Garden Grove Elementary School

10/01/2026

Congratulations Mrs. Greenlinger! Thank you for your countless years of service to the Garden Grove Community! Well deserved!!!🎉🎉

We are proud to announce our 2026 October Teacher of the Month (TOTM) Lisa Greenlinger from Garden Grove Elementary.

Lisa consistently demonstrates an outstanding dedication to her 4th grade students through her innovative instructional practices, strong relationships with families, and unwavering commitment to student success. Lisa creates a classroom environment where all students are valued, challenged, and supported. She provides multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate proficiency and mastery of concepts, recognizing that students learn in different ways and at different paces. Through differentiated instruction and ongoing assessment, she ensures that every student has access to meaningful learning experiences and opportunities to succeed. Beyond her daily classroom responsibilities, Lisa willingly embraces new challenges that enrich the educational experience for her students.

The Teacher of the Month Program highlights educators across the Simi Valley Unified School District who demonstrate outstanding performance and make meaningful contributions to their students and schools.

Each month, honorees are celebrated with tokens of appreciation from generous community partners, including Grand Canyon University, Harley’s Bowl, Iverson Construction, Kleintob Supercuts, Logix Federal Credit Union, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, Simi Valley YMCA, Eric Little with State Farm Insurance, Ventura County Credit Union, and the Walt Fuller Foundation. Local dignitaries also present personalized certificates of recognition, reinforcing the strong bond between schools and the broader community.

“Together, we send a clear message that the business community supports and values the dedication of our teachers,” said Ryan Fowler, Board President of the Simi Valley Education Foundation.

Since its founding in 1989, the Simi Valley Education Foundation has invested more than $2.5 million into Simi Valley public schools through innovative classroom grants, school-wide projects, department enhancements, and scholarships for graduating seniors.

For more information about the Teacher of the Month program, please contact Cindy Jacoby at (877) SIMI-KID or visit svef.org.

PHOTO CAPTION:
Pictured from the left at Garden Grove Elementary from the left are: Nicholas Gutierrez, from the YMCA; Dr. Hani Youssef, SVUSD Superintendent; Eric Little, State Farm Insurance; Dawn Smollen, SVUSD Board President; Tarja Little, SVEF Board Member; Lisa Greenlinger; Principal Tim Bednar; Ryan Fowler, SVEF Board President; Michael Flores, Logix Federal Credit Union; Lori Neiman; SVUSD Director of Elementary Education; Sue Roth, SVEF Board Member; Vidhya Ganesh, SVEF Board Member; and Mike Kort, Representative for Supervisor Janice Parvin.

08/12/2026

Our Garden Grove Team is ready to welcome our Tigers for a great year ahead! 🐾🎉🐾

08/04/2026

06/03/2026

Congratulations to Mrs. Brooks for being recognized at the June Teacher of the Month! We are so proud of you and know that you are so deserving of this award! You help make Garden Grove the place to be!!!

The Simi Valley Education Foundation is proud to announce the June Teacher of the Month (TOTM) – Leslie Brooks from Garden Grove Elementary School.

Leslie Brooks teaches a grade 2/3 class at Garden Grove Elementary. Her dedication to student growth is evident in the way she thoughtfully differentiates her instruction to meet individual needs. She is committed to creating a fun and engaging learning experience and brings learning to life in her classroom, designing lessons that are interactive, creative, and meaningful. Leslie’s approach fosters a classroom environment where curiosity is sparked, confidence is built, and every student feels valued and successful.

The Teacher of the Month Program highlights educators across the Simi Valley Unified School District who demonstrate outstanding performance and make meaningful contributions to their students and schools.

Each month, honorees are celebrated with tokens of appreciation from generous community partners, including Chick-fil-A, Grand Canyon University, Harley’s Bowl, Iverson Construction, Logix Federal Credit Union, Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, Simi Valley YMCA, Eric Little with State Farm Insurance, Ventura County Credit Union, and the Walt Fuller Foundation. Local dignitaries also present personalized certificates of recognition, reinforcing the strong bond between schools and the broader community.

