Re-Enrollment Forms and Fees: Due February 17
Re-Enrollment Packets for the 2023-2024 academic school year were mailed to families last Friday, January 20. The due date for annual re-enrollment forms and fees for returning families will be Friday, February 17. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Admissions Office at admissions@grauerschool.com.
Attention Prospective Families: Priority Applications Due February 1
Are you a new family interested in attending The Grauer School for the 2023-2024 school year? If so, please note that priority applications for the 2023-2024 school year are due next Wednesday, February 1. Applications are available online through the Admissions tab on our Grauer School website. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Tricia Valeski and Akemi Dyer in our Admissions Office at admissions@grauerschool.com or (760) 274-2116.
Head Of School Search Committee Update
The Head of School Search Committee would like to share an update on their progress - click here to read their update message. If you have any comments, suggestions, or concerns, please feel to contact any of the Search Committee Members or contact the Search Committee Chair Jason Pang at jason@pangweb.com or the Board Chair Craig Gilbert at craig@sirgil.com. "Hire a Senior Assistant" Day: Thursday, February 2 On Thursday, February 2, the Senior Class will present their "Hire-A-Senior Assistant" fundraiser where seniors can be "hired" to act as Assistants for a day to other students or Grauer faculty members. Students can sign up to hire a senior at the assembly next Tuesday, January 31, for $40 if hired by 1 person, $60 if shared by 2 people, or $75 if shared by 3 people. Seniors who are eligible to drive will have the opportunity to leave campus to pick up lunch, so don't forget some lunch money on Thursday, February 2, if you hire a senior! Seniors will attend classes with students, help with homework, pick up lunch, play games in PE, and more. This annual event raises money for the Senior Class Grad Night trip.
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 this week.
Parent Association Meeting: February 7
The next Parent Association Meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 7 from 9:00am-10:00am in Meyer Hall. All parents are invited and welcome to attend! Questions? Please reach out to PA Co-Presidents Julie Silva or Diane Zeps.
Gala Committee Meetings - Join Us!
Our annual Spring Gala will be held on-campus on Saturday, May 6, and we welcome all parents to join us in planning the grooviest celebration ever. Please mark your calendars and reach out to Lindsay Zickler with questions or ideas. Gala meetings will take place on-campus in Meyer Hall:
Friday, February 3 - 12:00pm-1:30pm
Friday, March 3 - 12:00pm-1:30pm
Friday, March 24 - 12:00pm-1:30pm
Friday, April 14 - 12:00pm-1:30pm
Our Reputation Matters: Please Leave a Review on Niche
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.
Graduation 2023: Friday, June 9
It is hard to believe that we are finished with our first semester and thinking about how we will be celebrating the incredible accomplishments of this year’s Class of 2023. Graduation will be held at the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living on Friday, June 9. Our 8th grade ceremony will be held at 11:00am and our 12th grade ceremony will be held at 2:00pm. We have never limited the number of attendees each graduate can invite (which is why we host our ceremonies off campus); please note that we do not offer any reserved seating for these ceremonies.
