Congratulations to Dana Abplanalp-Diggs, who has been chosen as the new Head of School at The Grauer School (read more in the Principal's Desk column below)!
Third Quarter Reports: Released Monday, March 20
Congratulations to all of our students for successfully completing the third academic quarter of the year! Please note that Quarter Reports will be released online on Monday, March 20; we will not be mailing Quarter Reports home this time around, but you can access them digitally via Gradescape. Additionally, please note that Quarter Reports are solely progress reports—semester grades are the only grades that are transferred to student transcripts.
COVID-19 Update: Change in Return Guidance
Gratefully, The Grauer School is not seeing a lot of positive COVID-19 cases at this time. However, we wanted to share that the San Diego County Office of Public Health has made an important update to COVID-19 isolation policies. Effective this week, an individual (student or employee) who has tested positive for COVID-19 should isolate for five days. After Day 5, if the individual is feeling well, has no symptoms or symptoms are mild or improving, and is fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine, they no longer need to test in order to leave isolation before Day 10. This change aligns with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. Individuals who return from isolation prior to Day 10 should wear a mask on campus through Day 10. The individual may remove their mask sooner than Day 10 with two sequential negative tests one day apart using either an antigen or PCR test.
National Drug and Alcohol Education Week: March 20-24
The Grauer School will be collaborating with the National Institute on Drug Abuse to participate in National Drug and Alcohol Facts week (NDAFW) next week (March 20-24). NDAFW is an annual, week-long health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. Our Dean Team and members of our faculty will be sharing information with our students about alcohol, marijuana, nicotine, vaping, fentanyl, and how to help a friend should you be concerned. We will be sharing more information next week and encourage our families to continue these important conversations with their teens at home.
Gotcha 2.0: Starts Monday
The High School ASB/Leadership class is pleased to announce the return of Gotcha: A Schoolwide Game of Tag next week (March 20-24). This event is designed to help students get to know students in different grades in a fun, game-style event. Students interested in signing up for Gotcha may pay a $5 entry fee; the winner will receive a $40 cash prize. Students playing Gotcha will be e-mailed a “tag target” on Sunday evening; they will also be given a compostable spoon when they arrive campus Monday morning. Students get their target “out” by drawing a criss-cross “X” on their target’s back before school (starting at 8:30am), at break, at lunch, or after school (ending at 3:15pm). No game play is allowed during classes. If you have questions or are interested in participating, please contact Noah P. (’23), Jake S. (’23), or Kendall B. (’24).
All School Spring Fair: Friday, March 24
The High School ASB/Leadership class is hosting an all school Spring Fair on Friday, March 24 from 6:00-8:30pm on our Grauer campus. This event is open to all Grauer students in grades 7-12. This outdoor event will give our Grauer students an opportunity to spend time with their peers while making special memories. There will be various activities and entertainment provided, including including music, karaoke, an inflatable obstacle course, food, games, and more. Tickets will be $10 for entry; additionally, students will be able to purchase tickets for events ($5 for 5 tickets). All proceeds will be used to defray our Prom expenses for this year. We look forward to seeing everyone there!
Save the Date! Originals Café Night: March 30
Grauer's Visual and Performing Arts Department will be presenting their Originals Café Night featuring on Thursday, March 30 in Meyer Hall. We're very proud that the content for this event comes from the students themselves. The evening will begin at 6:30pm, and will feature original theatrical performances by High School students in Erin Langen's Theatre classes and original music performances by High School students in Isaac Langen and Tom Hopper's Music classes. This is one of our most popular events of the year, and we look forward to seeing you there!
Parent Association Meeting Minutes
Thank you to all parents who joined the Parent Association meeting on Tuesday, March 7. If you missed it, click here for the meeting minutes. The next PA meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 11. Questions? Please email PA Co-Presidents Julie Silva or Diane Zeps for more information.
