Grizzly eNews 10-17-25
Principal’s Message:
At the end of each month we celebrate one student from each grade level and ILP classroom for their grizzly great behavior. These students earn a Golden Grizzly desk pal for the week and participate in a special craft activity. For September’s winners, we painted pumpkins. The students did a great job and had tons of fun. As an added bonus, some of the students’ classrooms earned a visit from Stella blue, our resident therapy dog.
Next week is Digital Citizenship Week. Be on the look-out for child and parent resources to talk about and improve your child’s digital citizenship. I encourage you to access the resources that will be provided in order to make healthy screen-time choices with your family.
~Principal Jeff Modaff
PTO News:
Open PTO Board & Committee Positions!
We still are in need of two significant roles to be filled. If you have questions or are interested, please reach out to president@gmspto.org. It takes a village to put on these events for our school and we need you!
PTO Board VP Roles
- VP of Special Fundraising – oversees Walk-a-thon, Book Fair, and Fun Fair
PTO Committees
- Fun Fair Chair- grab a friend and help lead a team of volunteers to run our annual Fun Fair!
RESTAURANT NIGHT – THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Restaurant Night at California Pizza Kitchen! We’re so grateful for the incredible support from our school families and the wider community. Your participation helps make a big difference for our elementary school — we couldn’t do it without you!
Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Can You Help Make It Magical?
The holiday season is just around the corner, and we’re working behind the scenes to bring a little extra cheer to our community. If you’re feeling festive and would like to support a special holiday guest at Winter Wonderland, we are looking for a sponsor or two to help cover the cost of hiring the jolly old fellow for the morning. Reach out to us if you’re interested in being part of the magic!
2025 WINTER WONDERLAND
Winter Wonderland (WW) activities are going strong and many volunteers are working behind the scenes to make this event a success. WW will be held on Saturday, December 6th at GMS, so mark your calendars now.
If you are new to Grace McWayne, or have not had the joy of experiencing WW–you and your students are in for a treat! WW is an all inclusive holiday shopping event during which your student(s) will be able to purchase gifts for loved ones (parents, guardians, siblings, grandparents, teachers, pets etc) while the 5th grade elves help the younger ones with their shopping. The majority of items are priced between $1-10 (we will have some higher priced items up to $15 this year as a trial) so children can shop for a reasonable price. Proceeds will support the school and their holiday shopping is complete. It’s fantastic! Parents/guardians provide a list of people for whom to shop and you set the budget. Another amazing thing about WW is that between 2,000-2,500+ items are sold at WW AND each item is wrapped by volunteers before the kids leave the store. It’s magical to see how proud the students are when they leave with their own secret gifts for loved ones.
While the elves help kids shop, grown-ups will be able to shop from and support local vendors. This is also a great time to socialize and enjoy a treat from the bake sale. Santa will be visiting during WW for those who would like to get photos with him.
There will be multiple ways to help contribute to the large number of gifts needed to put on a successful shopping event. Please be on the look out for more information. We also do not want anyone to feel pressure to contribute more than is comfortable–truly. This event is a joyful celebration for all!
Do you have Winter/Holiday gift bags (new or gently used) and/or tissue paper that could be donated for wrapping? We’d be so grateful! After Veterans’ Day (11/11), a bin will be placed in the entryway of the school for any items you wish to donate.
Feel free to reach out with any questions/concerns or if you are looking for ways to be involved (large or small). Thank you for reading this information and if you’d like to get involved–we have many ways to do so–and we do have a lot of fun!
Thanks for the opportunity to serve–
Nikki Arett and Kristin Griess (402-215-6315)
Co-chairs for Winter Wonderland
Email: winterwonderland@gmspto.org
YEARBOOK
Links to submit photos will be added to the PTO website this year under the RESOURCES section! Now collecting photos from:
- First Day of School
- Spirit Week
- Walk-A-Thon
WATCH D.O.G.S.
Dads of Great Students – join us for the best Friday of your year, whether you can help once or regularly, we need you!. Sign up HERE to volunteer. Only 8 slots left!
2025-2026 PTO BUDGET
The PTO budget for the year is posted on the PTO website and can be viewed here. Your donations and our events support SO many facets of the school and we can’t do it without you. From assemblies to field trips to teacher appreciation to learning resources that supplement the curriculum, it all comes from your donations and we, the PTO Board, are appreciative of the Grace McWayne community! Any questions regarding the budget can be emailed to treasurer@gmspto.org and president@gmspto.org.
