The MonsterWalk is Coming!

That's not thunder, an earthquake, or the LA helicopters...it's the sound of monster feet! That's right, it's MonsterWalk time! It’s our BIGGEST fundraiser of the year, and we are as excited as ever to hit our MONSTER goal of 41,000 dollars!


What is the Monster Walk?
It’s Gardner Street’s annual Walkathon fundraiser! All of our students (and teachers!) walk a 5K (3.2 miles) at school to get their bodies moving and raise money for all the incredible enrichment programs at Gardner. 


Why do we need to raise money?
LAUSD does not provide the art, music, PE or garden programs at our school. Due to budget cuts, these programs had to go. So it's up to US to make sure that every single student gets these weekly programs that create a full, well-rounded education. We believe the arts and movement are just as important as science and math, and encourage creativity, self-awareness, self-expression and self-esteem! 


How do we raise money? 
Each family creates a fundraising page for their student(s) by clicking HERE. It’s super quick to add your child’s name, photo (optional), and a little blurb about why they’re walking. Some of our students even make little videos or write letters to send to make it more personal. Then you email the link to friends and family so they can donate five or ten bucks (or MORE!) to support your student and the cause. It's safe, secure and easy to donate online. And every dollar helps!
 

Can people donate cash or checks?
YES! Pledge forms will go home in backpacks soon and can be returned to your student's teacher with an envelope of cash/checks. You can print another one by clicking here.


What team am I on?
When you create your fundraising page, your team is your student’s teacher’s name. Each class is a team and it’s a fun competition to see which class can raise the most money.
 
 
What is the goal?
Our goal is $100 per student. Which means $41,000 for the entire school! We need everyone to participate so we can make it happen!
 
 
When is the walk?
It’s Friday, February 23rd outside on the track!

Pre-K / TK / Kindergarten / First grade – 8:45 – 9:30 AM
Second/Third grade – 10:50 – 11:45 AM
Fourth/Fifth grade – 1:20 – 2:20 PM
 
Grownup monsters are welcome to come during their child’s time slot to walk with them or just cheer them on! 


Can you tell me how to set up my child's page? 
Sure! Just click here for more detailed instructions if you need them.


What if I have more questions?
Email us at friendsofgardner@gmail.com! 


It only takes a minute to set up your page - so click here to get walking! 

Halloween Carnival is coming!

We have reason to believe there is going to be a galactic event occurring on the Gardner Street campus very soon. We’ve spotted Unidentified Flying Objects circling our building and we believe an extraterrestrial invasion is imminent. We need you all in attendance at the Gardner Street Halloween Carnival on October 27th for review of this impending arrival. Furthermore, we also need you to volunteer at all food and game booths so that this doesn’t become Area 7450. 
 
There are over 150 volunteer spots needed at this event and we need every spot filled to make this carnival a success and prevent alien takeover. Please sign up now and do not back out. Commit to being there and showing up so we don’t have to shut down booths. It is very difficult to find replacements last minute. 

BIG THINGS WE STILL NEED!

-actors in the haunted house

-someone to bake 50 cute treats for our Trick-or-Treat walk (and package them individually)

-Two people with a lot of command to man the front of the haunted house



CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR A JOB


CLICK HERE TO SEND SOMETHING FROM OUR AMAZON WISH LIST


AND CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS!



Grab-And-Go Food Sites for August 21st


Our Grab & Go food distribution program is available at the following school sites on Monday, Aug. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Meals include breakfast, lunch and supper. Click here for an interactive map.

Region East

South East Senior High
2720 Tweedy Blvd
South Gate, CA 90280

Linda Esperanza Marquez Senior High
6361 Cottage St
Huntington Park, CA 90255

James A Garfield Senior High
5101 E 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90022

Eagle Rock High School
1750 Yosemite Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90041

Region North

Panorama Senior High
8015 Van Nuys Bl
Panorama City, CA 91402

Sylmar Charter High School
13050 Borden Ave
Sylmar, CA 91342

William Mulholland Middle School
17120 Vanowen St
Lake Balboa, CA 91406

Region South

John C Fremont Senior High
7676 S San Pedro St
Los Angeles, CA 90003

Phineas Banning Senior High
1527 Lakme Ave
Wilmington, CA 90744

Robert E Peary Middle School
1415 W Gardena Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247

Region West

RFK Comm Schls - UCLA Community School K-12
700 S Mariposa Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005

Marina Del Rey Middle School
12500 Braddock Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90066

Thomas Starr King Middle School Magnet: Film and Media
4201 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029

SCHOOL CANCELED - MONDAY, AUGUST 21ST

Los Angeles Unified is making the difficult decision to close all of our schools, campuses and after-school programs on Monday, Aug. 21. Students and families: please do not come to your school campus.