-- Parent Association Events during Expeditions Week - Save the Date
Parents: Start off your Expeditions Week with a meditative Sound Bath in the Justice Center on Monday, April 24, at 2:00pm. While your kids are away, join us for a healing sound bath experience led by our own Grauer Yoga Teacher, Cearra. All you need is yourself, a yoga mat, and an hour and a half to rest and close your eyes! We will end the week together outdoors, hiking Annie's Canyon. All interested parents should plan to meet at the San Elijo Nature Center on Friday, April 28, at 9:00am. More information to come.
Grauer Literary Society Meeting: April 21
The next Grauer Literary Society meeting will be on Friday, April 21, at Noon at the Hearst Tower, located on the rooftop of The Justice Center (weather permitting). The book that will be discussed is The Magician by Colm Toibin, an epic family saga set across a half-century spanning World War I, the rise of Hitler, World War II, and the Cold War. 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.
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 for $75 per copy.
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
Tuesday, March 14-Friday, March 17
~ The High School ASB Presents: Intramural Dodgeball Tournament, Lunch Tuesday, March 14
~ Fourth Quarter Begins (7-Period Day) Thursday, March 16
~ Newly Accepted Student Social, 4:00-5:00pm Friday, March 17
~ Odd Day (1,3,7,5)
~ 10th and 11th Grade Field Trip to the U.S.S. Midway, 8:50am-1:30pm Saturday, March 18
~ Archery: San Diego Championships (Grauer School Field) Monday, March 20-Friday, March 24
~ National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
~ The High School ASB Presents: Gotcha 2.0 Friday, March 24
~ Gala Committee Meeting, 12:00-1:30pm (Grauer campus)
~ The High School ASB Presents: Spring Fair, 6:00-8:30pm (see above) Monday, March 27-Friday, March 31
~ The High School ASB Presents: Spirit Week 2.0 Wednesday, March 29
~ Challenge Success presents: A Healthy Approach to College Admissions, 6:00pm (Meyer Hall) Thursday, March 30
~ Visual & Performing Arts Department presents High School Originals Café Night, 6:30pm (Meyer Hall) Monday, April 3-Monday, April 10
~ Spring Break (No School) Friday, April 14
~ Gala Committee Meeting, 12:00-1:30pm (Grauer campus) Friday, April 21
~ Literary Society Meeting, 12:00pm (Hearst Tower) Monday, April 24-Friday, April 28
~ Spring Expeditions Monday, May 1
~ No School (Faculty Workshop Day) Saturday, May 6
~ Annual Grauer Gala, 6:00-10:00pm (Grauer Campus) Saturday, May 13
~ High School Prom (please save the date) Friday, June 9
~ Graduation 2023: 8th Grade at 11:00am, 12th Grade at 2:00pm (Seaside Center for Spiritual Living)
IMPORTANT LINKS
~ Attendance Office: attendance@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:Ki's School Lunches
~ Yearbook Orders:Jostens Store
Join us for a far out event on Saturday, May 6, from 6:00pm-10:00pm: A Groovy Gala in Support of the Great Outdoors. We also welcome all parents to join us in planning the grooviest celebration ever. Please mark your calendars for the final two committee meetings on Friday, March 24 at 12:00pm-1:30pm and Friday, April 14 at 12:00pm-1:30pm.
How our parents can help: In addition to attending (this event will blow your mind!), we are looking for the grooviest items to add to our Silent & Live Auction. Do you have your own unique experience, vacation/staycation home, or physical item that you would be willing to offer as a part of our auction? Examples include: winter getaway, monthly CSA subscriptions, private cooking class, gift cards to your favorite local spots, sports outing, etc. Click on the button below to fill out the online auction donation form.
We appreciate your support and look forward to sharing more details about this free-flowin', good vibes only event. Questions? Reach out to Lindsay Zickler, Director of Development & Community Engagement.
Courage. Creativity. Joy. Learn By Discovery® this summer at The Grauer School! Summer programs at The Grauer School are engaging, educational, and fun! Our summer camps and courses are led by dedicated Grauer teachers, who are masters at building compassionate, authentic relationships with every student.