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 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, January 27
~ Even Day (2,4,6,5) Saturday, January 28
~ Surf Team Competition (Oceanside Harbor, South Jetty) Wednesday, February 1
~ Priority Admissions Applications and Financial Aid Applications Due for the 2023-2024 School Year Thursday, February 2
~ Senior Class Presents "Hire A Senior" Fundraiser Friday, February 3
~ The Middle School ASB Presents: Middle School Dance, 6:00-8:30pm (Meyer Hall)
~ Senior Class Presents "Pie A Senior" Fundraiser, 12:00pm
~ Gala Committee Meeting, 12:00-1:30pm Saturday, February 4
~ Grauer Campus Beautification Day, 8:00am-1:00pm (see below)
~ Surf Team Competition (Avalanche in Ocean Beach) Tuesday, February 7
~ Parent Association Meeting, 9:00-10:00am (Meyer Hall) Thursday, February 9
~ Discover Grauer Tour, 9:15-10:30am (please RSVP to attend) Friday, February 17
~ Re-Enrollment Deposits and Contracts Due for the 2023-2024 School Year Monday, February 20-Friday, February 24
~ Ski Week (No School) 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 Theatre Department Presents: "Little Women": Thursday & Friday
Grauer's High School Theatre Department is excited to present the play "Little Women" this week on Thursday, January 26, and Friday, January 27 in Meyer Hall. The talented cast of student actors and stage crew includes:
Jo - Melissa R. '23
Meg - Lily T. '24
Amy - Adele F. '24
Beth - Amy W. '25
Marmee - Ezri R. '25
Laurie - Charlie T. '25
John Brooke - Ronin M. '25
Aunt March - MJ C. '26
Mr. March (Father) - Charlie M. '25
Professor Bhaer - Jonas D. '25
Hannah - Keira N. '25
Costume Designers - Samara D. '25 and Laurel M. '23
The performances will start at 7:00pm on both evenings, and the play will be directed by Erin Langen, Grauer Theatre Teacher. Entry is free, and donations to the Theatre Department are appreciated. The play's musical accompaniment will be coordinated by Isaac Langen and Tom Hopper. The GSA Club and the Senior Class will be selling refreshments. Thank you to everyone in our Grauer community for attending our student productions and giving your support to our student performers!
"Pie A Senior" Fundraiser Event: Friday, February 3
Grauer's Senior class will hold their "Pie A Senior" fundraiser next Friday, February 3, at lunchtime. The seniors will sell whipped cream pies for $5 each to raise funds for Grad Night. Throwing pies at seniors is always very popular with students and staff, so be sure to bring $5 next Friday to "pie" your favorite Senior!
Start Ordering Now From Ki's School Lunches!
The Grauer School will be switching hot lunch service from Choice Lunch to Ki's School Lunches starting next Monday, January 30. Grauer parents can set up an account and submit orders now, for the week of January 30 and beyond.
Ki's menu provides a healthy, natural and delicious lunch which will be delivered every day to the school. Their 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, set up an account, and start ordering lunches for your student on their website.
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! If you have any questions, contact Tracy Ahrens.
Grauer Campus Beautification Day: February 4 - Join Us!
Grauer students, parents, family members, alumni, teachers, staff, and community members are invited to join our Grauer Garden team on Saturday, February 4, from 8:00am to 1:00pm for an opportunity to help us beautify the landscape on The Grauer School's campus. Your whole family can sign up for jobs including cleaning up the native trails and clearing dead wood and trash from the Native Habitat area, planting a new Rose Garden, sanding and painting the potting bench, moving rock in the upper parking lot, processing the compost bin, and more. Grauer students will earn community service hours.
Please click here to view the SignUp Genius list and determine which beautification projects you might want to sign yourself and your family up for on February 4. If you have more than an hour to spare on that day, please sign up for more than one task - we'd love to have your help for the entire event.
We will also need to borrow garden tools to make sure we have enough tools for everyone to use, and you can find more information on the tools needed in the signup list. Loaner tools will need to be dropped off in the garden during the week before the event (please be sure to put your name on all loaners). There will be NO PARKING in the upper parking lot during this event, as many of the tasks encompass this area.
Please mark your calendars and spread the word about this Grauer community event, and thanks in advance for lending a hand. We hope to see you there!
Annual February Faculty & Staff Appreciation:
The Parent Association Needs Your Help!
The Grauer School Parent Association (PA) is excited to host its annual Faculty & Staff Appreciation Luncheon on Friday, February 17. This is a wonderful Grauer School tradition and an opportunity for parents to show our teachers and staff just how much we appreciate them before we head into Ski Week. To show our love, we are kicking off the appreciation week with a Valentine's Dessert Exchange on Tuesday, February 14, and will end with a Faculty Fiesta Lunch on Friday, February 17.
Please click on the button below to sign up! There are several ways to get involved including: bringing in a sweet treat for our teachers and their families on Valentine's Day, making a financial contribution for gift cards, or helping to set up/clean up on February 17.