To ensure continuity of learning, we have taken multiple steps to provide lessons and activities for students. Teachers will be asked to provide activities and resources on Schoology by 10:30 a.m. In addition, instructional resources are available at LAUSD.org, and KLCS will provide educational programming. If families and students need additional help, please contact our Family Hotline at (213) 443-1300. For our employees: you will receive further guidance from your division head on adjustments we are making in the face of Tropical Storm Hilary.

Los Angeles Unified expects to resume school on Tuesday, Aug. 22. As always, please continue to follow the advice of your local officials and please stay safe.

STAR applications for 23-24 school year available now!

You can now apply for next year's STAR After School program. Spots are open for TK to 5th grade. Beginning this Monday, May 22nd, applications will be available at the main office during school hours and at the STAR sign-out tables from 3-6 PM. Or click here to download and print. Applications can be submitted through June 1st at the main office or to the STAR director. All information must be filled out or the application will be withdrawn from the lottery. The lottery will be held on June 2nd and submissions received after that date will be entered in the space available list. Enrollees will be notified of their acceptance beginning June 5th via call or text. Please contact the STAR director with any questions. 

Free STAR summer camp at Gardner!

Summer is almost here! And we are pleased to offer FREE summer camp here at Gardner from June 13th - July 28th. It will run daily from 8 AM to 6 PM, however, you can drop off and pick up in between those times. There will be no camp on June 19th, July 3rd or July 4th. Camp is open for any participant in the community that has an LAUSD id number. During registration, please list their 2023/2024 grade level. We accept any current TK-8th grader. When you turn in the completed application, you will be automatically enrolled - there is no waiting list. Please contact the STAR director if you have any questions. Click here for registration form and here for the discipline contract. Both are required.



Possible Strike update from Principal Cabrera

Greetings families,
 

This is Ms.Cabrera, Principal of Gardner Street Elementary, to inform you that due to the possible strike, our school may be closed to students this Tuesday through Thursday, March 21-March 23, 2023. Included in this message and in "The Week Ahead" will be a link for parents to access online resources through LAUSD. All students will complete their school assignments from home. Students TK-2 will receive a packet with assignments. Any parent can request we print them a packet for any grade level, just call the main office and place your request. Students may complete either the paper packet or complete assignments in Schoology by logging into Schoology at lms.lausd.net. 
 

Our main office will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to help students with device or password issues, or if you need to pick-up a packet or school supplies.  We will also be hosting virtual office hours on:

March 21-23
8:00 am-2:00 pm
https://lausd.zoom.us/j/89493671477
 

In the meantime, please stay updated by visiting our school website at https://www.gardnerstreetschool.org daily. 

 

Thank you,

Rebecca Cabrera 
Principal
 

Gardner Street Community School & 
Arts Integration Magnet
7450 Hawthorne Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
office: (323) 876-4710

STAR NOVA - Session 2 enrollment

After-school enrichment classes that are open to everyone, STAR NOVA's second session begins March 27th, but registration opens this Tuesday, March 14th at 2 PM. (If you're currently enrolled in the first session, those classes ends March 24th.) You can view the flier and all course offerings by clicking here. You do not have to be enrolled in STAR to sign up. Be on the lookout for a ClassTag email this week with details about scholarships. Click here to register.  

STAR NOVA now enrolling

Our favorite after school enrichment programs are now enrolling. You can register here and you do not have to be currently enrolled with STAR to sign up.

If you are interested in applying for a possible scholarship worth up to 50% of the enrollment cost, please click here. You will have to provide your tax returns, a W2 form and your most recent paystubs.

Our Gardner Community School Team is also working to make more scholarships available. Please help us to figure out how much help we could help provide by clicking here. 

First Day of School Announcements and Instructions

Monday, August 15th
First Day of School!
8:15 AM to 12:52 PM (Minimum day)
We're back at it! Drop off begins at 7:45 AM and the bell rings at 8:15.
Monday is a minimum day - with a 12:52 dismissal time!

Parents on Campus
As we begin this school year, parents are allowed back on campus for drop off and pick up - pre-pandemic style! HOWEVER! NO PARENTS ARE ALLOWED IN ANY CLASSROOMS. You may enter through the Gardner gate or the front doors. But we ask that you make your way off campus after dropping off or picking up your child. When the bell rings in the morning all parents need to be off campus, and in the afternoons we will begin locking the doors and gates at 3 PM. All students that haven't been picked up will be taken to the LateGate on Hawthorn.


