Robert Down Principal's Update

Dear Robert H. Down School Community,

A Warm Welcome Back to Robert Down Elementary!

I hope this summer has offered each of you a chance to relax and make cherished memories with family and friends. I was fortunate to spend some quality time with my family in Idaho and enjoy the beautiful outdoors while camping in Big Sur!

We're all incredibly excited to welcome you back to school very soon! As I step into my second year as principal of Robert Down Elementary and my 28th year serving students in education, I'm filled with enthusiasm for the year ahead.

Key Back-to-School Information

Class Lists will be posted at the front of the school and by email at 12:30 PM on Monday, August 4th. Only fully registered students will appear on the lists.

That same day, our TK and Kindergarten classes will host a special Meet and Greet from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. All new TK and Kindergarten families are encouraged to attend!

And don't miss the Welcome Back Picnic and Playdate hosted by our wonderful PTA from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Monday, August 4th! It's a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

The first day of school is Tuesday, August 5th. Gates will open promptly at 8:30 AM.

Mark your calendars for our Back to School Night on Thursday, August 14th, beginning at 6:15 PM. The PTA will have food trucks on campus starting at 5:00 PM, so come early, grab some dinner, and connect with other families before the program begins.

Exciting Updates & Improvements

We extend a huge thank you to our Facilities and Maintenance Department and our Custodial Team for their outstanding work this summer! Our campus has seen significant improvements, including:

• New roofing

• An upgraded HVAC system

• A new sign kiosk at the front of the school

• Replaced beams by the A-Wing

• A brand-new primary yard play structure and swings

• Removal of an old unusable portable

• Various essential classroom repairs

• Deep cleaning throughout our campus and classrooms

We're also thrilled to welcome Tanya Fadem, a fantastic Transitional Kindergarten teacher, who joins us from Forest Grove! In addition, we are so grateful to welcome back Rachel McNickle in 1st grade, Katie Spadoni, who will be joining Rachel in 1st grade, Maurisa Alt, who will be teaching Transitional Kindergarten this year, and Alex Jenner, who will be joining the 3rd grade team!

To better address our chronic absenteeism, please note a change in our policy: all Justifiable Absence Requests will now be processed as Requests for Independent Study. If you anticipate your child will be absent, please complete and submit this form to our office at least two weeks in advance. Otherwise, the absence will be marked as unexcused and may contribute to truancy.

We're delighted to announce that Spanish instruction will be provided for all 2nd through 5th graders this year!

Building Our "Culture of We" – Get Involved!

At Robert Down Elementary, we believe in the power of community. There are so many ways to get involved and support our students:

• Sign up here to join the Robert Down PTA! Your involvement makes a real difference.

• Complete this survey to let us know how you'd like to contribute or what you would like to learn more about. Opportunities abound, from joining the School Site Council or School Safety Committee, to volunteering in classrooms, with lunch supervision, or as a guest speaker.

Important Safety Updates

Thanks to the City of Pacific Grove, our school now has extended drop-off curbs on 13th and Spruce, along with a new walking path along 13th Street between Junipero and Spruce. We strongly encourage families to use this extended drop-off area to help ease traffic congestion on Pine Avenue. Plans are also underway to create a safer drop-off area on Pine Avenue. Many thanks to our Traffic Safety Subcommittee last year who helped to identify areas to work on and ideas to improve safety!

Upcoming Dates to Remember

• August 4th: Classroom Lists Posted (Front of School & Emailed) @ 12:30 PM

• August 4th: TK and Kindergarten Meet and Greet @ 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

• August 5th: First Day of School

• August 14th: Back to School Night (Food Trucks @ 5:00 PM, Program @ 6:15 PM - 7:30 PM)

We can't wait to see you all soon for a fantastic new school year!

Sincerely,

Emily Tsai Brownfield, Principal