Enrichment Activities & Clubs
Garfield is a positive and caring community that appreciates individual strengths and abilities. The diversity of our children and families helps create a rich learning environment. We address the needs of the whole child through challenging learning experiences, physical movement, the arts, and partnering with families.
Updated: December 2019
Choir
The Garfield choir meets two days after school for 4th and 5th graders. Students are given the opportunity to explore and practice with their voices.
Choir students ssing at several events such as the Winter Celebration, La Posada, and they also sing the National Anthem at one or two OSU athletic events.
To register, please see Maestra Kinney in October to join.
Eco-Gecko Club
A Certified Oregon Green School
Garfield Elementary is one of approximately 200 schools that are certified as an Oregon Green School (OGS)! Garfield earned it’s Merit Level Certification from OGS in October 2018, the second of three levels. The OGS certifications are bestowed on Oregon schools that can demonstrate completion of school water, energy, and waste audits; goal setting in various areas of sustainability; and school sustainability projects with students, staff, and the community. Merit level schools have gone beyond the basics to provide sustainability assistance to other schools.
Garfield’s merit certification plaque from Oregon Green Schools, which was presented to our school community by our regional Green School Coordinator, Rachel Snyder of Republic Services, in December 2018.
Curious to learn more about Oregon Green Schools? Watch this short video and visit the Oregon Green Schools website to find out more about this program. You’ll find other videos on the site, including Saving Little Pieces of Our Earth: Oregon’s Curbside Recycling Journey. Find out how the recycling that you do at school, home or work gets turned into new things!
Eco-Gecko Club
Eco-Gecko Club is Garfield’s student sustainability club. 3rd-5th graders in Eco-Gecko Club meet twice a month to explore projects in science, technology, and the environment. Eco-Gecko Club students work with Mr. Inman to learn about sustainability and environmentalism, use science and engineering to solve problems and help reach others in our school and community. Parent’s of 3rd-5th students interested in joining Eco-Gecko can contact Joel Inman.
Students work on a recycling audit with Mr. Inman during their Eco-Gecko Club meeting (spring 2019).
Students work together to build an example of a recycling sorting machine during an Eco-Gecko Club meeting (winter 2019). The club was learning the why behind the current recycling material restrictions in our area.
Eco-Gecko Club student representatives, with Mr. Inman (Eco-Gecko Club advisor) and Ms. Christy (Garfield’s Sustainability Captain/Leader), at the Oregon Gardens for the 2019 Oregon Green School’s Summit.
The Garfield Green Team Committee
The Garfield Green Team Committee was a committee established in the Fall of 2013 to help Garfield Elementary move forward with its environmental efforts The committee includes a team of teachers, parents, and community members. If you would like to join the Green Team Committee, please email our School Sustainability Leader, Christy Toliver. Meetings can be in English and Spanish.
The Gecko Learning Garden
The Gecko Learning Garden was built in June 2014, and funded entirely by grants, the PTA, and private donations. The shed is stocked with garden tools, and there are picnic tables available for use. Garden maintenance is performed by parent and community volunteers. Our mission:
- Wellness—exposure to gardening promotes healthy food choices and physical activity
- Community—brings diverse Garfield families together; erodes language barriers
- Education—practical food production skills for families, and opportunities to enhance district-approved science curriculum
Oregon Battle of the Books and Lucha Libros
The Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) is a statewide voluntary reading motivation and comprehension program. Students in 3rd-5th grade are exposed to quality literature representing a variety of literary styles and viewpoints. A list of selected titles are chosen to be read and these books are used in trivia style battles by teams of 3-5 players.Teams compete within our school to crown a school champion. Our winning team goes on to compete in a regional battle with eyes on the prize of going to the state competition.
Lucha Libros is Garfield’s home grown version of OBOB in Spanish. Similar to OBOB, Lucha Libros is meant to encourage and recognize students who enjoy reading, to broaden reading interests, and to promote cooperative learning and teamwork among students all in Spanish! It is based on the statewide OBOB competition and uses the OBOB rules and format.
Both Lucha Libros and OBOB are entirely run by volunteers so we need your help! Please consider volunteering so we can keep these programs running.
If you have any questions or want to help out please feel free to contact our librarian “El Profe” at: [email protected]
Educational Enrichment
- Art Specialist
- Physical Education Specialist
- Music Specialist
- Strings program (fee based with scholarships available, grades 3-5)
Annual Events
Gecko Run
Children gather pledges from friends and family to pay a certain dollar amount per lap they run around the Garfield field. All kids are out at once, getting exercise, having fun and raising money for our school.
The Book Fair
Once a year for a week, one of the rooms in the school is turned into a book store. Students and family members can purchase books from their favorite series or characters at decent price while giving a percentage of the proceeds to the school.
Winter Celebration
The Winter Celebration is an opportunity for families to come together, share a potluck dinner, and enjoy music performances and art.
Books and Breakfast
Families are invited to enjoy a free breakfast while exchanging books and enjoying our community.
International Night
Garfield celebrates cultures of the world with each grade choosing one country to represent. Classrooms are decorated, posters and artwork are hung, projects are displayed, crafts can be made and food sampled. Classes also perform songs and dances from the countries they have been studying. Children can collect stamps in world passports for a prize at the end. Families and friends enjoy this lively and educational evening.
Talent Show
Children that have a talent to show off can participate in the talent show. Those interested do a brief audition with the music teacher, who puts the whole show together. The entire school gathers in the gym to watch kids sing, dance, play instruments, do karate, read poems, etc. Parents are welcome to join the audience.
Volunteer Appreciation
Volunteers are an important part of our school. They are celebrated yearly by Garfield staff.
Summer Celebration
The Summer Celebration is an occasion to celebrate the end of the school year with food, fun, and community.
Kinder and 5th Grade Graduation
Our youngest and oldest kids have a graduation ceremony during the last week of school. The kinders can proudly celebrate having completed their very first year of school, a year involving a lot of adaptation to a new environment and way of learning. The fifth graders are on their way to a whole new world, middle school, and leaving their old teachers, principal and younger peers or siblings. It’s a time to celebrate their accomplishments throughout their elementary school life.