Parents may drop off a check made payable to "The Grauer School Parent Association" in the Grauer office, or you can Venmo our PA Treasurer(@Jonell-Tibbitts)by February 10, who will then purchase equal value gift cards. Thank you to all families for helping to celebrate our amazing Grauer faculty & staff!
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 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!
Weekly Columns
Principal's Desk
Re-enrollments for 2023-2024
Over the past 32 years, The Grauer School has become the region’s leader in balanced, humanitarian college preparation. Our faculty and staff work tirelessly to prove daily that our students really do mean the world to us. We appreciate your generosity and support as we strive to accomplish this mission. We know that you have lots of school choices and we value and appreciate your entrusting your child to The Grauer School.
Believe it or not, it is re-enrollment time for the 2023-2024 school year. We look forward to the next school year and hope to have your child joining us again next year. Please note that our Re-enrollment Contracts were mailed home last Friday and that the signed contracts and re-enrollment deposits are due Friday, February 17. If you do not receive a re-enrollment contract by the end of the week, please contact our Main Office. Additionally, if your family is in need of a financial aid award for the 2023-2024 school year, please complete the SSS Scholarship Application forms on our website; priority financial aid applications must be received by Wednesday, February 1.
We appreciate your adherence to these deadlines as we strive to inform our new applicants of their admissions status by early March and need to know how many spaces are available in each grade. If you have any questions about our Re-enrollment process or our financial aid application, please feel free to contact Dr. Tricia Valeski, Admissions Associate, at triciavaleski@grauerschool.com.
Deans' View
Receive and Give Back
From Dean Erin Langen:As we are in our last days of rehearsals for the play "Little Women", I have been closely watching my amazing actors, and observing how beautifully they receive their peers' energy and generously give back that same energy.
In Theatre Arts, actors depend on each other to listen and respond with sincerity and a genuine character. I truly believe this concept can be not only practiced in the arts, but in everyday life for all.
I invite our Grauer friends and family to come to our "Little Women" performances this week, and I also encourage our community to truly listen to your friends and educators. Learn from what they are sharing with you, and respond back with what you have to share. All voices are equal and we all have the compassion to truly listen.
Have a good week with your friends, teachers, and family!
Click here if you'd like to subscribe to Dr. Grauer's weekly column!
Where Does Academic Pressure Come From?
The level of stress and anxiety that students feel has reached new heights, which impacts their happiness, purpose, focus, honesty, depression rates, and family dynamics. Where does their stress about academic pressure come from? The answer will surprise you.
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 an updated season schedule.
Grauer High School Surf Team Competitions: Saturdays - January 28 and February 4
Grauer’s High School Surf team will compete in their final two contests of the season this Saturday, January 28, at Oceanside Harbor, South Jetty and then on February 4 at Avalanche in Ocean Beach. They will be great days with fun waves and good weather! All are welcome to attend and cheer on the Grauer Surf Team - look for the Grauer Surfriders EZ-Up on the beach. The team heat competition will be at 7:00-8:30 am, with the bodyboard heat at 10:45am. Individual competition starts at 11:00am. Contact Surf Team Coach Billy Stern if you have any questions. The Surf Team hopes to see you there!
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) and Middle SchoolBoys Basketball with Coach Johnny King (click here to view the updated season schedule). Go, Gorillas!
High School CIF Basketball Teams Leading Their Leagues!
Congratulations to our High School CIF-sanctioned Basketball Teams for leading their respective Leagues! Our teams have been competing since November and have entered League play. The Girls' basketball team picked up another win last night against High Tech High Mesa (37-33), extending their record to 10-3. Congratulations to Samara D. ’25 and Zoe Ba. ’26 for their impressive play this season. The girls have two more away games this week. They’re playing the Preuss School tonight (Tuesday) at UCSD and will play Ocean View Christian this Thursday.
The Boys' Basketball team (shown in the photo below) is playing well too. Under the leadership of Grauer Seniors Sean F. ’23, Adrien C. ’23, Tate S. ’23, and Arthur P. ’23, the team defeated San Diego Academy last night (56-10), extending their record to 14-2. We would also like to commend Noe P. ’25 and Gabriel C. ’23 for their contributions to the team. The Boys' team will be playing at High Tech High Mesa tonight (Tuesday) and will have a home game at Horizon Prep this Thursday, January 26 against Gompers Preparatory Academy at 7:00pm.
