It was wonderful seeing so many families at Cafecito, ELAC, and the Parent Walking Group last week! Your engagement makes a huge difference.

This week is a fresh start with several important events:

We still need your help with the California Healthy Kids Survey. This confidential parent survey gives us crucial feedback on our school's climate and safety. If you haven't completed it, please take a few minutes to do so this week.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we start a successful

Quarter 2!

Warmly,

Mrs. Antuna, Principal

Ms. Coronel, Assistant Principal

Our 1st quarter report cards were mailed home. They should arrive in the mail this week.

A reminder to families:

At our parent teacher conferences, teachers shared these documents with families. It reviews each teachers' late work policy and quiz retake information.

Parents - we need your help!

We value the input and opinion of our parents/guardians. If you could take a few moments to fill out our parent survey, it would be great appreciated. This data directly impacts decisions that we make on our campus.

Thank you for helping to make GVMS great!

We've had three weeks of Parent Walking Group, and we want to thank the parents who joined us! We'd love to see even more of our wonderful families out on the track this Friday, October 17th at 2:30 PM.

This is a fantastic way to get a little fresh air, move your body, and connect with other families. It's also a great way to support our school's Blue Zone goals, which focus on making healthy choices easier for everyone.

Walkers will get a free t-shirt and other goodies as a thank you for your support. It's not just for parents—we encourage you to bring the whole family to walk with us!

If you're in the car line for pickup, why not park your car and join us for a fun, easy walk before school lets out?! We'd love to see you there!

This Thursday, October 16th, we are holding an Earthquake Drill. Students will practice how to “Drop, Cover, & Hold On.”

For this month's safety drill, we are participating in the Great California ShakeOut which is a day when schools in California commemorate the big 1989 San Francisco earthquake, officially known as the Loma Prieta earthquake, by holding its annual drill on the same date. 

If you purchased tickets for our Baked Potato Fundraiser,

this Friday is our pick up date.

Bring your tickets and get your delicious, loaded Baked Potatoes.

Thank you for supporting our Music Program!

A huge thank you to all the students who sold popcorn to raise funds for our school!!!

The competition was tough, but we have our winners for the first period classes with the highest number of students who sold popcorn:

6th Grade: Ms. Lasda's class

7th Grade: Ms. Johnson's class

8th Grade: Mr. Fernandez's class

Mixed Grades: Ms. Gehling's class

These winning classes will receive their well-deserved reward this week. We are incredibly grateful to each and every student who sold popcorn!

Were you unable to make it to our Cafecito or ELAC Meeting last week?

Not a problem - you can review the presentations online.

ELAC Parent Webpage Link & ELAC Presentation Link

Cafecito Parent Webpage Link & Cafecito Presentation Link.

We are thrilled to celebrate the talent of one of our own! Eighth-grade student Milly De la Vara is taking the stage in a production of Ibsen's classic play, An Enemy of the Pueblo, at Hartnell College's Western Stage.

Come out for a wonderful evening of community theater and support Milly—we are so proud of her work! It's a fantastic family activity.

Don't miss the final performances:

Location: Hartnell College Western Stage

Dates: Oct. 12th, 18th & 19th

Details: Check the Western Stage website for showtimes and tickets!

We had our third Saturday Academy session on Saturday, October 11th. It went went well and students received instruction in English, math, and art.

The Right At School after school program is still accepting registrations.

The Right At School program is offered every day after school until 6:00pm. Students do not have to stay until 6:00pm but there is a minimum of a half hour every day

Authors of "The Cartoonist Club" - Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud - will be in Santa Cruz at the Rio Theater in October.

October 28th at 6PM

If you are interested in volunteering for our Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos event, please call the front office to let us know.

Your support is invaluable, and we are so excited to have you join us in making this community event a reality!

We are thrilled to honor Vanessa Barbosa Fernandez as our Hawk of the Week! As our essential Attendance Clerk and Registrar, Vanessa is the warm heart and sharp mind of our front office. She is unfailingly kind and sweet to every family, student, and staff member who walks through our doors, always providing a welcoming presence and a helpful hand. Vanessa meticulously handles all of our attendance records, ensuring every detail is correct, and her dedication is critical to our ongoing efforts to curb truancy and ensure all students are in class and learning.

This past week, Vanessa truly soared above and beyond. While our front office was short-staffed, she stepped up to manage an incredible workload. In addition to her own daily duties, she seamlessly managed substitutes, handled the final preparations and mailing of report cards, and addressed all urgent school needs. All of this was done while simultaneously attending necessary trainings and meetings! Vanessa consistently goes the extra mile—she often stays late to support family events or student activities, reinforcing her commitment to our school community outside of her core hours.

We simply can't say enough about how amazing Vanessa is. Her dedication, detail-oriented work ethic, and immense heart make her an invaluable member of our team.

Thank you, Vanessa, for everything you do!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a perfect time for all of us—students, staff, and families—to reinforce a culture of respect and kindness at home and at school. Bullying prevention isn't just about stopping negative behavior; it's about actively teaching and promoting upstanding behavior and empathy. We encourage you to talk with your child about what bullying looks like (including cyberbullying) and the importance of speaking up, whether they are a target or a witness. Together, we can ensure GV is a safe, supportive, and welcoming place for everyone.

October is officially recognized as Filipino American History Month (FAHM)! This is a vital time to celebrate the rich history, culture, and countless contributions of Filipino Americans to the United States. It was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first documented Filipinos in America—who landed in what is now Morro Bay, California, in October 1587.

FAHM is important because it allows us to highlight the remarkable impact of the community, from fighting for farm workers' rights to advancing science, arts, and education. We encourage families to explore and learn about this history as part of our commitment to celebrating the diverse tapestry of our school community!

This is the last week of our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month! From September 15 to October 15, we recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. It's a time to honor the rich traditions and diverse backgrounds of people whose ancestry is from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.