Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday: Monday
There is no school next Monday, January 16, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 17, with a 7-period day.
First Semester Report Cards
Congratulations to all students (and their families) for successfully completing the first semester. Please note that Report Cards were mailed home and released online last week. If you have not received your copy, please contact Tracy Ahrens in our Main Office at tracyahrens@grauerschool.com or at (760) 944-6777. Thank you and welcome to the second semester!
Scheduling Changes and Honors Contracts
Please note that we will be making second semester elective scheduling changes through Friday, January 20. This deadline is especially pertinent for our 7th grade students enrolled in one of our World Language rotations—please let us know by this deadline if you would prefer to enroll in a Study Skills and Organization class during Period 3 for this academic quarter. After this date, students may withdraw from a class and enroll in Study Hall, but not a different elective course. Additionally, Friday, January 20 is the deadline for submitting completed Honors contracts for the second semester to Alicia Tembi. Students who successfully completed Honors in a year-long class during the first semester do not need to submit a new contract should they wish to continue with Honors for the second semester.
High School ASB Presents 2023 Grauer Pet Contest: This Week
The High School ASB will be presenting the 2023 Grauer Pet Contest this week. Students and faculty/staff signed up to enter the contest last week. Participants will compete for a cash prize of $20 and a picture of the winning pet in the yearbook. The contest will take place online through Google Forms for the first round of competition, and on the field for the final round of competition. Contestants can dress up their pet as anything they want and submit video or photo submissions through a Google Form, and the Grauer school community will vote on all of the entries. Please note: you cannot vote for your own pet. Once the top 3 pets are chosen through the online voting process, those 3 pets are the ones that can come to school and judges will vote on the winner. Contact Sage S. '23 or Embry R. '23 if you have any questions.
Grauer Literary Society Meeting: Friday
The next Grauer Literary Society meeting will be this Friday, January 13, at Noon at the Hearst Tower, located on the rooftop of The Justice Center (weather permitting). The book that will be discussed is The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson. A haunting novel spanning several generations, The Seed Keeper follows a Dakhóta family’s struggle to preserve their way of life, and their sacrifices to protect what matters most. All Grauer parents, alumni parents, and community members are invited to join our group - just send an email to Sheila Wirick at sheilawirick@grauerschool.com to be added to the mailing list.
Parent Association Presents: Hike and New Years Intention-Setting: January 20
All parents are invited to join the Parent Association on Friday, January 20 at 9:00am for a New Years Hike! We will meet at Bird Rock Coffee in Del Mar for coffee and an intention setting practice led by Grauer Parent, Sara Johnson. As a group, we will then hike Torrey Pines State Park, which is approximately 3.5 miles and will take roughly 1.5 hours. You may also choose to walk the beach. Join us for any or all of this fun New Years get-together! Please RSVP here and feel free to contact PA Co-Presidents Julie Silvaor Diane Zeps for more information.
The High School ASB Presents Ping Pong Tournament: Week of January 23
The High School ASB will be hosting a Ping Pong Tournament the week of January 23. It costs $5 to participate and the winner will win a big portion of the prize pool. If you would like to participate, Ethan D. '23 and Adrien C. '23 will have a sign-up table outside of Dana's room throughout next week.
Save the Date! Theatre Department Presents: "Little Women": January 26-27
The Theatre Department will be presenting "Little Women" on Thursday, January 26, and Friday, January 27, directed by Erin Langen. The show will start at 7:00pm on both evenings. Save the date on your calendar now so you can watch this spectacular performance by our talented actors!
The Middle School ASB Presents Middle School Dance: February 3
Attention Middle School students! Middle School ASB is hosting a Middle School Dance on Friday, February 3, in Meyer Hall from 6:00-8:30pm. The theme is “Blast From the Past.” Pizza, snacks, and drinks will be provided. Tickets will be on sale for $10 beginning Monday, January 23.