Grauer's Enrichment Camps focus on exploring creativity and new interests, fine-tuning specific skill sets, and building confidence for the upcoming academic year. This summer's Enrichment Camp lineup is shown below:
Mystery Camp: The Grauer Gang Crime Solving Unit (Middle School) - 6/26-6/30
Culinary Camp: Adventures in Cultures of the World (Middle & High School) - 7/10-7/14
STEM Camp: Introduction to 3D Design and Electronics (Middle School) - 7/17-7/21
Math Camp: Middle School Math Boot Camp (Middle School) - 7/24-7/28
STEM Camp: Fun with Robots & Drones (Middle School) - 7/31-8/4
We also offer For-Credit Academic Classes for Grauer students who want to get ahead or get caught up during the summer. We are excited to announce that, in addition to our Grauer camps, we will be hosting the Loly Lutti Pottery Camp and Snapology Technology Camps for younger campers this summer.
We invite you to take some time to browse through all of our exciting and enriching Summer School programs on The Grauer School's website. Tell your family and friends - Grauer's Enrichment Camps are open to all Middle School & High School students throughout San Diego county. Click on the button below to start browsing!
You're Invited: Peace, Love & Pickleball on Sunday, March 26
Calling all parents! We are thrilled to announce the first annual Grauer Pickleball Tournament, which will be held on-campus using our new Pickleball courts on Sunday, March 26 from 11:00am-1:00pm. Join us for fun, friends and food! No need to have a partner, as we will play in a friendly round robin format and pair you up with a player of similar skill level and experience.
Be sure to click on the button below to RSVP and secure your spot.
New to Pickleball? Not to worry! The Lukens Family and the Williams Family have graciously been offering practice time at their homes for any to learn or simply to practice before the big event. There is one remaining practice day scheduled on Tuesday, March 21, at 10:00am. Please email Sherri W. for more details.
Challenge Success Event For Students & Families: March 29
The Grauer School is thrilled to invite all High School students and parents to attend Challenge Success' popular workshop “A Healthy Approach to College Admissions” on Wednesday, March 29 from 6:00-7:30pm. Students and families in grades 9-12 are encouraged to attend - click here to view the event flyer. Some of the topics they will be covering include:
What is “fit” and why does it matter?
Are students who attend higher-ranked colleges better off later in life?
What do college rankings really measure?
We are excited to share this program with our Grauer community, and we hope that many of our Grauer families will join us! Click on the button below to RSVP for this event.
High School ASB Presents Prom 2023: May 13 - Buy Your Tickets Now!
The High School ASB/Leadership Class is looking forward to seeing our high school students at Prom on Saturday, May 13, from 7:00-10:00pm at the Maritime Museum in the San Diego Harbor. As Grauer is a small school, all students in grades 9-12 are invited to Prom. We encourage our students to come with their friends and have a good time. Tickets can be purchased this week for $80, and the price will go up to $90 next Monday, March 20. We look forward to seeing our high school students there!
Ki's School Lunches
Ki's School Lunches is now providing hot lunch service at The Grauer School. 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 order lunches for your student on their website. If you have any questions, contact Tracy Ahrens.
Weekly Columns
Principal's Desk
Thank You!
Dear Grauer Community,
I am incredibly honored and grateful to have been selected as The Grauer School’s next Head of School. It has been a privilege to spend the past 25 years learning from Dr. Stuart Grauer and collaborating with such a talented, inspiring group of dedicated educators. We have an intelligent, creative, and strong team and I look forward to leading The Grauer School’s next chapter. Thank you for sharing so many kind words of support—it means the world to me.
Here is the official announcement from the Board of Trustees:
The Head of School Search Committee and the Board of Trustees are pleased to announce that Dana Abplanalp-Diggs has been chosen as the new Head of School at The Grauer School. Click here to read the entire announcement 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.