Please arrive early enough on the first day to find your teacher lists and room numbers. Each grade level has different drop-off instructions on the first day so please read carefully.


TK and Kindergarten
Teacher assignments will be posted in the auditorium. Please help your child find their teacher in the auditorium and then teachers will walk the students to their classroom. We find it's easier for everyone if parents say their goodbyes in the auditorium, but if you feel the need to join the walk back to class, please just ask the teacher first. However, no parents are allowed in any classrooms. Please make a swift exit after dropping them off. TK and kinder students must be picked up directly from their classrooms by an approved guardian at the end of the day.

First Grade
Find your teacher's name and room number inside the main hallway by the front doors and then walk your child to their classroom to drop them off. First grade students must be picked up directly from their classrooms by an approved guardian at the end of the day.

2nd through 5th Grade
Second through fifth grade teacher assignments will be posted out on the main yard.Students can gather with their classes and teachers will walk them to their classrooms. These students will also be picked up out on the yard at the end of the day.

Afterschool Programs
If your child is attending STAR or Youth Services (Beyond the Bell), they will be picked up or taken directly to their programs after school. If you want to sign up, please speak with the program coordinators after school.

Coffee with Cabrera
8:30 AM in the auditorium
All parents are welcome to join Principal Cabrera in the auditorium after the bell rings to hear her talk about the year ahead and get all your questions answered.

REMINDERS

COVID tests
Please take your COVID rapid tests before coming to school on Monday and upload positive results to the Daily Pass. We will have extras at the front office if you need one. Let's prevent starting the school year with sick students and help protect our hardworking teachers and staff.

Please drive safely for our students!
For the safety of all our students, please drive slowly around Gardner. Do not park in red zones, block neighbors' driveways or move trashcans to park. Do not make u-turns in the middle of the street or park in the street with flashers on. There is parking for everyone, you just may have to walk a little further.

A big Gardner welcome to our new principal - Rebecca Cabrera

We are THRILLED to announce that Ms. Rebecca Cabrera is back at Gardner - and this time, as our new principal. We hope you will welcome her back and congratulate her on her new position with as much Gardner love as you have.

From Principal Cabrera:

Dear Gardner Street Community,

I am very humbled and excited to write this letter to introduce myself as the new Principal at Gardner Street Elementary and Arts Integration Magnet Center. I am very excited to return to Gardner after working for the Mulitilingual Multicultural Department within the Division of Instuction for the past two years as a Secondary EL Instrucional Specialist and World Languages and Cultures Specialist. The past two years working as an administrator at the district level has been an amazing experience and I am very excited to bring all that I have learned back to our school.

I am coming to you with 22 years of experience working in L.A. Unified. I began my teaching career at Selma Avenue Elementary and spent my last 18 years as a teacher at Gardner. This return to Gardner is like a return home for me.

I believe in setting high expectations for learning in a nurturing, positive environment, where children thrive and feel successful. My ultimate goal is to ensure that every child gets the highest quality education possible in a safe and supportive environment. Working together as a team with staff, parents, and the community, I am committed to helping each student achievetheir absolute best.

My door is always open and I look forward to meeting and collaborating with you. Please feel free to call or email me throughout the school year as two way communication is very important to me and to having a successful school.

Warmly,

Rebecca Cabrera

Summer Meal Service

LAUSD summer meal service will be available between June 14th and July 22nd. They will be providing breakfast and lunch meals to students ages 18 and younger at 550 school sites, including Gardner Street School. You can pick up meals Monday through Friday from 12 to 1 PM.

Now enrolling for summer and fall!

You can now register online for summer school at Gardner by clicking here. It's offered for pre-K through 5th grade and you can stop by the office for assistance.

In addition to this, in-person registration for fall 2022 enrollment is also available. The office will be open from 9-3 every day until June 28th and will resume in August. If you are not planning to return to Gardner in the fall, please let us know.

Congratulations to our new FoG Board members!

Congratulations to our new Friends of Gardner board members!

Roxy Garcia

Korbi Ghosh

Philippine Peerally

Tange Rouse

We are pleased to announce that due to the votes being VERY tight between a couple people, the current board has opted to allow four new board members instead of three. The bylaws say we can have a maximum of 8 members and due to the close race, and having a history of sometimes losing a board member throughout the term, it felt prudent to allow four this year. 

We are proud and thrilled to welcome this new crop of FoG leadership and know they’ll do a beautiful job representing the Gardner community.