Our Reputation Matters: Please Leave a Review
What our current parents and students say about The Grauer School ensures our reputation and drives new families to look at the amazing education we offer. The Niche school ranking service has informed us that "The Grauer School is once again a top school in the San Diego area", and we have an A+ rating on their school ranking service. Please click here to leave a review for us on Niche, describing what makes our school and your student's experience so unique. We are deeply appreciative of your time and comments.
Lunch Service Changing to Ki's School Lunches: January 30
The Grauer School is happy to announce we will be switching hot lunch service from Choice Lunch back to Ki's School Lunches starting on Monday, January 30. Prior to COVID, The Grauer School had partnered with Ki’s for over ten years. As with many small businesses, Ki's had to put lunch delivery on hold during COVID. We are very happy to be back with Ki's and help support a local business. Ki's menu provides a healthy, natural and delicious lunch which will be delivered every day to the school. You'll find that the menu offers many selections for all dietary needs. Click here to find out how to sign up for Ki's lunches and a preview of the menu, and you can click here to learn more about Ki's lunch program on their website. You can go ahead and set up an account and submit orders now for the week of January 30 and beyond. If you have any questions, contact Tracy Ahrens.
Order Your Yearbook Now
Students and parents can click here to order your Grauer yearbook now for $70. The price will increase to $75 in February.
CALENDAR
View the 2022-2023 Grauer Academic Calendar Overview: Click here
View the Grauer Public Calendar on our website: Click here
Add the Grauer Public Google Calendar to your calendar system: Click here
Wednesday, January 11
~ Discover Grauer Tour, 9:15-10:30am (please RSVP to attend) Friday, January 13
~ Even Week (2,4,6,5)
~ Grauer Literary Society Meeting, 12:00pm Sunday, January 15
~ Shockwave High School Robotics Team Meet #3, Chula Vista Monday, January 16
~ No School (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday) Tuesday, January 17
~ 7-Period Day Thursday, January 19
~ Discover Grauer Tour, 9:15-10:30am (please RSVP to attend) Friday, January 20
~ Parent Association Presents: Torrey Pines Hike, 9:00am (Bird Rock Coffee)
~ Last Day for Scheduling Changes and Honors Contracts Friday, January 20-Saturday, January 21
~ Girl Rising Club Presents: 12-Hour Dance Marathon, 8:00pm to 8:00am (Meyer Hall) Monday, January 23
~ The High School ASB Presents: Ping Pong Tournament Wednesday, January 25
~ Discover Grauer Tour, 9:15-10:30am (please RSVP to attend) Thursday, January 26-Friday, January 27
~ The Theater Department Presents: "Little Women", 7:00pm Friday, February 3
~ The Middle School ASB Presents: Middle School Dance, 6:00-8:30pm (Meyer Hall) Thursday, February 9
~ Discover Grauer Tour, 9:15-10:30am (please RSVP to attend) Saturday, May 6
~ Annual Grauer Gala Saturday, May 13
~ High School Prom (please save the date)
IMPORTANT LINKS
~ Attendance Office: Tracy Ahrens, tracyahrens@grauerschool.com, 760-944-6777 option 5 - refer to the Parent Portal on the school's website for detailed Attendance Policy information
~ Daily Lunch Program:ChoiceLunch through 1/27, Ki's School Lunches starting 1/30
~ Yearbook Orders:Jostens Store
Grauer parents are, by far, our best source of referrals for new families. We know you want your kids to be surrounded by other great kids, and we take your recommendations to heart. Do you know a friend or a family that would make a great addition to our Grauer community? Please invite them to sign up for one of our remaining Discover Grauer Tours on January 11,January 19, January 25, and February 9 from 9:15-10:30am.
Please ask your friends to RSVP for a campus tour at www.grauerschool.com. You can also use the "Welcome Your Friends to Grauer" page on our website to tell us about friends that you'd like to invite to a Discover Grauer Day event. Just fill out the brief referral form, and our Admissions team will contact your friend to start a conversation about their visit to Grauer. Thank you!