Deans' View
A Message of Growth: If You Don't Make Changes, Nothing Will Change
From Dean Trevor Olson:Recently, my wife and I have been talking about change, growth and how to become stronger and more connected as a family unit. We even recently just completed a marriage enrichment class that was led by an incredible couple and joined by another dozen or so couples. And while my wife and I have done several of these classes over the 18 years of our marriage, this one in particular was the most rewarding.
Most of the class had to do with the other couples, to be honest. They were real people, who were raw and vulnerable and all with a story. While there were many takeaways from this class for me personally, there was one thing in particular that I wanted to share. It's not new and surely isn't complicated, however, oftentimes I find that simple things are the most profound, so I wanted to share my thoughts with you.
Albert Einstein defined insanity as, "Doing the same things over and over but expecting different results." I love this message for many reasons, but mostly because I now better understand that in life, just like in relationships, nothing changes if nothing changes. In other words, we cannot expect growth, greater connections or increased happiness (just to name a few!), if we first don't change behaviors in our lives that are counterproductive to such things. I don't think I fully understood this until just recently. For so long, I have just been doing so many of the same things yet have expected things to change for the better in my life.
We are all under construction in some form or another and while this construction can be difficult, messy and even destructive at times, nothing new will come without construction or change. This brings me great hope as well as a sense of relief, because it gives us the power to make things happen. It gives us the power to make changes in our lives proactively, and intentionally, to make changes that will fuel growth.
If you don't make changes, nothing will change. I think I'm finally understanding this, because I'm still under construction and still deeply committed to the process.
Click here if you'd like to subscribe to Dr. Grauer's weekly column!
Faculty Housing in Independent Schools
The Grauer School is located in Encinitas, California, an area that has become too expensive for teachers to find housing. Dr. Grauer has an innovative proposal to provide faculty housing as a way of attracting "sparkplug teachers", because there is nothing more important than a safe and secure home for each teacher.
Archery Program: Gearing Up for the San Diego Championships!
The Middle School and High School Archery teams are gearing up for the San Diego Conference Championships which will be held this Saturday, March 18, at Grauer. If you happen to be in the area on Saturday and want to stop by to experience some archery action please feel free to do so! The range will be firing from 8:00am to 6:00pm, with Middle School competing in the morning and High School following in the afternoon.
High School CIF-Spring Sports: Starting Strong! Big shout-out and congratulations to our student-athletes that have joined the Spring Sports rosters through our CIF-Sanctioned partnership with Horizon Prep. All sports teams have started up and are underway to achieving high levels of success, personal growth and enjoyment! Here are the CIF-Sports we are participating in this Spring Season:
Coed Golf
Girls Beach Volleyball
Coed Track & Field
High School Coed Soccer
High School Coed Soccer with Coach Morgan Brown has practices on Mondays at 3:15-4:30pm and Fridays at 1:30-3:00pm (unless there is a game). The team's next game will be this Friday, March 17, at 4:00-5:00pm. Family and friends are invited to come and cheer for the Grauer team at the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA in Encinitas!
Middle School Spring Sports
Our Middle School Spring Sports have started. Individual schedules are linked below, and if you still wish to join one of these teams, please email Trevor and he will get right back to you. Here are the Middle School sports we are offering this Spring season:
Girls Basketball with Coach Johnny King - click here to view the season schedule
Boys Soccer with Coach Paulina Davis-Fisher - click here to view the season schedule
CIF High School Beach Volleyball Team Defeats Coronado High School
Our Grauer/Horizon Prep Beach Volleyball team began their season last week. This year’s team faces one of the most competitive schedules in school history. The girls lost a very close 3-2 match at Pacific Ridge on Tuesday and then lost a hard-fought 3-2 against Oceanside High School last Thursday. On Monday, March 13, the girls traveled to Coronado where they played Coronado High School (who they lost to last year in the second round of playoffs), defeating Coronado High School 4-1. Congratulations to the following Grauer Beach Volleyball athletes and good luck as they begin the season: Karina A. (’24), Victoria A. (’24), Gabby C. (’24), Sarai S. (’24), Samara D. (’25), Mia D. (’25), Adele F. (’25), Keira N. (’25), Maya P. (’25), Erin W. (’25), Chiara C. (’26), Luella T. (’26). The team's next Home Game is tomorrow (Thursday, March 16) at 3:30pm against Santa Fe Christian - family and friends are invited to come and cheer for the Grauer team at Horizon Prep (located at 6233 El Apajo in Rancho Santa Fe).
