Principal's Message
Dear Arroyo Families,
November is a perfect time to reflect on all the things we have to be grateful for. The Arroyo community is definitely at the top of my list. I’m consistently impressed with the thoughtfulness, curiosity and kindness of our students, the support of our parents, and the dedication and talent of our staff. I hope you can take some time as a family to think about all that you are grateful for, and I sincerely hope that Arroyo is a part of that list. If there is anything more that we can do to support your child and/or family, please reach out to me.
THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to our PTA Partner campaign. Your PTA Partner donations help support activities like the Halloween Carnival, fund grants for teachers to use in their classrooms, provide school-wide supplies and recess equipment, and provide scholarships for 5th grade Outdoor Education and other special events at school. If you haven’t already committed to being a PTA Partner this year, please consider making a donation. See the PTA section below for more information.
So many wonderful events happen here at Arroyo School and I am aware that sometimes the cost can add up. As part of our Arroyo School program we are pleased to be able to offer assistance and support to families as needed. Some of these services and offerings include a yearbook at the end of the year, grocery and toy store gift cards for the holiday season, and scholarships for special school trips and PTA events. These things are made available through the fundraising efforts of the PTA or private donations. The children or families receiving this assistance are kept confidential and I am the only one who will know. If your family is in need this year, we want to support you. Please complete this form and I will help to make the requested items available to you.
If you’d like to contribute to Arroyo families in need, please consider donating a gift card during the holiday season. Gift cards in denominations of $25 are preferred and can be to any local grocery store, Target, Amazon, etc. Please drop off donations in the Arroyo office to the attention of Mindy Shelton. It’s helpful to label the amount of the gift card. Supporting our Arroyo/Central PTA is another great way to support families in our community.
We are very much in need of additional volunteers to help during drop-off, pick-up and lunch. Drop-off and pick-up shifts are from 8:20-8:40am or 3-3:20pm and you can do as little as one day a week. No experience or special training needed. We also really need additional lunch supervisors to help from 11:50am-12:50pm. Please complete this form if you can help. If you’re available during the lunch hour but prefer to supervise a smaller group, please consider signing up to help supervise our student-led clubs.
Arroyo is definitely a community of walkers and bikers and this Wednesday our Eagles are invited to join other schools in our county and across the country to participate in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day to celebrate civil rights leader Ruby Bridges, who became the first Black student to integrate at her elementary school in 1960. I encourage you to learn about Ruby, walk to school, or participate in another way to honor her courage and role in the Civil Rights movement. Learn more.
I hope to see many of our 4th graders participating in this year’s ROPES project. This is a great opportunity for students to explore a project they are interested in. More information about ROPES, including the link to register, can be found here. The deadline to register is coming up on November 20 so be sure to sign up before then.
It has been wonderful to see so many of our students getting their first vaccination shots this week. Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe! Please remember that kids (like adults) aren’t considered fully vaccinated until two weeks past their second shot, so please continue to follow the guidelines for unvaccinated individuals when travelling or gathering with others over the Thanksgiving break. If your child will need to quarantine, please notify Tracey Olazar ([email protected]) and your child’s teacher so we can provide an independent study.
Our lost and found is overflowing with jackets, sweatshirts and water bottles. We will leave the rack outside the school office on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Please stop by and take a look. Anything not picked up before the Thanksgiving break will be donated.
As a reminder, there will be no school the week of November 22-26. Enjoy the fall break and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]
PTA News
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 59% 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 San Carlos Orthodontics; Andrews Orthodontics; Chang Orthodontics; Kirsten Kell, Marriage and Family Therapist; Alana Corso, Sereno; and Matt Grodin CPA.
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. For more information, email Fundraising Chair Angie Wu at [email protected].
Calling all White Oaks Big Kid Buddy Alumni, We Need You!
Volunteer to help White Oaks Elementary students shop for holiday gifts in the White Oaks Elementary Holiday Store (Multi Purpose Room), Saturday, December 11 from 8:30am-12pm. As a Big Kid Buddy you will help White Oaks students shop for gifts listed on their gift list, help them stay within their budget, and help them count their money to pay for gifts.
Volunteers will need to either be fully vaccinated (i.e. the volunteers second dose was provided no later than November 27) OR submit a negative covid test 48 hours prior to the event. Send pictures of your vaccination card and/or screen shot of your negative covid test to Britta Ellis ([email protected]) before 6pm on Friday, December 10. For those submitting a negative covid test, tests are to be completed on December 9 or 10th and submitted to Britta. Britta must receive either your covid vaccination or negative covid test to participate.
Sign-up to be a Big Kid Buddy Volunteer using your name (name of volunteer) and a parent guardian’s email address: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F094FA9AC29A0F85-white
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
Honey Bear Trees Are Comin’ to Town!
The annual tradition of scouting the Honey Bear lot for the perfect Christmas tree continues! Visit the San Carlos or Redwood City location and don’t forget to mention SCEF, they donate 15% back! Details here.
