THE WEEK AHEAD - SEPTEMBER 28TH

A Message from Principal Cabrera...

I want to remind everyone that toys should remain at home and should not be brought to school. In particular, please make sure that Squishies, Needos, and similar toys stay at home. We are seeing students popping them, arguing over them, and even fighting with one another because of these toys. This is creating unnecessary conflicts and disruptions during the school day.

Please talk with your child and make sure these items are left at home. Our priority is to provide a safe, respectful, and focused learning environment for all of our students. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.



Tuesday, September 29th
Prospective Parent Tour #1
 9 AM in the auditorium 
If you or a friend are interested in attending Gardner Street School, either our Community School or our Integrated Arts Magnet, you're invited to our first tour of the year. There is no reservation required. 

Early dismissal 
 1:43 PM 
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal!

Legendary Bingo at Hamburger Mary's!
 7 PM - 8288 Santa Monica Blvd. 
It's here! Our favorite adults-only fundraiser at Hamburger Mary's is this Tuesday! Make your reservations, book your sitters and come for a fabulous night with fabulous prizes. $20 dollar entry gets you a really fun night out with Gardner parents, and all proceeds benefit Gardner Street School! So come play bingo with the best hosts in WeHo, have some drinks and leave those kids at home. 



Friday, October 2nd
Coffee with Cabrera 
 8:30 AM in the auditorium
Come for coffee and Principal Cabrera's monthly chat. This month's topic of conversation is Substance Abuse Awareness, but feel free to bring your questions. 

Fifth Grade FUNdraiser Friday!
 2:45 PM at the glass doors
Fifth grade is back selling food and fun to raise money for their camping trip. Hit them up after school on Friday at the glass doors for ice cream bars and pizza and help them hit their weekly goals. 



Vision Screenings coming soon
Next week on October 6th, Vision2Learn will be on our campus to offer every student a free vision exam. Two weeks later, students who failed the exam will be offered free exams and free prescription eyeglasses. You don't need to do anything for your child to receive these services, but if you'd like to OPT OUT so your child does NOT receive the service, please click here to fill out and return the form by October 5th. You can also get a hard copy of the form from the front office. 



Community Cash program
We want to alert or remind everyone that we have a Community Cash program - where you do the shopping at places you are already going, and Gardner gets money back for it. Ralphs is a big one! Make sure to register your Ralphs card with our school's program so money comes back to us every time you buy your groceries. In addition, our BoxTop program, allows you to scan your receipts and money goes right into our bank. Click here for more details and to sign up! 
 

REMINDERS

Gardner GIVE! 
We are 17% of the way to our $30k goal this year with $5400 for Gardner Give! This is how we pay for all our arts, music, gardening and PE programs and we need YOU to help us do it. But we still have a long way to go. We're looking for 100% participation, with families giving whatever you can, monthly or all at once. Click here to give now and help us move further toward our goal. 


MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
            OCTOBER 5TH - School Picture Day! 
            OCTOBER 6TH - Free Vision Screenings
            OCTOBER 8TH - E-choices/GATE meeting
            OCTOBER 9TH - Minimum Day 

THE WEEK AHEAD - SEPTEMBER 21ST

Monday, September 21st
Unassigned Day - NO SCHOOL


Tuesday, September 22nd
Early dismissal 
 1:43 PM 
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal!


Thursday, September 24th
Echoices/GATE meeting
 3:30 PM in the Auditorium
If you are interested in finding out more about how LAUSD’s E-choices program works (which is how you apply to magnets, affiliated charters, bilingual programs and more!), OR are interested in finding out more about the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program, please attend this meeting. This is a good meeting for people who may be interested in applying for magnet middle schools as well. There will be one more opportunity in the near future to attend this meeting in the morning in case you cannot make it this time. 


Community Closet is open!
You can now shop our community closet - full of clothes, housewares, toys and more. And everything is FREE! Please speak to Ms. Laura or Mr. Panzer to arrange a visit. 


Legendary Bingo is next week!
Our adults-only bingo night at Hamburger Mary's is coming up on September 29th and we need help with prizes! We need big ticket items that we can auction off in different prize baskets. Think, hotel rooms, gift cards, and LA experiences. Get creative and reach out to friendsofgardner@gmail.com for next steps if you can help! And mark your calendars, because this is an event you don't want to miss. 
 

REMINDERS
Gardner Green 

Don't forget to bring your cleaned out glass, aluminum and plastic jars and bottles for recycling every Wednesday. Drop them at the Gardner Gate or glass doors during drop off, and our Green Team will turn it into cash back for Gardner!


MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
            SEPT 29TH - School Tour #1
            SEPT 29TH - Legendary Bingo at Hamburger Mary's
 

THE WEEK AHEAD - SEPTEMBER 14TH

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Last Day for Community Closet Donations
Drop off your gently used children's and adult clothing, housewares, toys and goods for donation to our Community Closet. Our wonderful parent volunteer team will go through and organize everything before it opens in a couple weeks and everyone can come shop for FREE! Please do not donate bathing suits, underwear, items with stains or holes or items that are broken. If you wouldn't or can't wear or use it, please do not donate it. Drop all donations on the patio outside the auditorium doors (but inside the school). 


TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
Early dismissal 
 1:43 PM 
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal! 

Back-To-School Night
 4 PM - 6 PM
It's our official Back-to-School Night! Come hear what your students' teachers have to say about the year ahead. Meet at 4 PM in the auditorium for messages from the Principal and others. Then you can attend classroom presentations beginning at 4:30 and 5:10. The class presentations are identical, but give parents with multiple children an opportunity to see two classes. Don't miss it! 



WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH
ELAC/SSC Election Meeting
 8:30 AM in the Science Lab
If you are interested in being part of our SSC (School Site Council) or ELAC (English Learners Advisory Board), please attend this meeting. WE NEED TWO MORE PEOPLE FOR SSC AND FOUR MORE FOR THE ELAC COMMITTEE. These are all important committees to be a part of, as they are part of the decision making teams at Gardner. We need parents on every committee, so we hope you attend and help us make the election official.


THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH
Friends of Gardner Meeting
 8:30 AM in the Auditorium
 7 PM via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89323162713?pwd=oTpvucJ0XmQfoCzwAZYXuNkUSbyxq0.1
Meeting ID: 893 2316 2713
Passcode: 765532
As a Gardner parent, you are already a member of Friends of Gardner. So come attend our monthly meeting and find out what's happening and how you can be a part of it. There are treats and coffee and friends in the morning meeting, and a new zoom option in the evening! Hope to see you there. 


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH
Crazy Hat Day and Shoutouts
It's our first shoutouts of the year! We're going to be shouting out all our foxes who are demonstrating RESPECT this month. And celebrating with crazy hats. So get those wild lids ready and we will see them on your head this Friday! 


SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH
Foxy's Workshop at Plummer Park (indoors)
 2:30–4:30 PM
We’re so excited to invite our Gardner Street families to our FIRST EVER Foxy Marketplace Workshop! Join us for a fun afternoon where each child will build and decorate their very own kite and then have fun flying it together! Come out, get creative, have some fun with us, and support our school. Snacks and water will be provided. Registration is required and is $10 per child. Parents must attend with their child. Please click here to register.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST
UNASSIGNED DAY - NO SCHOOL!

 

REMINDERS
Gardner Green 

Don't forget to bring your cleaned out glass, aluminum and plastic jars and bottles for recycling every Wednesday. Drop them at the Gardner Gate or glass doors during drop off, and our Green Team will turn it into cash back for Gardner!


MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
            SEPT 21ST - Unassigned Day - NO SCHOOL
            SEPT 24TH - Echoices/GATE meeting
            SEPT 29TH - School Tour #1
            SEPT 29TH - Legendary Bingo at Hamburger Mary's
 

THE WEEK AHEAD - September 7th

Monday, September 7th
Labor Day - NO SCHOOL



Tuesday, September 8th
Early dismissal 
 1:43 PM 
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal! 

Community Closet donation window opens
This Tuesday, September 8th through next Monday, September 14th, we are opening our donation window for our Community Closet. The closet is our community marketplace that is supplied BY our families, FOR our families. This week, til September 14th, you can drop off your gently used children's and adult clothing, housewares, toys and goods for donation. Then our wonderful parent volunteer team will go through and organize everything before it opens in a couple weeks and everyone can come shop for FREE! This is a wonderful program, but we ask that you please be respectful. Please do not donate bathing suits, underwear, items with stains or holes or items that are broken. If you wouldn't or can't wear or use it, please do not donate it. Drop all donations on the outdoor (but interior) patio outside the auditorium doors. Donation window closes next Monday. 

Family Dinner Night at Shake Shack 
 10 AM to 11 PM (8520 Santa Monica Blvd.)
It's the first Family Dinner Night of the year! Get your burgers, fries and shakes at Shake Shack (Santa Monica Blvd. location) any time on Tuesday, in person or online, with code DONATE and 25% of your purchase will go back to our school! You can also join us on the Shake Shake patio in the evening to meet friends for dinner. Don't cook this Tuesday - come for fries and fun instead. And tell all your friends!



Wednesday, September 9th
Gardner Green begins! 
 7:45 - 8:30 AM 
Our Gardner Green recycling program kicks off again this Wednesday and every Wednesday after! Bring your CLEANED OUT aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles for recycling and drop them at the glass doors or Gardner gate at drop off. The fifth grade recycling team will take it to be recycled and get cash back for Gardner. Please be respectful and make sure it's cleaned out. Help us raise money for the school, AND help the planet. 



Thursday, September 10th 
LSLC/ELAC/SSC Election Meeting
 8:30 AM
If you are interested in being part of our SSC (School Site Council), LSLC, (Local School Leadership Council) or ELAC (English Learners Advisory Board), please attend this meeting. These are all important committees to be a part of, as they are part of the decision making teams at Gardner. We need parents on every committee, so we hope you attend and help us make the election official.



Community Schools Survey 
Gardner is a Community School! And the Community School model works best when everyone participates.  Prioritizing the needs of the community starts with knowing your thoughts, needs and wants.  Please take a few moments to fill out the following Community School Survey so that we can best serve your family's needs. Click here for the survey!



