GFW Public Schools

There are three opportunities for kids to get messy coming up with GFW Community Education! Messy Art: Kirsten Dean (instructor) Ages 5 yrs and older Hands on fun with multimedia projects. Kids will create their own works of art using their imaginations. Very hands on and messy! Kids will be bringing their works of art home with them. Please dress in messy clothes. Monday, Feb. 3 - Valentine Themed Monday, March 3 - St Patrick Themed Monday, April 7 - Easter/Spring Themed 3:30 - 5 p.m. $18 per student/per class GFW Elementary School - Community Ed/ECFE Room. Please register by one week prior to each class.

The GFW Community Bus will be in Downtown Winthrop on Friday, Jan. 24 from 8-10 a.m. Learn more about this resource: https://www.gfwschools.org/article/1907538

It is Paraprofessional Recognition Week in Minnesota! The paraprofessionals at GFW Public Schools go above and beyond for our students every single day and we are so grateful to them. Be sure to thank a para this week!

The 2025 GFW CTE College & Career Fair is returning to GFW High School on Friday, Feb. 21 and we are inviting local businesses and higher education institutions to take part in this incredible event! Students in grades 8-12 will be able to attend the fair and learn about options for careers and educational options focused on Agriculture, Manufacturing, Shop/Trades, Family Consumer Sciences, Business, Visual Arts, Healthcare, and more! Visit our website to learn more: https://www.gfwschools.org/article/1977679

The Minnesota School Boards Association held their annual leadership conference last week and some of the GFW School Board and leadership team was able to attend!

We will be holding our informational session about scholarships with Laura Sallstrom of Dollars for Scholars and GFW Alumni Megan Jacobsen this week on Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at GFW High School. All seniors will be attending and we invite any families of the class of 2025 to join as well!

Due to the extreme cold and windchill temperatures forecasted, GFW Public Schools will have an E-Learning Day on Tuesday, January 21. After school and evening activities will be allowed to proceed as scheduled.

Some GFW Middle School students chose to participate in a badminton tournament during this week's reward day. Congratulations to the top three teams!

Congratulations to the December GFW Middle School Students of the Month!

Monday, Jan. 20 will be a non attendance day for students and a professional development day for staff!

Students at GFW Middle School that are meeting and exceeding GFW behavior expectations, and that are succeeding academically are allowed to participate in Middle School Reward Days where they get to choose from a variety of fun activities. Students had fun playing games, singing karaoke and more yesterday!

Community Education Trip Alert: Just the Way You Are Friday, February 14, 2025 Happy Valentine’s Day! We’re headed for the Ives Auditorium in Bloomington where we’ll begin with an included lunch of honey garlic chicken breast, cheesy potatoes, roasted broccoli & cauliflower, salad, dinner roll, assorted desserts, coffee and hot tea. (Special dietary meals available by request ahead of time.) Then we’ll head to the theater for Just the Way You Are, an array of classic romantic songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, featuring hits from Elvis Presley, the Righteous Brothers, the Bee Gees, Carole King, Billy Joel and more. Just the Way You Are showcases your favorite Sidekick Theatre musicians with some of the Twin Cities best vocalists performing such songs as ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’, ‘Wonderful Tonight’, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes off You’ and of course ‘Just the Way You Are’. Enjoy an atmosphere of fun and romance at Sidekick Theatre this Valentine’s Day! Bus will pick up in Fairfax at the old Middle School at 8:30 a.m., in Gibbon on the west side of the building at 8:45 a.m. and in Winthrop at the MS/HS bus loop at 9 a.m.. Bus will return to Winthrop at approximately 5 p.m., Gibbon at 5:15 p.m. and Fairfax at 5:30 p.m. Cost: $106 per ticket

Find the GFW Community Bus in downtown Gibbon on Friday, Jan. 17 from 8-10 a.m. This valuable resource aims to take a way barriers for community members to get resources they need at no cost. Learn more about the bus: https://www.gfwschools.org/article/1907538

Renville County is hosting a community engagement night where parents, teachers, coaches, and community members are invited to watch the streaming of board certified psychiatrist Dr. Amanda Black's presentation on the book The Anxious Generation. It will take place on Thursday, Jan. 23 at the Renville County Government Building in Olivia. Regsiter for the event at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScO_TEMdNXiNKb9UqPcXWeWMsSt2conewi4vmk9h-UgL6Ql7w/viewform

As work continues on the construction project of the new PreK-12 Facility, we will be sharing photo updates on the Facility Updates Page. Check out the latest construction photos! https://www.gfwschools.org/page/building-updates

Teams of staff at GFW Elementary competed in a gingerbread house decorating competition. Students will get to decide the winner!

The students at GFW Elementary did such an amazing job during their winter concert yesterday! The ukulele skills were really impressive!

Class of 2025 families: Don’t miss the Dollars for Scholars presentation taking place on Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at GFW High School. The presentation will also feature GFW alumni Megan Jacobsen who will share about her own journey with scholarships. We hope to see you there!

GFW Community Education Classes for KIDS! Home Alone: Kirsten Dean (Instructor) This class will cover the basics of staying home alone and coming/going from home safely. Topics such as appliance safety, responsibilities, first aid and more. There will be time allowed for questions and answers from attendees. You will feel confident and educated to stay home after attending this class. Take home materials will be handed out. This class is for 4th graders and older. Monday, Jan. 27, 2025 3:30 - 5 p.m. $45 per student GFW Elementary School - Community Ed/ECFE Room Please register by Jan. 17, 2025

Looking for a fun activity for Dad and children ages 2-5? Get a Dad and Me Take Home Activity from GFW ECFE! A take home build your own snowman project for you to do at home. All supplies included wood, paint, fabric, etc. Cost is $20 per kit. Discounts available for additional children in the family. Please prepay this fee to confirm your kit. Each child will also receive a free book Pick up your supplies the week of Jan. 27. Other times can be arranged.