Visual Arts Department Presents: Winter Photography Contest - Due Wednesday
The Visual Arts Department invites students to enter the Winter Photography Contest. You can submit photos of anything relating to winter - for example, you can submit photos in the categories of nature/wildlife, people, and holiday-themed photos. Click here or use the QR code with your mobile device to submit your photos by this Wednesday, January 11. The person whose photo gets the most votes will win a prize! Contact Johnny King for any questions.
Girl Rising Club Presents 12-Hour Dance Marathon: January 20-21
The Girl Rising Club will be hosting a 12-hour Dance Marathon from Friday, January 20 at 8:00pm through Saturday, January 21, at 8:00am. Tickets for students will be $25 per person, and they will be sold at lunchtime - cash or Venmo is accepted. Each person will register with a dance partner, and the club members can help pair you with someone if you don't have a partner. Students can wear their pajamas. Dinner, snacks and breakfast will be provided. There will be a professional DJ, games, karaoke and a movie playing throughout the night in the Music room.
This event will help the club raise money for Daraja Academy in Kenya, which is an all-girls school that provides education to girls who would otherwise not be able to go to school. The Girl Rising Club has already raised just over $2,000 of their $2,500 goal this year, and they hope to raise the rest during a fun night of dancing! The Girl Rising Club and Daraja are extremely grateful for any sponsors and donations. Sponsor sheets are being passed out at school or you can directly donate through Venmo (@Alicia-Tembi). Any donations are greatly appreciated!
Weekly Columns
Principal's Desk
Do you really need grades?
This column ran in October; however, I wanted to run it again as we enter the second semester. Middle School students are welcome to sign-up for our ungraded option for course assessment. Please let us know if you are interested in giving ungraded courses a try for this semester.
The Grauer School operates under a core value of Intrinsic Motivation. Intrinsic motivation and a love of learning is modeled and valued by our faculty. Curiosity is the spark that ignites intellectual pursuit and creates passionate learners. Expeditions, guest speakers, and creative programs complement required subject matter to stimulate young minds.
What motivates you to learn? What motivates your child? Even though we issue grades at The Grauer School, we recognize that not all students are motivated by grades—and that is OK. Educational experts like Dr. Stuart Grauer and Alfie Kohn share educational research contending that grades actually prevent students from truly engaging in the process of learning. Some of the research includes:
Issuing grades trains students to work solely for a grade. When grades are taken away, many students have no validation that they’re good students.
Once many students achieve their goal of earning an “A”, their learning stops.
Many students who are not good at learning—or are not good at playing the “game” of school--disengage from the learning process when they have to learn in a structured way and feel that their academic efforts are not being recognized.
Many students are actually demotivated by structured learning and the allocation of rewards (like grades).
We are pleased to roll out the option of Ungraded Classes for our Middle School students this term. Any student in grade 7-8 may take any Middle School class (Algebra 1 and High School World Language classes are exempt) ungraded for the remainder of the school year. Students will still receive comments on their Weekly Report discussing their academic strengths and growth areas. Mastery Learning levels will be set at zero; however, students will be allowed to upgrade assignments that they wish to master at a higher level. At the end of the quarter and semester, students will receive a “Pass” or “Fail” on their Report Cards, along with a detailed comment addressing their academic progress over the term.
If you think that this might be a good option for your child, have questions or concerns, or would like to sign-up, please feel free to contact Dana at dana@grauerschool.com.
Deans' View
Positive Ways
As we walk into 2023, observe your ways of talking to others, your support for those around you, but more importantly your personal narrative. Keeping your narrative positive not only can benefit you and your self confidence, but it can inspire others around you. Imagine the power we all could have, just by uplifting our friends, family, and community.
We sometimes tease or joke around with each other to the point where feelings are hurt. Instead of those interactions getting to that point, turn it around and make each other feel confident, supported, and appreciated. Modeling positivity is producing hope in your relationships, and giving you the self-assurance to be successful in all you are involved in.