Legendary Bingo is coming! 
Our adults-only bingo night at Hamburger Mary's is coming up on September 29th and we need help with prizes! We need big ticket items that we can auction off in different prize baskets. Think, hotel rooms, gift cards, and LA experiences. Get creative and reach out to friendsofgardner@gmail.com for next steps if you can help! And mark your calendars, because this is an event you don't want to miss. 
 

REMINDERS

Last chance to sign up for after-school sports lottery is this Tuesday at 6 PM! The first session will be soccer and cheerleading, it's completely free and open to 1st - 5th graders. Click here to sign up for soccer and click here to sign up for cheer. 
 


MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
            SEPT 15TH - Back-To-School Night
            SEPT 15TH - Latino Heritage Month Begins
            SEPT 17TH - FoG Meeting
            SEPT 18TH - Crazy Hat Day
 

THE WEEK AHEAD - AUGUST 31ST

Monday, August 31st
Coffee Marketplace
 8 - 8:45 AM
Stop by the double doors tomorrow for our Coffee Marketplace! Come say hi, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a pastry—everything is free. FOG would love to see you!



Tuesday, September 1st
Early dismissal 
 1:43 PM 
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal! 



Friday, September 4th
Admissions Day - NO SCHOOL 



Monday, September 7th
Labor Day - NO SCHOOL



Community Schools Survey 
Gardner is a Community School! And the Community School model works best when everyone participates.  Prioritizing the needs of the community starts with knowing your thoughts, needs and wants.  Please take a few moments to fill out the following Community School Survey so that we can best serve your family's needs. Click here for the survey!



Volunteers Needed
We have several immediate volunteer needs and would love your help! We’re looking for volunteers to help with Bingo prizes (small and large—tickets, bottles of wine, and more), Family Dinner Night organizing, Halloween Carnival fundraising, Marketing Team design, and grant writing. Every bit of help makes a difference! Please reach out to friendsofgardner@gmail.com if you can help.



Stay Connected 
Stay connected to your Gardner community by joining your class WhatsApp group! Fill out this form to be added to your group and receive important community communications. This is also a great place for families to connect around class events and needs!



Join Familia Gardner!
Our Latino family group is getting started and we'd love for you to join. Come connect with other families, receive communications and help plan and decorate for Hispanic Heritage Month. Join the WhatsApp group to participate. 

REMINDERS

Our Community Closet donation window AND our Gardner Green recycling program start next week. (Not this week!) So start collecting your cans and bottles and gathering your gently used clothing (no bathing suits or underwear!) and housewares for donations. We will send donation information out next Sunday!


MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
            SEPT 8TH - Community Closet Donation Window Opens
            SEPT 9TH - Gardner Green recycling program starts
            SEPT 11TH - LSLC/SSC/ELAC elections
            SEPT 11TH - Coffee with Cabrera
            SEPT 15TH - Back-To-School Night
 

THE WEEK AHEAD - AUGUST 24TH

Tuesday, August 25th
LSLC/ELAC/SSC Orientation meeting
 8:30 AM 
If you are interested in being on either our School Site Council, English Learner Advisory Committee or our Local School Leadership Council, please attend this meeting. We meet 8 times a year and these committees are vital to our decision making as a school. We need parents on each of these committees to help us represent everyone and have all voices heard. It’s a great way to become more involved internally with the school community. We encourage you to join us.

Early dismissal 
 1:43 PM 
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal! 



Friday, August 28th
Coffee with Cabrera 
 8:30 AM in the auditorium
After a whirlwind first day, we're going to try Coffee with Cabrera again this Friday! Please come and hear about welcoming environments, our integrated safe school plan, and more. Bring your questions and we hope to see you there.
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
            SEPT 4TH - Admissions day - NO SCHOOL
            SEPT 7TH - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL

THE WEEK AHEAD - AUGUST 17TH

Tuesday, August 18th
Volunteer Orientation
 8:30 AM in the auditorium
If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity at Gardner, you'll want to attend this meeting. We will walk you through the types of volunteers, what our school and the district requires for it and the steps to getting there. (They are easy steps.) Gardner parents are the BEST and are a vital part of what makes our school special, so we hope you will all attend. 


Thursday, August 20th
Friends of Gardner Meeting (now at two different times!)
 8:30 AM in the auditorium
 7 PM - via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82590778381?pwd=MNIrIgxlTLIHn0BUsvVIbJLxlnzkoN.1
Meeting ID: 825 9077 8381
Passcode: 617945
It's the first parent meeting of the year! And it's always the biggest and best. So come hear about everything happening at Gardner this year, how you can help and participate, and meet new grown-up friends in the process. As a parent or guardian of a Gardner student, you are automatically a Friends of Gardner member. This is your community and we hope that you'll come be a part of it! There is so much info to share this week - info for new parents, our new volunteer program, Gardner Give, Mr. Panzer will speak, and we will talk about all the fun events coming up!

