Principal's Message
Dear Arroyo Families,
We had such a great week at Arroyo, filled with fun, creativity, and engagement. Our door decorating contest was a hit, and I loved seeing all of the original artwork, stories, and carved pumpkins that students added to their class padlets. Our costume parade on Friday was the culminating event, and while we missed having our parents there to cheer on the students, it was still really fun! We will be sharing photos and a video early next week. Special thanks to all of our volunteers who helped with our afternoon activities. The Haunted House, fortune tellers, games and activities were a big hit!
Our spirit week was so much fun we decided to extend it for one more day: Monday is Pajama Day! Hopefully this makes it a little easier for everyone to get to school after a fun weekend.
The SCEF Halloween Candy Buy-Back starts on Monday and continues through Nov. 4. Please consider sending in your candy this week in support of SCEF and our troops overseas (see note below). Also note that this is the only candy we hope to see on campus; please keep candy at home as an after school treat!
Eagle Council is planning our first community service drive for the week of November 8-12. We will be collecting dried food for Samaritan House. Please consider sending items like cereal, pasta, rice, beans, dried soup, packaged macaroni and cheese, etc. Students may bring food to the office or their classrooms.
It was great to see so many of our 4th grade families at the ROPES orientation on Thursday night. If you missed it you can view the recording here. More information about ROPES, including the link to register, can be found here. This is a great opportunity for students to explore a project they are interested in.
We have a few other reminders for the next few weeks:
- Friday, November 5 - Picture Retake Day
- Sunday, November 7 - Daylight Savings ends
- Thursday, November 11 - No School for Veterans Day
- Friday, November 12 - End of Trimester 1 - Teachers will be completing our standards-based report cards the following week which will be sent home no later than November 23rd.
- Monday, November 15 - 4th graders begin their next round of the exploratory wheel. Watch for more information soon.
Please stay safe and healthy this weekend -- keep masks on at any indoor celebrations, and wash hands frequently! Also be sure to read through the email from SCSD with updated information from San Mateo County Office of Education about vaccinations for 5-11 year olds; it contains some helpful information and resources for parents. We’re excited for our Eagles to start getting their COVID vaccinations soon.
Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]
PTA News
PTA Appreciation for the Halloween Party Volunteers
Big thanks and gratitude to all of the parents that helped make our Arroyo Spooktakular Celebration a success by bringing items or volunteering your time and help! Special thanks to our planning committee: Chiara Portner, Shveta Kulkarni, Pia Jonsson, Kasumi Widner, Kirsten & Kevin Kell, Michelle Techel & Alana Corso.
Fall Fundraiser: November Grade-Level Challenge
THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to our PTA Partner campaign. In November we have our Grade-Level Challenge! 4th-grade families are leading in PTA Partner donations. For families of 5th-graders, this is your chance to step up! Your PTA Partner donations help support activities like the Halloween Carnival, as well as scholarships for 5th-grade outdoor education.
We’re just over 50% toward our goal. Our deadline is coming up quickly! Without you, many of our school's wonderful programs would not be possible. Please click here to donate today!
Are You a Business Owner?
Thanks to 2021-22 sponsors Chang Orthodontics; Alana Corso, Sereno; San Carlos Orthodontics; and Andrews Orthodontics.
Get the word out about your business AND help provide enriching activities for our students by becoming a local business sponsor! When you join your fellow Central-Arroyo parents/business owners as a PTA sponsor, your business’s name will be featured on a banner during the PTA’s marquee spring event, the Stampede and Soar. Through your sponsorship, you have the opportunity to reach the families of 700+ students in the San Carlos community. Here’s the link to become a sponsor. The PTA thanks you! For more information, email Fundraising Chair Angie Wu at [email protected].
Our Arroyo Yearbook Team Needs You!
We’re ramping up for the new Arroyo 2021-22 yearbook and are recruiting parent volunteers:
- We’ll be using Treering again, which requires no prior experience!
- Volunteering is easy and can be conveniently done from home.
- We need 2 types of volunteers:
- Classroom Yearbook Representative (1 per class) to help us collect photos for their class’s montage page. Go to the PTA Volunteer Opportunities page on the Arroyo website and click on your class’s signup site to volunteer.
- Yearbook Committee where we split up tasks like working with Treering, communicating to parents and students, developing the plan for gathering photos, organizing online photo folders, yearbook layout & design, portrait pages, class volunteer coordinator. Please email our PTA president Alana Corso to join the committee.
SCEF News
Participate in Our 11th Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back!
Drop extra candy November 1-4, at your school’s office and it will be donated to Operation Gratitude and sent to our troops. Drs. Chang, Amin, and Kaher will donate $1 per pound of wrapped candy to SCEF.
SCEF Night with the Golden State Warriors
See the Golden State Warriors while supporting your schools. Learn more and check out upcoming SCEF events here: scefkids.org/events.
District News
SCSD Wellness Corner
I wanted to remind everyone that you have access to the Parent Venture series and resources. They explore a wide variety of topics all about caretaking, child development, and well-being for families. They have sessions in both English and Spanish. Please explore their upcoming workshops here, and feel free to take a look at their past videos!
If you have capacity, please sign up to volunteer for a Walk Audit. This will help to ensure getting to school for walkers, bikers and drivers is easier and safer for all.