Let’s all embrace building each other up and seeing the best in everyone we meet, and in everything that we do. As a Grauer community, we truly do have the power of showing and spreading “Compassion”.
Click here if you'd like to subscribe to Dr. Grauer's weekly column!
Bill Toone: "On the Wings of the Condor"
Esteemed conservationist Bill Toone's new memoir takes readers on wild single-engine plane rides through thick jungle treks, across shaky canyon-spanning footbridges, pirogue boats and pole barges as his teams face dangerous conditions and the difficult politics of conservation. Dr. Grauer became friends with Bill Toone through The Grauer School's conservation work.
Archery Program
Archery Season is now underway for Middle School and High School students. Practices will be held every week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:15-5:00pm on the Grauer archery range (weather permitting). OAS (Olympic Archery in Schools) competitions will take place in March and April - click here to view the season schedule.
High School Co-Ed Soccer with Coach Morgan Brown
High School Co-ed Soccer with Coach Morgan Brown will be starting later than usual this year, with practices starting in February and games in March. Games will take place at the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA in Encinitas.
Middle School Winter Season Sports
The season is underway for Middle School Girls Soccer with Coach Paulina Davis-Fisher - click here to view the season schedule. Practices will be continuing this week for Middle SchoolBoys Basketball with Coach Johnny King - click here to view the season schedule. Both teams have their first games this Thursday, January 12 (weather permitting) - the Girls Soccer team will be playing their game at The Children's School at 3:45pm, and the Boys Basketball team's home game will be played vs. The Rhoades School at 3:30pm on our newly resurfaced basketball court. Go, Gorillas!
In The Garden Stephanie Murphy and Sally Grauer will be working in the garden on Wednesdays and Saturdaysfrom 8:00am to 11:00am, unless a garden event is happening at that time and if the weather permits. Volunteers are welcome to come on campus and join them in the garden on those days.
Thank you to Mother Nature for delivering much-needed rain! The Greenhouse Garden rain gauge has recorded 2.5" of rain for the month of January so far, which is more than the monthly average of 2.2" for Encinitas, so we are especially thankful for that. Due to the rain and the super saturated soil, gardening is going indoors for a few weeks. We'll be working on indoor projects, as well as planning the summer garden and attending classes. Yesterday, we met with Mike Wilken, author of the book Kumeyaay Ethnobotany to discuss plants that were important to the Kumeyaay. We will be adding a few plants to enhance our already fairly substantial collection of native plants on the native habitat trails adjacent to the campus. We are also enhancing signage, and creating an activity for which we will be posting volunteer research opportunities soon.
In between storms, we delivered the rose bushes to school, and have placed them near their final planting spots. We will be creating our new Rose Garden, as well as other gardening tasks, on February 4. Thank you to Simon Checa for picking up and delivering the needed supplies for this project. For anyone interested in learning how to prune roses, you may be interested in the Annual Pruning Demonstration at Balboa Park this Saturday, January 14 - rain or shine.
This week, Grom and Philip the chickens received nail trims, and Grom received her monthly beak trim. We have also made a few adjustments to the chicken coop in order to help keep the chickens dry. Thank you to Simon for putting tarps over the chicken coop, fixing a fence post and removing a small fallen tree due to the rain, as well as many more tasks to help make the campus more beautiful, safe and functional! Lulu the tortoise happily warms herself on her heat mat and continues to enjoy munching on the winter greens from the garden. Parent Molly Halterman will be on campus tomorrow for the monthly pond cleaning. Thanks, Molly!
While reinforcing our rain diversion channels on the native habitat trails for the upcoming rainstorms, we noticed some beautiful lichen growing on a dead branch - see the picture below and click here to read more about this beautiful fungus. Also pictured is the lovely Miner's (or Indian) lettuce, which we are growing in a raised bed and the patch - click here to learn more about it.