High School Soccer Team: First Game Of The Season
From Morgan Brown, Soccer Coach: The Grauer soccer team is competing in a Junior/Senior boys division but is proud to have both boys and girls from across 9th-12th grades on our team. In our first game last Friday, March 10, I was proud of how much teamwork and team spirit we showed, although we were outmatched in skill. We celebrated scoring 8 goals on the night, and give extra commendations to goalkeeper Sean F. '23 for making so many saves that we lost count. The team is back in action this Friday at 4:00pm at the Ecke YMCA in Encinitas. Special thanks to Grauer Dad Louis Christiansen for sharing some great photos from the game.
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 join them in the garden, but please be sure to contact Stephanie if you're planning on joining them.
NOTE: Stephanie's on-campus days this week will vary. She will not be working in the garden on Saturday due to the archery event.
While Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, may have something going with Groundhog Day, we're pretty sure we might have something going with Red Slider Day. Michaelangelary the turtle has popped her head up twice in the last week to check on the happenings, and it does appear that Spring will be here very soon, despite all the rain (another inch recorded last week). The Spring Equinox is next Monday, March 20. According to folklore, you can stand a raw egg on its end on the equinox. Is this true? Click here to read about this and many other neat and interesting fun facts about the Equinox.
The chickens are certainly ready for Spring. Their coop has been covered for almost 2 months in order to prevent the rain from getting in. Thank you to Simon Checa for repairing the front door to the coop. Last week, Grom received her beak trim and Philip received her bang trim. And, we saw a cute little pair of frogs at our pond this weekend, who were hanging out without a care in the world. We're keeping our fingers crossed for some little froglets this summer. Click here to read more about the tree frog. Lastly, Lulu the tortoise is happy and in good health. While tortoise hatchlings don't brumate (winter dormancy in coldblooded animals with backbones like reptiles and amphibians), she does spend quite a bit of time sleeping. Her favorite thing to eat right now is kale.
We have been working in the garden between rain storms. In anticipation of another 1.5" of rain this Tuesday and Wednesday, we reinforced the drainage culverts that we dug in the Native Habitat, so that our precious native plants can utilize this water, rather than letting it run down the storm drain. And, while we are still expecting a "Super Bloom" in the deserts, our own Native Habitat is experiencing somewhat of a super bloom of its own. We have wild flowers including Black Sage, Monkeyflower, Wild Cucumber, Yerba Santa, Sanicle, Miner's Lettuce, Stinging Nettle, Elderberry, Lemonade Berry, Fiddlenecks, and more. Clearing some of the dead wood will help more native plants spread out and thrive.
We have been trying to keep up with the weeds both in the raised beds and around the garden. We tended the raised beds, adding compost to some of them to prepare for replanting of seedlings once the seedlings are big enough. We also fertilized some of the beautiful rose bushes which are about to bloom, right along with the ranunculus. The garden is gorgeous right now. Please stop by and take a look, and don't forget to walk the native trail!
Events & Activities at The Grauer School
Math Modeling Activity: E-Bike Usage Modeling
From Peter Mannisto, Math Teacher:
On Friday March 3, a group of 5 Grauer high school students, including Mycah A. '26, Carson B. '24, Alex V. '24, Mac R. '24, and Nicholas H. '24, got together to participate in the SIAM (Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics) Math Modeling competition. This 1-day, 14-hour competition asked students to look at the recent explosion in e-bike usage, predict future trends for e-bike usage, and examine possible environmental impacts (reduction in car usage and therefore CO2 emissions, for example). Our team was unfortunately down a member as Carson was ill and could not participate, but the other four had a great time developing their solution. We are extremely proud of all of the efforts they've put in to apply their classroom math learning to a real-life problem!