Good luck to all of our winter season student-athletes!
Middle School Boys Basketball Home Game
The Middle School Boys Basketball team played their first game last Friday, January 20, which was a home game vs. Cambridge Classical Academy. The Grauer team showed great defensive and rebounding skills, although the Cambridge Classical team won the game. The Grauer team is looking forward to their next home game on February 1 vs. Horizon Prep at 3:30pm.
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.
Imagine our surprise when we spotted Ladybugs all over the Ranunculus this weekend! Thank you to whoever graced our garden with these aphid-eating insects, as the aphids are already out in large quantities - we hosed off quite a few from the Walking Stick Kale and mixed greens bed this weekend.
Thank you to Simon Checa for conducting some preparation work for our Campus Beautification Day. Simon has been cutting large dead branches into smaller pieces so they can be more easily moved. We will be restoring the cleared areas with more natives.
Last call for this season's Monarch butterflies! For any of you traveling north in the next week or two, you may want to carve out a little extra time to stop in Pismo Beach to visit the Monarch Butterflies. Apparently, there are still many to see, but bring binoculars and a zoom lense for your camera if you want to capture photos. Click here for more information. Additionally, click here to view a short video regarding the status of the Monarchs after the recent storms.
Speaking of travel, with all this rain, experts believe there is the possibility of a Superbloom this spring. Click here to track the Superbloom, and click here for more information on where to see the blooms in Southern California. If you're able to experience the Superbloom, please share pictures with us!
Please Note: We ask that everyone wait to pick Valencia Oranges and other crops until they're ripe. Even though the oranges look ripe now, they are still very sour and won't be ready to pick for a few months. Valencia are a summer fruit and we'll let you know when they are actually ready to pick. We also noticed that some immature carrots which were planted for the purpose of use in a class were taken from one of our raised beds - please ask permission first before harvesting any edibles from the garden.
Upcoming Events Campus Beautification Day - Saturday, February 4, from 8:00am to 1:00pm
Please join us again this year as we gather our school community together to beautify the campus. This year, we are planting a new Rose Garden, and also clearing dead wood and trash from the Native Habitat area. We have lots of other opportunities and hope you are able to carve out an hour or more of your day to join us in this effort. We will also need to borrow tools. The SignUpGenius list shows all available tasks and tools needed - click here to see the available opportunities. Tools will need to be dropped off in the garden sometime during the week before the event (please be sure to put your name on all loaners). Please note that there will be NO PARKING in the upper parking lot during this event as many of the tasks encompass this area. Thanks in advance for lending a hand to beautify our campus!
Native Verge Garden Tidy-Up - Friday, February 10, from 9:15am-11:15am
Join alumni parent Jesse Giessow in the Native Verge Garden where we will be weeding, placing plant labels on plants that don't have them, removing stakes where plants have died, transplanting anything that is crowded, and generally tidying up the area. You can simply show up, there is no sign-up list for this event. If you don't see us in the Natives Garden on Tennis Club Drive during this timeframe, please go to the other Natives Garden by the basketball court. We may also be planting new native Kumeyaay plants in this area, as well as the Native Habitat area.
Events & Activities at The Grauer School
Lunar New Year Assembly
On Tuesday, January 24, The Grauer School had a special assembly to celebrate the Lunar New Year and welcome the Year of the Rabbit. The event began with an introduction about the Lunar New Year by emcee and event organizer Paul-Michael Ogburn, Global Insights teacher. Mimi Robinson, World Languages teacher, introduced the movements of Tai Chi and gave a demonstration. The students watched three fun and informational videos created by Mandarin Chinese students Brandon D. '25, Kate Z. '25, Nicholas H. '24, and Anthony B. '25. Their teacher, Fupen Huang, taught some traditional Chinese greetings and movements to the students at the assembly. All of the Mandarin Chinese students also performed a fun dance, led by Amber J. '24.