NOTE: Stephanie will not be in the garden during regularly scheduled days this week or next (January 9-22) due to the forecasted rain, classes and other indoor projects. While it may not be actively raining, the soil is too wet to work or walk on. Walking on wet soil compacts it and damages root zones, even on well-established trees and plants.
Upcoming Event Grauer Garden Volunteer Event for Students and Families - Saturday, February 4 - 8:00am-12:00pm. Last year in February, we held an amazing Campus Beautification event where many folks from our school's community came out to help spread compost, plant plants and generally beautify the campus. This year, we will be holding a similar event. While all of the details have not been settled, please save Saturday, February 4 to volunteer in the garden on tasks including helping us plant our new Rose Garden under the supervision of rose expert and Grauer Board of Trustees Member Reggie Rowe, removing dead plants and debris from the wildlife corridor, weeding, and much more. A SignUpGenius invitation will be coming soon.
Events & Activities at The Grauer School
Grauer Alumni Panel Speaks About College Life
On Tuesday, January 10, the Grauer Alumni Office hosted a panel of 9 Grauer alumni students, including Jenna Cardno ‘22 (Laguna College of Art & Design), Lourdes Figueroa ‘22 (Johns Hopkins University), Mo Hetzer ‘22 (California Lutheran University), Dominic Smith ‘22 (California Lutheran University), Lucy Stockton ‘22 (University of San Francisco), Mia Bachrack ‘21 (Cornell University), Citrine Weir ‘21 (Sarah Lawrence College), Jason Wexler ‘21 (Boston University), and Nick Gardner ‘18 (Rochester Institute of Technology).
The alumni students were a very impressive, confident, and well-spoken group. They talked with Grauer Juniors and Seniors about their college experiences on topics including how Grauer prepared them for college, which of Grauer's Core Values they have used most in college, advocating for themselves, roommate and campus dining experiences, and much more. Some of their advice about college life included: be open to new experiences; you will make mistakes but you will learn from them; it's important to be organized to get everything done; take care of yourself with eating right and getting enough sleep; find your friend group in clubs or in other groups with students that share your passions; and have fun!"
Special thanks to Sheila Wirick, Grauer’s Alumni Relations Officer, for organizing this event for our Grauer community, and to Shelley Joslin and Alicia Tembi for being the moderators of the event!
Engineering Design Class Projects
From Ryan Stevens, Engineering Design Teacher:
During the first semester of Engineering Design classes, students learned basic engineering and physics principles, as well as some elements of the design process. They also learned how to use Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software, specifically Fusion 360. For their final projects at the end of the first semester, they had to design and build a prototype of a small device that could accomplish a simple task. Some examples of their projects include: Gavin N. '26 and Mac R. '24 each designed a hand-cranked machine that would hit a key on a keyboard as fast as possible; Augie K. '26 designed a device to perfectly trace out a circle with a pencil; Colin E. '24 created a rendered model of a turbocharger engine; and Zaid K. '25 created a water gun.
Kumeyaay Expert Visits Grauer
From Alicia Tembi, U.S. History Teacher:
8th grade US History students enjoyed presentations this week by Mike Wilken-Roberston, local cultural anthropologist, professor of Anthropology at California State San Marcos, and author of Kumeyaay Ethnobotany. Mike has lived with, studied, and taught about the Kumeyaay for decades. He shared information about the Kumeyaay way of life, and explored the Grauer campus and native wildlife corridor with us to teach us all about the medicinal uses of various plants that the Kumeyaay would have relied upon. For example, we learned about the various ways a Prickly Pear cactus can be eaten, and about how both Black Sage and Yerba Santa can be used to relieve a cough and other respiratory symptoms. In total we explored over a dozen different plant species! Mike's presentation was incredibly interesting, and we all benefited from learning about how the Kumeyaay were really the first environmentalists.
