Grades of Green ( GOG) is an award winning, volunteer-based non-profit that brings science-based lessons about environmental issues to our students' classrooms. Founded in 2007 at Grand View in Manhattan Beach, GOG now extends to schools across the world, providing educational tools that empower students to care for their environment.

Hermosa schools were introduced to GOG in 2008 by Elizabeth Riley and Geri Shapiro where they started  Trash Free Lunches and Foam Free Fridays on both campuses and helped pass the city's Styrofoam and Plastic Bag Bans. At Valley, GOG implemented a trash reduction & recycling program that resulted in the reduction of a dumpster a day. 

Erin Bender, environmental scientist and teacher, joined the Hermosa View GOG team in 2014. As a former science teacher, Erin saw the value GOG could add to student learning and began developing engaging curriculum tailored to each grade at Hermosa View. 

• First Grade - Students learn about the lifecycle of trash (recycling, composting and landfill disposal), building trash free lunches and the harmful impacts of trash on ocean ecosystems. 
• Second Grade - With a focus on reducing water consumption, students gain a better understanding of where our water originates and the importance of conservation. 
• Third Grade - It's all about solar energy as students get to become engineers and use everything they learned about solar energy to optimize a solar car design. 
• TK/Kinder - Our youngest students are introduced to the program with a visit from the L.A. Environmental Defenders rock group and Docent-led story time.

Building a sustainable and easily accessible program has been a priority for GOG leadership. With the generous contributions of filmmaker Benjamin Friedberg of YayBig, training tutorials were created for our volunteers to watch online, at their convenience, to learn how to teach each lesson. The GOG website offers easy access to all lesson materials and scheduling to help our docents provide the lessons to students. With this infrastructure in place, GOG can continue to offer high quality education opportunities to View for years to come and the framework to expand the Valley program.

Thanks to district parents Ben Friedberg and Kami Mastrangelo for donating their time and resources.

For more information please visit gradesofgreenhb.org

Now's the time for all of our TK - 5th grade daughters to grab their favorite guy and head to HVPTO's Father Daughter Dance, happening this Friday, 4/20!

This year's Hollywood in Hermosa event will take place from 6:00 - 8:00pm and will feature a rockin' DJ from VOX Entertainment with dance prizes, adorable "couples" photos and an awesome raffle. And new for this year: dinner courtesy of the Wienerschnitzel truck! Each paid guest will receive a food ticket for their choice of dog (chili, plain, corn or veggie), fries and a fountain drink! 

Pre buy your Dance & Raffle tickets at Hermosa View before school Monday - Thursday or  at the  HVPTO Online Store until Thursday night . Couples tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Sibling tickets are $15. 

The year's fantastic raffle features lots of great prizes from our local Hermosa businesses including the Grand Prize of a girl's Electra bike generously donated by Hermosa Cyclery! Our many other great prizes were graciously donated by Gum Tree, Wicked+, ET Surfboards, Locale 90, Ocean Diner and HVPTO's Spirit Wear!