At the conclusion of the assembly, students learned about Asian culture and the traditions of Lunar New Year at booths led by 7th grade Global Insights students. The 7th grade students created flyers about the activity at their table to hand out to other students, and they gave lessons, answered questions, and led the creative activities. The booths covered a variety of different aspects of Lunar New Year such as the Chinese Zodiac, Lanterns and Spring Couplets, and Chinese Calligraphy. Booths also covered aspects of Asian culture either commonly unknown or misrepresented such as Tai Chi, fortune cookies, boba tapioca balls, and orange chicken.
This annual assembly is always an entertaining opportunity for Grauer students to learn more about Asian cultures and honor the diversity that our international students and faculty bring to our school community. Paul-Michael said, "Thanks to everyone for an amazing Lunar New Year assembly and for visiting our 7th grade booths. The kids are all super proud of mastering their topic and sharing their expert knowledge with their teachers and peers. Special shout-out to Fupen, Mimi, the Mandarin Chinese Students, and the 7th graders for all of their hard work to make this assembly so fun and informative!"
Girl Rising Club Presents 12-Hour Dance Marathon: Friday & Saturday
From Alicia Tembi, Shelley Joslin, and Lindsay Zickler, Girl Rising Club Mentors:
The Grauer Girl Rising Club hosted a 12-hour Dance Marathon to raise money to fund one girl's tuition at the Daraja Academy in Nanyuki, Kenya. There were over 40 students in attendance and over $1,000 was raised. Students danced, played musical chairs, enjoyed movies, and ate lots of snacks over the course of the 12 hours. The winners of the Dance Marathon were Inder C. '27, Evren M. '27, Thomas L. '28 and Chase M. '28. Shout-out to these middle schoolers for bringing the energy and enthusiasm! Aviya A. '24 and Sarai S. '24 spearheaded the event, decorated Meyer Hall, and ensured the event was organized and fun. Huge thanks to the teacher chaperones, Dana Abplanalp-Diggs, Erin Langen, Lindsay Zickler, Alicia Tembi, Ryan Stevens, Shelley Joslin and Tricia Valeski, for sacrificing their sleep to support the event. Extra special thanks to Tom Hopper for supporting the AV setup.
Shockwave Robotics Team: Third Competition of the Season
From Liam Murphy & Ryan Stevens, Shockwave Coaches:
The Grauer School's FTC Shockwave #3848 Robotics Team competed in their third meet of the season in Chula Vista on Sunday, January 22. The team won 3 of their 6 matches, ending the competition in 9th place out of 16 teams in the league. When the robot's arm malfunctioned in one of their matches, team members displayed the Grauer core value of perseverance to perform the complex maneuver of removing and re-attaching the robot's arm during the lunch break. They were able to fix the robot just in time to compete in their final match in the afternoon. The team will continue to make improvements to their robot that will help them in their upcoming competitions. Shockwave team members at the meet included Gabriel C. '23, Ethan D. '23, Nicholas H. '24, Mac R. '24, Anthony B. '25, Milan B. '25, Brandon D. '25, Augie K. '26, and Gavin N. '26. The team's next meet will be on Sunday, February 12.
World Religions Class Field Trips
From Clayton Payne and Bill Harman, World Religions Teachers:
As the last field trips with the students from 1st Semester World Religion, trips to Seaside Center for Spiritual Living and the Self-Realization Fellowship finished out the course, introducing students to some of America's contributions to the world's religious body. At Seaside, Rev. Dr. Christian Sorenson shared with students the history of the New Thought movement as an outgrowth of the Transcendentalists of Boston, once referred to as the "New Athens" of intellectual development. Brother Balananda, at the Self-Realization Fellowship, shared the meditation techniques initially brought to America by Pramahansa Yogananda, the "swami" our local surf spot was named after. At both locations, students got to ask a lot of questions, really demonstrating how much they had learned over the course.