Grateful for Our Community
As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, we want to share our gratitude to the San Carlos community. Without the spirited volunteers, enthusiastic educators, and generous donors, SCEF could not do what we do year after year. We are grateful for YOU!
District News
ROPES Registration for Grades 4, 6 and 8 Deadline Nov 19 5pm
ROPES is the Rite Of Passage ExperienceS program that is specifically designed as an optional enrichment activity as students complete a cycle of their education. ROPES provides students in 4th, 6th, and 8th grade an opportunity to participate in an academic ritual by way of real-life learning experiences. Participating students will choose a self-directed project that incorporates the 21st century learning skills of initiative, inquiry, creativity, communication, cooperation, and leadership. Students have an opportunity to choose from a variety of Challenge Project Categories: Creativity/Appreciation of the Arts, Innovation/Invention, Adventure/Personal Challenge, Cooperative Games, Service/Advocacy, Personal Reflections.
If interested, please register here by Friday Nov 19 at 5pm. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] and for more information visit the SCSD website.
Did You Know that California is Expanding Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Making all 4 year olds Eligible by the 2025-26 School Year?
For the upcoming 2022-23 school year, students who turn 5 between September 2 and February 1, 2023 are now eligible to register for Transitional Kindergarten (TK). Previously, only students who turned 5 by December 2nd qualified. Additionally, knowing some families will need afternoon care for their TK student, plans for an enriching, extended-day program are in the works for these littlest students, so stay tuned! Visit our Transitional Kindergarten page to learn more about the SCSD TK program.
Here are some important Key Dates coming up for New Student Registration:
- Monday, January 10 - Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night for New Families from 6:30-7:30pm
- Tuesday, January 11 - PowerSchool Priority Registration Opens for All New Students at 12pm
- Wednesday, January 26 - Schools hold Virtual Elementary School Tours for Incoming TK/Kindergarten Families from 4-4:30pm
- Friday, February 11 - PowerSchool Priority Registration Deadline 4pm
Sequoia Health Care Fall Newsletter
Sequoia Healthcare District is a vital part of supporting our school communities health and wellness programs, and ensuring all of our students are cared for and supported. Each quarter, the district puts together a newsletter highlighting what we've been up to, and what each school in the area has been doing. Please see SCSD's newsletter here, and the area-wide newsletter here.
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
Healthy Cities Tutor Orientation & Training
Wednesday, Nov 17 10-11:30am - San Carlos Library (upstairs meeting room) - 610 Elm Street San Carlos or on Zoom at 7-8:30pm. We are looking forward to training and answering your questions about tutoring with HCT! You only need to attend one session. If you have not tutored with us, each session will cover everything you need to know to get started with a student! 35 minutes New Tutor Orientation followed by training in Math, English and Writing.
RSVP and learn more at www.healthycitiestutoring.com.
We can't wait to get started! See you at 10am on Wednesday in person at the San Carlos Library or on Zoom at 7pm, 11/17/2021.
ACE 2021-22 Holiday Programs: Harvest Week - Winter Break - Mid-Winter Break- Spring Break
As schools close throughout the year for Holiday Breaks, ACE remains open at our Arroyo site for a fun-filled action packed time!
ACE offers full day Holiday Camp programming from 8am-6pm daily that includes lunch and afternoon snack. Each Holiday program has its own creative theme attached with daily enrichment programming that includes STEAM, Outdoor Athletic Activities, Indoor games, cooking, and of course, FUN FOR EVERYONE!
ACE welcomes all children between the ages of 4.5-12 years to join in the fun! Please visit our website www.acesancarlos.com for more information and see our Holiday Program Page.
Community Foundation of San Carlos & the United Against Hate Movement Poetry Slam
The Community Foundation of San Carlos is joining the United Against Hate Movement (Nov 14 - Nov 20) and invites you to be part of the movement to help promote acceptance, inclusion, and equity in our town.
Save the Date - Fri, Nov 19
What: Stand United Against Hate Poetry Slam
When: Fri, Nov 19 from 5- 6pm
Where: Devil's Canyon Brewery, 935 Washington Street
Why: Come out and tell your story, use your voice to stand up and share how you combat hate in our community, your experiences with hate, and how we all can become more united. All ages welcome. More details via this link.
Prize: $1500 will be donated to the nonprofit(s) of the winners' choice!
San Carlos United Tryouts - For Boys & Girls Born Between 2013-2014 - Dec 4-5
San Carlos United is now holding tryouts for AYSO players and players not currently playing competitive soccer. Tryouts for the upcoming 2014 teams will be held Dec 4 and 5. For more information on all age groups and to register online, go to https://www.sancarlosunited.org/opensessions/.
We look forward to seeing you at the San Carlos United tryouts!
Parent Education Opportunities
Parent Venture Series - https://www.parentventure.org/events
Changing Perspectives Parent Nights - Next Session is November 17, 5:30pm-6:30pm. 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. (Spanish flyer here).
NEW! How can kids manage their social relationships, both in and out of school? Author/educators Ana Homayoun and Phyllis Fagell present Friends, Frenemies & Friendlier Friends: Navigating School Social Dynamics (November 18, Online).