We ALSO are now offering an evening Zoom meeting option, so everyone has access to the info. Please join us either Thursday morning in the auditorium, or the same evening via zoom. The information at both meetings will be the same. We hope to see you all there in one way or another!

 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
            AUGUST 25TH - SSC/LSLC/ELAC Orientation
            SEPT 4TH - Admissions day - NO SCHOOL
             SEPT 7TH - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL

THE WEEK AHEAD - AUGUST 10TH

We're baaa-aaack! We missed you all and hope you had an incredible summer. We're excited for another great year at Gardner. Welcome back, Foxes!



Tuesday, August 11th
New Family Orientation
 8:30 AM
If you're a new Gardner family, we hope you'll join us for our orientation, this Tuesday in our auditorium. It's for all new families - kids welcome. You'll get a tour and be introduced to some of our policies and procedures, as well as our kindergarten teachers. Don't miss it! 



Wednesday, August 12th
First Day of School! 
 8:15 AM
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! It begins! Doors open at 7:45 AM and the tardy bell rings at 8:15. Regular dismissal is at 2:43 PM, four days a week, and 1:43 every Tuesday. HOWEVER! The first day is a minimum day with a 1:08 dismissal. 

On the first day, classes will be posted by grade levels throughout the school. Please find your teacher's name and then meet your class at the location listed below. 
TK/Kinder - classes posted in auditorium - meet in the auditorium 
1st and 2nd grade - classes posted in main hall - meet on lower yard
3rd, 4th and 5th grade - classes posted on the fence near ramp - meet on lower yard

Coffee with Cabrera
 8:30 AM
Join Principal Cabrera for her first coffee meeting of the year. Head to the auditorium right after drop-off, get your questions answered and see what she has to say. 

MINIMUM DAY!
 1:08 Dismissal
The first day is a minimum day! Dismissal is at 1:08 PM. The STAR after-school program continues as usual.



Friday, August 14th
Back-to-School Picnic
 5-7 PM
Come celebrate the new school year and making it through the first week! Bring your own picnic and blanket to this completely free event out on the lawn. You can meet new fox families and enjoy dinner with friends. Our fifth graders will even be selling pizza and popsicles if you don't feel like packing a picnic. It's the easiest Friday night plans you can make. 

 

REMINDERS

If you know a new family at Gardner, please reach out and make sure they are signed up to receive our emails (like this one!). They can sign up at this link. 
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
            AUGUST 18TH - Volunteer Orientation
            AUGUST 20TH - Friends of Gardner All-Parent Meeting

THE WEEK AHEAD - JUNE 15TH

Office Hours
The front office is open Monday through Friday until June 26th from 9 AM to 3 PM. It will close June 30th - July 21st. If you need to visit, please call beforehand so we can know to expect you. 



First day of school is August 12th! Have a wonderful summer!



 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
                        AUGUST 12TH - First Day of 2026-2027 School Year
 

THE WEEK AHEAD - JUNE 8TH

This is it! It's the last days of the 2025-2026 school year! And what a year it's been!
 

Monday, June 8th
MINIMUM DAY! 
 1:08 PM
Don't forget to pick up students at 1:08 PM. After-school programs will continue as usual. 



Tuesday, June 9th
5th Grade Culmination
 10:45 AM in the auditorium
You're invited to the Gardner Street School Class of 2026 Culmination! We are so proud of who they are and are excited for their next steps. Please join us at 10:45 AM for their certificate program and celebration. 

Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.



Wednesday, June 10th
THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!
 2:43 PM dismissal as usual
It's the last hurrah! Please continue to send your kids to school through the last day, so they can collect all their work, art and goodbyes for the summer. Hooray for a wonderful year!

The Great Gardner Grad Walk
 2:48 PM
Immediately following dismissal, we will hold the fifth grade back for a few minutes and give everyone some time to get to the main hallway in preparation for the Great Gardner Grad Walk. Then at 2:48 we will dismiss them, and they will walk from the back of the school, all the way down the main hall and out the front doors one last time as Gardner students. We hope parents and students of all ages will come to clap and cheer and wish them well as they exit into middle school! We're proud of you 



Thursday, June 11th - Monday, August 11th
SUMMER BREAK! 

 

REMINDERS
Summer Camp with a Gardner Special! 

We've teamed up with Got Game Camp to bring Gardner families a special summer offer! Use code GGGARDNER15 at registration, and you'll get 15% off summer camp — that's $75 off per week! And because this code is for our school community, a portion of every registration comes right back to us! 

Got Game is one of the best summer camps in town, where campers pick their own activities every day — from sports leagues to imaginative games to progressive creative projects. Sign up for a single day, a week, or the whole summer! And it's right down the street. 

It's not too late to lock in your summer dates, but this offer will end June 14th, the night before camp begins on June 15th! REGISTER HERE and don't forget to enter code GGGARDNER15 (case sensitive)! Thanks to Got Game for always being a Gardner supporter!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
                        AUGUST 12TH - First Day of 2026-2027 School Year

THE WEEK AHEAD - JUNE 1ST

IT'S THE LAST FULL WEEK OF SCHOOL, GARDNER FOXES! 
 

Tuesday, June 2nd
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.