Celebrations In Japanese Class
Japanese students, taught by Yumi Miyamoto, celebrated Girl's Day (Hinamatsuri) on March 3, which is an annual festival in Japan to celebrate the health and happiness of young girls. Students in Japanese 1 class celebrated with Hello Kitty dolls, following the tradition of using dolls to represent the Emperor and Empress of Japan. The traditional foods eaten on Girl's Day are sushi and sweet items, so Japanese 2 students celebrated by making beautiful and delicious sushi in the Grauer kitchen.
Carnival Games Presented By Pre-Calculus Class
From Peter Mannisto, Math Teacher:
On Friday March 3, Geometry students headed to the beach to apply their knowledge Specifically, how far can we see to the horizon when looking out from beach level, and how much further can you see from a tall overlook? First, we learned how to do the calculations (they involve the Pythagorean Theorem, as so much of math does!), then we calculated the distance to the horizon at the top of the stairs at Swami's, as well as at the bottom of the stairs. It turns out that you can see about 11 miles from the top of the stairs, and 3 miles from the bottom. So next time you're out there, try to see if you can notice a ship or distance object close to the horizon when you're at the top, and see if it "disappears" as you go down the steps!
Physical Education Class Hikes
From Trevor Olson and Paulina Davis-Fisher, Physical Education Teachers:
One of the primary goals of the Physical Education curriculum at Grauer is to dig deep into Mother Nature, while the students are getting exercise and having fun together through a variety of physical activities. Over the last few weeks, we have taken our Middle School and High School PE students on a hike to one of Trevor's favorite places as a kid growing up in Cardiff. It used to be called "The Root" and now it's called "Annie's Canyon Trail". Although the name has been changed, it's still a legendary place. We also took our High School PE students for a walk and tidepool adventure at the beach. We started at Cardiff Reef and got lots of exercise by walking up and down every staircase all the way down to Pipes Beach. It was a good day!
World Religions Class Activities
From Clayton Payne and Bill Harman, World Religions Teachers:
9th Grade students from the World Religions class took a field trip this week to Temple Solel, as part of their unit on Judaism. During their visit, retired Director Ellen Fox explained the Torah scrolls, and gave the students an opportunity to examine one of their beautiful Torah scrolls.
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 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.
Community Service
From Jessi Brown, Humanitarian Service Coordinator:
Grauer Service Project: Hygiene Kit Collection For Third Avenue Charitable Organization: March 14-24
Homelessness is on the rise across the nation. It’s estimated that there are around 2,000 unsheltered people just in downtown San Diego. The Grauer Community Service Club invites you to help those in need by donating hygiene items. We're working with the Third Avenue Charitable Organization (TACO), whose mission is “a community drawn together to support the dignity, health and well-being of people among us experiencing homelessness and poverty." Collection bins will be located in Meyer Hall from March 14-24. Items needed include toothbrushes, toothpaste, bars of soap, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, shave gel, deodorant, combs, razors, lip balm, facecloths, bandages, hand sanitizer, tissues, nail clippers, hair ties, and feminine hygiene products (tampons and pads). Please note that students do not earn community service hours for donating items.
Upcoming related events where students can earn community service hours: There will be a Hygiene Kit Assembly activity on Tuesday, March 28, at lunchtime in Jessi's room, and an opportunity to volunteer at TACO serving meals. More info to come.
Middle School Fridays
From Patricia Young, Expeditionary Learning Program Director:
Our Spring cycle of Middle School Friday electives is underway, with our students busily engaging in our sports teams (Boys Soccer and Girls Basketball) and our spring mini-electives of Dungeons & Dragons, Introduction to Design, and "Pure Fun!" activity rotations. Check our weekly schedule so students can be prepared with appropriate gear including clothes/shoes, a water bottle, and sunblock.