“Together, we send a clear message that the business community supports and values the dedication of our teachers,” said Ryan Fowler, Board President of the Simi Valley Education Foundation.

Since its founding in 1989, the Simi Valley Education Foundation has invested more than $2.5 million into Simi Valley public schools through innovative classroom grants, school-wide projects, department enhancements, and scholarships for graduating seniors.

For more information about the Teacher of the Month program, please contact Cindy Jacoby at (877) SIMI-KID or visit svef.org.

PHOTO CAPTION:
Pictured from the left at Garden Grove Elementary are: Anthony Avila, representing Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin; Kate Vega, representing Congresswoman Julia Brownley; Maya Goehner from Senator Henry Stern’s office; Eric Elizondo, Logix Federal Credit Union; Shere Grant, Grand Canyon University; Mike Kort, representing Supervisor Janice Parvin; Joseph Ayala, Simi Valley Councilmember and SVEF Board Member; Nicole Perryman, Principal; Leslie Brooks; Elaine Litster, TOTM Chair and Simi Valley City Councilmember; Ryan Fowler, SVEF Board President; Eric Little, State Farm Insurance; Tarja Little, SVEF Board Member; Jenny Fuller, SVEF Board Member; and Jamie Snodgrass, SVUSD Assistant Superintendent of Instruction & Pupil Services.

05/16/2026

Spirit Day today - CAREER DAY! We had so many students show off what they would love to be when they grow up - from paleontologists, scientist, astronauts, to artists, athletes, doctors, nurses, and even franchise owners - there was quite a variety! So proud of all these Tigers who all could very passionately tell us why they chose their career!!

05/05/2026

The Garden Grove Staff is feeling so grateful this week! A huge thank you to our wonderful PTA and the Families for your generosity and kindness in making Staff Appreciation Week so special! From the delicious breakfast and sweet treats yesterday to today’s incredible FIESTA lunch - every detail has meant so much! Your support truly makes a difference and we appreciate you more than words can say!!!

10/18/2025

Our Garden Grove Teachers took over the morning announcements with an inflatable dance party as their APEX surprise for the students! What a great way to celebrate all the great leadership lessons, activities, and fundraising done! Thank you to the APEX team and all our families who participated in making this a successful event! Video in the comments!!

10/09/2025

🌟 Last Call Alert! 🌟
Tonight is the last night before our Apex Remix to get pledges! Here’s what to remember:

✅ Get those pledges in.
✅ Get a good night’s sleep.
✅ Wear comfy shoes tomorrow.
✅ Hydrate and have a good breakfast.
✅ Celebrate your student’s hard work!

Let’s make tomorrow unforgettable!

Tonight’s Challenge: PRINCIPAL CHALLENGE! If we can jump up as an entire school by $266/move by Friday, our principal will have a mystery surprise! Essentially, if every student got one more pledge of a flat $36 or $1/unit, we’d get there!!

10/08/2025

🌟 Exciting Update Alert! 🌟
Check out our Top 5 Classes! 🏆 Is your child’s class on the list?

Streetly

Guzzo

Greenlinger

DiRubio

Donlon

There’s still time to share and pledge to support Class and Steam Materials! Every pledge helps our school. Let’s keep the momentum going! 💪

Night’s Challenge Winner:

Anything Challenge: Viviana C. (Coleman), William R.(Greenlinger), Connor Y. (Mitchell)

Bonus Challenge: Lillian Y.(Donlon), Zyanna C, (Rosales)

Tonight’s Challenge:PRINCIPAL CHALLENGE! If we can jump up as an entire school by $266/lap by Monday, our principal has a mystery surprise for you! Essentially, if every student got one more pledge of a flat $36 or $1/unit, we’d get there!

🚀

10/08/2025

🚀 This week is our Apex Remix 🌟
Please use the Share Wizard to share their student’s pledge page. Together, we’re helping students build leadership skills and make an impact.

Last Night’s Challenge Winner: GUZZO

Tonight’s Challenge: ANYTHING
CHALLENGE: A student who goes home and gets a pledge of any amount will be entered into a raffle. 3 students will be chosen and will get to choose anything from off my cart up to the bounce paddle.