The red and black banners hanging on the lightpoles in front of the Upper/Middle School and Errol Schmidt Athletic Center highlight the schools core values as well as a few student accomplishments from the 2020-21 school year.  A big thanks to the Facilities Crew for hanging them!  Here's a Photo Gallery of what you'll see when you come onto campus this week.

Two SGS Middle School students recently made a $300 donation to the Spokane Humane Society, the earnings of a dog biscuit-making venture that started as a school project.  "Mason and Shawn started the Genius Hour Project as 7th graders when they decided to look into creating a healthy dog treat," according to the SHS Website Blog.  "The biscuits they created were sold to family and friends... and they now have a dog-tested recipe if they decide to pursue their entrepreneurial interests further."  Read more about their dog biscuit project on the SHS Blog.

To ensure bus service for our students this fall, Saint George's has purchased its own school busses and hired drivers.  Look for an email from Jamie Tender this week with details on new routes and stops.  Bus service will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 7, so for the first week of school please drop off and pick up students at the same locations you did this spring.  See background on the bus service changes in Jamie's Letter of August 20th.

One big concern that people have about next school year is that students will have not learned enough to be successful in the next grade.  One thing that can mitigate this is reading every day.  "I would encourage you to make reading 20 minutes every day a priority for your child(ren)," writes Lower School Librarian Lynette Georgeson.  She has provided a Lower School Summer Reading Letter on the SGS Parent Portal with links to sites that provide lists of good books.  They include lists of award winners, book reviews, author links, and activities related to reading.

In addition, students going into 4th and 5th grades at SGS have their own summer reading programs to follow.  See the 4th Grade Summer Reading Program and the 5th Grade Summer Reading Program documents on the Parent Portal.

Saint George's will celebrate #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving and unity, set to take place on May 5 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.  We are deeply grateful for the support we have received from families and friends of the school.  Although our Spring Gala has been cancelled, we are still trying to reach our monetary goal of $210,000 for our Annual Fund.  Please go to www.sgs.org/give if you wish to contribute to Saint George’s Annual Fund on this day of giving -- Tuesday, May 5th.

Summer is the time for students to recharge their batteries.  But how do parents help them keep from losing their academic gains from the previous year?  Upper School Head Francesca Mulazzi was part of a recent panel of school principals offering suggestions for parents on this critical topic.  Watch a Video of her Panel Presentation about how to keep your student engaged during the summer months.

Francesca also helps other educators enhance their leadership skills and personal satisfaction at work.  She recently presented on "Mindful School Leadership: Obstacles and Opportunities in Our Stories" as part of the Women's (Re)Institute online conference organized by Carney Sandoe & Associates.  

Classic Image has provided a link to view and download the Family Photos at Graduation.  There is no charge to download, so check out the Class of 2021 and their families in front of Graduation Bridge!

Saint George's 8th graders were honored in the annual Stepping Up ceremony on June 9 in the Schmidt Center Gym.  Parents, 6th graders, and 7th graders gathered to watch 8th graders win awards for their hard work in various subjects.  The awards culminated with the Head of School Cup, which this year went to two 8th graders for their prowess in academics, athletics, and the arts – congratulations to Oliver and Elsa!  The event included a slideshow of photos from the past year and wrapped up with individual student introductions and a reception with family and friends.  See the full video of the Stepping Up Ceremony, the Slide Show of Middle School images, and a Photo Gallery of the event.

The 8th graders have a “Humanitarian Efforts” theme for the year.  On Monday, June 7, their Theme Day included two different experiences.  In the morning, students heard from speakers from the Union Gospel Mission share their stories and their goal of helping end homelessness in Spokane.  Then they visited Transitions, a local non-profit organization that supports homeless and low-income women and children.  The students worked on various projects to help clean up outbuildings and get the lawns and playground areas ready for summer.  Thanks for helping make Spokane a better place for everyone!

The 5th graders held their annual Bridge Crossing celebration on Friday, June 4.  Students who are moving from the Lower School to Middle School walked between the lines of the younger Lower School students, then individually crossed the little white bridge over the stream to symbolically enter the Middle School.  Their teachers also read 'Kind Words' about each student that their classmates wrote.  The beautiful event signifies a transition to a new chapter for these new Middle School students.  See photo galleries of the Bridge Crossing, the Kind Words Ceremony, and the Class on the Bridge.  Congratulations, 5th graders!