School / District News:
Future Fashionista – Couture Commando Registration 10/25/25
Calling all Fashionistas and Commandos in training. BHS Rock the Runway along with Studio-Batavia Visual Arts Booster is looking for 3rd-5th grade students interested in fashion design. Spend an afternoon with a high school fashion design counterpart designing a wearable art accessory. We will train you in the manipulation of found objects to create a headdress, fascinator, armor, or jewelry piece. After you have finished your work of art, be ready to take on the role of model as you will show your design off for all to see in a mini fashion show in the Batavia Fine Arts Centre. High school students will help each Fashionista or Commando prepare for their role by assisting with make up application and hair styling. Students must provide their own makeup and hair styling equipment. A snack and Future Fashionista/Couture Commando t-shirt will be provided for all participants registered by the deadline. Parents are invited to attend the Fashion show at 4pm. A local artist will jury the work and a best in show will be awarded. The winning designer is then invited to model their work at the BHS Rock the Runway fashion show on March 14th 2026 in the Batavia Fine Arts Centre auditorium.
Date: 10/25, 12-5 Fashion Show: 4pm Cost: $60
Payments will be made online at www.studiobatavia.org through paypal, or card payment
Registrations received after October 6th are not guaranteed a t-shirt. Registration will be processed in the order received and will close once we reach 45 participants. You will receive an email from Emily Smith confirming your registration on September 26th and again on October 8th.
October is Bullying Prevention Month
At BPS101, we’re committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for every student. If you or someone you know feels unsafe or is being bullied, your first step should be to talk with a safe, trusted adult at school. If you prefer to remain anonymous or need support after hours, the Illinois Safe2Help
Line is available 24/7:
Call 844-4-SAFEIL (844-472-3345)
Text SAFE2 (72332)
Visit Safe2HelpIllinois.com
Email Help@Safe2HelpIL.com
Together, we can build a community where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued.
The Preschool Lottery Opens on November 3rd
The BPS101 Preschool at the Early Childhood Center is a tuition-free, lottery-based system. Families are, however, responsible for the District’s standard registration fee. The 2026-27 school year lottery will open on November 3rd and close on January 23, 2026, at 3:00 PM. If you or someone you know has a child who will be turning 3 or 4 years old by September 1, 2026, please consider entering our lottery for a spot in our Early Childhood Program at Alice Gustafson Elementary School. Learn more by clicking here.
Batavia Music Buffs Fundraisers
The Batavia Music Buffs’ annual butter braid fundraiser has begun! In addition to butter braids, we are also selling pies and a variety of other homemade treats from Windy Acres in Geneva, as well as custom hot sauce from Gindo’s. Orders may be placed using these links:
Butter Braids -Deadline 11/7/25
Hot Sauce – Deadline 11/15/25
Pies – Deadline 11/15/25
For questions and clarifications, please contact Allison Duewel at fundraising@bataviamusicbuffs.org
STAY CONNECTED
Please check the Directory to be sure YOUR FAMILY information is correct! Parents use this for play dates and birthday invites! This does need to be updated every year to change your child(s) teacher.
Visit the PTO website to search the student directory, view the school activity calendar, sign up to volunteer, or purchase tickets to the next PTO event. Download the Membership Toolkit app for easy access!
Trouble with the website: website@gmspto.org
Suggestions/Feedback: info@gmspto.org
ONGOING FUNDRAISING
Box Tops
Collecting extra support for GMS is now super easy. Download the Box Top App and scan your receipt!
Casey’s Rewards Points
Our school is participating in Cash for Classrooms, part of Casey’s Rewards. The best part? Donations don’t come out of your own pocket. When you buy from Casey’s and use their rewards program you can simply turn your points into a donation to our school. Help Grace McWayne School make the most of this program and learn more HERE!
IMPORTANT DATES
Sunday, October 19 – Grizzly Fun Run
Tuesday, October 21 – District Board Meeting
Friday, October 31 – Costume Parade @ 2:15pm
Tuesday, November 4 – PTO Board Meeting – all parents welcome!
Thursday, November 6 – Picture Day Retake 9am
Wednesday, November 12 – 3rd and 4th Grade Concert @ Batavia Fine Arts Academy
Friday, November 14 – Restaurant Night: Panera (All Day)
Tuesday, November 18 – District Board Meeting
Wednesday, November 26-28 – NO SCHOOL
UPCOMING CLUB DATES
Monday, October 20 – 4th and 5th Grade Chorus
Tuesday, October 21 – GMS Band/Orch Lessons
Wednesday, October 22 – 5th Grade Band Rehearsal at AGS
Thursday, October 23 – Culture Club (Group 2)
Friday, October 24 – 5th Grade Art Club
Monday, October 27 – 4th and 5th Grade Chorus
Monday, October 27 – Student Council
Tuesday, October 28 – Band/Orchestra Lessons
Wednesday, October 29 – 5th Grade Orchestra @ AGS
Friday, October 21 – 5th Grade Art Club
IMPORTANT LINKS