It is hard to believe that it is mid-May and we are just days away from the exciting June end of the school year events. We had such a fantastic school year and I am extremely proud of our amazing students and talented staff. Our Grass Valley School District (GVSD) students and staff worked extremely hard and the growth, progress and achievement are visible daily in our classrooms and at our school sites. This year is definitely one to remember!
The end of the school year is a wonderful time to reflect upon our students with a focus on their progress and accomplishments. We have several Open House events during the next few weeks where we will have examples of student work on full display.
Our District Open House Dates are the following:
- May 24 — Margaret Scotten Elementary
- May 25 — Lyman Gilmore Middle and Grass Valley Charter
- May 31 — Bell Hill Academy
The end of the school year also includes a variety of school activities. We have classroom and grade level plays, music performances, field trips and much more to showcase and celebrate our students. Please review communications from our teachers and school site leaders for specific details. We appreciate the support and dedication from our parents and GVSD community and we know that the work we’ve accomplished wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s teamwork.
We would also like to acknowledge the unwavering commitment of our staff. We know that nothing would be possible without our amazing team. We have more than 100 educators in GVSD who provide a variety of instructional and support services and I would like to take a moment to showcase some of our employee award-winners from this school year.
GVSD Employees of the Year:
- Carol Jackson — District and County Classified Employee of the Year — Margaret Scotten Elementary
- Melissa George — District Teacher of the Year — Bell Hill Academy
- Lisa Lawell — District Administrator of the Year — Lyman Gilmore Middle
GVSD Teacher Who Make A Difference:
- Karen Nelson — Grass Valley Charter
- Juliette LaPointe-Parks — Lyman Gilmore Middle
- Melissa George — Bell Hill Academy
- Vicki Philipps — Margaret Scotten Elementary
- Tamra Smith — 18 Years of Service — Margaret Scotten Elementary
- Deb Plate — 26 Years of Service — Lyman Gilmore Middle
- Sharon Brady — 28 Years of Service — Margaret Scotten Elementary
- Carolyn Sale — 34 Years of Service — Lyman Gilmore Middle
We certainly have some dedicated and iconic teachers who are retiring this year. Collectively they have provided over 100 years of service to our GVSD community and we wish them the very best in their retirement.
We would also like to alert our GVSD community of a new opportunity. After 23 years of service to GVSD, Tom Petitt has decided to step down from the GVSD School Board. His last official board meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 13 and it will be very hard to articulate how much his time, commitment and service have meant to us. Tom has held a variety of roles on the GVSD Board including Board President, Clerk, IBB Representative, and Trustee Representative for the Nevada County Committee on School District Organization. Like most changes, this will present new challenges for us and we are looking for community members who may be interested in providing service. Please contact our district office via phone or email if you have questions (kboswell@gvsd.us or (530) 273 — 4483).
Lastly, we look forward to honoring our 8th graders during their upcoming June promotion events and we wish our students, staff, families and community members a wonderful summer filled with adventure.The GVSD is dedicated to our learning community and we value the opportunity to serve and support you and your family.
Andrew Withers is superintendent of the Grass Valley School District.