Friday, June 5th
Beach Day and Shout-Outs!
It's our last spirit day of the year! We're going to celebrate summer with BEACH DAY. So dress up like you're going to the beach, BUT please no open-toed sandals or flip flops, as that is a safety issue, and please still make sure you're fully clothed, and not just wearing bathing suits. Visors and sunglasses welcomed! We're going to shout out the kids who have demonstrated all of the pillars of character one last time for the year!

MINIMUM DAY!!
 1:08 Dismissal
Don't forget to pick up your kids early on Friday! After-school programs continue as usual. 

End-of-Year Picnic!
 5-7 PM
Come for our last gathering of the year - a completely free event out on the lawn. Parking restrictions have been lifted for the evening, so bring your own picnic and blanket and join us for music, friends, and fun. It's the perfect way to celebrate an incredible year at Gardner and the start of summer! 



Summer Camp with a Gardner Special! 
We've teamed up with Got Game Camp to bring Gardner families a special summer offer! Use code GGGARDNER15 at registration, and you'll get 15% off summer camp — that's $75 off per week! And because this code is for our school community, a portion of every registration comes right back to us! 

Got Game is one of the best summer camps in town, where campers pick their own activities every day — from sports leagues to imaginative games to progressive creative projects. Sign up for a single day, a week, or the whole summer! And it's right down the street. 

It's not too late to lock in your summer dates, but this offer will end June 14th, the night before camp begins on June 15th! REGISTER HERE and don't forget to enter code GGGARDNER15 (case sensitive)! Thanks to Got Game for always being a Gardner supporter!
 

REMINDERS

It's the last day for Gardner Green! Get that cleaned-out recycling in this Wednesday so we can trade it back in for cash! Glass, plastic, and aluminum, at the glass doors or the Gardner gate! Please and thank you! 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       

                          
                         JUNE 8TH - Minimum Day
                         JUNE 9TH - 5th Grade Culmination
                         JUNE 10TH - Last Day of School

THE WEEK AHEAD - MAY 25TH

Monday May 25th
Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL



Tuesday, May 26th
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.

TK/Kinder Family Orientation
 8:30 AM
If you are a new TK or Kindergarten family for the 2026-2027 school year, we invite you to join us for an orientation this Tuesday. We will go over curriculum, policies and procedures and answer questions. Children are welcome to join, but please note this is more of an adult-centered information session. We hope to see you there. 
 

REMINDERS

It's the last few weeks for Gardner Green! Get that cleaned-out recycling in on Wednesdays so we can trade it back in for cash! Glass, plastic, and aluminum, at the glass doors or the Gardner gate! Please and thank you! 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       


                         JUNE 5TH - Beach Day spirit day and Minimum Day
                         JUNE 8TH - Minimum Day 
                         JUNE 9TH - 5th Grade Culmination
                         JUNE 10TH - Last Day of School

THE WEEK AHEAD - MAY 18TH - 22ND


Monday May 18th
Parent Workshop - Literacy at Home
 4 PM in room 8
We hope you will join us for a new Parent Workshop called Literacy at Home. This Monday, you'll learn how to support your reader, how to build confidence at home and all about interactive read alouds. Please attend this informative meeting to help with your child's literacy skills. 



Tuesday, May 19th
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.



Thursday, May 21st
Spring Show
 8:40 AM and 1:20 PM
Gardner's annual Spring Show is this Thursday! Come watch all our students perform musical numbers in a show featuring songs through the decades. There are two opportunities to see the performances and both shows are almost identical. Please note that our first graders (and a 1st/2nd grade class) will be on a field trip in the morning and therefore will not be performing in the first show. So if you have a child in Ms. Litonjua, Miller or Martinez's class, we ask that you attend the second show at 1:20 so that you can see them. 



Monday, May 25th
Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL

 

REMINDERS

Our first Gardner cookbook, How To Cook Like A Fox, that was featured at our Art Show, is still for sale and makes a wonderful Mother's Day gift! It includes gorgeous artwork by our second graders and all the recipes made by our students during our gardening and cooking classes! It's a beautiful book that helps your kids remember how to make all their favorite, delicious Gardner dishes! It's only $8, all proceeds benefit our garden and cooking programs, and it's available to order by clicking here! 
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       


                         MAY 25TH - Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL
                         MAY 26TH - TK/Kinder orientation 

THE WEEK AHEAD - MAY 11TH

Happy Mother's Day!
We want to wish all the incredible moms of Gardner Street a very happy Mother's Day! It is YOU who gets these kids to school every day, signs the field trip forms, dresses them for spirit days, volunteers for the events, attends the teacher meetings, keeps the calendar and helps with the projects. We know it's a thankless job, but we see you and appreciate all you do for our students and our school!


Last week for CAASPP Testing 
This week our 5th graders ONLY continue their CAASPP testing with the science portion of the test. The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is California's statewide, computer-based testing system for students in grades 3-8 and 11. We ask that students continue to try to arrive on time, eat a good breakfast and get a good night's sleep. 


Tuesday, May 12th
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.