MS Friday Spring Elective Cycle
3/17 - Mini-elective session #2 and sports practices ** This week's Pure Fun! rotation is Hiking with Peter Mannisto (see below).
3/24 - Mini-elective session #3 and sports practices
3/31 - No Middle School Friday electives (due to after school departures for Spring Break). Sports practices TBD by coaches.
4/7 - Ski Week
4/14 - Mini-elective session #4 and sports practices
4/21 - Mini-elective session #5 and sports practices
4/28 - Spring Expeditions
5/5 - Mini-elective session #6 and sports practices
5/12 - Mini-elective session #7 and sports practices
Pure Fun! Activity: Hiking At Torrey Pines With Peter
This Friday, March 17, the Pure Fun activity will be a quick hike to see the blooming flowers at Torrey Pines, led by Peter Mannisto (weather permitting). Meet Peter at the Tolerance Gateway at 1:30pm. The group will hike the Guy Fleming trail (about 1.5 miles), check out the flowers and the views, then head back to campus. It looks like there will be good weather, so conditions should be excellent. If for some reason the trail is closed (sometimes the State Park closes the trail after heavy rain for a bit), then the group will hike along the coast - it's low tide, so there should be good conditions for beach walking!
Teacher Spotlight
Passing on the Golden Shovel - Congratulations, Fupen!
At this week's Assembly on Tuesday, March 14, Fariba Farah passed on the Golden Shovel to Fupen Huang, Mandarin Chinese Teacher. Here's an explanation from Dr. Stuart Grauer about the The Grauer School's "Golden Shovel" Award: "In 2000, when we embarked upon construction of our Great Hall Building, our board members lined up with shovels to turn the first earth. We shoveled in dirt and pebbles from many countries all over the world, forever a part of the school foundation! At the conclusion of the ceremony, board member Mike Branon donated his shovel to our faculty. Since then, several times a year, the staff nominates one person to receive 'The Golden Shovel'. The recipient of the Golden Shovel exemplifies the core values of our school, but a wide variety of related values come into play: hard work, perseverance, loyalty, and teamwork all are deeply held values of our faculty."
In nominating Fupen for the Golden Shovel, Fariba said, "Thank you for loving our students and for all you do for our community. And thank you for always feeding us delicious food!" Fariba also shared a quote from one of Fupen's 9th Grade students: "Fupen is funny, loving, and extremely patient. She is one of the kindest people I know." Trevor Olson added, "Fupen truly gives every part of her soul to her students."
Here are some additional comments about Fupen's nomination for the Golden Shovel award from Grauer teachers and staff members:
~ "Thank you so much for your tireless dedication to your students. You work so hard to plan enriching lessons for your students - it is fun to see them dancing, singing, playing games, cooking, playing Quizlets, and always learning. We appreciate the joy and positivity that you bring to campus daily. You are an essential member of our Grauer 'family'."
~ "Your teaching method embodies everything we strive for as a school (most of all, loving our students). An extremely well-deserved honor for sure!"
~ "Fupen is always engaging her students with songs, games, and food. She takes good care of us too and is always lending a hand in the kitchen. She is incredibly kind and thoughtful!"
~ "Fupen is a prime example of leading with love and compassion. She is a bright light for not only our students, but us faculty and staff as well. We appreciate you and your contagious positive spirit."
~ "Thank you for sharing your bright light with our students and community. You make learning so much fun! You are patient, loving, and hard working. We appreciate all the creativity you bring to your classes and your willingness to help the community in so many ways from local expeditions to the Asian Lunar New Year. Thank you for sharing your love of cooking with our community as well!"
~ "You bring so much joy to learning and your students just love you! Thank you for shining your light around the Grauer campus every day - it's a better place because of you."
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.
Grauer Spelling Bee Representative
From Paige Prindle, 7th Grade English Teacher:
Congratulations to Charlotte J. '27 for representing The Grauer School at the San Diego Union-Tribune Countywide Spelling Bee last Thursday, March 9, at the Town & Country San Diego in Mission Valley! Charlotte received the word "liase" in the first round, which she was not familiar with. We were so proud to have Charlotte represent our school!