Geometry Class: Measuring Planet Distances and Scales
From Peter Mannisto, Geometry Teacher:
At the beginning of the second semester, Geometry students are learning about similar shapes and scaling shapes up and down. As a fun example, students measured how big the planets and their orbits would be if the sun were scaled down to the size of a tennis ball (the tennis ball sun is located at the far right of the first photo below). As the students found out, the planets would be tiny (the Earth would be the size of a grain of sand!), but their orbits would still be too big to be contained in The Grauer School's campus! But we were able to get all of the planets out to Saturn by walking to the end of the basketball court, and then Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (yes - we included Pluto) we measured by walking around campus, with Elsie W. '26 pacing out the scaled measurements for our group. This activity was a nice little break from our usual math work, and a chance to contemplate the vastness of space!
Counselor's Corner
From Shelley Joslin, Director of Counseling:
Summer Programs
Summer programs are open and accepting applicants - click here to learn about many offerings for the summer of 2023, from domestic programs in the United States to programs where you can travel abroad, including both academic and service program options. This is a working list and will be edited and updated as needed throughout this semester. Please reach out to Shelley with any questions.
Summer Program Spotlight:Stevens Institute of Technology Pre-College Program
Pre-College Summer programs at Stevens Institute of Technology, located in Hoboken, New Jersey, allow you to explore your ideas and interests in an inspiring academic environment. Students will be working with cutting-edge technology, exploring a potential major, learning in state of the art facilities, collaborating with our exceptional faculty, and experiencing the amazing views of New York City. Click here to learn more.
Community Service
From Jessi Brown, Humanitarian Service Coordinator:
Volunteering Opportunities For Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday: January 16
The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make our communities more equitable and take action to create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream. While Dr. King believed the Beloved Community was possible, he acknowledged and fought for systemic change. His example is our call to action. Observed each year on the third Monday in January (which is on January 16 this year), MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
Making time to volunteer for the MLK Day of Service is a great way to engage with your community while honoring the legacy of Dr. King. Whether you plan on cleaning up a public space, mentoring someone else, or assisting those who are food insecure, what you do makes a world of difference.
The Grauer School encourages you and your family to give back on MLK Day this year on Monday, January 16. Here are some local opportunities:
Several Grauer school students and teachers will be participating in the 15th Annual Interfaith Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in Balboa Park from 9:00-11:30 am. This remarkable event brings people of different faiths and cultural backgrounds together for a wonderful morning of hands-on community service, fun and fellowship. Families are encouraged to participate together on this day of community work, suitable for all ages. "Let's make it a day on, not a day off."
MARA Rescue is a volunteer-powered organization that rescues a variety of farm animals such as horses, goats, and chickens that have been neglected and/or mistreated. They need volunteers to help with daily ranch chores and animal care so they can continue to care for the animals that live at their rescue sanctuary. Volunteers may help with cleaning/mucking (removing manure) corrals, cleaning and refilling animals' waters, feeding animals, raking, light construction, and other related tasks. Age Minimum (with Adult): 15, Minimum Age (without adult):18. Sign up here. There are 6 spots available for Monday, January 16.
The Lucky Duck Foundation is committed to raising awareness and funds to help alleviate the homelessness epidemic in San Diego County; and providing support and relief from harsh conditions to the thousands of homeless individuals and families living on our streets. Help distribute food and water to about 75 unsheltered homeless individuals in downtown San Diego. Volunteers will engage directly with unsheltered neighbors by walking the nearby streets and handing out food and water. Age Minimum (with Adult): 13, Minimum Age (without adult):16. Click here for more information.
Students & Parents: Volunteer In The Grauer Garden on Wednesdays or Saturdays!
Students are encouraged to volunteer in the Grauer Garden (weather permitting) to earn service hours. Parents are also welcome to gather in the Garden Garden for horticultural learning and sharing, socializing with other parents, exercising, and enjoying the great outdoors. Come to the garden for an hour, a whole morning, or whatever fits your schedule, on any Wednesday and/or Saturday morning from 8:00am through 11:00am. Dr. Stuart Grauer, who often volunteers in the Grauer Garden himself, says, "Get involved in the Garden!" Jobs may include harvesting vegetables, cultivating the soil, pruning, planting seedlings, caring for the chickens, and more. Please be sure to email Stephanie Murphy if you plan on coming to volunteer, to make sure she will be in the garden that day.
