Robert Down SEL Programs:

1. TOOLBOX

Toolbox is taught in every classroom at RD and on ‘Toolbox Tuesdays’ during P.E. time with Mrs. Tobin and Mr. Dixon. Robert Down has embraced this program for over ten years.

https://toolboxproject.com/https://toolboxproject.com/

2. SECOND STEP

We are in our second year of piloting the Second Step program. Second Step is a research-based program that focuses on developing human skills. Students (K-5) have two second-step lessons per month and 15 in total throughout the year.

https://www.secondstep.org/digital-k-12-curriculum

Website: https://robertdown.pgusd.org/
Location: 485 Pine Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
Phone: (831) 646-6540

Email: RHDOffice@pgusd.org