High School Basketball Awards
Our Grauer/Horizon Prep Basketball teams wrapped up great seasons with their end-of-season banquets last Thursday, March 9. Both teams finished in second place in their respective leagues. Two of our Grauer student-athletes were honored with Horizon Prep’s David Award. This is their MVP award and is selected by the Horizon Prep coaching staff; it is given to the athlete that best exemplifies the gospel message in athletics through leadership, character, sportsmanship, and athletic excellence--on and off the field. Sean F. (’23) was the recipient of the David Award for the men’s team whereas Samara D. (’25) was the recipient of the David Award for the women’s team. Tate S. (’23) was honored with the Jonathan Award for his positive attitude and team leadership throughout the season and Adrien C. (’23) was honored with the Most Improved Award. Zoe B. (’26) was awarded her first varsity letter, Noe P. (’25) was honored for his leadership on the JV team this year, and Gabriel C. (’23) was honored for his work as team manager.
Additionally, we had some student-athletes awarded with all-league Honors:
First Team All-League~ Tate S. (’23) and Samara D. (’25)
Second Team All-League~ Adrien C. (’23)
League Honorable Mention~ Sean F. (’23, *was not eligible for first or second team honors due to illness, but would have easily qualified for a first team selection)
Grauer Student's Work With Non-Profit Organization
Congratulations to Lana L. '24 for her work volunteering with a nonprofit organization, Project Kolika, without missing a single event or monthly beach cleanup for the past four years. Lana began by picking up beach trash by herself, and then she recruited friends and classmates to join her. Gradually she earned more leadership roles within the foundation, from running educational booths at community outreach events to assisting with local tide pool ocean research. This week, Lana released her first campaign video entitled "Project Kolika Save the Mako Campaign", which she authored and produced as part of her work with the school's newly-formed Sustainability Club - click on the image below to view the video. Lana is truly passionate about this cause and is moving toward her goal of becoming a shark research scientist.
Grauer Student Cheerleader
Congratulations to Sage A. '27 and her all-star cheer team, The California All Stars - White Gold, for competing in the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) All-Star National Championship cheer competition in Dallas, Texas on February 24-26. NCA All-Star Nationals is the biggest cheerleading competition in the world, bringing together thousands of teams on all levels to showcase their skills. Sage's team executed two zero-deduction (hit zero) performances and walked away as National Champions in their division. They were also awarded the innovative choreography award. With their score and outstanding performance, Sage's team earned one of only 12 full-paid invitations from the competition to compete in the SuperBowl of cheer competitions, Summit, at the ESPN Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando, Florida in April. This is Sage's 5th year of doing competitive All-Star cheer, which combines tumbling, stunting, and dance, for 4 years. Sage is one of the main flyers on her team. The teamwork, work ethic, and focus required for this sport are inspirational. Good luck at Summit, Sage!
Grauer Student Actors
Congratulations to Inder C. '27 and Evren M. '27 for performing in the play "The Lion King", produced by JCompany Youth Theatre. Inder is playing the role of a Hyena, and Evren is playing the role of Pumba. The show will be performed on March 18 and March 19 - click here to purchase tickets.
Grauer Student Dancer
Congratulations to Ava M. ‘27 for competing recently in two dance competitions with her studio, Carlsbad Performing Arts Academy. This year, she competed in a Contemporary Ballet solo and several group routines. At the last competition, her solo placed 8th out of 48 in her division, and her groups placed 1st, 2nd and 5th. Her studio also received the "Studio Spirit Award" for the exceptional kindness, support and respect that the dancers and families showed the entire weekend. Ava enjoys dancing competitively because it provides a creative outlet and pushes her to be better for herself and her team.
Happy Birthday!
Clay B. '25 - March 15
Chloe C. '27 - March 16
Jack T. '23 - March 17
Milla P. '27 - March 17
Lucca C. '28 - March 17
Luella T. '26 - March 19