Middle School Fridays
From Patricia Young, Expeditionary Learning Program Director:
Middle School Friday electives start this week, with our students busily engaging in our sports teams (Girls Soccer and Boys Basketball) and our winter mini-electives of Dungeons & Dragons, Pure Fun! activity rotations, and our brand-new program offering, Introduction to Design with Ryan Stevens. Stay tuned for our weekly schedule to help in arriving to campus with appropriate gear including clothes/shoes, a water bottle, and sunblock.
MS Friday Winter Elective Cycle
1/13 -Mini-elective session #2 and sports practices ** This week's Pure Fun rotation is Boba Tea with Paul-Michael (see below).
1/20 - Mini-elective session #3 and sports practices
1/27 - Mini-elective session #4 and sports practices
2/3 - Mini-elective session #5 and sports practices
2/10 - Mini-elective session #6 and sports practices
2/17 - No Middle School Friday activities (due to after school departures for ski week)
2/24 - Ski Week
3/3 - Mini-elective session #7 and sports practices
3/10 - Mastery Learning Day – MS Noon Dismissal, sports practices
3/17 - Mini-elective session #8 and sports practices
Make Your Own Boba With Paul-Michael Ogburn
Bubble Milk Tea (colloquially known as “Boba”) is more popular than ever, but what is it? How is it made? Where does it come from? What varieties are there? We will be exploring these different questions as we discover the history and gastronomy behind the popular drink. We will then cook our own tapioca balls, taste different teas, and be able to make our own unique creations using a variety of teas, milks, bobas, and additional toppings. Pure Fun activity students are requested to meet in Paul-Michael's classroom #413 at 1:30pm before we head down to the kitchen for the rest of the program, which concludes at 3:00. Please reach out to Paul-Michael if you have any questions.
MS Friday Felting Soap Activity
Middle School students who attended last Friday's Pure Fun activity created Felted Soap with Patricia Young. Each student created one to two bars with different colorful patterns, and Patricia said her room smelled wonderful afterwards!
Student Spotlight
Parents, please let us know if your child is doing something newsworthy, so we can congratulate them in our Student Spotlight section! Please send submissions to newsletter@grauerschool.com.
Hockey Game Celebration
To celebrate his birthday, Senior Teacher Clayton Payne invited intellectually curious students to join him for a trip to the Honda Center in Anaheim to watch an NHL game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Boston Bruins on Sunday, January 8. With two vanloads of students in grades 7 through 10, Clayton and Johnny King introduced many to their first-ever hockey game. "My best friend took me to my first hockey game when I was in high school and I was instantly hooked, so I thought that there was no better way to pay it back and celebrate getting older than with a little expeditionary learning!" shared Clayton. While the game did not end well for the Ducks home team, everybody had a great time and the students were excited to see the school's name displayed on the Jumbotron.
Grauer Student On A Family Expedition
Over Winter Break, Augie K. '26 and his family went on a cruise in South America around the Patagonia region, Argentina, and Cape Horn. Augie visited a Naval Museum in Punta Arenas after going through the Beagle Channel, a strait in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago on the extreme southern tip of South America between Chile and Argentina. Augie shared an experience from his trip with Nick Scacco, 9th Grade Biology teacher, "The museum had a full-sized replica of the HMS Beagle. I happened to be in my Grauer hoodie at the time, and I thought it was a cool photo and relevant to our Evolution unit that we are studying. That ship was tiny!! Very impressive that Charles Darwin managed to navigate those seas in a boat that small." The second photo below shows Augie and his family on a horseback ride in South America.
Happy Birthday!
Sean H. '28 - January 11
Jacob C. '28 - January 12
Gabby C. '24 - January 17