Life Science Class: Creating Biomes
From Nick Scacco, Life Science Teacher
7th Grade Life Science students have learned about how photosynthesis and respiration work together to balance the amount of CO2 and O2 in the atmosphere. The class built miniature biospheres in class last week, using large jars with lids as the biosphere containers. The students were given the option to build either an aquatic system that would be filled with water or a terrestrial system that would be filled with soil. If they chose a terrestrial system, they could add desert or tropical plants. They also included small invertebrate decomposers in the system, as well as decorative elements. We added water and sealed the biome jars this week, and we will continue to check on them during the second semester. The biomes can last for several years - I currently still have a sealed system in my classroom that was created several years ago by current 11th graders Sarai S. '24, Karina A. '24, and Tahlia F. '24.
Parent Association New Year's Hike
On Friday, January 20, the Parent Association hosted a New Year's Hike at Torrey Pines. Parents met at Bird Rock Coffee at 9:00am, and then walked the Torrey Pines State Park trails for nearly two hours. It was a beautiful morning getting to know one another outdoors while also getting in a good workout. Dolphins were even spotted! If you are interested in more hiking opportunities or have other event ideas, please PA Co-Presidents Julie Silva or Diane Zeps.
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. Many of the programs have deadlines for applications and financial aid in the February/March/April timeframe. This is a working list and will be edited and updated as needed throughout this semester. Please reach out to Shelley with any questions.
We will spotlight a few of the programs on the list each week. This week's spotlight programs are:
Summer Program Spotlight: UC Berkeley’s embARC Summer Design Academy
embARC is an immersive 4-week summer design program for rising high school juniors and seniors at the University of California at Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design. The program brings together students from diverse backgrounds in a virtual space to explore architecture, urban design and sustainable city planning through integrated components: an Architecture + Urban Design Studio, a Sustainable City Planning Workshop, a Digital Design Workshop, an Environmental Design Conversation Series and a Materials Exploration Workshop. The program takes place on on July 3-28, and priority applications are due on March 20. Click here for more information.
Summer Program Spotlight: The School of The New York Times
Students can be immersed in the issues that are important to them at the The School of The New York Times summer programs, with courses covering topics in journalism, media, technology, arts, culture, sports, fashion, business, and more. Courses are taught by reporters, editors and other industry experts who have an insider’s knowledge of the terrain and will guide you to out-of-the-way places and unique experiences. Some of this summer's featured courses include Podcasting & Video Storytelling, Photojournalism as Art, Playwriting, and Reporting in New York. Each of the programs is 2 weeks long, and they will be held in June and July. For more information, click here.
Community Service
From Jessi Brown, Humanitarian Service Coordinator:
February Critter Camp: Ski Week (February 21-24)
Helen Woodward Animal Center is looking for volunteers for their Critter Camp during Ski Week on February 21-24. They need Junior Volunteers (age 14 to 17) to assist their teachers with activities for campers. If you are interested, click here to view the application and learn more.
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. Check our weekly schedule so students can be prepared with appropriate gear including clothes/shoes, a water bottle, and sunblock.
MS Friday Winter Elective Cycle
1/27 - Mini-elective session #4 and sports practices ** This week's Pure Fun! rotation is Community Service with Jessi Brown (see below).
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
Pure Fun! Activity: Community Service with Jessi Brown
The Pure Fun students will be completing a Community Service activity at Aqua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad on Friday, led by Jessi Brown. Students should meet Jessi at the Tolerance Gateway at 1:30pm, and you will be returned to campus by 3:00pm. You will earn community service for participating. Please be on the lookout in your email for a waiver that must be signed by your parents.
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.
Happy Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year, which was celebrated on Sunday, January 22, is the official start to the Year of the Rabbit. The students in Mandarin Chinese 1, Mandarin Chinese 2, Mandarin Chinese 3, and Mandarin Chinese 4 classes taught by Fupen Huang have a special Lunar New Year video message for everyone. Click on the image below to watch their video message (edited by Brandon D. '25), featuring Anthony B. '25, Nicholas H. '24, Kate Z. '25, Brandon D. '25, Davin S. '27, Luke W. '26, Colin E. '24, Jonah L. '26, and Amber J. '24!