Thursday, May 14th
Friends of Gardner Meeting
 8:30 AM
Join us for our last FoG meeting of the year. We will wrap up the year with an election for the new Friends of Gardner board members, complete with usual treats and coffee. Come vote and end the year with a 


Friday, May 15th
Coffee with Cabrera
 8:30 AM
It's our last Coffee with Cabrera too! Come to discuss this month's topic with Principal Cabrera, and bring your questions and concerns. 

Gardner GLOW! 
 6 - 8:30 PM
It's here! The party of the year! You do NOT want to miss this InterGLOWactic event that your kids won't stop talking about. This Friday, from 6 to 8:30 PM, there will be darkness, music, dancing, food and tons of neon in the galaxy of your dreams!

So get your tickets for our annual glow dance BY CLICKING HERE or at the glass doors before and after school this week. We also really need volunteers! PLEASE help us make this event a success by SIGNING UP HERE for a shift. You will still get to enjoy time with your kids. But when you step to give an hour of your time to events like this, it helps us raise the money we need to continue to pay for PE, music, art and cooking classes for your kids. We cannot do it without you. If you absolutely cannot volunteer, please consider donating from our Amazon wish list here! 


 

REMINDERS

Our first Gardner cookbook, How To Cook Like A Fox, that was featured at our Art Show, is still for sale and makes a wonderful Mother's Day gift! It includes gorgeous artwork by our second graders and all the recipes made by our students during our gardening and cooking classes! It's a beautiful book that helps your kids remember how to make all their favorite, delicious Gardner dishes! It's only $8, all proceeds benefit our garden and cooking programs, and it's available to order by clicking here! 
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       


                         MAY 21ST - Spring Show
                         MAY 25TH - Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL

THE WEEK AHEAD - MAY 4TH

CAASPP Testing Continues
This week our 3rd through 5th graders continue their CAASPP testing. The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is California's statewide, computer-based testing system for students in grades 3-8 and 11. This week they will take the math portion. We ask that students continue to try to arrive on time, eat a good breakfast and get a good night's sleep. 


It's Teacher Appreciation Week!
This week is National Teacher Appreciation week. Friends of Gardner has special treats set up for our amazing teachers every day this week, but please make sure to tell them in your own way how grateful you are for them! These are the people that spend hours upon hours, educating, guiding, and loving your children while they are away from you. They deserve all of our thanks and praise!


Monday, May 4th
Last Day for Yearbook ordering
It's the last day to purchase your 2025/2026 yearbook! There are hard-cover and soft-cover options available at different prices, and yearbooks will be delivered on the last week of school to your child's classroom. You can also customize some of the first pages of your yearbook with personal pictures from the past year. Fifth grade families may want to even customize with personal pictures throughout their time at Gardner. Those are available for a small additional cost, but customization is not required. The deadline is Monday, May 4th! Click here to purchase!


Tuesday, May 5th
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.



Friday, May 8th
Minimum Day - 1:08 Dismissal
 1:08 PM


Get your Gardner Cookbooks!
Our first Gardner cookbook, How To Cook Like A Fox, that was featured at our Art Show, is still for sale and makes a wonderful Mother's Day gift! It includes gorgeous artwork by our second graders and all the recipes made by our students during our gardening and cooking classes! It's a beautiful book that helps your kids remember how to make all their favorite, delicious Gardner dishes! It's only $8, all proceeds benefit our garden and cooking programs, and it's available to order by clicking here! 
 

REMINDERS

Gardner GLOW is coming May 15th! Make sure to sign up to help us out with volunteering for the event or ordering something from our Amazon wish list! Click here for all the details!
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       


                         MAY 14TH - FoG Meeting
                         MAY 15TH - GLOW dance
                         MAY 21ST - Spring Show
 

THE WEEK AHEAD - APRIL 27TH

CAASPP Testing This Week
This week our 3rd through 5th graders will begin taking the CAASPP test. The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is California's statewide, computer-based testing system for students in grades 3-8 and 11. It measures student proficiency in English Language Arts literacy, mathematics and science based on state standards and is aimed at determining college and career readiness. The test will continue every day for a couple of weeks and this week they will take the ELA portion. We ask that students arrive on time, eat a good breakfast and get a good night's sleep. We want all of our students to feel well-prepared to take the test. Just remind them to take their time and do their best. 


Tuesday, April 28th
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.


Friday, May 1st
Crazy Hair Day and Shoutouts!
It's everyone's favorite spirit day of the year - Crazy Hair Day! We're going to pair that with shoutouts and shoutout all the kids who are demonstrating Gardner's pillars of character. So get those locks loose and ready to go and we will see the insanity this Friday! 


Friends of Gardner Elections
Friends of Gardner Board positions are open for next year and we'd love to have you a part of it. If you are interested in being on the board, please send an email to friendsofgardner@gmail.com with questions to let us know you're interested, by Friday, May 1st! Elections will be held at the next FoG meeting on Thursday, May 14th. 


