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The Grove Grizzly Thank you to all of our families who came out to support of 1st Grade, 4th Grade, and Choir concert on Tuesday evening! It was great to see everyone in attendance! Also, a special Thank You to all of our room parents and parent volunteers who organized our holiday parties on Friday!! The students loved all of the planned activities!   We wish everyone a very Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! Hopefully all of our students will have an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends and come back after our two week break refreshed and renewed! We will eagerly anticipate the return of all of our students on Tuesday, January 7th!   As our students are off for two weeks, we highly encourage them to continue to read every night for at least 20-30 minutes! The break is the perfect time for students to find cozy places to curl up with a great book whether it be in front of a fireplace, on a couch, next to the Christmas Tree, or in their own rooms next to a pet a or sibling!! The holidays are also a perfect opportunity for children to read to grandparents, aunts and uncles, or other special individuals that they may be around during this time! No matter how each individual student is spending  winter break, it is extremely important to continue to read throughout!!!   Winter Break - Digital Citizenship Reminder and Resources We realize that the break is often less structured than when school is in session, so it is a good time to remember the importance of our students practicing good digital citizenship and making healthy digital choices online. As a result, I am sharing a document with some tips for parents to keep in mind over the break for keeping students safe with their digital tools. Please click on this link to view the document and access some great resources that we have included for parents and students.   Speech Tournament- Calling All 4th and 5th Grade Students! Our district has a beloved tradition of hosting an annual speech tournament in grades 4 – 8.  Children are expected to memorize a significant passage, verse, play or original piece of writing.  They work individually or with others on this and then perform it for a series of judges who provide them with significant feedback about their work.  Children are coached to perform their piece by a member of the staff, a parent, or another qualified individual. It is truly a wonderful learning experience and a challenging endeavor for all who participate.   This year’s speech tournament will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at Station Middle School.  All of our 4th and 5th grade students are invited to participate.  Scripts are available in both English and Spanish.  Students may participate as a solo, duet, or group of three to five members.  An informational meeting for students will be held at Grove on Thursday, January 9th during fourth and fifth grade lunch and recess periods.  Fifth grade students will meet in Mr. Bergquist’s room; and fourth grade students will meet in Miss Scherpelz’s room.  Students will receive details about the tournament at this time and have the opportunity to sign up. Pieces will be available for children to consider performing if they so choose.  Please contact Mr. Bergquist or Mrs. Shiroda with questions about the tournament.   rbergquist@barrington220.org   mshiroda@barrington220.org   Wanted: Speech Tournament Judges and Hall Monitors The Speech Tournament is need of several judges and hall monitors for this year’s tournament on March 7, 2020 at Station Middle School.  Volunteer judges and hall monitors may be parents, teachers, grandparents, and community members. All are encouraged to participate. A judge’s responsibilities include watching a variety of student performances, completing judging sheets, and providing feedback to the students. Hall monitor responsibilities include providing directions to guests and maintaining a quiet hall during the tournament. Please contact Mr. Bergquist or Mrs. Shiroda if you would like to volunteer for a shift.    rbergquist@barrington220.org   mshiroda@barrington220.org   Upcoming Dates Monday, December 23rd – Monday, January 6th – Winter Vacation, No School Tuesday, January 7th – Classes Resume for Students!! Thursday, January 9th – Speech Tournament Info. Session for 4th and 5th Grades during lunch hours!! Thursday, January 9th – 5th Grade Girls Basketball Games @ Grove Thursday, January 9th – 5th Grade Boys Basketball Games @ Lines Monday, January 13th – PTO Meeting, 9:15 a.m. in the MPR Monday, January 13th – 5th Grade Girls Basketball Games @ Roslyn Road Tuesday, January 14th – 5th Grade Boys Basketball Games @ Grove Tuesday, January 14th – 5th Grade Girls Basketball Games @ Rose Wednesday, January 15th – 5th Grade Orchestra Field Trip, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, January 16th – 5th Grade Boys Basketball Games @ Grove Monday, January 20th – MLK Day, No School for Students   Grizzly Heart Winners - Week 18!   The 5th Grade Boys and Girls Basketball season will soon be underway with the first Grove game on January 9! We are in need of volunteers to run our small concession stand inside the gym during the 3pm basketball game and the 4pm game. You can watch your child play and work at the same time! We will be selling candy, drinks, chips, and popcorn during the games. Please sign up here. We are thankful for your support! Thank you to all who participated in our Moretti's Dine Out and Kendra Gives Back event. Together, we raised $266 from Moretti's and $406 from Kendra Scott! These were both very successful fundraising efforts and we appreciate everyone who participated. These funds will support and enable Grove Staff and student activities throughout the year. More events are planned for next year as well as our two big events, Donut With A Grownup and Field Day, so be on the lookout in the Grizzly for dates! The best way to stay in touch with the latest PTO updates and events is to join our Facebook page, facebook.com/groups/GroveAvePTO. If you are looking for a way to get more involved, fill out our volunteer form or email anyone on our slate, barrington220.org/domain/1117. Our PTO depends on the support of our Grove Families and Grove Staff. Thank you for all you continue to do and have a safe and enjoyable winter break!