Are you interested in joining the Wellness Committee? This is a space for caregivers, teachers, and students who are interested in brainstorming and implementing health and well-being ideas for the District. Please email Ilana to hear more!
COVID Reminders - Stay Home When Sick and Get Tested
Staying home when sick and getting tested for COVID-19 are two of the most effective ways to keep our community safe. Click here for more information.
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, call your school office to report an illness, stay home, and take a COVID test. If you need to report a COVID case, please call our District Nurse - Page Pollack at 650-632-8300 (Arroyo Office) or Human Resources at 650-590-5922 if the nurse is unavailable.
For additional information, visit our COVID-19 Resources page and review the SCSD Health & Safety Plan.
Schedule Your Appointment at the Curative COVID-19 Testing Van
Please take advantage of the no-cost COVID-19 testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department.
Click on the link to sign up at one of the following locations to begin your regular weekly testing:
Central Middle School (parking lot)
- NEW Mondays 11am-5pm
- Tuesdays & Wednesdays 9am-3pm
- Thursdays 1pm-7pm
- Fridays 11am-5pm
- Sign-up for testing at Central here
NEW LOCATION OPENING NOV 3!
Tierra Linda Middle School (parking lot)
- Wednesday & Friday 11am-5pm
- Saturday 8am-3pm
- Sign-up for testing at Tierra Linda here
- Other Community Based Testing sites in San Mateo County Here
Community Partner News
San Carlos Belmont Afterschool - Holiday Childcare Programs
Need Care for your child during the holiday breaks? We’ve got you covered!
All of our Holiday Programs here at After School are unique and offer children an opportunity to explore a variety of theme inspired activities. Our Holiday Programs are open to all age-appropriate children, whether they attend After School’s year-round programs or not.
Thanksgiving Break: We run a special two full-day program known as Harvest Week.
Winter Break: We offer care 8 days out of the break, of fun filled winter activities. We serve lunch daily during the weekly holiday breaks and we are open 7:30am-6:00pm.
We also run Holiday Programs during Presidents’ Week and Spring Break and we have a Summer Camp as well!
Please click here to view our website and to register for any of our Holiday Programs! For more information, please email us at [email protected].
Each Green Corner Needs YOUR Help
- Arundel Nov 6
- Arroyo/Central Nov 13
Come help Each Green Corner with regular care of our Living Campus! We will start at 9am and work until our tasks are complete (estimated 12:30/1pm). Our Living Campus work days have tasks appropriate for registered volunteers age 5 and up! Please use links below to register. Please bring gloves, snacks and a water bottle. Tasks may include:
- Weeding beds and planting areas;
- Pruning and harvesting;
- Preparing in-ground furrows & raised garden beds;
- Mulching, sheet mulching, and/or other ground preparation;
- Trash cleanup, and/or
- Other special tasks to help grow our Living Campus and further EGC’s mission!
- November 6 Arundel Elementary workday: eachgreencorner.app.neoncrm.com/eventReg.jsp?event=17437&
- November 13 Arroyo/Central workday; this workday is a 4H only event
Please check the website for additional workdays and new garden installation days: www.eachgreencorner.org
Parent Education Opportunities
Changing Perspectives Parent Nights for TK-12 Families - First Session is November 9, 5:30pm-7pm. The San Mateo County Office of Education invites Sam Drazin, founder and CEO of Changing Perspectives, to lead two virtual family nights on social emotional learning (SEL) and how to incorporate it at home. He will break SEL down into core competencies and share valuable strategies and resources to support students’ well-being and learning. Learn more.
City of San Carlos Flag Football & Basketball Leagues
Friday Night Under the Lights!
Flag Football This coed youth flag football program is intended for boys and girls of all experience levels and emphasizes skill development, good sportsmanship, team work, and fun! The 5-on-5 fast paced games provide the opportunity for children to experience the fun of football and learn the sport. Games are 40-minutes long with a 5-minute half time. Games are held on Friday evenings at Highlands Park from 5–9:30pm with the youngest playing first. Practices are held one hour before game time. Game schedules will be available online two weeks prior to the first game at www.quickscores.com/cityofsancarlos.
- Registration Deadline: Friday, November 12
- Skills Evaluations: Saturday, December 4 at Highlands Park
- Season: January 7 – March 4 at Highlands Park (no games February 25)
- Resident: $180 Non-resident: $200. Register online at cityofsancarlos.org/register.
Youth Basketball League Information:
Recreation Youth Basketball Recreation Basketball is a fun, low-pressure way to learn and enjoy the game of basketball. Equal playing time for all! K/1st grade league is co-ed; 2nd/3rd and 4th/5th/6th leagues are single gender. Games are played on Saturdays at the Youth Center. Games are from 9am–6pm with the youngest playing first. Practices are held one hour before game time. T-shirt uniforms are provided to each participant at the first game. Game schedules will be available online two weeks prior to the first game at www.quickscores.com/cityofsancarlos.
- Registration Deadline: Friday, November 12
- Skills Evaluations: Saturday, December 11 at San Carlos Youth Center
- Season: January 8 – March 5 at San Carlos Youth Center (no games February 19)
- Resident: $160 Non-resident: $180. Register online at cityofsancarlos.org/register.