Dear Families,
We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your incredible partnership and support throughout the past year. It has been a truly wonderful journey, filled with growth, discovery, and countless memorable moments for our students. Your dedication, involvement, and commitment to your child’s education have been invaluable, and we are so thankful for the strong community we are creating together.
As we transition into the summer months, we encourage you to continue fostering a love of learning at home. Summer is a fantastic time for relaxation and fun, but it also offers unique opportunities to explore new interests and reinforce skills in engaging ways. Here are a few suggestions to keep the learning momentum going:
Read, Read, Read! Visit your local library often and encourage your child to choose books on topics they love. Reading just 20 minutes a day can make a huge difference. Consider reading aloud together, even for older children, or starting a family book club.
Sometimes the books they choose are too difficult for them. Have them read a page of the book and if they find they are struggling with at least 5 words, they should choose something less difficult to allow them to focus on comprehension rather than decoding; unless this could be used as a book that is read to them.
Explore books in your child’s second language – if they have a younger sibling, encourage them to check out books to read to them.
Explore the World Around You: Turn everyday activities into learning experiences. Count items at the grocery store, measure ingredients while baking, or identify shapes and colors in nature. Visit local parks, museums, or historical sites.
Board games and card games are also excellent for developing mathematical thinking.
Explore new words in their second language to help them continue to develop their vocabulary.
Embrace Creativity: Encourage drawing, painting, writing stories, or building with blocks or recycled materials. These activities foster imagination, problem-solving, and fine motor skills.
Stay Curious with Science: Observe nature, look at the stars, or learn about local wildlife.
Keep Writing: Encourage journaling, writing letters to family or friends, or even helping to write the grocery list. This helps maintain writing fluency and expression.
Limit Screen Time and Encourage Active Play: While educational apps can be beneficial, balance them with plenty of outdoor play, physical activity, and imaginative games.
We wish you a safe, joyful, and enriching summer break filled with precious family time and continued opportunities for growth. We look forward to welcoming our students back in the fall, refreshed and ready for another exciting year of learning.
Warmly,
The Garfield Team
Important Dates to Note:
9/2/25 Garfield Meet and Greet 11:00-12:00
9/3/25 First day of school
2025-26-School-Year-Calendar-Elementary-SP.pdf