Get your yearbooks!
It's time to purchase your 2025/2026 yearbook! It's the best way to commemorate the year at Gardner forever! There are hard-cover and soft-cover options available at different prices, and yearbooks will be delivered on the last week of school to your child's classroom. You can also customize some of the first pages of your yearbook with personal pictures from the past year. Fifth grade families may want to even customize with personal pictures throughout their time at Gardner. Those are available for a small additional cost, but customization is not required. You have ONE MORE week to purchase your yearbook. The deadline is Monday, May 4th! Click here to purchase!


 

REMINDERS

Developers are moving forward with a new, fifteen-story, housing project on the corner of Sunset and Gardner. This project will tower over the Gardner yard, have an entrance and exit next to our carpool line, and will take three years of construction without a prior environmental review. If you are interested in helping us fight this, please click here to find out how to send a letter to the city and sign our petition. 
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       


                         MAY 4TH - 8TH - Teacher Appreciation Week
                         MAY 8TH - Minimum Day
                         MAY 14TH - FoG Meeting
                        MAY 15TH - GLOW dance
 

THE WEEK AHEAD - APRIL 20TH

Tuesday, April 21st
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.


Wednesday, April 22nd
Art Show and Open House
 3:30 PM - 6 PM





It's time for our annual Open House and Art Show! It's a beautiful event, featuring "wow" pieces by every student. These pieces tell a story and we hope you will come spy our artists all over the place! In addition, classrooms will be open for you to view what your students have been working on in the classroom. Please note, this is not a time to meet with teachers about your individual students, but more of a come-and-go opportunity to see work displayed. Art Show opens at 3 PM and classrooms are open at 330 and the event runs til 6 PM. We still need some volunteers to help us set up on Wednesday!  Please click here to sign up!


Friday, April 24th
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day - NO SCHOOL


Get your yearbooks!
It's time to purchase your 2025/2026 yearbook! It's the best way to commemorate the year at Gardner forever! There are hard-cover and soft-cover options available at different prices, and yearbooks will be delivered on the last week of school to your child's classroom. You can also customize some of the first pages of your yearbook with personal pictures from the past year. Fifth grade families may want to even customize with personal pictures throughout their time at Gardner. Those are available for a small additional cost, but customization is not required. You have TWO weeks to purchase your yearbook. The deadline is May 4th! We will keep reminding you, but do it quick so you don't forget! Click here to purchase!


A peek at Gardner past
You can still view the posters of Gardner throughout its history, featured at our birthday party. Click here to see Gardner through the years. 
 

REMINDERS

Developers are moving forward with a new, fifteen-story, housing project on the corner of Sunset and Gardner. This project will tower over the Gardner yard, have an entrance and exit next to our carpool line, and will take three years of construction without a prior environmental review. If you are interested in helping us fight this, please click here to find out how to send a letter to the city and sign our petition. 
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       


                         MAY 1 - Asian American Pacific Islanders History Month Begins
                         MAY 1 - Crazy Hair Day and Shoutouts

THE WEEK AHEAD - APRIL 13TH

UTLA Strike Update
As many of you know, the teachers' union, UTLA, as well as the school workers' union, SEIU, and the administrators' union, AALA, have been preparing to strike on Tuesday, April 14th, if a deal is not reached with LAUSD before then. As of this morning (Sunday), a tentative deal has been reached with UTLA. The other two unions are still in negotiations, therefore nothing is definitive yet. If a deal is not confirmed, and they do in fact strike, we will notify you about a work stoppage and school closure as soon as we have any information. 

We understand how difficult an event like this can be for many of you. In the event of a work stoppage, you can click here to view organizations that will be offering free childcare, as well as locate LAUSD's free meal distribution sites, where you can receive up to three free meals per day, per child. 

Please feel free to call the front office with any questions and stay alert for more information from us and the district as updates are released. 

 

The following schedule is in the event that there is NO work stoppage and school continues as usual. 



Tuesday, April 14th
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.


Thursday, April 16th
Friends of Gardner Meeting
 8:30 AM
Come meet your fellow Gardner parents for our monthly meeting. We will be discussing what's to come in the last couple months of school and how you can be a part of it. Join us for updates on what's going on at Gardner! Goodies and coffee will be served as always. 


Sign up to be an art show volunteer!
We only have a few volunteers that have signed up to help prep our art show! But without you, it won't happen! Please sign up to help mount and hang art, because this event is coming up fast. Our annual Open House and Art Show is Wednesday, April 22! Please click here to sign up!


New development at Sunset and Gardner
Developers are moving forward with a new, fifteen-story, housing project on the corner of Sunset and Gardner. This project will tower over the Gardner yard, have an entrance and exit next to our carpool line, and will take three years of construction without a prior environmental review. If you are interested in helping us fight this, please click here to find out how to send a letter to the city and sign our petition. 


Laurel Middle School Tours
Fourth and fifth grade families are invited to tour Laurel Cinematic Arts and Creative Tech Magnet. Please see the flier for details. 



A peek at Gardner past
Thanks to all that attended Gardner's 115th birthday picnic. At the event, we had posters of Gardner throughout its history and wanted to be sure to share them with anyone who couldn't make it. Click here to see Gardner through the years. 

 

REMINDERS

Gardner Green is still going on Wednesday mornings! Be sure to drop that cleaned out plastic, glass and aluminum to the glass doors or Gardner gate. 
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       


                         APRIL 22ND - Art Show and Open House
                         APRIL 24TH - Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day - NO SCHOOL

THE WEEK AHEAD - APRIL 6TH

Monday, April 6th
First day back from Spring Break!
We're back! School starts at 8:15 AM!


Tuesday, April 7th
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.

Prospective Parents Tour
 9 AM
It's our last tour of the year! If you or a friend are interested in attending Gardner's neighborhood school or our Integrated Arts Magnet, we hope you'll come learn more about it this Tuesday. You'll hear from speakers, get questions answered and get a tour of the campus. There is no RSVP required. 


Friday, April 10th
Coffee With Cabrera
 8:30 AM
Join Principal Cabrera for her monthly chat. This month is the important topic of Grooming and Online Grooming Awareness. We will talk about how you can help keep your child safe. We hope you'll attend. 


Gardner's 115th Birthday Celebration Picnic
 5-7 PM

After 115 years, we're still standing and hope you'll come celebrate this milestone with us. This is a completely free event, with optional items for purchase. Bring a blanket to sit on, a picnic dinner if you wish, and your party hats - as we sing Happy Birthday to Gardner. All current families and alumni are welcomed and encouraged to attend. A lot has changed in 115 years, but Gardner has always been the same sweet school, full of incredible kids. We hope to see ALL of you there. Please sign up here to volunteer for an hour or donate items.


Sign up to be an art show volunteer!
Our annual Open House and Art Show is Wednesday, April 22! We're looking for volunteers to helping with mounting art, hanging banners, etc. when we get back from spring break. Please click here to sign up!
 

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE

Gardner's beloved Ms. Tonia lost her son suddenly and unexpectedly last week. Ms. Tonia has been an integral part of the Gardner community for the last 25 years and we want to rally around her now with love and support when she needs it most. We hope that you'll consider donating anything you can to help her memorialize him in the way he deserves. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts in the days, weeks and months ahead. Click here to donate. 
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       


                         APRIL 16TH - Friends of Gardner Meeting
                         APRIL 22ND - Art Show and Open House
                         APRIL 24TH - Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day - NO SCHOOL
 

THE WEEK AHEAD - MARCH 23RD

Monday, March 23rd
Foxy-Mon Card Sales
 7:45 - 8:30 AM
Foxy-Mon starts Monday! Come grab Gardner’s exclusive new collectible cards and get all five by the end of the year. Foxy will even be there for a high five. 



Tuesday, March 24th
Early Dismissal
 1:43 PM
Every Tuesday is an early dismissal day.



Wednesday, March 25th
Art Show Volunteer Meeting
 8:20 AM
Our annual Open House and Art Show is Wednesday, April 22! We're looking for volunteers to helping with mounting art, hanging banners, etc. If would are interested or would like to learn more, please join us for an Art Show volunteer meeting on Wednesday,  March 25th at 8:20am in the Art Studio (upstairs in the main building). If you can’t make it but still want to help, please email rebecca.arce@lausd.net and she will make sure to include you in all future art show communications.



Thursday, March 26th
The 2026 Gardner Talent Show! 
 8:45 AM
and
 1:15 PM
You're cordially invited to attend Gardner's annual Talent Show! We have so many incredible acts that have worked hard to perform for you. Come enjoy their singing, dancing, instruments, comedy and more and cheer on their bravery! 



Friday, March 27th - Friday, April 3rd
SPRING BREAK!!



Got Game Camp - this spring and summer! 
When school is OUT, Got Game is IN! One of Gardner's favorite programs is Got Game, and they have lots of camps coming up. Now in their 22nd summer, Got Game campers choose their own daily activities — from high-energy sports leagues and wildly creative games to building & engineering projects, talent shows, festivals, water play, field trips, and weekly themes that keep every day fresh! Campers are grouped by age — Rookies (4–5), Pros (6–8), Vets (9–12) — and every camper has agency to navigate their day based on what THEY love! At Got Game, We Speak Kid® and welcome ALL kids of ALL interests! 

Spring Break Camp - March 27th - April 3rd at Hancock Park Elementary
Summer Camp - June 15th - August 14th at Third Street Elementary and Temple Beth AM

Hours: 9:00am–3:30pm, M–F (extended care 8am–5pm)
Ages: 4–12
Flexible weekly, partial-week, and daily sign-ups
20% Sibling Discount automatically applied
Super Early Bird: $80/week off through April 8th! 
Register Today at www.GotGameCamp.com
 

REMINDERS

COME GET YOUR DONUTS! You'll get them in Room 2 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings when you come in to take the School Experience Survey! (See how we're bribing you?) We REALLY need every family at Gardner to take this survey! The district is really on us to get more families to fill it out, so please help us out, while making your voice heard by clicking here. Take a screen shot and come in for your donut or fill it out while eating!
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Coming Up Next       
                    

                         MARCH 27TH - APRIL 3RD - SPRING BREAK
                         APRIL 7TH - Prospective Parents Tour
                         APRIL 10TH - Coffee with Cabrera
                         APRIL 10TH - Gardner's 115th Birthday Picnic